New with cost questions

[Mikeandjenmcalvey]

I am looking to start up my first saltwater tank. I currently live in an apartment so I am looking for an idea of cost for about an 18 gallon tank with any needed accessories, stock, supplies etc. I have a limited budget so I am looking for ideas for a nice system for a decent price. I really like Clownfish so would be interested in just them or one or two compatible tank mates, I am also curious if you can use coral as a filtering agent so as to cut down on the amount of out of tank filtering. Finally I am looking for a recommended amount of stock for the size of tank with considerations for coral, flora ect..
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[stagofdoom]

You could always go with a nanocube which is what I did. I actually still have mine up and running with 2 clowns a royal gramma and a skunk cleaner shrimp.
I am getting a new tank here in about a month and it will be hopefully a 135 gal.
I suggest go as big as you can because you have way more options than a small tank and the larger the easier it is to take care of. If you make a mistake in a small tank it could cost you everything in the tank.

this is what I have
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18524

 

[cthegame]

I am looking to start up my first saltwater tank. I currently live in an apartment so I am looking for an idea of cost for about an 18 gallon tank with any needed accessories, stock, supplies etc. I have a limited budget so I am looking for ideas for a nice system for a decent price. I really like Clownfish so would be interested in just them or one or two compatible tank mates, I am also curious if you can use coral as a filtering agent so as to cut down on the amount of out of tank filtering. Finally I am looking for a recommended amount of stock for the size of tank with considerations for coral, flora ect..
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

In an 18 gallon you could probably keep 3-4 fish. Small size. I dont think there is a limit on corals you just have to be sure to give corals some space. So you're limited.

 

[Gooseman]

A 20G nano cube fully stocked (depending on what you put in it) would run you about $400 or so. Plus the advice to go bigger is not a joke. Once you invest in the smaller tank you will always remember the day we here on Living Reef told you to go bigger. You will want a bigger, prettier fish or more coral or just wish you had more room. I know you said you live in an apartment so maybe that will keep you from going to big, but it is good advice. Good Luck to you!

 

[stagofdoom]

I got my nano tank for christmas and now im hopefully getting either a 90 or 135 by the end of next month because im moving into an apartment. but yeah if you get a small tank your options will be 2 clowns and about 2 more small fish and a couple of corals.

 

[Bifferwine]

Hi and welcome!

You can't use coral as a filtering agent, as corals require excellent water condition to live. Meaning, you will need some sort of high quality filtration in order to keep coral. What you can do, is have 1 to 2 lbs per gallon of live rock. This will help with biological filtration in your tank.

Since you are limited by space, some sort of all-in-one nano system would be ideal for you. Most come with lights and filtration already and need minor tweaks to get them suitable for corals (like adding an extra powerhead for more flow). If I were you, I'd take a look at these two websites:

www.marinedepot.com
www.drsfostersmith.com

and check out their offerings as far as nano set-ups go.

 

[lightcs4]

This may be a little late, but just to reinforce what was said ... you will definitely want something bigger once you get bitten by the bug. I started out with a 10 gal fish only with live rock, mainly setup for my kids over two years ago. The kids like it, but I was the one who really got into the saltwater tanks.

I purchased a 46 gal. tank a few months ago and converted the 10 gal to a freshwater tank for the kids (one of them suggested going back to saltwater with it ... might happen). After only a few months with the 46 gal, I'm already looking forward to the day when I can get a 120 gal or larger tank (maybe after the kids are all through college and I'm retired).

You may want to check out the total cost difference between a nano and a larger tank. I found the cost of the tank itself is one of the cheapest items in the list. The live rock, protien skimmer, refugium, lights (I was amazed how much they can run), etc. is what really adds to the bottom line.

You might also want to look at dry rock and allow it to cure and become live rock by seeding it with live rock. It will take longer but will save a lot of money on the startup. I did this with my tank and it worked great and saved around $6 per pound.

Good luck and enjoy whatever you get. People on this site are fantastic at helping with questions :Cheers:. They are a great resource as you learn about this hobby.

A 20G nano cube fully stocked (depending on what you put in it) would run you about $400 or so. Plus the advice to go bigger is not a joke. Once you invest in the smaller tank you will always remember the day we here on Living Reef told you to go bigger. You will want a bigger, prettier fish or more coral or just wish you had more room. I know you said you live in an apartment so maybe that will keep you from going to big, but it is good advice. Good Luck to you!

 

[sen5241b]

IMHO, the all-in-1 systems are good for beginners. The biocube 29G (approx. $250) is good but will eventually need modifications. The red sea 34G all-in-1 (approx. $800) is better designed and will require a lot less modifications and a lot less purchase of extras.

Everyone says the smaller tanks, like 20G or less are harder to maintain.

You will be shocked at what live rock (LR) cost. LR provides the best filtration. Consider buying less than what you need but stock low. Add cheaper pieces of dead coral rock and let it become LR.

 

[IraqVeteran]

I dont think that a smaller tank is harder to maintain than a huge tank. The problem with smaller tanks is not the tank itself, rather it is the owner who tries to put too many animals in the tank. If you lightly stock a smaller tank and maintain it with proper water changes it should be fine. I have a 12gal nano-cube deluxe and I have it stocked with coral and only one fish, a yellow goby. The tank looks great and is easy to maintain.

In an apartment you probably would not want to get a very big tank anyway because, as most would agree, breaking down a tank to move is never fun. Another thing you might want to look at is this link to a book about small tanks called "Nano's".
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4538+16813&pcatid=16813

I have this book and it is a good guide to go by to successfully keeping a smaller reef tank.