$500 to play with.

doodle1800

doodle1800

Active Member
ok - Lets say I have $500 to spend on a salt water setup to start with. I want at least a 55 gal setup - no stand required as I want to put this in the wall in the basement and brace it in the back. What would you guys recommend I get using $500. Lets subtract $100 for the tank and hood, so $400 left. From what I'm learning I need something to condition the water - I was going to use tap water from the basement sink. I need salt of course, Live sand? Live rock? Protein skimmer? Filter? Heater of course. Air stone? Water test kit? Its adding up. So I need help in determining what to focus on first, even if it means I run out of money and have to get things later. I've failed before with saltwater, before the days of the internet where the petshop guy didn't know much. Reading everyone's posts are very helpful - thanks. Anyways - any suggestions would be great, maybe 75 gal instead of 55? And on and on...
 
ntvflgirl

ntvflgirl

Member
Okay...(where to start!) First of all, the one thing you will learn in this hobby is patience. I'm going to give you a link to a site where you can read, read, and read some more. Then I'm going to send you to the book store to buy a book, "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" by Fenner is a good one, to get you started. I would not buy one thing, other than a book before I knew what kind of setup, the best features you want, etc, etc, etc. I can answer the question about tank size. Since this is your first tank, you will have better water stability the larger size tank you get. Some people set up their first tank in a 10 gallon and do fine, but parameters are more stable in a larger tank. And they are the same length as 55's, just wider. Here's a link to get you started. There are countless others too, maybe someone will reply with another, but this one is pretty good. This board will be a great source of information for you. Don't listen to the petshop guy unless you compare his answers with this board. Everyone here wants you to have a successful tank, and we're not trying to sell you anything...lol. When you find out what kind of tank you want, and have read up a little on all the features available for your tank...which are endless...come back and let us know. Welcome to the hobby...and don't forget to read..read..read!!!
http://www.simplifiedreefkeeping.com/faq/faq.htm
 
doodle1800

doodle1800

Active Member
I do have a 10 gal going now - and so far its successful. But its not even through its first cycle yet. I don't have equipment yet as far as a protein skimmer, live sand or rock, etc.. - just crushed coral and coral..So I'm thinking ahead right now for the biggie and would like to do it right.
 
doodle1800

doodle1800

Active Member
I agree totally with reading and reading... What I mean though is do I buy a supreme protein skimmer, a moderate one, cheap? Do I get one thing at a time and just add to it as I go? Do I buy the best of everything and just do it slowly and have patience? Or is the $59 skimmer (for example) good enough? Upgrade as I go? I know - its up to me, but from your guys past experience what would you have done in hindsight?
 
evilss

evilss

Member
IF YOU DECIDE TO GO WITH A 75G TANK LET ME KNOW. I AM LOOKING TO UPGRADE TO 125 OR LARGER. I WILL BE SELLING MY 75 COMPLETE OR IN PIECES. THIS MESSAGE BOARD BY THE WAY IS THE BEST PLACE ON THE NET TO FIND OUT ANYTHING ABOUT SALWATER AQUARIUMS. EVERYONE HAS HELPED ME ALOT AND QUICKLY WITH EVERY PROBLEM THAT I HAVE ENCOUNTERED. THEY WILL HELP YOU ALOT. GOOD LUCK ON YOUR NEW VENTURE.
matthew_shipp@hotmail.com
 
dindi

dindi

Member
Just to let you know, good luck, I have spent 4000K on a 75 gal tank this year. FYI, get the best because you will buy this then that then end up buying something else to get the best this and that. I mean get really good filtration, live rock is not cheap, then if you want corals...lights are not cheap neither are the corals, then perfect water conditions for your corals, not cheap. READ and READ and READ some more then you will realize $500 is cheap, but you ain't going nowhere...Everything about the beauty of marine is not cheap. 500$? heck I wish it was that easy:D
 
dindi

dindi

Member
See these fish? They passed on because I was too complacent in my water conditions...cost me 180 dollars and my babies their lives $500 bucks....
 
dindi

dindi

Member
Oh yeah.. the fish going left is the only RED SEA fish (Doc) who lived through my error in water conditions. Man this was a total bummer when I lost "Holiday" and "Mooch" They have their own grave site here at home and a reminder not to get complacent. $500 bucks...jeeze
 
ntvflgirl

ntvflgirl

Member
If you feel you need a skimmer, then get one that will run double the size of your tank. So if you get a 75, get a skimmer for a 150. Look into your lr, and ls costs...if you can get southdown playsand in your area, at home depot, that would be a way to get a great substrate for a lot less money. Then just seed it with lr, or maybe swap some sand from your other tank for seeding. Depending on what kind of tank you plan on having, lighting is another major issue. If you want a reef tank, then start looking at 5 to 7 watts, some even have more, per gallon of water in your tank. So for a 75, you want to shoot for around 525 watts of light. All of this, along with good live rock, and you should be pretty much on your way...except for the small stuff...lol. Of course there's a sump to think of, but once you start reading up, then it will fall into place. So go for tank, substrate, rock, lighting, skimmer, and definately use ro water...you'll be on your way.
Welcome;)
 
doodle1800

doodle1800

Active Member
Dindi - thanks. I didn't think $500 would cover hardly anything actually. The tank, hood and then start working on the water conditioning equipment. So lets start with that. I have tap water from a basement sink. Should I go out and buy 75 or 55 gals of water from the local grocery store? Or should I buy something that conditions the water - and what? I've heard of a few methods to do this, how about some opinions of this? Special filters, etc.... While I wait for replys to this, I'll read... I'm at work right now so I have nothing else to do... :D
RO water? - reverse osmosis? I'll read on this right now.
Nice picts Dindi... but relax on $500 - 3 kids, a dog and wife who likes Tiffanys for Christmas, so I have to "tell" the wife I'm only spending $500...haaa..
$500 this month...$500 next month...you know...
 
swilbs83

swilbs83

Member
well lets run it down......
55-75g tank = $100-120
VHO lighting(440 watts) = $210 at helllolights w/ bulbs
Southdown sand = $20
RO system(if needed) = $150-170
Live Rock = at $5/lb(average price) = around $300/60lbs but you can shop around and get a better deal I would bet(bulk)
Heater = $30
Protein skimmer = $100 (I use the amiracle on my 75g and it does great work and was very inexpensive)
Powerheads(2) = $35-40
Not sure what kind of filter you want (hang on or wet dry) but I use 2 330 biowheels on my 75g and they were $85 total)
So after you buy the tank and VHO system you will have around $190 dollars left......with the heater, sand, protein skimmer and powerheads you will be at just around $500....Then you can buy as you go from there.......will need probably another 300-380 bucks to finish it out...That doesn't include livestock though.... lol...HTH (all information from my 75g)
 
dindi

dindi

Member
What happened was I always check my water..but everytime I checked for alkalinity it was always "normal" I quit checking that one, became complacent. did a large water change to remove what I thought was too much nitrates (.o5), I didn't put any buffer in(use distilled water) and I never added calcium because the ecosystem (didn't read the fine print) is SUPPOSE to not need any other additives, the fish went down hill right after the water change, in less than 24 hours, I put in coppersafe, what a stupid thing to do and also added maracynII, more dumb stuff because they looked like parasites, leaning over white specks the whole 9 yards. Mooch and Holiday died within 2 days of my water change. Took a water sample to the LFS it was 3 dkh! She said did they lean over and lose color, yes, she said just bring your alks up, we see it al the time when we get new fish in...the moral of this story, it was too late, Mooch and Holiday were gone cost me $180 and their lives plus copper in my main tank. I had them for 7 months, there buddy Doc is doing excellent, not bad for a clown surgeonfish, he is Cool . Now $500 a month is more like it, good luck and send pics:D
 
dindi

dindi

Member
Oh yeah, don't use tapwater. Get distilled water from the grocery store. (People will ask questions sometimes) or buy RO from your LFS. You can use the tapwater purifier but takes way too long and is not cost effective. I'm sure there are other means for pure water out there but I don't any. Anyone?
 
terrence

terrence

Member
Many people are giving you the best advice....READ!!!!! I took short cuts the first time......it cost me over $500 just for the fish!!!! If you use tap water, put in your additives, salt, etc. and let it filter for a few days....PATIENTS starts at the BEGINNING!!!! I have a 75gal F/O....about 60lbs of crushed coral and about 60lbs (6 pieces) of lace rock....lots of holes for the little guys!!!! It has a double "Eclipse" top...which contains the filter, bio-wheel and lights. After a 12 week cycling period starting with 6 Damsels (and AFTER reading about which fish live better together and knowing what size they will grow to)...I added 2 fish a week for another 10 weeks, and I replaced the 3 Damsels that died because I liked the various colors.......here's what I have ...
2 Royal Blue Damsels
2 Green Chromies
1 Domino Damsel
1 3 striped Damsel
1 O.Clown
1 Pajama Cardinal This combination has over 20
1 Yellow Tang variuos colors, maybe closer to 30
1 Flame Hawk
1 Striped Blennie
1 Velenti Puffer I added the replaced Damsels last
2 Scooter Dragonets it's always a good idea that the
1 Manderan Goby smallest fish in your tank only
1 Snowflake Eel cost about $3........oh yeah!!!!
1 Brittle Star
1 Serpant star
1 Choc. Chip Star
5 Turbo Snails
No fish is over 4 inches (except the eel), and I put in about a square foot of Live Sand in one end of the Tank. I feed 3 times a day....Krill (freeze dried.....I pulverize several + hand feed the Eel and 2 starfish), a frozen bob-bon of Brine Shrimp, 1/2 bon-bon of Bloodworms, and a piece of an Algae bon-bon.
Everybody eats something....and some of them eat everything!!
I check my water quality twice a week......do a 20/25% water change EVERY weekend....and I DON"T have a protein skimmer. I keep my salanity level at .023....usually by adding non-salt water after evaporation..........
Did I mention I'm RETIRED!!!!!!! Have fun!!!!!!!!!Good Luck!!!!!
The more you READ the less $$$$$$, but $500 is a nice start!!
 
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