Brand new and looking to get a tank

fallprom2012 · Dec 17, 2020

Hi I’m brand new and in the midst of research and scouring local listings for a beginners setup. Found a guy on marketplace close to me selling a jbj 45 rimless with Stand and hob protein skimmer in good condition no scratches on glass just minimal water damage to top of stand for 200. Is this a good deal? And also a good starting point for entering the hobby. Thanks

ReefRusty · Dec 17, 2020

WELCOME!!

Having just bought a tank, go as big as you can fit personally. I went with a Waterbox 70.2 but was to scared to go for the 100.3 mainly because of the extra added costs equip ect.... any tank you choose you will make work and enjoy but with smaller tanks your limited to what you can put in it remember. Corals and or fish.

RedFrog211 · Dec 18, 2020

My friend had a beautiful SPS tank in a jbj 45. I personally think $200 is a good price for that setup! It doesn’t come with any lights? As I’m sure you’ve noticed, lights can get pretty pricey, but it’s one of those things that the more you put in, the more you get out. I have a 20g, mostly so I am forced to limit myself and not spend $15,000 on coral! What kind of fish are you looking to get?

Melanie Fish · Dec 18, 2020

fallprom2012 said:
Hi I’m brand new and in the midst of research and scouring local listings for a beginners setup. Found a guy on marketplace close to me selling a jbj 45 rimless with Stand and hob protein skimmer in good condition no scratches on glass just minimal water damage to top of stand for 200. Is this a good deal? And also a good starting point for entering the hobby. Thanks

That is a good deal. You should figure out the coral and fish you want and get the tank that works for them. I have and really like a waterbox 45.2.

kabal2 · Dec 18, 2020

Welcome

to R2R, great group of people here and a well of knowledge

Zach B · Dec 18, 2020

Welcome

Sounds like a deal to me, just make sure the stand isn't too bad

Alex808 · Dec 18, 2020

200 bucks Is a great price since you’re getting a skimmer too. Knock yourself out. And Welcome.

fallprom2012 · Dec 18, 2020

ReefRusty said:
WELCOME!!

Having just bought a tank, go as big as you can fit personally. I went with a Waterbox 70.2 but was to scared to go for the 100.3 mainly because of the extra added costs equip ect.... any tank you choose you will make work and enjoy but with smaller tanks your limited to what you can put in it remember. Corals and or fish.

Definitely agree there. I grew up almost always h

ReefRusty said:
WELCOME!!

Having just bought a tank, go as big as you can fit personally. I went with a Waterbox 70.2 but was to scared to go for the 100.3 mainly because of the extra added costs equip ect.... any tank you choose you will make work and enjoy but with smaller tanks your limited to what you can put in it remember. Corals and or fish.

Almost always had tanks growing up but nothing over maybe 20 gallons but nothing since about the age of 15. 31 now and picked up a 37 gallon starter kit from petsmart about 6 months ago just for something to get into and stocked it with some natural decor, plants and community fish (freshwater). Almost immediately regretted not going bigger and the limitations of the 37 gallon. However there were benefits of not not spending as much money as I would inevitably had on things in a larger tank and the challenge of working with a smaller space. Even though I love my small freshwater tank through my endeavors and research getting back into the hobby I have realized I kinda want more of a challenge which has brought me here. Now the question is do I go big and slow build which would probably not get me going actually up and cycling for at least 6 months to a year. Or dive in on something small now. I know mistakes will be made either way and there’s really no right or wrong answer, just those little personal decisions that drive us all a little crazy if we aren’t completely satisfied with the ones we made.

fallprom2012 · Dec 18, 2020

RedFrog211 said:
My friend had a beautiful SPS tank in a jbj 45. I personally think $200 is a good price for that setup! It doesn’t come with any lights? As I’m sure you’ve noticed, lights can get pretty pricey, but it’s one of those things that the more you put in, the more you get out. I have a 20g, mostly so I am forced to limit myself and not spend $15,000 on coral! What kind of fish are you looking to get?

No lights, no return pump. Just skimmer, tank and stand. I also like the limit of not spending ALL my money but deep down I would love that great big tank that fills up the big space in your living room. But I’m not a rich man so maybe I should just start small. As for fish I have no idea. My plan was get a good deal on a tank and then design based on tank size and shape.

fallprom2012 · Dec 18, 2020

Melanie Fish said:
That is a good deal. You should figure out the coral and fish you want and get the tank that works for them. I have and really like a waterbox 45.2.

Yeah but sometimes I get overwhelmed by too many options and since I’ve started research on saltwater and reefing for the past month I’ve realized that the options and avenues are endless. So my plan was to find a good deal on a tank and design and build everything around that. Decisions decisions decisions, they drive me crazy and maybe only %50 of the time do I immediately feel I’ve made the right one on things. The other half I have to spend hours, days, and sometimes weeks convincing myself I made the right one. Then there’s the few instances where you just know it was the wrong decision and accept it. ‍

Cell · Dec 18, 2020

45g rimless with stand for $200 seems like a great deal to me assuming in good condition. Make sure the water damage to stand is not structural.

RedFrog211 · Dec 18, 2020

One of my favorite aspects of reef tanks is the biodiversity. I’ll soon be ordering a microscope, so I can truly appreciate the life forms in my tank. Of course I’d LOVE a 120 tall, stocked with LPS, zoas and SPS, but for now, I’m very happy with my 20g. Hopefully within the next year my corals will grow out and fill some of the space- tired of all these tiny frags! Haha

fallprom2012 · Dec 18, 2020

Alex808 said:
200 bucks Is a great price since you’re getting a skimmer too. Knock yourself out. And Welcome.

Thanks, happy to be here! Yeah I sent a message saying 160 and he said 175. I do alright but am not rich by any means so I’m thinking spend around this much for a decent tank and then building it out as I learn along the way

fallprom2012 · Dec 18, 2020

Cell said:
45g rimless with stand for $200 seems like a great deal to me assuming in good condition. Make sure the water damage to stand is not structural.

Says nothing major, got a 175 counter offer

fallprom2012 · Dec 18, 2020

kabal2 said:
Welcome

to R2R, great group of people here and a well of knowledge

Happy to be here! Getting great insight already thanks!

fallprom2012 · Dec 18, 2020

Z&KFarmsWI said:
Welcome Sounds like a deal to me, just make sure the stand isn't too bad

Says nothing major but I’ll have to determine that in person, also have a 175 counter offer

Alex808 · Dec 18, 2020

fallprom2012 said:
Thanks, happy to be here! Yeah I sent a message saying 160 and he said 175. I do alright but am not rich by any means so I’m thinking spend around this much for a decent tank and then building it out as I learn along the way

Even still. It’s a deal. If you pick that up for 175. What are you doing for lights? Lights don’t have to be super expensive but hopefully that frees up some wallet for decent lights. There are cheap light fixtures Not related to aquaculture that are much cheaper as they marketed as general use. Might not be aesthetic at the moment but function over fashion is my style personally.

HJ99 · Dec 18, 2020

fallprom2012 said:
Yeah but sometimes I get overwhelmed by too many options and since I’ve started research on saltwater and reefing for the past month I’ve realized that the options and avenues are endless. So my plan was to find a good deal on a tank and design and build everything around that. Decisions decisions decisions, they drive me crazy and maybe only %50 of the time do I immediately feel I’ve made the right one on things. The other half I have to spend hours, days, and sometimes weeks convincing myself I made the right one. Then there’s the few instances where you just know it was the wrong decision and accept it. ‍

I can relate. I've been in a lot of hobbies including a drag race S10 we currently have that I completely built myself. I like to think I'm pretty good at figuring stuff out but with all the choices and different setups, this is rather mindboggling. I'd say that is a really good deal. We paid 200 for a 125 with the stand and some freshwater stuff but it's taking some work. We ended up refinishing the stand and I'm going to try polishing the glass some and resealing. I thought we paid too much but there was a lady wanting to buy it before we got there.

fallprom2012 · Dec 18, 2020

Alex808 said:
Even still. It’s a deal. If you pick that up for 175. What are you doing for lights? Lights don’t have to be super expensive but hopefully that frees up some wallet for decent lights. There are cheap light fixtures Not related to aquaculture that are much cheaper as they marketed as general use. Might not be aesthetic at the moment but function over fashion is my style personally.

I will invest in good lights. Not the best, but good. It’s gonna be in my living room so I want it to look good

fallprom2012 · Dec 18, 2020

HJ99 said:
I can relate. I've been in a lot of hobbies including a drag race S10 we currently have that I completely built myself. I like to think I'm pretty good at figuring stuff out but with all the choices and different setups, this is rather mindboggling. I'd say that is a really good deal. We paid 200 for a 125 with the stand and some freshwater stuff but it's taking some work. We ended up refinishing the stand and I'm going to try polishing the glass some and resealing. I thought we paid too much but there was a lady wanting to buy it before we got there.

125 is the dream for me but being that I’m trying to go the saltwater and reef route it just seems like a totally different animal and not sure I could financially keep up with something that big. I figure I could put it in my living room next to my 37 freshwater and have kind of a saltwater/freshwater contrast and way later on down the road maybe upgrade to the end all be all dream tank when it can be afforded.