New to the hobby, Biocube or purchase individual items?

[BlindZide]

Originally Posted by Gary Majchrzak

Corals require better filtration and more intense lighting than a marine fish only aquarium.

Filtration yes, you will need better filtration for corals than a FOWLR but lighting would depend on what type of corals and coral placement. This doesn't mean a shop light would work but you don't NEED the $250+ lights to keep corals.

[jtp79]

Originally Posted by Gary Majchrzak

do you want to keep corals or not?
Corals require better filtration and more intense lighting than a marine fish only aquarium.

Yes. I would like to keep corals. I am ok with just a few fish but I want the tank to be very colorful. If I'm using a 75 gallon tank then what size pumps and things do I need as the very basic?

[BlindZide]

Your return pump will need to be able to cover your head loss from your sump.I use a Mag 5 which does 325gph at 4' I believe. I have 3.5' so its a little powerful than what I need that is why I got a ball valve to slow the flow to allow my overflow to keep up.

As far as internal powerheads for flow, the general consensus would depend on what type of corals you want to keep. I have mainly LPS, but I have SPS, palys, and polyps and I do fine with that I have for now. I am switching mine out soon for higher GPH but 2 Koralia 425s and 1 MJ 400 keep me at bay for now.

[eastfernstreet]

If I had even 10% of your obvious DIY skill set . . . I'd never even consider a BioCube.

[jtp79]

Originally Posted by eastfernstreet

If I had even 10% of your obvious DIY skill set . . . I'd never even consider a BioCube.

Do you get more bang for your buck by building the setup yourself? I also have probably 3 or 4 cubic ft of bio balls laying around. I have noticed they are in some filtration systems. Are they of any use?

[BlindZide]

You do get more bang for your buck when you go on your own and not use a AIO. Again a system built solely by you will allow you to make it what you want in terms of equipment and space. Plus with your credentials, I see no issue!

As far as bio balls go. I see people use them as well. I also hear people say they feed algae due to the air bubbles getting trapped in the balls so I didn't go that route.

I did however go the HoB overflow route and most people say "NOO!!!! DRILL DRILL DRILL!" but hey, we all have a mind of our own and will go our own ways.

[jtp79]

In the koi hobby there are certain brands that seem to be the staple of the hobby. Certain brand skimmers, pumps, filters, food and everything in between. Some other brands are comparable and there is also alot of junk on the market. Im assuming the reef hobby is the same. Can someone give me brands of pumps and things of that nature to do some research on? I have looked at a couple different websites but each carry different brands.

[BlindZide]

Powerhead brands that are popular are EcoTech VorTech, Koralia, Tunze, and the foreign made Jebao WP## series.

Skimmer brands, well, there are a ton. Lots of people use Reef Octopus, eShopps (depending on tank size), Bubble Magus, AquaMAXX etc

Return pumps I am not so knowledgeable about. I use a Mag-Drive Supreme 5 Pump - 500GPH which BRS has a 75% refer to a friend rating. I think there are Triton Deep Blues and others use Maxi Jets.

Filtration would be your live rock and your skimmer. Thats all you should need. Other filtration like Phosban Reactors and UV Sterilizers are used on a as needed basis I think. I do not use them.

Food would all depend on you livestock. Some eat meaty foods, some like algae sheets on a clip. Once you figure out what you want to keep you would then find out what you need to feed. Some corals also need to be fed.

[thegrun]

Eheim Pumps
EcoTech, Tunze, JBJ and Hydor powerheads

Marine Depot and Bulk Reef Supply for on-line stores

[MHG]

In my opinion it is difficult to suggest without knowing a budget and "how you roll"... So lets look at my journey since we are looking at roughly the same size.

Budget $2500
How do I roll? No pine painted stands, no clear silicone, clean look suitable for living room and spouse approval...

RedSea Max 250 about $1700 Delivered. Pros:all in one, neat and clean looking...That's about it... Cons: Difficult to add a skimmer, reactor, chiller, ATO reservoir, calk reactor, refugium or anything else typically used for corals...

Ebay and craigs list... All either full blown neglected systems, or crappy pine painted stands... Maybe a few full systems with nice stands and canopies for $3000-$4000... There is an occasional tank and stand worth buying but typically across the country...

Solana makes a very nice turn key system (tank, stand, sump, plumbing and return pump) for about the same price as the red sea max 250. Easy to add all the above mentioned items but light is not included and no canopy...

So I bought all the pieces. 60 cube from CADlights, made a custom stand (If you have that skill otherwise about $1500-2000). Made a sump. Purchased a skimmer, dosing pump, apex controller, DIY LED light, ATO, Reservoir , return pump, circulation pumps, etc.... Total cost was about $2700 (now up to about $3800 with everything I added on since)

So, if you don't roll how I roll, you can do it for way less than all the choices I looked at.... But not in my living room....

[jtp79]

Originally Posted by BlindZide

Powerhead brands that are popular are EcoTech VorTech, Koralia, Tunze, and the foreign made Jebao WP## series.

Skimmer brands, well, there are a ton. Lots of people use Reef Octopus, eShopps (depending on tank size), Bubble Magus, AquaMAXX etc

Return pumps I am not so knowledgeable about. I use a Mag-Drive Supreme 5 Pump - 500GPH which BRS has a 75% refer to a friend rating. I think there are Triton Deep Blues and others use Maxi Jets.

Filtration would be your live rock and your skimmer. Thats all you should need. Other filtration like Phosban Reactors and UV Sterilizers are used on a as needed basis I think. I do not use them.

Food would all depend on you livestock. Some eat meaty foods, some like algae sheets on a clip. Once you figure out what you want to keep you would then find out what you need to feed. Some corals also need to be fed.

Originally Posted by thegrun

Eheim Pumps
EcoTech, Tunze, JBJ and Hydor powerheads

Marine Depot and Bulk Reef Supply for on-line stores

Originally Posted by MHG

In my opinion it is difficult to suggest without knowing a budget and "how you roll"... So lets look at my journey since we are looking at roughly the same size.

Budget $2500
How do I roll? No pine painted stands, no clear silicone, clean look suitable for living room and spouse approval...

RedSea Max 250 about $1700 Delivered. Pros:all in one, neat and clean looking...That's about it... Cons: Difficult to add a skimmer, reactor, chiller, ATO reservoir, calk reactor, refugium or anything else typically used for corals...

Ebay and craigs list... All either full blown neglected systems, or crappy pine painted stands... Maybe a few full systems with nice stands and canopies for $3000-$4000... There is an occasional tank and stand worth buying but typically across the country...

Solana makes a very nice turn key system (tank, stand, sump, plumbing and return pump) for about the same price as the red sea max 250. Easy to add all the above mentioned items but light is not included and no canopy...

So I bought all the pieces. 60 cube from CADlights, made a custom stand (If you have that skill otherwise about $1500-2000). Made a sump. Purchased a skimmer, dosing pump, apex controller, DIY LED light, ATO, Reservoir , return pump, circulation pumps, etc.... Total cost was about $2700 (now up to about $3800 with everything I added on since)

So, if you don't roll how I roll, you can do it for way less than all the choices I looked at.... But not in my living room....

Thanks guys,,,thats alot of good info and will give me plenty to research. MHG, if I roll how you roll and the wife finds out. She will have a very nice aquarium while I sleep under the bridge.

[igot2gats]

Add these on to the lists everyone is providing:

-A 4 stage RODI unit (minimum)
-refractometer
-Quarantine tank 20-30g (screen top, pvc elbow pipes, heater, thermometer, automatic top off)
-saltwater mixing tub, wavemaker to aerate
-RODI holding tub

[jtp79]

I inquired about a tank and stand with setup on craigslist. Here is the description the guy text to me. I know it is not reef ready but what all would need to be added and is this a decent deal?

Price is 650 neg,,,it is a 75 gallon tank with matching stand that looks pretty good.
Here is what he listed in the text
Skimmer and rock that are in the pics and lights
Turbo twist 3x uv filter
v22 protein skimmer
800 gph return pump
aqualine bio ball system good up to 125 gallons www.plastechsystem.com
heater from petsmart

[igot2gats]

Originally Posted by jtp79

I inquired about a tank and stand with setup on craigslist. Here is the description the guy text to me. I know it is not reef ready but what all would need to be added and is this a decent deal?

Price is 650 neg,,,it is a 75 gallon tank with matching stand that looks pretty good.
Here is what he listed in the text
Skimmer and rock that are in the pics and lights
Turbo twist 3x uv filter
v22 protein skimmer
800 gph return pump
aqualine bio ball system good up to 125 gallons www.plastechsystem.com
heater from petsmart

That is way too overpriced, IMO. Like you said, it's not reef ready.

Also, bio ball systems are not really highly regarded in this hobby.

So, in my opinion, you'd be paying $650 for a skimmer, and a return pump. I wouldn't do it.

[jtp79]

Originally Posted by igot2gats

That is way too overpriced, IMO. Like you said, it's not reef ready.

Also, bio ball systems are not really highly regarded in this hobby.

So, in my opinion, you'd be paying $650 for a skimmer, and a return pump. I wouldn't do it.

Kind of what I was thinking also,,,thanks alot.

I am sorry for asking so many questions but if I found a tank on craigslist and build me or had my cabinet guy build me a stand. How much am i looking for the equipment to make a 75 or 90 gallon aquarium reef ready? I dont want junk but I dont have to have the fanciest newest technology either.

[BlindZide]

You can get a 75g non reef ready tank from petsmart for under $200. You can drill it if you want or don't. Drill kit will run you about $20.

A stand from petsmart is $230+ but the room underneath would probably suck so you would be better off buying the lumber and building yourself.

I have a non reef ready tank with a HoB overflow and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I am not too fond of drilling glass and no one around me would do it due to insurance reasons. If they break it they can't replace it.

A non reef ready tank will be cheaper but you will have a overflow in your tank and stuff other people don't like to see. My wife doesn't mind and I think it looks wonderful!

[hawks66]

I started with a 14G biocube and its nice because the costs cant really get super out of hand. All In One is nice, i run purigen, carbon, and gfo in my second chamber and my tank stays clean. Without a skimmer or reactor i just have to have water changes pretty often. Also the tank doesnt take up a large footprint in your house and it is quiet. you can find these used on CL easy.

if you want to go bigger 75/90 as I eventually did, just be patient and look on Craigslist. Im sure you can find a post that has just about everything you need. Instead of getting it piece by piece. You can also look on the reef club forms here, people are always looking to get out of the hobby and you can get a real reef set up for dirt cheap if you are patient enough. ive seen full setups go for 600.. fish, rock, stand, canopy, lights, skimmer, everything.

[TimeConsumer]

What is your budget? Knowing that will help us make better suggestions.

[rogermccray]

Just read through this and I think with your skills you could build a good stand the problem you might run into is that you don't know a lot about the hobby so may not know what a good stand consists off. I wanted to build my first stand but I'm glad i didn't, since I was pretty clueless on what I needed.

The first thing you want to buy, imo, is an RODI unit, you are going to need this regardless of tank size. My favorite company to work with for this is Air Water and Ice (AWI) but there are definitely others that make a good product, such as BRS. I always recommend AWI because of their customer service, they are very friendly and respond very quickly.

Next decide on a size, don't go stupid big like I did, 205 gallons was way too much for me and became pretty overwhelming, also don't go too small as they can be harder to maintain, as said before. Personally I wish I had started with a 75 gallon, but only through trial and error did I learn this. You may also want to check out the kind of fish you want before you decide on a size, if you like tangs then you pretty much have to go with a six foot tank. There are one or two that will fit in a 75 but you are very limited.

Also half the fun is digging in and figuring out what is good and learning about it. I recently downgraded from a 125 to a 29, for personal reasons, and am truly excited about designing my 75 gallon when I am to upgrade again.

I am very encouraged that you will have a good end result because you are asking the right questions and not just jumping right into the hobby.

[jtp79]

Originally Posted by TimeConsumer

What is your budget? Knowing that will help us make better suggestions.

Truthfully I havent even gotten that far yet. Thats what the main question is,,,i am trying to figure out what GOOD equipment cost. I understand there is always better and best. I want to buy stuff that is reliable and also does the job it is intended to do. I hope that makes sense.

I honestly dont know much about setting up a tank other than what I have read here. I know they make the fancy controllers that moniter all of the water parameters. They also make those for a koi pond but after you get the system set up properly they arent even needed. That may be completely different with a reef. I can look at my koi and tell if there is anything wrong. If I ever notice anything, the first thing I do is check the water. Take care of your water and your fish will take care of themselves. I am guessing this hobby is very similar but it could be completely different.

[dkeller_nc]

Originally Posted by jtp79

I am sorry for asking so many questions but if I found a tank on craigslist and build me or had my cabinet guy build me a stand. How much am i looking for the equipment to make a 75 or 90 gallon aquarium reef ready? I dont want junk but I dont have to have the fanciest newest technology either.

The way to go about this is to limit the equipment you get, not limit your expenditures on each equipment item (within reason, of course - you can spend $1500 on a custom skimmer for a 90 gallon tank!).

The basic, absolute requirements of a reef tank are:

High intensity lights for most hard corals, medium intensity lights for soft corals.

Skimmer. Yes, it's possible to run a reef tank without one, but it is considerably more expensive to do so - you spend the extra money in replacing chemical filtration media and water changes.

Return pump if you have a sump (a sump is highly, highly recommended, btw).

Internal propeller pumps to create currents in the tank.

Reef rocks. I would very, very strongly recommend that you start with actual live rock rather than dry rock if this is your first tank. I would also very strongly discourage you from buying man-made, "farmed" rock (the disgustingly purple, so-called "Real Reef Rock" is the most egregious example), though it's perfectly OK to get natural rock that has been "framed" in Florida. Otherwise, get Indo-Pacific, natural high-quality rock from a reputable company like Premium Aquatics. If you can't afford all of the rock at one time, don't go for a cheaper per-pound rock to try to meet the 1-2 lbs/gallon guideline. Buy less rock instead.

A way to measure salinity. Most use a refractometer, though a calibrated hygrometer is perfectly OK if maintained properly.

The above is the bare minimum that you really must have to start a reef tank. All else can be taken care of manually, like using drip jugs to dose calcium and alkalinity instead of dosing pumps, and marking a line in your sump and adding distilled water for evaporation makeup instead of an automatic top-off unit (ATO).

If you want to start with a so-called FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock), then the lighting can be something very cheap and low-powered.

[TimeConsumer]

Originally Posted by jtp79

Truthfully I havent even gotten that far yet. Thats what the main question is,,,i am trying to figure out what GOOD equipment cost. I understand there is always better and best. I want to buy stuff that is reliable and also does the job it is intended to do. I hope that makes sense.

I honestly dont know much about setting up a tank other than what I have read here. I know they make the fancy controllers that moniter all of the water parameters. They also make those for a koi pond but after you get the system set up properly they arent even needed. That may be completely different with a reef. I can look at my koi and tell if there is anything wrong. If I ever notice anything, the first thing I do is check the water. Take care of your water and your fish will take care of themselves. I am guessing this hobby is very similar but it could be completely different.

Judging by a few of your posts and your other thread it looks like you are leaning in the direction of a 75g tank. Prepare to spend a minimum $1000 retail for the skimmer, lights, heater, and pumps for decent mixed reef equipment. Then, you can DIY a sump for around $100. Be prepared to then spend $175-$600 on live rock and $50-$150 on sand, depending on live/dry. I do agree with dkeller above about quality rock such as Marshall Islands live rock from Premium Aquatics or Tampa Bay Saltwater rock. Then factor in around $140 for an RO/DI unit, and maybe $100 for a quarantine tank. then there's all the misc items like salt, buckets, pvc pipe and fittings, extra powerheads, thermometers, refractometers, test kits, 2 part/kalk/calc reactor equipment, food, carbon/gfo, reactors (if applicable), filter socks (if applicable). In the end I think you can expect around $1500 minimum, not including the tank and stand for a reef ready 75g. $2500 for higher end equipment and rock.

As far as controllrs go, they are by no means required. They don't necessarily alert you when something goes wrong so much as keep things going right. A controller handles things like being an all-in-one timer rather than having 5 or 6 hardware store timers. Turn off heaters in case of a failure. Have feeding modes for pumps and skimmers at the push of 1 button. Have float switches to prevent floods by turning off pumps. Work with controllable pumps and dimmable LEDs/T5s for extra customization. All of these things can be done DIY or be done with specific equipment, but a controller puts them all into one convenient, user-friendly package.