Reefing on a budget: where to cut corners, where not.

Sk8r · 01/11/2016, 03:54 PM

1. tank. The larger the tank, the thicker the glass should be. When you hit 50 gallons, 1/2" thick is the best, if you can get it. Acrylic can be thinner. Glass is easier to clean. Acrylic is easier to lift and cheaper. Do not disdain second-hand tanks, but go take a look at the drilling and piping of a high-end, reef-ready tank, and use that knowledge when inspecting a tank you propose to buy. Likewise, white vinegar can dissolve the white crud and spots that make a used tank look used. What it can't help is scratches on acrylic. Larger tanks are easier and more chemically stable than little tanks---100 gallons would be a lovely size for a tank that would last you a while, and will handle most species you'd like to keep. Small tanks are restricted in species. Monster tanks require a lot of water-hauling, but are very stable and can keep almost anything. And for a starter, if you have a choice between a 20 and a 30, go for the 30, a 40 if you can manage it. 40 is probably one of the most popular starter sizes, for good reasons including stability. THere are also good 30 gallon all-in-ones, which have miniaturized support systems and are, as implied, turnkey---but to go larger you have to rebuy your skimmer, pumps etc. My advice is buy EQUIPMENT for the tank you look to have next---within likelihood and sanity. That way you don't have to buy equipment twice.

2. equipment: you need a heater, skimmer, downflow box, piping (durso or the like), hose (spendier than you'd think), skimmer pump, return pump. You do not need a canopy, but if you have one, you may want canopy fans. You need lighting, and a standard light fixture won't do. If you're keeping fish, ok, but why spend twice? Get a T5, which can be either fish or reef. LEDs, lovely, but pricey, to get one that can handle corals, and fragile: water can damage them. You also need a sump to hold the skimmer and return pump and skimmer pump. You need 2 lbs of live rock or holey limestone per gallon, and aragonite sand to match---don't get the fine, get medium. If you are doing a fish only you can get by with a large canister filter and bioballs and that sort of thing, but those don't work for a reef, so if you want to transition from fish to reef---don't buy a canister: set up with a sump. You also need ample salt (the price diff is between reef salt and fish-only salt.) You need a refractometer, some test strips, to start; and once the tank cycles, you need alkalinity test with buffer; and if a reef, you also need calcium test/supplement; and magnesium test/supplement. You need a 5 gallon bucket or several. And you need a ro/di filter, 4 stage recommended. You need a quarantine/hospital/observation tank of about 10-20 gallons, and a pump and filter for that, with a jump screen and heater. I'd add, get a topoff bucket and an ATO (autotopoff unit.) It'll save your sanity.

GET THE EQUIPMENT AND GET SET UP. Your first 4 weeks past cycle, concentrate on your rockwork and your snails and crabs, maybe a couple of hardy corals, before you even start on fish. Yes, it's slow. Yes, it's what we call 'deferred gratification,' but it's something you need a lot of in this hobby. Anything that goes fast can toboggan to bad places. Take it slow. Used is perfectly fine in any equipment except your heater. Get a new one and get a top of the line one: cheap heaters are a fire hazard in your house.

Hope that helps. Suggestions welcome. You do not need a turnkey shiny 500 gallon reef-capable with controller and every whistle and bell known to the hobby--I'm automated, but I use nothing but hardware timers and a float switch, and do corals just fine, with a little extra hands-on: my sump is not a beautiful well-organized area, but it functions. Question is how much do you need to automate re your life style, disposable income, and time you've got to devote to the details: that's a personal decision.

kmbyrnes · 01/11/2016, 07:15 PM

Great Advice as always. Keep it coming.

newbie2014 · 01/11/2016, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmbyrnes

Great Advice as always. Keep it coming.

+1

heathlindner25 · 01/11/2016, 08:21 PM

No comment on the number "2" section.... must have"....

rsain · 01/12/2016, 09:51 AM

Sk8r again offers up some excellent advice. I wish someone would have done that for me years ago!

Thanks!

-ryan

01/11/2016, 03:54 PM	#1
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Reefing on a budget: where to cut corners, where not. 1. tank. The larger the tank, the thicker the glass should be. When you hit 50 gallons, 1/2" thick is the best, if you can get it. Acrylic can be thinner. Glass is easier to clean. Acrylic is easier to lift and cheaper. Do not disdain second-hand tanks, but go take a look at the drilling and piping of a high-end, reef-ready tank, and use that knowledge when inspecting a tank you propose to buy. Likewise, white vinegar can dissolve the white crud and spots that make a used tank look used. What it can't help is scratches on acrylic. Larger tanks are easier and more chemically stable than little tanks---100 gallons would be a lovely size for a tank that would last you a while, and will handle most species you'd like to keep. Small tanks are restricted in species. Monster tanks require a lot of water-hauling, but are very stable and can keep almost anything. And for a starter, if you have a choice between a 20 and a 30, go for the 30, a 40 if you can manage it. 40 is probably one of the most popular starter sizes, for good reasons including stability. THere are also good 30 gallon all-in-ones, which have miniaturized support systems and are, as implied, turnkey---but to go larger you have to rebuy your skimmer, pumps etc. My advice is buy EQUIPMENT for the tank you look to have next---within likelihood and sanity. That way you don't have to buy equipment twice. 2. equipment: you need a heater, skimmer, downflow box, piping (durso or the like), hose (spendier than you'd think), skimmer pump, return pump. You do not need a canopy, but if you have one, you may want canopy fans. You need lighting, and a standard light fixture won't do. If you're keeping fish, ok, but why spend twice? Get a T5, which can be either fish or reef. LEDs, lovely, but pricey, to get one that can handle corals, and fragile: water can damage them. You also need a sump to hold the skimmer and return pump and skimmer pump. You need 2 lbs of live rock or holey limestone per gallon, and aragonite sand to match---don't get the fine, get medium. If you are doing a fish only you can get by with a large canister filter and bioballs and that sort of thing, but those don't work for a reef, so if you want to transition from fish to reef---don't buy a canister: set up with a sump. You also need ample salt (the price diff is between reef salt and fish-only salt.) You need a refractometer, some test strips, to start; and once the tank cycles, you need alkalinity test with buffer; and if a reef, you also need calcium test/supplement; and magnesium test/supplement. You need a 5 gallon bucket or several. And you need a ro/di filter, 4 stage recommended. You need a quarantine/hospital/observation tank of about 10-20 gallons, and a pump and filter for that, with a jump screen and heater. I'd add, get a topoff bucket and an ATO (autotopoff unit.) It'll save your sanity. GET THE EQUIPMENT AND GET SET UP. Your first 4 weeks past cycle, concentrate on your rockwork and your snails and crabs, maybe a couple of hardy corals, before you even start on fish. Yes, it's slow. Yes, it's what we call 'deferred gratification,' but it's something you need a lot of in this hobby. Anything that goes fast can toboggan to bad places. Take it slow. Used is perfectly fine in any equipment except your heater. Get a new one and get a top of the line one: cheap heaters are a fire hazard in your house. Hope that helps. Suggestions welcome. You do not need a turnkey shiny 500 gallon reef-capable with controller and every whistle and bell known to the hobby--I'm automated, but I use nothing but hardware timers and a float switch, and do corals just fine, with a little extra hands-on: my sump is not a beautiful well-organized area, but it functions. Question is how much do you need to automate re your life style, disposable income, and time you've got to devote to the details: that's a personal decision. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%. Last edited by Sk8r; 01/11/2016 at 04:02 PM.

01/11/2016, 07:15 PM	#2
kmbyrnes Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 2,055	Great Advice as always. Keep it coming. __________________ 125g Mixed Reef 5/26/2015; 350 Butterfly Dominated FOWLR 11/26/2015 - 11/17/20217 & 07/31/18 to ??? ; 100g Mixed Reef 11/16/2013 to 06/16/2017 Current Tank Info: Too small

01/12/2016, 09:51 AM	#5
rsain Empiricism's Evangelist Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 119	Sk8r again offers up some excellent advice. I wish someone would have done that for me years ago! Thanks! -ryan __________________ "The methods of science have been enormously successful wherever they have been tried. Let us then apply them to human affairs." - BFS "You can't fix with statistics what you buggered by design." - d Current Tank Info: They have water.

01/11/2016, 08:21 PM	#4
heathlindner25 Moved On Join Date: May 2012 Location: flowery branch georgia Posts: 3,644	No comment on the number "2" section.... must have"....