Reefkeeping and your Wallet

[shesacharmer]

If you are new to saltwater you might be experiencing sticker shock. It's hard for the newbie to fathom just how expensive this hobby can be. There is an endless supply of new hardware, software, chemicals, diseases, protocols, and acronyms to get a handle on. Nearly all your previous life experience is irrelevant in terms of learning how to do this successfully (ok reading and writing come in very handy!) You probably came into this, much like I did, wanting to keep some pretty fish and cool corals. Hah!

I'd like to ask those with experience to help us out with your opinions on things which are a total waste of money for a new enthusiast. There is so much that we need, or that is helpful, that it's almost shameful to waste money on things that we really don't need. If you could provide a 'rule of thumb' that would really help too.

I know much of this is discussed throughout the forum but a central location could be helpful. Perhaps another thread with bare bones essentials for the new hobbyist would be a natural followup. Let the suggestions begin! :fish1:

 

[Curt Boswelll]

Don't buy livestock as soon as you set up your tank. They will probably die. Let it cycle and wait for ammonia and nitrite to be 0.

 

[reepher315]

Purple up... Im sure it will assist in coraline growth... But coraline gets annoying to scrape off. It will come in time. No need to dose

 

[acabgd]

Purple up... Im sure it will assist in coraline growth... But coraline gets annoying to scrape off. It will come in time. No need to dose

+1
I just wanted to write this, then saw your post. It is as if newbies get into this hobby just to grow coralline. I really don't get it...

Also, any "special coral foods", that cost like $15-20 for a miniature package...

 

[shesacharmer]

This happened to me with FW!

This happened to me with FW!

Don't buy livestock as soon as you set up your tank. They will probably die. Let it cycle and wait for ammonia and nitrite to be 0.

My LFS, which shall remain nameless (read big box store), actually sold me a 29 gallon tank, filter, heater, hood, gravel, and...wait for it...THIRTY fish on the same day without even offering an instant cycle product. Let's just say, I learned my lesson the hard way on my fresh water tank.

 

[reepher315]

Ahh yes the petstore worker who could care less about the animals. Atleast the fish. There should be some requirement for working in a petstore.

 

[thegrun]

In general you get what you pay for in this hobby. You don't need to buy the absolutely best widget on the market, but if all the best widgets makers are selling theirs for $500 and you find an off brand for $100, it is almost guaranteed to perform poorly. You are better to wait and save up for quality equipment than purchase inferior equipment that you will end up getting rid of in the future. For most items I would not be afraid to purchase used equipment provided it is from a quality manufacturer.

 

[reefwiser]

The most important thing after 50 years in the fish keeping hobby I have learned is patience.
Take your time when setting up a tank. Do not do anything in a hurry. I am setting up a new tank and I do a little bit every week. Research each item I add think about what can and will go wrong. Set up a QT tank and keep it set up till you have all the fish you want in your tank as well as corals. Think about your fish and coral purchases you want to make an learn. Join a local club and get involved this hobby is more fun if you have friends to share it with.
An don't forget your family. Don't go crazy and spend a lot of money take your time and get things as you have the money. You do not need every new coral or gadget that minute.
Just take it slow and enjoy the hobby.

 

[benjc]

Powerheads: buy some koralias...later you can upgrade to fancy dc controllable ones, but the koralias do a good job and you'll still find uses for them if you end up replacing them.
Lighting: Figure out what type of lighting you want; they all have pros and cons, then buy a used version.
Carbon/GFO/Kalk, etc. Skip all of it. Adding reactors of carbon and GFO are easy to do after-the-fact. You won't need to boost alkalinity/Ca unless you start growing a bunch of coral (again, down the road), so don't worry about dosers, Ca reactors, etc.

 

[Ztrain]

Honestly you can get a lot farther with more research you do. Also money vs work. Do you need a 600 cal reactor setup as a beginner or if you have a beginner system get by with Kalk etc.

 

[johnike]

 

[CuzzA]

My advice in terms of your wallet is to be patient, save more and buy the right equipment the first time. 6 month old Koralias sitting in my storage was a waste of money. A hydrometer was a waste of money, a mag float was a waste of money, cheap test kits were a waste of money, etc. Add up all that waste and you could have had better equipment to begin with.

Also, in terms of livestock, some things are best purchased at a quality LFS but making friends with fellow hobbyist, joining your local reef club, etc. can save you a ton of money on otherwise high priced frags. You'll be pleased to find that while some LFS's or online retailers charge double, even triple what a reef club member would charge you. Not to mention once you get to the point of fragging, trading coral frags is a great feeling. You're basically getting new coral for free.

 

[Silvergryphon]

Mag floats are handy, I use my daily to keep the front glass clean. Otherwise I end up with a haze of algae growth on it. And they aren't all that expensive. I also buy cheap ones at walmart and mount frags to them.

 

[fishchef]

Let me tell you. Its hard to control costs, but if it wasn't for the Internet/Online buying I wouldn't of stayed in the Hobby. Sometimes the LFS has better deals and I buy all livestock there. Most livestock is not guaranteed via Fedex. SW is pretty simple actually. We have a 125 Mixed Reef with a 5 gal Canister, skimmer, 2 powerheads, T-5 Lighting, and a GFO Reactor. My LFS is always amazed at my water quality. Do your partials, media switch-outs, and keep it all clean. Don't test to death and compare results with the LFS. Find a good one or one you trust.

 

[JMorris271]

The best advice I can give you is to know which direction in this hobby do you want to go? As a rule, more tank means more salt that is not free ,Additives meds cost big bucks but some are not needed for all aspects of the hobby, more RODI for larger tanks will be needed (again think direction) Lighting in needed but why go to the top line if you a doing a FWLR?
Its all about what do you want to have. Pick your direction, decide what you want to have, now your budget and then bite the bullet.

 

[CuzzA]

Mag floats are handy, I use my daily to keep the front glass clean. Otherwise I end up with a haze of algae growth on it. And they aren't all that expensive. I also buy cheap ones at walmart and mount frags to them.

Naturally you want to keep your glass clean. But in my experience, it is a matter of time before that mag float scratches your tank. There are better alternatives, although more expensive, that reduce the probability of leaving a permanent blemish on your glass, which will naturally result in a cuss storm and a constant reminder that you should have bought the better product.

 

[fishchef]

For cleaning glass we use the Algae Free Aquarium Cleaning Magnets. Have been for the past 6 years. No scratching at all and we're OCD.

 

[inthedeep2]

love this and is so true..
wife says "wow 13 corals for $100"
me "yep, hell of a sale, and frequent buyer program"
lol. I know we have all done it one way or another..

 

[Reef Frog]

The good news is spending on hardware, gadgets, etc goes down (at least for me) as I learned the hobby and my system matured. There are replacement costs on some things like fans, ballasts & pumps that can seem to come at the wrong times but it's not too bad in the big picture. Of course that's all out the window when the time comes to upgrade to the big "dream tank". The cycle will inevitably start again.

I've enjoyed many hobbies in my lifetime. SCUBA, aviation, motorcycles, landscaping & many others. So my wallet is used to the abuse.

 

[m0nkie]

need my own Amazon Prime.. the lady is sick of seeing email alerts of aquarium parts blowing up her phone