Recommendations for set up?

[heather1056]

Need recommendations for a creating a new 65-75g saltwater tank for both fish and corals. New to hobby and don't want the aquarium store taking advantage of that. Recommendations for tank, filtration, lighting, heating, stand, skimmer, etc. Not looking for top of the line for everything but good quality items and investing where it matters. Used? New? Need expert recommendations please.

 

[JUNBUG361]

I prefer buying new tank, instead of used tank. Used tank not really knowing exactly what the previous owner have done or chemicals used in the tank, bubbles present in silicone and other stuff too the previous owner not being honest. What's your $$$ budget?

 

[ReefEco]

Hi there - not sure where to start, but the tank might be a good place. If you have 4 feet of wall space for the tank (75 gallon), then I would suggest going up to a 120 gallon from the start - more water volume, and only about 6 inches deeper front to back. No appreciable difference in cost for filtration or lighting, and more flexibility in aquascaping, etc.

If you are starting from scratch, and have never set up a tank before, take a month or two and hold off and do your research. You are already asking questions here, which is great! Get some popcorn and take a weekend to binge on the Bulk Reef Supply 52 weeks of reefing Youtube series - or watch it twice. Pretty info packed, but it will get you off to the right start.

To set up your tank adequately, budget appropriately. $3-5K likely for equipment and stocking, at a minimum. You can do it cheaper, but what I've found is that I've wasted a ton of money over the years purchasing budgets items, only to go back a year later and buy the more reliable pump, light, etc. that I should have purchased from the beginning.

Best advice I can impart would be:

1) Realize that your success in reefing essentially starts with water quality - to that end, buy a good RO/DI unit from the beginning.

2) Invest in equipment, if your budget allows, that will grow with you. For instance - research and choose lighting that will scale up if you want to go to a bigger tank (as most do, if you stay in the hobby). So modular LED lights allow you to add more of the same unit down the line, as opposed to investing in a 4' fixture that can't easily be adapted to another tank size.

3) Double the size of your skimmer, for the recommended tank size.

4) Purchase ONLY aqua cultured or mari-cultured corals. Today, there are few corals that are not available in this form. Beyond the ethical and environmental concerns over taking wild corals, tank-raised corals are in essence pre-selected for aquarium life (lighting, flow, etc.), usually are more pest-free, and usually are already the most beautiful and well-colored corals around. They are moderately more expensive, but in the long run you likely save money on mortality.

5) Start your research on your tank with what organisms you like and want to keep, then everything about your system design flows from that.

That's all I got! If you ask about things more specifically along the way, we can help with more specific answers.

Good luck!

 

[Stolireef]

To set up your tank adequately, budget appropriately. $3-5K likely for equipment and stocking, at a minimum. You can do it cheaper, but what I've found is that I've wasted a ton of money over the years purchasing budgets items, only to go back a year later and buy the more reliable pump, light, etc. that I should have purchased from the beginning.

Good luck!

Excellent advice except that I think the 3-5K is on the high side unless you are truly going with top of the line equipment. Speaking as one guilty of doing so, while I really never regret my purchases, I could have likely set up a successful reef for about 50% of what I spent. You don't need to buy $800 Radion LEDs and a $700 Deltec skimmer (guilty of the former but not the latter). What I'd recommend as ReefEco suggested, is doing plenty of research here and on other sites. Read the stickies at the top of this forum as well as those at the top of the Reef Discussion forum.

Once you feel reasonably comfortable with the concepts of reef keeping, then (a) make a budget and (b) make an equipment list. See whether the two jive. If they do, post the equipment list here and solicit comments (you'll get a bunch). At that point, you'll be ready to start your build.

And most importantly, if your LFS suggests something, don't buy until you've checked here first. You'll likely save yourself a ton of heartache.

 

[heather1056]

Thanks for the great advice!!!!!!

 

[ladynavyvet]

Thanks for the great advice!!!!!!

I lucked out, and got a nice 40 gallon tank and stand on a yard sale FB page. It had be used for a freshwater tank. I added a canister filtration system, and a programable LED light bar. Hardware wise i spent about $275.00. Then came the fun part deciding how much live sand, and coral i should put in. Its all very subjective, and in all honesty, had to go back and add more rock to my reef. One thing is certain, once you have your sand, rock and water in don't try to rush adding live stock in your tank. Have your LFS double check your levels so you know your tank is ready to be inhabited. This advice is coming from a novice reef tank enthusiast. My tank is almost 1 year old. I only wish I had found this forum earlier.

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[ReefEco]

Stolireef is right - my budget range suggestion is to do it "right", but I don't think that is depending on high end gear at all - just what is necessary. What I can promise you is that skimping on life support and filtration gear has the potential to cause serious problems in your husbandry and ability to maintain the health of animals, not to mention frustrate you to no end and cause you to leave the hobby because your tank is not successful, or very difficult to maintain. Here is what a preliminary budget might look like, erring on the conservative side, for a 120 gallon mixed reef. Note that it really won't change much at all for a 75 gallon:

120g tank, stand $500 (new, can get used, or DIY stand to save)
RODI system $200
Salt $100
ReefSaver Dry Rock $150
Sand $60
Lighting $750 (highly variable, depending on what you decide)
Return pump $100
Heaters $100
Skimmer $250
Sump $100 (Glass aquarium, DIY)
In-tank circulation powerheads $200 (can go cheaper here)
Alk, CA, MG supplements $60
Doser $200 (optional, but advisable for stability)
Other Test Kits $100
Plumbing, PVC, Valves $75
Auto Top Off $125

~$3270

There is some variability and savings to be had on the above, especially if you DIY some items, but I consider it a base level of gear for a standard reef tank if you want to succeed. There are a lot of things not on here that you will probably end up getting, like media reactor(s), controller, refractometer, wavemaker, electrical, etc. If you are not a gear junkie, you many not need or want some of these things.

Then there is livestock, which you could easily spend a $1000 in the blink of an eye.

I think it is just the reality of the hobby that it does cost money to create a slice of the ocean in your home and maintain the health of animals well - which I think is our goal. Just being honest up front for a beginner getting into it, that we all want to succeed and stay in the hobby.