480$ Budget

A

Ac2556

New member
Hi. Im new to saltwater aquariums and want to start. Her's my questions:

I have a ~10-12 gallon tank. Im going to Keep a mantis shrimp. Is that enogh to run a stabile system?

What stuff do i have to get?

My budget is 480 bucks. As im under 18 (whelp) it isn't easy for me to get more money. (Dont worry i have parents thats very willing to help me.)

Sorry for any typos English is not my native language ^_^

Thanks and have a nice day


Ps. Ive had freshwater aquariums for 6 years and i've helped my neighbors with their saltwater tank so im not completely without experience.
 
In my opinion.. If you are already have a limited budget then stay away from saltwater in general..
Saltwater can be an expensive hobby.

If you want to continue I'd suggest reading/learning all you can for a few months..
Read all the "sticky" posts here for newbies.
 
Mantis shrimp are beautiful. Be aware, they have quite powerful claws (especially the common Peacocks) and can even break glass. Many 10 gallon tanks have thin glass. Definitely do some research on it and see if a mantis shrimp is truly what you want in a saltwater setup.
 
I think your budget is totally doable for a mantis tank, if you want to add coral later you might need to save up for lights and stuff at that time. I think your biggest expense will be the rodi filter for your water, they run about $150 in the states.

Here's some good info on the shrimp to get you started, with advice for setting up a tank http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2013/5/inverts
 
!0 gallon tanks can have beautiful set ups, but everyone else is right, this is a very expensive undertaking not for the light of checkbook or terminally cheap. If you are set on having fish. Save your money and get a 30 gallon and start out with a fresh water tank. It will be a good way to learn about fish keeping and while there are big differences, the fundamentals (nitrogen cycle, not over feeding fish, regular maintenance, etc.) are very similar.
Later when you get more experience under your belt, you can convert the 30 gallon to a marine environment.
Keep an eye on craigslist and if you are patient you can score some pretty nice tanks for a minimal amount, or even an entire setup.
 
ScienceRulez said:
!0 gallon tanks can have beautiful set ups, but everyone else is right, this is a very expensive undertaking not for the light of checkbook or terminally cheap. If you are set on having fish. Save your money and get a 30 gallon and start out with a fresh water tank. It will be a good way to learn about fish keeping and while there are big differences, the fundamentals (nitrogen cycle, not over feeding fish, regular maintenance, etc.) are very similar.
Later when you get more experience under your belt, you can convert the 30 gallon to a marine environment.
Keep an eye on craigslist and if you are patient you can score some pretty nice tanks for a minimal amount, or even an entire setup.
Click to expand...

If u wouldve read you would have seen that ive had a freshwater for 6 years :)
 
Jb2028 said:
Mantis shrimp are beautiful. Be aware, they have quite powerful claws (especially the common Peacocks) and can even break glass. Many 10 gallon tanks have thin glass. Definitely do some research on it and see if a mantis shrimp is truly what you want in a saltwater setup.
Click to expand...

Yes they are indeed. Im however not looking for a O scyllarus (common peacock). Im gonna have a Odontodactylus havanensis :) And the tank i have is special built for Mantis Shrimps. I got it from a friend who built it to me, so it has thick glass
 
I suggest making a list of everything you believe you need along with the price and post it on here to let members see if you've missed anything. That's really the best way to see if it will fit your budget. Keep in mind that there will be ongoing expenses such as salt and test kits. Also leave room for unexpected expenses. I didn't do this but I had an idea of what I would be spending to get my 36g running and I overshot that budget by a few hundred dollars lol
 
Being a smashing shrimp you'll likely only be able to keep fish with it.

You'll need a stand (if you don't have one), about 10-15lbs of live rock, a small skimmer (which you may be able to find used for short money), a small powerhead, a 50 watt heater and some decent test kits.

Optional items would include a cheap light and sand, hang on back filter of some sort (for carbon, purigen) etc. I'd suggest buying a 5gal bucket of IO to start. Those little boxes and bags cost way more per pound and you may very well end up doing lots of water changes.
 
Indeed, good luck. You're quite right to state your budget and a desire to stay within it; a lot of people don't look before they leap. You've got an idea what you need, you can buy water until you can afford a ro/di, and my only caution is---this way lies a whole lifetime of tanks of increasing size and a house built with a 'tank room.' It's a real slippery slope once you start. ;) But it's a lot of fun.
 
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