Hello from the new guy

[darbo]

Ok I'm new to the whole saltwater fish hobby. I have been doing alot of reading and have some questions before I start buying stuff to start. I am putting a mostly fish only aquarium up I think thats what its called.
1 what size tank should I shoot for? Remember I'm on a budget.
2 I like the look of no filters hanging off the tank. So should I go for a acrylic tank or a drilled glass tank?
3 Live sand in a bag that has been on a pet stores shelf for a year is it really live?
4 Is a skimmer a must have? or is a wet dry good?
5 Is there a good site on how to build a wet dry filter?
6 Why is it that every price I see on the net is alot cheaper then the fish store in town?
7 Any idea where to get a good reasonable priced tank?
8 Should I save to get all the live rock I need so it will all be in there or get some and add more as I go?
9 Need a list of good colorful fish that I should start with. I could have a stroke if i killed a 75$ fish.
10 Anyone have any used equipment they want to sale cheap
Any help or info I can get would be great. Thanks in advance
Darbo

 

[triga22]

1 what size tank should I shoot for? Remember I'm on a budget.
The biggest you can buy.
2 I like the look of no filters hanging off the tank. So should I go for a acrylic tank or a drilled glass tank? Drilled with sump
3 Live sand in a bag that has been on a pet stores shelf for a year is it really live?
No. You can buy some just plain sand and mix it with real live sand.
4 Is a skimmer a must have? or is a wet dry good?
Skimmer is a must have. Sump instead of wet dry
5 Is there a good site on how to build a wet dry filter?
Here people will show you theres and they will give you blueprints
6 Why is it that every price I see on the net is alot cheaper then the fish store in town?
Because your stores try to make money, saltwaterfish.com has good deals to make more money and there livestock is great here
7 Any idea where to get a good reasonable priced tank?
Buy used or i dont know what ur budget is but at walmarrt they have a 55 for like 130$
8 Should I save to get all the live rock I need so it will all be in there or get some and add more as I go? You can do both. If u can buy it all at once i would so it can cycle your tank for you.
9 Need a list of good colorful fish that I should start with. I could have a stroke if i killed a 75$ fish.
Clowns,Yellow Watchman gobys,all gobys,wrasses, tangs
10 Anyone have any used equipment they want to sale cheap
Look in clasifides

 

[jleithiser]

Hi! I'm new to saltwater aquariums as well and I have learned a lot already. The bigger the tank the easier it is to manage. I am looking at a 110 gal tank for my first tank. A great fish to start with is the Percula Clownfish. You were also wondering whether or not protein skimmers were a must. I have heard one person say that they maintained their tank without a protein skimmer, but you should definitely get one. Good luck on your tank! :happyfish

 

[jleithiser]

By the way, you should get a glass tank. Acrylic tends to be weaker and more problems arise while using acrylic.

 

[canisee2]

Originally Posted by Darbo
Ok I'm new to the whole saltwater fish hobby. I have been doing alot of reading and have some questions before I start buying stuff to start. I am putting a mostly fish only aquarium up I think thats what its called.
1 what size tank should I shoot for? Remember I'm on a budget.
2 I like the look of no filters hanging off the tank. So should I go for a acrylic tank or a drilled glass tank?
3 Live sand in a bag that has been on a pet stores shelf for a year is it really live?
4 Is a skimmer a must have? or is a wet dry good?
5 Is there a good site on how to build a wet dry filter?
6 Why is it that every price I see on the net is alot cheaper then the fish store in town?
7 Any idea where to get a good reasonable priced tank?
8 Should I save to get all the live rock I need so it will all be in there or get some and add more as I go?
9 Need a list of good colorful fish that I should start with. I could have a stroke if i killed a 75$ fish.
10 Anyone have any used equipment they want to sale cheap
Any help or info I can get would be great. Thanks in advance
Darbo
ok first welcome to the borads ok now to the point.
ok the modo is the bigger the tank the more stable but a 75 is good enough and get it drilled they are pretty cheap now.
The live sand on the shelves has a little bit of bacterica but not much you can use it but its better to go to a fish store and ask for real live sand but this stuff is ok and NO crushed coral its a nitirte trap which you dont want alot of.
A skimmer is not a must have but it can help tremendusloy but you dont need one if it was a reef then i would say you need one but a fish only not really.
THis site has a archive section look through there im sure there are alot of ways to build them you just have to look through it.
Because they ship it in and your not paying for shipping but when you order off line your paying for shipping.
Just ask a lfs call several different ones and get the one thats cheapest but still drilled.
If it were me i would add it all as once because its just easier you dont have to go through a process of curing the live rock.
To start with i would get some clowns but just 2 because they will fight if theres more there a good starter fish beside damsels which are mean ones.
Im sorry but i have nothing to sell to you sorry.

Hope this helps,
Austin

 

[canisee2]

Originally Posted by jleithiser
By the way, you should get a glass tank. Acrylic tends to be weaker and more problems arise while using acrylic.

acrylic is 7 times stronger then glass and light weight but its more exspensive and it can scratch sometimes if not carefull but its much stronger then glass.

 

[darbo]

Ok so acrylic is best for the tank for me I think.
Now I need help on filters if anyone has a set up they can recomend. I think I'm going to look for a 50g tank.
Darbo