Thinking bout starting a 5.5, Help with my list please!

[Alex13]

5.5 All Glass tank - $14

Aragamax Sand - $23 (for a one inch sandbed) but I may be able to get some on the side

Azoo 50 watt Titanium Heater - $23

Black paint for background - $8

Live rock - Have already

Power head - I am not sure what kind to get, any suggestions? and I am guessing around $14

Aqua Clear 300 - $28

Aqua Clear mini Impeller - I am guessing $8 (where can I get one of these)

Whisper power filter model 10 for carbon - Have

Fuge light - Which is a good one? and I am guessing around $15

Main tank light (which is a ood one that will fit on this tank??? I REALLY need your help on this and don't really want to build a canopy cause I don't have the ability to. And I am guessing around $60

Fan wih power supply(do I really need one???) - Guessing $12

ATO system - Have

ATO pump (which is a good one cause I really have no clue) - guessing $15

Buckets for mixing water - Have

Salt - Have

Test kits - Have

Reeferactor (how ever you spell) - Have

Corallife thermometer - Have


Total is $197

Which is alot for me right now.



PLEASE COMMENT AND MAKE SUGGESTION AND HELP ME!!! lol

TIA

Alex G

 

[sir_dudeguy]

Azoo 50 watt Titanium Heater - $23

unless you already have that heater, i wouldnt get it. I dont really care for Azoo stuff much to begin with, but you can get the visitherm stealth heaters for less than that. It would be around 16 or something for a 50-100w heater, seeing as i got my 250w stealth for 18 (drsfostersmith).

Power head - I am not sure what kind to get, any suggestions? and I am guessing around $14

On a tank that small, putting a powerhead inside the tank takes quite a bit of space, so i would say just use one of the aquaclear HOB filters. They put out nicer flow than small powerheads anyways imo.

Main tank light (which is a ood one that will fit on this tank??? I REALLY need your help on this and don't really want to build a canopy cause I don't have the ability to. And I am guessing around $60

how long and wide is the tank?

And for the fan, I'll say that you just have to wait and see how the temp goes. seeing that we're in AZ I'll put money on that you will need one when summer hits. I do on my 40, my old 55, and even my 3g pico. I just get the cheap little clip on fans from walmart for the smaller tanks tho (like the pico, and your 5g tank....you dont need a huge box fan for that lol)

are you gonna be doing live rock or no? If you buy it from the stores here in AZ the cheapest i've seen it at is AA for 5 bucks...so you're looking at at least 25 bucks in rock if you do LR. If you dont do live rock, then i wouldnt even bother finding a good light since corals can be tricky if you're using just power filters for your main filtration. Live rock is much safer, specially on a small tank like yours.

Or you could buy LR from somebody on FRAG. Everyone seems to sell for $3/pound, so in that case, around 15 bucks.

 

[Crackerballer]

OK, I was in the same dilema as you. I have a 20 gallon long I was gona start. May I suggest you scrap your idea.

You can have an oceanic biocube or a nano 6-12 for less than $200 and you have to add nothing, except maybe a heater. This way, as you want to get more into things, you can mod the cube.
Up your lighting, maybe another fan, and change out the pump to increase circulation.

 

[sjfishguy]

Aquaclear Powerheads are the best small powerheads availible. I have on that has been running for 12 years. Very reliable, good output, and relatively low heat.

I also would cut the sandbed down to a minimum. I had a sandbed in my 10, and it worked great for a little while (like a year or so), but then quickly became a phosphate factory. Nanos dont have the room for an effective DSB in the long run. Just coat the bottom with sand, I have had much better long term success with this since I removed my "DSB" 2 years ago.

 

[bassettmd]

check out www.catfishlighting.com for some cheap lighting options

 

[Alex13]

sir_dudeguy I have 60 pounds of LR that I was gonna use for my 40, so I will be selling some soon.

Crackerballer I was thinking about that, but have still yet to decide

sjfishguy Thanks for the idea on the powerhead, and I was only planning on 1/2 - 1 inch sandbed

bassettmd thanks for the link


Anyone else???