Newbie with a Dream and no tank, yet...

[delphi]

I am new to this board and I have found lots of great information!!! THANKS! I want to start a SW tank. I have done FW in the past, and I think I am up to the challenge. Like the subject says I am a SW newbie and I would like to get some help from you guys on cost. I am looking for a estimate/shopping list for a 55-60g FOWLR setup. Its from scratch and I have nothing but time, patientce and a dream. I can find the money...
Thanks in advance,
Delphi

 

[stumpdog]

Welcome to the board. It seems like you have all the things needed for this hobby. I will let someone with more pricing knowledge give you a rundown of everything. If possible I would do a bigger tank. I have a 55 and I wish I would have went with a 75. Good luck.
Jeremy

 

[laudluvr]

I have a 55 and I wish I would have went with a 75.
How many people with a 75 wish they went with a 125? LOL I have a 55 and wish I would have gone with a 300. If I didn't have to listen to my wife, I would have. LOL

 

[krunk]

Now delphi, are you interested in a reef tank? or a Fish only with live rock tank (FOWLR)?
i had a 55, wanted a 75, got a 75. and im fine with it. perfect size, and not much more then a 55.
delphi, go with a 75, you wont regret it.

 

[delphi]

KrUnK,
I will prob. go with a FOWLR setup, thx for the reply
my roommate has a 72 bow front FW and it looks pretty good.
I could probably find a place for a 75 SW in my new apartment if I had to.... How much would a 75g tank w/ stand be???
I will not be setting up the new SW until after the move.
Delphi

 

[delphi]

Also would it be a waste of money to go with a RR tank if I will probably only be doing FOWLR?
What are my options as far as setup? sump?(not sure what that is) wet/dry? fuge?(not sure what that is either)

 

[reefnut]

I second the used set-up if your worried about money... I found a guy sell his entire 55g setup livestock and all for 400.00. That was my first reef... Wasn't to long before I started looking for a larger tank.

 

[reefnut]

O-ya, a 'reef ready" tank usually just means it is pre-drilled with overflows already installed. Defiantly recommended IMO... You will need overflows (internal or external) to run a wet/dry filter, a sump or a fuge or a combination of these.

 

[krunk]

delphi, i bought my 75 reef ready tank for 90$, PERFECT condition. I built my stand, and canopy (100$ for both)
New a 75gal tank, at pet supplies plus, is 110$, however, it has a tempered bottom, and cant be drilled, but it is 50 pounds lighter.

 

[tlk]

Originally posted by laudluvr
How many people with a 75 wish they went with a 125? LOL I have a 55 and wish I would have gone with a 300. If I didn't have to listen to my wife, I would have. LOL
I wish I went with a bigger tank. At the time, the 75 was all I had room for. Now, I have a bigger office and would love a larger tank.

 

[clownfish2]

delphi, Welcome aboard. Depending on where you live in the lone star state I first would check the adds in your local newspapers. IMO I would try for a 75gal. tank if you could. Also try to find this book if possible- The New Marine Aquarium by Michael Paletta. It deals with just about everything from A to Z in a saltwater setup. It will also answer just about all of the questions you will have. If it doesn't answer them all(questions that is) you will always have the vast knowledge of this forum to depend on. Hope this will help you out.

 

[birdy]

You can save your money and use rocks from your backyard, no skimmer, natural sun, and "marine plants" or you can do it right.
ROFL, now who would tell you to set up a tank this way
Here is what I would suggest, I would buy the tank new, unless you can find a good quality tank like Oceanic or All glass, that is only a couple years old. You never know what someone has put in a used tank or if they were sure the tank was set up on a level surface (can you imagine your tank bursting and all your livestock flopping around on the floor). Buy a good tank I also agree with a 75gal a RR would be the best but they do cost more, and you can accomplish the same thing with an overflow. To save money, try to find southdown sand, and use base rock and LR, Build your own stand and Canopy. Search the internet for the best deals. This hobby is not cheap so do what you can but be prepared to shell out some cash.

 

[elan]

i have a 135 and am already eyeing a 180... it looks like the same size tank but instead of 18 inches wide, the 180 is 24... i think it will give a much better look especially since i can arange the rocks much easier.
And as my sump/w/d/skimmer/and fuge setup, i will be using the 135.. .... and then probably want to go larger after the new setup ...... but that is the key, everyone wishes they want to go larger.... by best suggestion is go with the 55... its large enough to get you started , will require less money for LR/Sand/etc......
make your mistakes with a smaller tank so it wont cost you both arms and legs... just one set is enough..
To answer some of your questions.
W/D - basically a sump with bioballs.
Sump - a tank where you put your heater, water return pump and is usually the place most put their dosing into.
Fuge, basically a tank where you put on lights and grow algae. this keeps more control over your water paramaters as well as other benefits.
Most people integrate these to a certain point. Some get rid of their bioballs becuase they reply on their Live Rock in their main tank to keep the bacteria necessary.
In my current setup, i have a W/D with bioballs (only due to the fact it reduces the noice factor of the incoming water from the main tank... my heater and return pump are in my W/D.. next to the wetdry, i have a 30 gallon tank which is my fuge. from my return pump, i have a t connector with a ball valve which returns some of the water to the main tank, and some to the fuge... there is an external overflow on the fuge which returns the excess water back to the wetdry sump area.... and around the water goes...

 

[delphi]

Originally posted by Clownfish2
Also try to find this book if possible- The New Marine Aquarium by Michael Paletta.
Thanks for the tips and book advice. I think I will pick it up on my way home from work today!
Is it this book?Link to Barnes and Noble

 

[elan]

I also agree on getting a brand new tank..... two reasons.. all used tanks have scratches.... simple as that....
for the 50 or so bucks you are going to save... its just not worth it... remember, you will have probably $500-1,000 in a 55 gallon tank within a years time (if not sooner)... so the 50 you save is just not worth it...
I made that mistake with the 135.....had minor scratches to begin with.. i didnt think it was that much of a big deal when starting out.... but now, my tank is on its way to becoming a mature tank, and i dont want to mess with anything.... its looking very good and has lots of life in it..... and every time i look at certain areas, i see the scratches with algae growth stuck inside which i cannot get out with the magnit scraper and a razor blade only does so much.....
My advice is get a brand new glass tank... and get some thin cheep plexiglass with the tank.... put the plexiglass in the tank to protect the glass while puting in your rocks and moving things around..... rocks have a tendency of falling when you dont want them too..... after you are all done, you can take out the plexiglass, and admire your tank without any scratches whatsoever.

 

[delphi]

What do you guys think about Oceanic Systems' Aquariums?

 

[clownfish2]

delphi, That is the book. You will find that this will be $ well spent. Good luck on your endevor.