this forum is great!!!

[Jakebakingcake]

hi everybody!
first off let me start by saying how glad i am to have found a forum as great as this one. it truly seems like this is the one stop shop for all the information ill ever need to have a happy healthy reef tank experience.

i am brand new to this hobby, (i havent even started to buy supplies yet). i still have A TON of research to do befor i dive in head first. with that being said i was wondering if any of you have some advice for a begginer like myself.

i live in an apartment so space is somewhat limited, im thinking of starting off with a 20 gallon tank or so. i dont know what kind of fish or live rock i want or will be able to sufficiently support in a 20 gallon tank.

im not made out of money but i wont hesitate to throw all the money i have available at a hobby like this. so essentially money is not an issue.

i guess the main point of this thread was to introduce myself and ask if anyone could point me in the right direction. i really appreciate any feedback! once again thanks to all of you who moderate and contribute to this great forum.

 

[HumanIMDB]

Read the sticky threads at the top of this forum (the ones with the *'s)
Pick up the "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" (first or second edition)
Read any thread started by Sk8r
Read a few of the more popular Build Threads (TSwifty8's will link to most of them, including ours.)
Formulate a plan
Post the plan here for review

 

[inachu]

First off since you are in an apartment dwellign just make sure your floors can handle the fish tank if size is or isn't of any concern.
Also depending on the size will you be able to carry it in?
I lived across the USA and osme apartment floors has settled and you may have to shimmy the tank so it remains level.

Some apartment bathrooms has a floor drain so you may be lucky.

So at this point my only concern would be weight issues on flooring.

 

[Jakebakingcake]

sounds good guys ill get crackin on that tonight, oh and i talked with my apartment manager and found out which way the floor joists run so i can support a large amount of weight.

 

[HumanIMDB]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13039239#post13039239 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jakebakingcake
sounds good guys ill get crackin on that tonight, oh and i talked with my apartment manager and found out which way the floor joists run so i can support a large amount of weight.

If you can, figure out which walls are "load bearing" and place the tank as close to one of them as you can.

Our apartment has concrete floors so we didn't have as much to worry about.

The other thing to look into is your liability insurance...multiply the damages you would face if your apartment was flooded with salt water by the number of floors beneath you. Else, you may have to convince your insurance company that your toilet leaks salt water.

 

[Gtstricky]

Start bigger then a 20gal. They are actually harder to maintain when they are small.

Read, read, read...

and

[welcome]

 

[reefworm]

Welcome on board RC

I'll second what the others said - no way to do enough research before every step, change or purchase. consider it part of the fun! [it is, actually]

 

[Andrew]

Glad to have u here

[welcome]

 

[jdmcivicek9]

welcome to the board!!another helpful tip is dont get stressed out when you do start your tank up...most of the time not everything goes right on the first try...but if you ask questions on the board, take your time setting up your tank and DONT CUT CORNERS!!! youll have an AMAZING tank in no time at all!!!good luck and have fun!!this hobby rocks!!!

 

[weluvfish54]

+1 for starting bigger tank..try a 60g. much easier. and dont buy cheap stuff youll end up paying way more later down the road. tons of good advice on here

 

[tbar]

I would start with at least a 40 gal tank. You can save a lot on used equipment on the sellers forums, craigslist, local clubs etc. As long as you are patient. Welcome to the addiction.

 

[Jakebakingcake]

wow guys!! thanks for all your advice. i am definatly going to be very patient. im not investing a cent into this hobby untill i have a fortified plan! which as you all know is going to take about a million years in research.

i just got done reading waterkeepers newbie corner articles and found them very helpfull. one thing i would like to ask all of you is, why is it benificial to start off with a 100 gallon tank vs a smaller tank?

now i know that this next question is probably a very common one, so forgive me for asking! but i am curious as to how much money is common to spend on all the equipment you need to start off with?

i have about 1000 bucks at my disposal right now. and like i said earlier in the thread i can afford to spend alot of money over time its just hard starting off correctly. ya know?

 

[Patis46]

I'll have about 1,200.00ish into mine with no fish Just LR and sand. That includes a new 75G per day RO/DI unit.
My tank is a 55G. The 2 biggest out lays will be lighting and a skimmer unless you can find good deals on used stuff.
I'm like you i had 1000 bucks to start with and i already had the 55G tank. I can afford to spend allot over time but the up front cost is the killer and the little stuff your not thinking of adds up REAL FAST!!!
Look for a complete setup in the used section that is close to you. Wish i had!! could have had a bigger tank for sure and will save you major dollars.
Pat

 

[HumanIMDB]

The rule of thumb seems to average around $50 per gallon. There are ways you can cut that but more than half or spend triple that, but that will give you a decent idea.

We started with a 10G, not knowing and had the trial by fire. Now we're in the process of starting up a 92G. Our next tank will be a built in when we get a house...I'm hoping for a few hundred gallons.

 

[Jakebakingcake]

i have concrete floors aswell. but i am on the third floor =(. oh well i guess im going to just have to take extra precautions to make sure i dont flood the apartment, any suggestions? im also going to spend the nessecary amount of money to make sure every thing is electricly stable .. im pretty anal about public saftey. im the last person to want to start a fire. so what are some extra precautions i can take to make sure that i dont short out any circuits and what not?

oh guys i am reading on lighting and so fourth. but i currently have a 2ft t-5 high output fixture that i used to use for growing vegitables. do you think i could change the bulbs and use the fixtures for my aquarium?

i really appreciate all you guys that have taken time to subscribe to my thread , and everybodys feedback ! thanks a ton =)!

 

[MinnFish]

[welcome]

I already like your attitude. Wish you luck in your start-up. This can be a rewarding hobby, if you are patience, read, research. Oh, one i forgot (no impulse buys).

 

[jdmcivicek9]

i spent around 750.00$-800.00 or so starting my first tank up...100.00 for a used 55gal and stand 150.00 for a 150w metal halide pendant 100.00 for sand 100.00 for skimmer 50.00 for 5gal of salt 200.00 for 60lbs of live rock 15.00 for 40gal of r/o water 30.00 for heater 50.00 for 2 maxijet 1200's and thats about it...then i let it cycle for a month or so and finally added fish...that was 2 years ago...i think ive probably spent a good 5000.00 or 6000.00 by now if not more...i currently have a 75gal sps reef tank and a 29gal biocube full of soft corals and zoos!!

 

[calli]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13048363#post13048363 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jakebakingcake


i just got done reading waterkeepers newbie corner articles and found them very helpfull. one thing i would like to ask all of you is, why is it benificial to start off with a 100 gallon tank vs a smaller tank?

Welcome...

it takes longer for change to affect a larger tank..

 

[Jakebakingcake]

ok guys so i went to the fish store and wow.... the people there were awesome and very helpful... they even encouraged me not to buy untill im ready.. hows that for non pressure sales! any way i did buy some stuff there.. i bought the marine aquarist book and another marine fishes book... i cant wait to sit down and read through them...

so dont laugh when i ask ... but what do you all think of the bio cube? i thought they were pretty interesting.. probably not what im going to end up doing.. but non the less i just wanted to see if you all think its a dumb way to go !!

but on the plus side i do know that im going to start with a 55 gal tank.. atleast i have the size down.. now i have the rest to think about. thanks everyone.. you all are awesome ..

 

[raen]

So just my advice, since you said money is no object. I started with the "tank of my dreams" and am already in the market for something new. Take your time, get a great tank fro the start, and don't look back. Go new, and go big, or go home! I am shopping as we speak for a 125, take the advice of these guys and gals, they know what they are talking about.