I love FISH

AlexD24

Reefing newb
Hey all,

I've been wanting a saltwater aquarium for some time because I just love staring at fish so damn much, just have had other priorities. I'm finally feeling ready to commit to the research and hopefully spend the $ to do it right. I picked this forum at random because it seemed fairly active, so hoping to get my start here. I want to get started by finding a tank that's right for my space, and then go from there - if anyone has any good resources for picking a tank (size + style + quality/material), I would really appreciate it!

Thanks,

Alex
 
There is alot to consider.

Are you planning reef or fish only?

The euro tanks or rimless tanks are pretty sweet.

Stay away from acrylic, very time consuming to clean without scratching.

Reef ready tanks are the way to go.


What type of fish? Tangs and triggers need swimming room. If i started over, I would not do anything less than a 120 4 ft, or 6 ft 180.

For stands, try to stay away from the pine stands. They are pretty weak.
 
Defiintely a reef. I have no idea what kind of fish yet, but I think I want to start with the tank size that is right for me and then figure out what fish I can put in from there. 120 is a lot bigger than I had in mind, but I definitely want to do it right the first time. Is there a specific brand of tank that I should look to buy? Thanks for the recommendations, I will start there!
 
A 120 is 24x24x4. A 90 is 18x18x4.

Look into sumps/ refugium.

The reason I like the 120 is the room under the tank.
When you start adding dosing pumps/ cal. reactor, skimmer, media reactor, room for an actual sump.... those dimensions work.

By all means, money is the driver with the purchases, but keep in mind that the tank and stand is the cheapest thing in the hobby even if your a diy kind of person. Food for thought. Good luck and keep us posted on your decisions.
 
believe it or not the bigger tanks are easier to look after. they are much more stable as far as water conditions are concerned. your livestock is a lot less stressed when they have room to swim and get away from each other. watch for second hand stuff. lots of time you can get really good deals and get yourself a real nice setup for a lot cheaper if you keep your eyes open. there is always someone getting divorced or fired or moving or just fed up and wants their tank gone yesterday. and believe me, if you get into this hobby your tank will never be big enough. there is always some new livestock or coral that you want to try.
 
I don't want anyone to get mad at me, but buying a tank via craig's list is how I bought my first 50 gallon. I paid him $600 cash for the tank, rock, fish, and invertebrate. I got rid of a lot of fish and the eel (my LFS gave me credit) and I got the fish I wanted with the coral. I would recommend getting a sump immediately. It does increase your water volume and makes caring for your tank easier.
 
Hey Alex! I am glad you found yourself the time required for this. Dedication and commitment are two important things before embarking on this amazing world! I am pretty sure you are gonna do great!!! I hope you find all the necessary information, help and support.
Good luck! :)

-NP
 
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