Greetings!!

jumpshot724

jumpshot724

New Member
Greetings ya'll,
New here, just wanted to say hi. A little bit about myself I suppose:
I'm 23, live in the US (Long Island, New York). My hobbies include aviation, wakeboarding, boating, and generally anything animal related. I aspire to become a US Air Force officer, and graduated from Syracuse University this past May.
The main reason I'm here is that my girlfriend has been talking about the possibility of starting up a saltwater reef tank. I myself am the only one of us who's had experience with fish, but it was a tropical freshwater tank that I got rid of when I was about 15 so I don't remember much.
She has had experience with newts in the past, and I currently keep frogs/toads so, we're a bit new to this.
I look forward to learning as much as we can before deciding whether or not we're up for this lol. Any questions for me I'm a pretty open and honest guy, so don't hesitate to ask!!
Again, look forward to learning some good stuff!!!!
 
mboswell1982

mboswell1982

Active Member
first off, welcome to the boards, secondly, how much are you willin to drop on a tank? we know of several different setups, depending on the size your wanting, an howmuch yoru willin to spend, that will definitely fit your bill
 
jumpshot724

jumpshot724

New Member
Not so sure. I know they're really expensive to start up....
If I had to GUESS, maybe ~$500.00USD JUST for equipment/necessities, IE tank, water, sand, filter(s) (and other regulationg media), "live rock" (still don't know what this is for but I've always seen it mentioned), and any other items that are crucial to a tank, discounting fish and corals and other inhabitants.
If my estimates are way off feel free to let me know lol. She really wants clown fish and blue tangs so I figured a reef set-up would be best way to go, but i could be wrong, that's why I'm here to talk to the experts lol
 
mboswell1982

mboswell1982

Active Member
ok, your not gonna be able to do tangs unless u get at least a 75g tank, preferably even bigger, an tangs are notorious ich magnets.
now, if you want to start off small, you can go with a finnex tank, fireykat down in the nano section just set one up, tank alone, but it includes everything, including awesome lights, for under 500 bucks, so its kinda hard to beat it lol.
or, you can go the route like im doing, a 20g long aquarium, u can get em for 25 bucks at petsmart right now, on sale, with a pair of aquaclear 110 hang on the back powerfilters modified to be fuges, lights good enough for any coral you want are around 200 bucks, so for roughly 600 bucks on that one, u can have it reef ready, an that will include your test kits, ur rock, ur salt, ur water, ur lights, filtration, an tank.
and a 20 long is really a nice sized tank to start off with, its nice an long, 30x13x12 so its a nice sized tank IMO, its why im starting off with one
 
t316

t316

Active Member
Welcome to the boards Jumpshot....
I love aviation as well, although I have not flown solo in years.
You made mention of tangs, so as you do your research, keep in mind the "size tank" you may need based on what you plan to put in it. Costs is one thing, but a blue tang won't fit in a kitchen counter top aquarium. It may look like it, looking at the cute little babies at the fish store, but trust me...it won't, they grow big. Keep reading....keep asking questions....and I'm looking forward to seeing some pics of the new tank one day.
 
maryg

maryg

Member
Welcome!
This has been a very fun hobby for myself and you guys will find it very rewarding. Start slow and read the new hobbies threads. There are lots of helpful hints.
If you are planning on keeping long term I would not start with anything under 29-55 gallons. My first was a 12 gallon Aquapod. They require constant water changes. I wish I started with my 55. The bigger the better and less room for error. If you want Tangs buy your tank according to the minimum tank size requirement. I will recommend starting with dry aragonite sand and seed it with live rock. Put some dry base rock directly on the glass then the sand on top of it to prevent rockslides with sand dwellers you may aquire. Let it cycle and let nature do it's thing. Get a good test kit. Use RO/DI water and you will be off to a great start. Check your local ads and other online classifieds and you can pick up a great used system and save costs. I purchased all my tanks this way. Do research before you buy any livestock or just ask anyone here on these boards and you will get sound advise from those who have been doing this for a long time. That is the best starter advise I can give from one "newbie" to another.
Good luck and enjoy
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Well, heh. IMO, you can do a 20g long just right with $500. IF you go any bigger, you won't have money for ANYTHING else.
Shopping list:
20g tank
Penguin Hang On Back filter rated for 100g tank
maxijet 1200 powerhead
heater - 100 watts
20lbs live sand
25lbs live rock
stand, canopy
2x65watt power compact lights retrofit kit
That should give you a great start!
Personally, by the time you spend your money on all of that, you could go ahead and get a 29gallon biocube and spend about the same amount of money.
 
mboswell1982

mboswell1982

Active Member
hey now, i like my 20 long idea snake dont be stealin my thunder man LOL
im goin with the 2x ac 110's, 2x koralia 1's, current usa nova sundial 4x24w T5HO lighting, 25lbs live rock, 25lbs live sand
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
OK now that you heard all the goody goody stuff let me just say no one from the island says Greetings ya'll,
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
I'm not stealing your idea mboswell, but there are plenty of people with 20g tanks. :D
I started with a 20g tank. I owned a live fish store and had about 78 tanks running at one point, two being full blown 240g reef tanks. Now I'm back down to only one 30g long tank with a 20g long fuge. Bigger is better, but I believe that smaller tanks definately have their advantage.
 
reifermadness

reifermadness

Member
Hey Jumpshot! Welcome to the reef. I have gained so much information on this board it's ridiculous. What I will tell you is that there are going to be suggestions made on here that will make you want to
BUT... the people on here are just telling it straight.
You might get told something completely different by a LFS... my only suggestion.. don't make haste decisions. You'll see the COOLEST coral or fish and your LFS will tell you that it's fine to stick a great white in a 5g fishbowl but my best advice, walk out... go home... do homework or post on here and guaranteed you will get the right answer.
Congrats, I really hope you and your girl get into the hobby. I have reduced my stress level by 1,000 since having my tanks.
Again, welcome.
 
jumpshot724

jumpshot724

New Member
Thanks all for the warm welcome!!
OK now that you heard all the goody goody stuff let me just say no one from the island says Greetings ya'll,
I only say "ya'll" in typing, very rarely in speech. Trust me, I drink cawfee while walking my dawg lol

GO YANKEES!!!!
ok, your not gonna be able to do tangs unless u get at least a 75g tank, preferably even bigger, an tangs are notorious ich magnets.
now, if you want to start off small, you can go with a finnex tank, fireykat down in the nano section just set one up, tank alone, but it includes everything, including awesome lights, for under 500 bucks, so its kinda hard to beat it lol.
or, you can go the route like im doing, a 20g long aquarium, u can get em for 25 bucks at petsmart right now, on sale, with a pair of aquaclear 110 hang on the back powerfilters modified to be fuges, lights good enough for any coral you want are around 200 bucks, so for roughly 600 bucks on that one, u can have it reef ready, an that will include your test kits, ur rock, ur salt, ur water, ur lights, filtration, an tank.
and a 20 long is really a nice sized tank to start off with, its nice an long, 30x13x12 so its a nice sized tank IMO, its why im starting off with one
Yea, from what I've seen tangs need ~55gal, so I was thinking that or a little larger. Your 75gal idea sounds a lot more reasonable so the poor thing isn't cramped. We have to price things out, I myself lean towards the bigger sizes as I've heard they are easier to maintain but this is her project, I'm just here to help lol
Hey Jumpshot! Welcome to the reef. I have gained so much information on this board it's ridiculous. What I will tell you is that there are going to be suggestions made on here that will make you want to BUT... the people on here are just telling it straight.
You might get told something completely different by a LFS... my only suggestion.. don't make haste decisions. You'll see the COOLEST coral or fish and your LFS will tell you that it's fine to stick a great white in a 5g fishbowl but my best advice, walk out... go home... do homework or post on here and guaranteed you will get the right answer.
Congrats, I really hope you and your girl get into the hobby. I have reduced my stress level by 1,000 since having my tanks.
Again, welcome.
I'm not a stranger to that, believe me. I belong to other forums so my frogs have the best care possible, and that's why I searched out this forum so that when/if we take on this project our little reef will be a good one. I'm here to learn so that we don't mess up. And PS I NEVER listen to or even purchase livestock from any pet stores lol. I'm all about paying the little extra for mail-away livestock that is 9.9 times out of 10 better than anything in any pet store and doing my research through any number of books, forums, and online sources. I don't listen to the 16 year old kid who doesn't even know how to change the water in the reptile section (this gets on my nerves >:-0 )
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Jumpshot724
http:///forum/post/2905530
Thanks all for the warm welcome!!
I only say "ya'll" in typing, very rarely in speech. Trust me, I drink cawfee while walking my dawg lol

GO YANKEES!!!!
Yea, from what I've seen tangs need ~55gal, so I was thinking that or a little larger. Your 75gal idea sounds a lot more reasonable so the poor thing isn't cramped. We have to price things out, I myself lean towards the bigger sizes as I've heard they are easier to maintain but this is her project, I'm just here to help lol
I'm not a stranger to that, believe me. I belong to other forums so my frogs have the best care possible, and that's why I searched out this forum so that when/if we take on this project our little reef will be a good one. I'm here to learn so that we don't mess up. And PS I NEVER listen to or even purchase livestock from any pet stores lol. I'm all about paying the little extra for mail-away livestock that is 9.9 times out of 10 better than anything in any pet store and doing my research through any number of books, forums, and online sources. I don't listen to the 16 year old kid who doesn't even know how to change the water in the reptile section (this gets on my nerves >:-0 )
GO GIANTS
 
jrod4u

jrod4u

Member
Go whomever, LOL IDK, I am not really into soccer ;-) but have fun with your start up, I am having a ball and happy as a clam hehe
 
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