New tank no hold backs

[Lilbitreefer]

So I have never don't salt water tanks but I have been able to keep fresh water puffers alive and healthy (very hard to do) for about a year now. I want to take on a new challenge and make a saltwater tank. I am not one to to do a cheap half *** job. I want to do a bit larger tank maybe 80-120 more towards the 120 size. I have looked at all the different equipment out there and decided to save up and get a prefab sump trigger systems sump and a bubble king protein skimmer and the neptune apex system. This is what I want but my main question is since I am new to this, should I hold off on getting the top of the line stuff until I I have done this for a while. I don't want to buy the most expensive stuff just to break it because I haven't done this before. Should I start out with cheaper stuff just so I can get the hang of how sumps work. I don't want to break it because I did something wrong. Or is the bubble king just as easy and forgiving as other protein skimmers with someone who is new. I want my sump to have a refugium in it. Do any of the more experienced reefers have any recommended products for new reefers. When I start a project I want to do it right the first time and not have to spend more money on upgrades I should have gotten in the first place.

 

[whosurcaddie]

You should start out with the best equipment you can afford. You're not going to break anything. You should also start with the largest tank you can afford. The larger the tank the easier to keep stable.

All you need for a refugium is a sump with a middle chamber with baffles on either end like this.

Basically you want a compartment after the skimmer for your fuge.

 

[Bono]

If you have the money for top quality equipment I say go for it. Anyone who has been in this hobby for a few years has a pile of broken or useless equipment that didn't hold up or perform the way it should have. I fooled around with circulation pumps for years until I finally spent the money on a nice Tunze setup for my 180 gal. The difference was night and day and worth every penny. This might sound crazy but the only downside to getting a Bubble King first is you have nothing to compare it to and you might be wondering if it's doing everything it should. Good luck

 

[civics14]

You should start out with the best equipment you can afford. You're not going to break anything. You should also start with the largest tank you can afford. The larger the tank the easier to keep stable.

All you need for a refugium is a sump with a middle chamber with baffles on either end like this.

Basically you want a compartment after the skimmer for your fuge.

Agreed!!

 

[Bono]

I agree with whosurcaddie, no ever wish's they went with a smaller tank.

 

[civics14]

I agree with whosurcaddie, no ever wish's they went with a smaller tank.

So true... I wish I could afford bigger!! No real estate in the house to put bigger either though

 

[Pitter98]

I would somewhat agree with what everyone has said - get the best stuff that you can afford, but know that there are a lot of things that fall into the 90-95% as good for 30-50% less money category. The other way to save some money (if you care about that) is to buy good quality used equipment. Again, you can often times save 20-50% for the same exact thing new. If money is no object, then splurge away.

Another thing to keep in mind is the tank size. As a few said, go as big as you think you would want to go in the future. A small tank takes almost the exact amount of maintenance that a large tank does, it is just in smaller quantities. If you have the ability, plumb your display tank to a basement or dedicated fish room. It gives you WAY more flexibility and is much easier to work on (and quieter in general). There is nothing worse than having to shoehorn things in and out of a cramped stand every time you do maintenance (I know this from experience).

 

[Sk8r]

Pumps, skimmers, tanks are not delicate. Reading instructions is important, especially when dealing with chemistry of the water and additives. Asking here is important.

A 120 is an excellent starter size.

Figure for yourself if there's any chance you'll want corals---it affects the lighting choice. A good option for just-starting is to get LED lighting that can be programmed to your needs. In a 120 you may also consider a zoned tank, with coral-capable lighting in the middle and non-reef at either end...which saves on the LED lighting units, as each only covers 2-3 feet of tank.

 

[Dundermifflin]

I would get the best you can afford. You're not going to break anything just because you're new to saltwater. For the sump bigger is better. It will allow you to add as you grow. After much debate I went with Eshopps new RS-300. The middle chamber is pretty good size and it's pretty quiet. I have a skimmer and the pump, a pump for the UV, a pump for the carbon and a pump for the GFO, plus two heaters. Although I use an external pump, the return gives you plenty of room for multiple pumps as well.

 

[Lilbitreefer]

Thanks guys for the advice. Now I do want the best equipment but I am not against used. I have been checking out craigslist, lejeuneyardsales, amazon and that about it. I missed out on a barely used Neptune apex for $300. Any suggestions on where else I can get used in NC?

 

[toothybugs]

On the homepage of the forums there is, way far down deep toward the bottom under all the vendors, a set of local forums. Dig through the regions to find your (or just "a") local one and see what people have available.

For NC, I'll do most of it for you: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=535

 

[nuxx]

See if you can swing/fit a 240 (8x2x2').

Will allow you to keep a huge variety of fish and should be manageable.

Also the large the system volume, the less prone you are to tank crashed based on water parameter shifts.

 

[andrek787]

I would personally not suggest going all out until you get some basic experience caring for a reef tank and figure out which direction you want to go with it.



I started reefing only a few months ago with an established 120 gallon reef I picked up locally off craiglist. This is common advice for any beginner.

Having a established system was great because I didn't have to wait 2 months for the tank to cycle and was able to add the corals I really wanted without waiting for the tank to mature. I did almost crash the tank by heavily upgrading the filtration which resulted in corals starving of nutrients.

One thing I regret is not connecting with a local reef club before I started.
Knowing someone local would have been extremely helpful. Plus, I found out I seriously overpaid for the setup by local standards.

Now, 8 months later, I am working on an upgrade to 150 gallon tank and I am doing it exactly that way I want based on what I have learned from the 120g. I am not really sticking to a budget, atleast not anymore, but I am picking up some equipment used to afford the higher end stuff, like bubble king.

 

[ucdcrew]

What are you gonna do for lights? That's a big money component too.

 

[alexXx]

Great!