Help me out? Am i crazy?

[lilcheen]

Have a place in town thats selling a 180 gallon tank. (reef-ready/built in overflows)
All for $1000
Includes
wet/dry
pumps hoses etc
skimmer
2 250wat Halides
stand
canopy
used for 5 months.
Good deal? I know it is, but anything i should be looking for?
Also, how much sand will i need for this?
Can anyone give me a rough estimate of misc start up costs?
Sand/Salt/Heater?
Thanks.
I've always done 20 minus reefs and ive never even considerd a large reef until today, This tank is on hold for me for 1 day. I need to decide if im crazy to do such a large reef.
Plz give me your opinions, i have to decide fast.

 

[lobstergrabber]

Sounds like an awesome deal. Wish I could get a 180 for a reef but no room. I am trying to get the stuff together for a 100. Not real sure how much sand. Depends how deep you want to go with it but I found a sand bed calculator and it said you would need like 1500 pounds for a 4 inch deep sand bed. I would think if you bought a bucket of salt instead of bags it should not be that bad and the heaters aren't really that expensive. Sand and rocks will be your biggest expense.
Rich

 

[thomas712]

A deal like that and I would go and size it up, look it over very carefully. VEery very tempting.
Thomas

 

[lilcheen]

1500? lbs of sand> WHOA, how much is play sand ( can i use stuff from home depot?)
and how much live would i need to seed?
The lfs has some figi (somewhat alive) base rock for 2$ a pound.
Im thinkin around 250 total rock?
So i would need a 4in sand bed?
The tank demensions are 72 long 24 deep and 36 tall i beilve, i cant remember.
with canonpy and stand its 72 and 74 by 24

 

[michaeltx]

yeah its going to be expensive startup costs. but you can get all the equipment slowly.
1500# of sand sounds extreme I had 250 in my 100 gallon 5 fot tank and its gave me right at 4-5 inche bed.
you can look at base rock on the net and get it much cheaper and then seed with some high quality LR it will take some time to seed the base rock though.
the other high cost thing you are going to have to look at is lighting.
Mike

 

[thomas712]

Silica sand can be used from Lowes or Home Depot, look for the whitest sand you can find, less impurities.
$2.00 a pound for baserock is a little to much, you can find better deals on line. Do a search on this board for baserock and you should find what your looking for. 50 pounds cost me only 53.00 bucks.
I personally use no more than 2 inch sand bed in my 90, I like it that way. Look up the thread "DSB revolt" and other dsb opinions.
Thomas

 

[thomas712]

Mike are you following me or the other way around? LOL

 

[michaeltx]

I guess so LOL
go figure ;-Þ

 

[lilcheen]

Originally posted by MichaelTX
the other high cost thing you are going to have to look at is lighting.
Mike
comes with 2 250 MH.
Ill see if i get a deal buying so much rock.
Ive come to a conclusion that ill need around 400 pounds of sand. Damn.
How much does some agrontie sand cost? Can i mix some homedepot stuff with other sand.
I dont really know what im talking about so someone fill me in. How can i do this as CHEAP as possible. i cant spend much more on this tank right now.
my lfs said the homedept stuff has too much silicates in it and it wont work. Will it not work or will i have problems?
Thanks in advance

 

[michaeltx]

missed that part LOL
most of the home dept sand that you will find is a brown sand and I would mix it. I tried that and it just doesnt look right. you might be able to get them to order southdown sand but from what I understand is dont tell them what its for or they wont order it. comes out cheaper. also you can search the net for argonite I remeber someone saying that can order it direct for less even with the shipping costs.
Mike

 

[lilcheen]

what exactly is southdown?
is that what i ask for?
Can i get some southdown sand?
yeah, i can order some. whats it for?
its for um... my backyard beach?

 

[michaeltx]

LOL
southdown is a argonite based sand thats all but its packaging is labeled NOT FOR AQUARIUM USE> something the companyies did or something dont know exactly. but if you tellthem its for a tank they (from what I have heard) will tell you no they wont.
if you do a search the sku# has been posted a few times before.

 

[lilcheen]

Originally posted by MichaelTX
LOL
southdown is a argonite based sand thats all but its packaging is labeled NOT FOR AQUARIUM USE>
then why put it in your AQUARIUM ,, hehe just ebing a smart ass,..
but really, why do they say that then?
so, i could get 300lbs of southdown? and 100 ls to seed?
also, why did my lfs say it doesnt work/its not a good idea?

 

[michaeltx]

I really dont know something with marketing and behind the scenes agreements or something like that.
but you buy southdown for 3-5$ for a 50# bag and argonite at the LFS for a 40# bag is 35$ but its the same stuff.
yeah the very bottom layer will not have nay life in it anyway its a none O2 layer that breaks down nitrate into nitrogen gas I belive ( that might be wrong but its something similiar).
most LFS are in a dark age and not in tune with common pratices in the hobby or they just ignore it not sure which. also some (not all) will sell you thing they know are going to fail so that you come back in wanting to know why and they can sell you something else that supposed to take care of that but cause this so you need this too. and it goes on and on. but not all of them are this way some are just out of date.
Mike

 

[lesa]

Yes you are nuts but I would buy the tank.
On the southdown there is a rumor that walmart is carrying it now, check it out you have nothing to lose

 

[lilcheen]

well, i will be picking up the tank tommoro and also spend the day finding southdown. Woohoo.
As far as the sand.
Do i wash or rinse it before it goes into tank, i also hear best way is to add (dry? or wet?) sand to the thank, then put garbage bag over, and pour (premade?) salt water in. then slowly remove the bag.
am i right? close? also, how much salt will i need?

 

[thomas712]

If your find your sand and your going to cycle it from scratch then you can just place your sand in the tank and add saltwater, may be cloudy for days but you will have to wait for it to cycle anyway, so just let her rip. No need for the garbage bag.
You might as well look for a couple of buckets of salt like Instant Ocean that will do 150-200 gallons, you will use one of them almost right away. After the cycle you will do a large water change and be into the second bucket by then.
If you find Southdown,Yardright or Old Castle sand then I say don't rinse it. If other then you could rinse it if you like.
Thomas

 

[tlk]

Good luck with the new tank! A few weeks ago, a guy from this site directed me to an online site where you can get Instant Ocean (in the 5gal bucket) for $33. That is $12 savings for me here in ohio, and with as much as you'll need, you can probably get the free shipping to! email me if you want that link! (not trying to steal the guys thunder who gave me the website )
tjchugh@hotmail.com

 

[lilcheen]

Thanks guys. Next question.
Getting water into the tank.
Any way around an Ro unit.
Im trying to keep the costs down.
A) Is the water from the machine that publix has good enough. I believe its 30 cents for 5 gallons. Only 36 trips ( I have 5, 5 gallon bottles and publix is literaly walking distance from my house.
B) My whole house is hooked to a water softner. (by rain Soft)
yes? no?'
thanks.

 

[lilcheen]

Originally posted by Thomas712
If your find your sand and your going to cycle it from scratch then you can just place your sand in the tank and add saltwater, may be cloudy for days but you will have to wait for it to cycle anyway, so just let her rip. No need for the garbage bag.
You might as well look for a couple of buckets of salt like Instant Ocean that will do 150-200 gallons, you will use one of them almost right away. After the cycle you will do a large water change and be into the second bucket by then.
If you find Southdown,Yardright or Old Castle sand then I say don't rinse it. If other then you could rinse it if you like.
Thomas
im seeding it with live sand.
should i rinse and to the garabge bag thing? or no?
also, i roughly need 400 lbs of sand. how much southdown and how much live should i do...thanks.