Aquarium Kit or DIY

[GearedWolf]

I've been wanting to start a saltwater tank for a while now. I talked with my dad he seems to be mostly interested in the mostly put together kits, but I think they seem really expensive and think building one on our own would be better.
If we should get a kit where would be best?
If we should DIY what parts should we use?
We have room for a 55 - 75 gallon.

 

[Peace River]

First, welcome to R2R!!! Kits are certainly more convenient and can eliminate some of the risk for the first time hobbyist, but you often will learn a lot more by selecting and assembling the parts. Red Sea is a common brand if you want to purchase the whole system or you may want to look at an All-in-one tank like one from Innovative Marine. Good luck!

#WelcometoR2R

 

[GearedWolf]

Thank you

 

[Auquanut]

Again. Welcome to R2R. I agree completely with @Peace River. This is a perfect time to start doing some research. No matter which direction you decide to take, there will be a considerable investment in time and money. Take your time, investigate the options and ask questions about anything you're unsure of before pulling the trigger. This hobby is all about patience and attention to detail. The more time you spend upfront, the easier it will be in the long run.

 

[BeejReef]

What a great question.

Purely from a cost perspective, DIY is a lot less expensive. A lot. Like you could hardly own any tools, buy them all, and probably still save a little.. lol.

On the other hand, if you go through all that and end up with a system that doesn't work great, or that you immediately want to upgrade, you could end up wishing you had just paid the freight and bought what you wanted out of the gate.

This is one of the most fun times. Enjoy the research and the dreaming cuz next is cycling and algae scraping.. lol

 

[Mical]

BRS is a good place to start - https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/sumps-tanks-refugiums/tanks.html

 

[NotFishyFishGuy]

Welcome! I think DIY gives you a lot more room to do your own thing with equipment. If you are going with more of a kit, i think red seas are great

 

[GearedWolf]

Thank you all. I have done some research mostly on filters, decided on a sump.

 

[Salty Lemon]

Every single person is different and has different opinions in this world. This includes the saltwater hobby and hobbyists. Since you are just starting out, it means you need to learn. I would buy a pre-drilled tank that is set up for saltwater. Then buy the parts individually as you can afford them. You learn a lot from doing your own research (and help from R2R) as you purchase your supplies. It eventually comes in handy to know how your system works and how to fix it if something goes wrong.