New to Reefing would like advice

J

jeanne1970

New member
Hi! My name is Jeanne. I am new to the reefing hobby. I have been doing a lot of research the past couple of months on the subject. I am thinking of getting the Biocube 29 for my first experience into the realm of reefing. Other than that system, what other small systems that won't break the bank would you recommend? Thanks in advance!
 
I wouldn't recommend reefing to anybody on a budget. It'll turn into an obsession, and the equivalent of a car payment each month. I started with a 28 gallon and budgeted $700. I bet I had 2 or 3 times that into the tank before it was up and running.

I went through ten clowns before I ever had any survive. Snowflakes, Black, Black Ice at $50-100 a throw. When you first start you have no idea about parasites.

Im not trying to discourage you from the hobby, it is a lot of fun. But please understand that it gets crazy expensive.
 
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Like any hobby it's easy to let it get out of hand if you let it, but I've had many really cool tanks while on a very tight budget.
I often bought used gear to get more for my money, but right now you could score a deal w/ all the sales.

All in one's are not my first choice, but I know that sometimes helps beginners.
I personally am not crazy about the enclosed all in ones (AIO's) and I like the look of the innovative marine tanks, JBJ nano cube, a couple others.
Maybe check a site like marine depot or Foster&Smith and read up, see what fits.
Check here before doing anything and hopefully it will go smooth for you, and good luck!
 
Last edited:
I think people have missed the actual question, which would we recommend for a starter setup that is budget minded.
It appears Op has already been reading...
 
I'm not a big fan of the 'all in one' tanks either, but it can be as good a place as any to start. Personally I started with a 30g tank I bought at a garage sale in our neighborhood.

This is a difficult hobby for a variety of reasons. It seems that about 2/3rds to 3/4th of all the people who get into the hobby end up getting out within a year or two. A) It can be VERY expensive, even if you buy good used equipment. And having backup equipment is also expensive. B) A lot of people get frustrated with dying fish and dying corals as well as algae and bacteria blooms. C) Lots of people get tired of doing the very regular maintenance their system requires. D) There is also the making RO/DI water to top off your system and making saltwater to do water changes. E) Then there is the plumbing, the electrical load, the chemistry. F) And the constant learning new things and upgrading to new equipment. G) Oh, and then there are the leaks and spills! LOL!

But if you stick with it, this can be a very rewarding hobby. I had a 30g tank for about 2 years, Then I had a 75g tank and a 35g display refugium for about 3 years. Then I upgraded to a 180g mixed reef with a 75g hexagon tank beside it over a 180g sump/refugium. A couple years ago I added a 65g shallow reef and a 25g frag tank, so now I have 4 tanks!

But I've made some very good friends in our local aquarium club. I HIGHLY recommend you look for a local club and there is a list of them here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=80

And whether it's local club members who come over to buy coral, or friends and family who come by, everybody likes the aquarium and many are just fascinated by it. I enjoy having a glass box full of my little part of the ocean right in my house. I can't go to outer space so I'll have my own little alien world with lots of strange critters from the underwater world.
 
This may sound counter to belief, but try to start with the largest tank you think you can manage. Bigger tanks are just more stable and easier to manage. Since you have a larger water volume, it takes more of something going wrong to create a problem.
Yes, it's an expensive hobby but as long as you understand that from the onset and are prepared to control yourself and your spending, it can be a lot of fun.
I started with a 90 gallon. I think I really wouldn't want to go as small as a 29, just way to limiting on what you can house in it.
Try looking at your goals: what kind of fish do you want to keep?
Are you interested in coral or not so much?
Those things should help guide you so that you don't end up saying, "But what do you mean I can only keep a pair of clown fish in this tank I've spent so much money to establish?"

Good luck and welcome!
 
Define 'break the bank'. :lol:
You will definitely spend some money in this hobby and IMO you are better off to research and purchase the right equipment that fits your goals for a tank right from the start.
I can tell you from experience it will be cheaper in the long run!

I am not personally a fan of all-in-ones because you are stuck with what the manufacturer thinks is 'best'. But I am also aware that they can be good startups because the equipment is designed to work together and help a newcomer to the hobby worry less that he or she has the 'right stuff' to run a reef.

It is better to go bigger if you can. More water means more stability.
You could get pretty well set up when Petco has their $1-a-gallon sale.
Or try CL. Lots of folks get into the hobby and find it isn't for them.
You can get crazy good deals if you are patient. My first big setup was $125 and included 110g tank, stand, sump,skimmer, pumps and functional, if outdated lighting.

Good luck with whatever you decide, and come back often for more information.
 
It's honestly less of a hassle to go big from the get go. My first attempt at salt water was a 5g bow with a lone Scarlett hermit and some nano coral, I dropped about $700 and had it crash on me 3months later. Next tank was a 40g breeder that ran well then I upgraded to my 90... My 150g is another story

All together on my 2 current tanks I spend about $150-300 a month on them (energy costs, food, additives, water bill, the occasional clean up crew restock, etc etc)

Not a hobby for those on a budget,

I'm single and in college almost all my money goes to my tanks
 
I considered the all in one tanks when I first started, but quickly decided it wasn't for me because of how limited you are with livestock. If you do want to do an all in one tank, I would try and get a larger one, 40 gallons and up. I think innovative marine has a nice 40 but I could be wrong. The biocubes are really limited, just
My opinion. If it were me, I would get a 40 breeder and a 20 long for a sump at petco sale. That is if you aren't wanting a tank like a 75 which IMO would be preferable to start with. Then Get nice equipment that is suitable for a larger tank so you can upgrade without dropping a bunch of money. If you went with a 40 breeder, I would get equipment rated for at minimum a fully stocked 75. Just my input.
 
I think the 29G biocube is fine if you are looking for a small tank. Just realize that you will only have room for about 2 small fish in there. The advantage is that you can probably skimp out on a lot of extra accessories to save you money like skimmer, ATO, heater. It's your call if you want to get an RODI unit or not, but definitely not necessary for your tank size. You will need to do maintenance more often because you lack the extra gizmos, but it will also be quicker to do because of the smaller size. However, I must stress again that when you walk into your lfs, only about 30% of the saltwater fish selection is appropriate for your tank size.

HTH
 
FWIW I have run bare bones 29g tanks that did well. The tank consisted of a heater, a couple koralia power heads, a 2 bulb T5 HO light, some live rock and some sand.

I relied on weekly WC's and was able to keep some leathers, softies and some easy LPS. Take a look at live aquaria specifically at the nano fish section for fish ideas. Good luck just my 2 cents.
 
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