Early Stages of Tank Planning

EG Reefers · 04/10/2014, 10:23 PM

New to saltwater...I had a large lionfish in a sand only tank many years ago...Currently have a 55 gal cichlid tank....

Thinking about starting a 20-30 gal reefer....I'm on a budget and have just started researching....I've done enough study to have an idea of what I don't know...

Questions to come....

intyme · 04/11/2014, 06:45 PM

Tons of info on here, I'm addicted

scott3569 · 04/11/2014, 07:02 PM

Well at least you have a tank!! as far as your budget goes you might want to throw that out the window to get started..LMAO.. I think there are so thrifty ways of doing things..I will say this if you think your going to have a sump, might want to go by petco and get one on their $1 gal sale I think it will end this coming week

Luke Schnabel · 04/11/2014, 07:50 PM

Reef tank on a budget will be hard to do considering all the things needed to properly keep a reef. You can expect to put in over one thousand dollars into a tank your size. Having a fish only with live rock (FOWLR) is a simple cost effective way to have a cool tank in your home. That will require alot less money and alot less maintence.

If your dead set on reef tank for starters I would research and buy a sump. You can have a DIY sump. Your bare minimum would be a space in it for a protein skimmer, some macro algae with live rock and your heater and return pumps. A sump in my opinion is crucial for a reef.

You'll need filtration, so a protein skimmer is a must in my opinion. The macro algae is great for your tank as it sucks up nitrates. You want at least 1.5lbs of rock per gallon of water for an adequate bio filter. Lighting is key to corals. Keeping parameters is caution to the health of coral ao lots of additives. And you can't have a reef without proper water flow in the tank so you'll need mace makers. The list can keep growing but that will be about as basic you can get for doing reef tanks.

I don't want to scare you but it's alot to get to keep a nice tank.

jabbott34 · 04/11/2014, 08:20 PM

I'm 1.5 years into my reef tank on a budget, and all i have is rocks in a glass box.

scott3569 · 04/11/2014, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jabbott34

I'm 1.5 years into my reef tank on a budget, and all i have is rocks in a glass box.

wow man, sorry to hear that..hope things get better, I know a lot of people put diy stuff down, but sometimes thats all you can do..you do it the best you can..I made a diy overflow from pvc tested it tonight works like a charm..there are other diy stuff you can do to.. it may not be the best but in a pinch some of it does the trick.

04/10/2014, 10:23 PM	#1
EG Reefers Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Elk Grove, CA Posts: 6	Early Stages of Tank Planning New to saltwater...I had a large lionfish in a sand only tank many years ago...Currently have a 55 gal cichlid tank.... Thinking about starting a 20-30 gal reefer....I'm on a budget and have just started researching....I've done enough study to have an idea of what I don't know... Questions to come....

04/11/2014, 07:02 PM	#3
scott3569 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Middletown,VA Posts: 929	Well at least you have a tank!! as far as your budget goes you might want to throw that out the window to get started..LMAO.. I think there are so thrifty ways of doing things..I will say this if you think your going to have a sump, might want to go by petco and get one on their $1 gal sale I think it will end this coming week __________________ I'm in a fishy situation!!! Current Tank Info: 56 gallon 30 x 18 x 22 with a 40gal sump, SCA 302 skimmer, 10 gal QT tank, a hydror 600 power head, 2 enhiem 150 heaters, 49#'s of dry rock, 12#'s of life rock, 40#'s of sand

04/11/2014, 07:50 PM	#4
Luke Schnabel Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Canton. Ohio Posts: 288	Reef tank on a budget will be hard to do considering all the things needed to properly keep a reef. You can expect to put in over one thousand dollars into a tank your size. Having a fish only with live rock (FOWLR) is a simple cost effective way to have a cool tank in your home. That will require alot less money and alot less maintence. If your dead set on reef tank for starters I would research and buy a sump. You can have a DIY sump. Your bare minimum would be a space in it for a protein skimmer, some macro algae with live rock and your heater and return pumps. A sump in my opinion is crucial for a reef. You'll need filtration, so a protein skimmer is a must in my opinion. The macro algae is great for your tank as it sucks up nitrates. You want at least 1.5lbs of rock per gallon of water for an adequate bio filter. Lighting is key to corals. Keeping parameters is caution to the health of coral ao lots of additives. And you can't have a reef without proper water flow in the tank so you'll need mace makers. The list can keep growing but that will be about as basic you can get for doing reef tanks. I don't want to scare you but it's alot to get to keep a nice tank. __________________ In wall 125 gallon display and 48g frag tank w/ 75gallon sump Apex Controlled, 2xMP40, 1 MP10, Ecotech M1 return, reef octopus x5000, 4x Ecotech Radion G2 with T5 supplament(Display), 2x AI Hydras (fr

04/11/2014, 06:45 PM	#2
intyme Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Farmington Ny Posts: 854	Tons of info on here, I'm addicted

04/11/2014, 08:20 PM	#5
jabbott34 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: ne arkansas Posts: 43	I'm 1.5 years into my reef tank on a budget, and all i have is rocks in a glass box.