I was wondering if anyone out their had any advice for a person who wants to get a salt water aquarium. What I ultamatly would like to achieve is the Reef Tank. What I am curious about are three main questions.
1. What are the best books to get on Reef Tanks?
2. What should I expect to have to pay to start up a tank and to maintain it after? (I'm looking into getting a 125 gal tank)
3. What kinds of equipment should I look into to produce the best results?
How to get started in reef tanks? Cost? Equipment?
9 posts
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singapore - Posts: 238
- Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:47 pm
as for books im not sure. just go to ur local book store and do some skimming.
as for cost...your in for an expensive journey. firstly, you need a filter. a filter larger enough for a tank that size could run you a few hundred. bewteen $200 and $350 id say. a protein skimmer is another $200 at least, probably more. the lighting fixture will be the most expensive thing. if you want a birght light, enough for a SPS reef, expect to pay over $1000. add a few hundred more for livrock, and a little more for salt, test equipment, and other little things, and you have your startup cost. it seems bad, but it really isnt so bad. if u buy everything over a period of time, it isnt so bad. but the biggest peice of advice i can give you is DIY. build as much of it as you can, it will help drammatically. i built a sump/refugium, made all my liverock myself, and am in the process of making my own lighting fixture. honestly, i would start with a smaller tank than a 125, just to make sure you like it. maybe a 29 or a 55. it would be cheaper.
it may be more pricy than a freshwater aquarium, but it is so much more rewarding. and there are almost endless fish, inverts, and corals to buy. definately go the way of saltwater.
as for cost...your in for an expensive journey. firstly, you need a filter. a filter larger enough for a tank that size could run you a few hundred. bewteen $200 and $350 id say. a protein skimmer is another $200 at least, probably more. the lighting fixture will be the most expensive thing. if you want a birght light, enough for a SPS reef, expect to pay over $1000. add a few hundred more for livrock, and a little more for salt, test equipment, and other little things, and you have your startup cost. it seems bad, but it really isnt so bad. if u buy everything over a period of time, it isnt so bad. but the biggest peice of advice i can give you is DIY. build as much of it as you can, it will help drammatically. i built a sump/refugium, made all my liverock myself, and am in the process of making my own lighting fixture. honestly, i would start with a smaller tank than a 125, just to make sure you like it. maybe a 29 or a 55. it would be cheaper.
it may be more pricy than a freshwater aquarium, but it is so much more rewarding. and there are almost endless fish, inverts, and corals to buy. definately go the way of saltwater.
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tritioncoh1 - Posts: 3
- Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2008 3:22 pm
To add a follow up question to my previous three. What are the monthly costs going to be for a tank that big?
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schigara - Posts: 468
- Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:42 pm
A very good book is "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" by Robert Fenner.
Monthly electricity costs......anywhere for $30-$70 depending on lighting and pumps.
You'll need an RO/DI filter to make your own water. $100-250 depending on brand and features.
Monthly electricity costs......anywhere for $30-$70 depending on lighting and pumps.
You'll need an RO/DI filter to make your own water. $100-250 depending on brand and features.
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snowboss - Posts: 458
- Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:53 pm
I have a 20 gallon long FOWLR {fish only with live rock} it's been up and running for about 9 months and is just in the last month or so "established" and pretty much self sufficient...........other than regular water changes and maintinence........all told over the last 9 months I have about 1500 dollars in this tank, thats not top of the line equipment but not the cheapest around either......DIY is an awsome way to go, do your reseach and be careful {remember we are playing with water and electricity} not to mention rather expensive fish comparativly speaking {to fresh water}
Cost of operation............well 10-15 % water changes every couple weeks to a month {after established} i by RO water from walmart at 33 cents a gallon and strongly suggest the same unless you get an ro filter for your house {200-300 easily} electricity, will probably be like running a decent sized airconditioner all year long ...my tank runs about 20 bucks a month in power consumption...............food is marginal compared to the rest of the cost..........equipment can be crazy depending on your taste and needs
then theres the little fishies ...lol 6 bucks to over 100 again taste, desire and wallet are you only limits here
{on a side note do some research on the type of fish you want it plays a big part in tank size - - -like i would love to have a couple Coral beauty angels but they would be miserable in my little nano tank}
as far as size goes - -the larger the tank the less violent the swing if something goes wrong ............it's just the rule of averages....I.E. if something goes wrong in my 20 gallon vs. a 125 gallon it will effect my tank much faster .................i wouldn't advise a reef tank under 55 gallons but thats just from my expiriences........i would say on a start up tank to get decent equipment and basics to set up and start cycleing ............if you can scrape up 1000 bucks you can get a pretty decent 55-100 gallon tank going.............
plan on waiting 6 months before getting into nice corals and such.........stick to a few hardy fish and a good cleaner crew and live rock and let the tank mature and you will be fine .........i think everyone on here could give you a "i rushed into this" story at one time or another.....especially me {i completely crashed my 20 about 6 weeks into the first start up and lost everything...........
couple other things before you start........you said you want a reef tank
- are you going to use a sump?
- canister filters?
- HOB {hang on back} filters and skimmer
there are a few different ways to go about this, none of which are wrong or right ....but all are a matter of preferance and opinion as to which is the best
GOOD LUCK ....ask many many many many questions..............look for anything written by Anthony Calfo
Boss
Cost of operation............well 10-15 % water changes every couple weeks to a month {after established} i by RO water from walmart at 33 cents a gallon and strongly suggest the same unless you get an ro filter for your house {200-300 easily} electricity, will probably be like running a decent sized airconditioner all year long ...my tank runs about 20 bucks a month in power consumption...............food is marginal compared to the rest of the cost..........equipment can be crazy depending on your taste and needs
then theres the little fishies ...lol 6 bucks to over 100 again taste, desire and wallet are you only limits here
{on a side note do some research on the type of fish you want it plays a big part in tank size - - -like i would love to have a couple Coral beauty angels but they would be miserable in my little nano tank}
as far as size goes - -the larger the tank the less violent the swing if something goes wrong ............it's just the rule of averages....I.E. if something goes wrong in my 20 gallon vs. a 125 gallon it will effect my tank much faster .................i wouldn't advise a reef tank under 55 gallons but thats just from my expiriences........i would say on a start up tank to get decent equipment and basics to set up and start cycleing ............if you can scrape up 1000 bucks you can get a pretty decent 55-100 gallon tank going.............
plan on waiting 6 months before getting into nice corals and such.........stick to a few hardy fish and a good cleaner crew and live rock and let the tank mature and you will be fine .........i think everyone on here could give you a "i rushed into this" story at one time or another.....especially me {i completely crashed my 20 about 6 weeks into the first start up and lost everything...........
couple other things before you start........you said you want a reef tank
- are you going to use a sump?
- canister filters?
- HOB {hang on back} filters and skimmer
there are a few different ways to go about this, none of which are wrong or right ....but all are a matter of preferance and opinion as to which is the best
GOOD LUCK ....ask many many many many questions..............look for anything written by Anthony Calfo
Boss
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jweb1369 - Posts: 547
- Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:55 am
Let me say this, I had a 30 gallon saltwater aquarium and spent over $200 just on fish, not including snails, hermits, crabs, and starfish. Live rock is around 6.99 per pound and the average rock is atleast 2-3 lbs. I ran my tank off of a single hang-on-back filter and it worked fine for about a year when the tank came down with ick.
You'll also probably want a UV sterilizer for a tank that size to make sure no outbreak of disease occurs, costing you thousands.
You'll also probably want a UV sterilizer for a tank that size to make sure no outbreak of disease occurs, costing you thousands.
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singapore - Posts: 238
- Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:47 pm
my 55 isnt using a sump rite now, the stand i have wont allow for a sump underneath. my filetr and skimmer are both HOB. i was wondering if there is a HOB UV steralizer?
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jweb1369 - Posts: 547
- Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:55 am
Not any that i have seen or can imagine, the sterilizer has to be connected to a sump or a filter in some way so water gets pulled and the uv sterilizer works best when behind the filtration. So with that being said you would have to make some crazy custom HOB filter, haha. I have seen UV sterlizers for as cheap as $40 though.
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Snowboss4492 - Posts: 2098
- Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:24 pm
you want to be careful with a UV sterilizer though...i woudn't use one until the tank is very well established ...............it will kill good bactieras as well as bad and in the begining you can't afford to lose any