Just wanted to say hello!

F

Funkymonk1984

Reefing newb
Hi Guys,

I am new to this Hobby (in that i actually havent started), i have been doing my much needed research into saltwater reef aquariums as i am in the process of buying my first house.

I love all sorts of animals such as reptiles (gf not having them in house :( ) and dogs (work long hours not fair on the dog to keep 1) and tropical fish (perfect).

I am fully aware of the dedication it takes and this is something i am looking forward too. My biggest barrier is finance, i have a good job i guess but with a new house comes cost so i am going to struggle to make this dream a reality.

That said time is on my side and i am happy to add equipment over months not days. I have listed below my thoughts on what is required before stabilising the chemistry and adding livestock;

Tank (50 gallons +)
Salt Mix (i may invest in a RO/IO so i can convert saltwater?)
Hydrometer/Refractometer (to measure salt levels)
Live Rock (50lbs ish)
Live Sand Substrate (2 inches deep)
100g Filtration
2x Powerheads
Heater
Lights
Protein Skimmer
Various Water Quality Testing Kit
Automatic Timers

In Future;
Sump Tank Filtration

Have i missed anything? Also do some tanks (New) come with powerheads etc attached?

1 of my biggest concerns is the look. I will be killed by my other half if i have tanks, tubes and buckets all over the living room so these cabinet based tanks, do they house everything?

Will i also need a hospital tank and isolation tank? if so what size?

I know there are a lot of questions here and i am reading all the time so i am sure i will answer them myself but would feel far more confident if i could get some expert opinions on here.

Thanks!
Phosphate Reactor
 
Well welcome to the site! I would highly recommend starting with a tank of 55 or larger, so you are good there, if money is a problem you can usually find used tank deals on craigslist or in local papers from people leaving the hobby. I would also agree that getting a RO/DI unit will save you many headaches in the future and when first starting off. The Hydrometer wont be needed but the Refractometer is a must. You wont need any other filtration on than your rock and the protein skimmer so you can remove the 100g Filtration unit. Everything else seems fine, the timers are needed at the start but will help you maintain a good light schedule. You will have most of your stuff starting off as Hang on Back units such as the protein skimmer, and the pumps will go inside so hiding these cords in a power supply inside the tank stand would eliminate that problem of having cords and buckets everywhere. Hospital tanks also referred to as QT (Quarantine) tanks are a good idea to have especially if you plan on going into a full reef setup. Something like 20 gallons or 15 gallons will be fine.

Hope that starts you off for a bit. Nice to see you on the forums welcome to reefs!

-Cathic
 
Awesome info thanks for the quick reply. i thought craigslist was an american only thing i will look into it. I doubt ill get lucky on local papers but its defo worth a look. I am in contact with an ebay seller regarding the book 'The Conscientious Marine Aquarist: A Commonsense Handbook for Successful Saltwater Hobbyists' he said he had some other equip also.

So how much do you think im looking at minus food, livestock etc to get the cycles up and running? 55 gallon tank as part of a unit of some kind and the other bits mentioned above.
 
Hi and welcome to the site
the idea of a 55 or larger is a good idea with sump and refugium, more volume means less fluctuations.. heaters shoot for two,, more econmical and if one goes you still have one running 4 watts per gallon is a good setup.. same with the lighting shoot for 4 watts per gallon or better...live rock shoot for 1.5 to 2 pounds per gallon.. poweheads willdepend on what you are putting in.. lps and most soft corals will need atleast 20times per gallon of movement per hour while sps corals are more then 40 times per hour.. couple suggestions on lighting and such..
48in Metal Halide HQI System Advance Plus or
Aquarium Lighting for Reef Systems: Current Nova Extreme Pro Saltwater T-5 Fixtures
reef octopus is a great skimmer...
As far a a sump goes ask as many questions here as you can before the setup( will make it much easier on you later...:D
Hope this helps a little
 
Ok! Again thanks. I think the best thing to do is break it down...i need a 55g+ tank first. Which makes should i go for as i am on a budget...this is prob 1 of the more expensive parts i guess so i need something that will display well, has gd volume and housing as well as looks nice in a living room etc<br><br>Could you guys maybe post some ideas so i know what to look for... i know i will need to shop around and ill prob aim for second hand but if i can compare my findings to something good i wont buy a piece of rubbish.<br>
 
Just found a 57 gallon tank for sale £300, looks nice in photos. Currently used for freshwater i believe but the seller is 5 min drive away :) ive registered my interest.<br>
 
here is a good place to start looking.. but I agree shop around.. this will give you an idea at what you are looking at for prices.. if you can buying the tank and building a stand would save you some .. I was able to get my 150 gal for just under 400.. shopping is the best way to go...

Glasscages.com - Glass Aquariums
 
Welcome to the site!

If you plan on doing a sump, you might as well start off with a sump. That way you can set up your entire system, and do test runs using tap water to check for leaks and to make sure your set up works without worrying about livestock.

I bought most of my tank parts piecemeal, so you should be fine :)
 
Hello and Welcome!

These guys have you covered!

Make sure any used tank you get has never had copper used in it. Copper is lethal to inverts and once its in there, its in there forever.
 
Hello and welcome!

I don't now if someone has said this already, but a sump is also a good thing because you can "hide" everything in there. Mine has my heater and my skimmer in it.

Where are you in the UK?
 
Im in hertfordshire in between Bedford, Luton and Stevenage. Some1 nearby is selling a Juwel bow front 260 litre tank for £300. currently used for freshwater so i kno there are no leaks etc gonna look at it sun n see if i can bring price down a bit. Ill get a tank upload some photos and ask advice with regard to filtration i read a sump is a gd idea when keeping corals which ia defo my intention.
 
Good luck and ask away when you get it. there are many are here who will help to get it set up for you ...:Cheers:
 
Thanks guys, every1 here seems so friendly an helpful apreciate it! We had our offer for the house accepted so all moving on that front atm. Dont wanna rush into this...i ordered the main book recommended in the articles section so plan a thorough read. I am viewing this tank on sunday so will take pics n get ur advice re price etc if thats cool. I will then add to my setup over coming months eg lights heater etc! Tempted to get a slightly bigger mortgage for "works" on property and actually blow it on the hobby lol!
 
Welcome Funkymonk! I have switched away form it, but my first reef tank was an all-in-one. There are pro's and con's, but it takes some of the guesswork out. I have been keeping reef tanks for less than two years, and consider myself a newbie, but the folks hear will help you every step of the way! Here is a nice, but expensive option....
Red Sea Max,Red Sea Max 250,Red Sea,Glass Aquarium,Plug and Play Aquarium,All in One Aquarium,Reef Tank,Reef Aquarium,Glass Reef Tank

I had a little 28g nanocube, and it was a good leaning experience. Now I've recently moved to a 65g with 20g sump, and it's coming along! Always learning! For me, it's the best hobby EVER, and it's my most expensive hobby too! But I can't help myself. Good luck! And congrats on the house!
 

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