Quote:
Originally Posted by
lbannie http:///t/396949/thinking-about-throwing-in-the-towel#post_3536880
Well I've had my 40 breeder tank for about 4 years now with plenty of ups and downs! I have 7 small fish and a couple softies. We're building a house soon, so I don't want to add anything else. After we move, my dream was to upgrade to a much larger tank with sump in basement. I've been doing some research and OMG the equipment I will need is so expensive!! I don't know if I would be able to swing it for the "proper" equipment.
So my new idea is to retire my salt tank, and upgrade to a larger cichlid tank. I find them to be the only fish almost as beautiful as marine fish.
Does this seem like a dumb idea? Has anyone done this? Right now I'm only running a canister filter, so I'm thinking my constant battles with the tank are because of lack of equipment and RO water. Should I save up and stay in salt? Or cheap out? ????
Hi,
I HATE cichlids, I kept them for a very short time...they remind me of damsels...evil little Sh_ts. Actually, I think hate damsels because they reminded me of the cichlids....I kept freshwater fish many. many years before going with a saltwater tank. I always wanted a saltwater tank, and didn't think I could keep one. a guy at work felt the same way and told me to try cichlids...I'm still kind of miffed at the guy, and NO they are not anything as pretty nor as interesting, as saltwater fish, not even close.
LOL, so I'm going to try and talk you into staying with salt. You don't need fancy equipment, macroalgae would eliminate even the need for a skimmer. If you don't go sump with a refugium chamber, an in-tank refugium or HOB would do just fine.
The hobby is only as expensive as you make it with your plans. I have a 90g tank, and for 10+ years I ran it with 2 canister filters and I had lots of corals. I want to explain: I had 2 canisters because I would clean one, and leave the other, to prevent spikes when I cleaned them really well each time. I didn't want to clean just 1/2 of the media of the canister.
That would mean that if you already have one, purchase one more. Power heads, you already have what you had for the breeder, again purchase one more. I paid $400.00 for my 90g tank and stand, with a canopy...brand spanking new. If I had waited another 2 weeks I could have gotten a 125g for the same price. ( I know...14 years ago) There are always used tanks and equipment too.
As for the RO unit, it serves for more then just the fish tank. I have RO water for both my 90g and 56g, and I have all the cooking and drinking water I want. I don't want to have to buy filters and fight the unit to get it open...I rent from Culligan, and they swap out my filters $39.99 a month, last TDS reading was 4, much better then Walmarts water, which I used for some years before Culligan, and never had an issue.
Rock and sand, use what you already have and add to it.
If you want a sump system ... It doesn't have to go into the basement. Have the new tank drilled, the return pump for that 4 foot distance will run around $250.00. Mine as well as most people, is inside my stand. Much cheaper then the monster pump you would need to push water from the basement.
Lighting can get expensive, UNLESS...you go with non-photosynthetic corals, which is much more colorful then anything the bright super light hungry corals have to offer. IMO, there is nothing more breath taking then the eye popping yellow of a sun coral, or the bright deep red with white stars for polyps on the red chili coral, just to name a few....the carnation corals, gorgonians, all beautiful. They would do very well under T5s, if you don't want to go with fancy lighting.
