Help me build my dream reef- low budget

[Freshwater fish man]

Hello all! I am happy to join this forum, and have recently started in the saltwater aquarium hobby, I currently have a 20 gallon nano reef, and am so captivated by saltwater ( have been doing freshwater for 7 years ) that over the next months I would like to slowly peice my dream reef together. My main display size would be 90 gallons with probablu a 20 gallon refugium/sump. I mainly came here to get help with reccomended equitment, such as low buget but decent coral lights, protien skimmers, your reccomended rodi systems, and some fun and unique stocking ideas

here is my list so far of what I know I will need, all of this is bassicly just the cheapest descent quality stuff I could find, but I have unfourtanutly yet to come accros a good 90 gallon aquarium

Refuge: just a 20 gallon I already have

Main: 90 gallon tank, dont know wich one yet, suggestions would be appretiated, you be willing to go up to 100 gallons, but not much above that.

Light: also dunno, cause there are a bunch of crap options out there, and then a bunch of expensive stuf.

Heater: I already have a aquatop titanium I would be using

powerheads: yes I know they are pretty cheap and low quality, but they would work fine for at leat the first few months of my reef

Skimmer: complete newb to this as I dont use one for my 20 gallon nano, again suggestions please!

I will be making the overflow chambers in the sump myself, and just using pvc pipes to run water from the tank to the sump, the return pump would just be whatever they have on amazon, and so yeah, other needed equitment that I frogot would be helpful to know about too

 

[esther]

I guess it all depends on what you want to have in your display tank. Are you looking at a Fish Only tank? Or do you want to have corals?

 

[K7BMG]

Saw your second post so came looking

 

[BackToTheReef]

Hello all! I am happy to join this forum, and have recently started in the saltwater aquarium hobby, I currently have a 20 gallon nano reef, and am so captivated by saltwater ( have been doing freshwater for 7 years ) that over the next months I would like to slowly peice my dream reef together. My main display size would be 90 gallons with probablu a 20 gallon refugium/sump. I mainly came here to get help with reccomended equitment, such as low buget but decent coral lights, protien skimmers, your reccomended rodi systems, and some fun and unique stocking ideas

here is my list so far of what I know I will need, all of this is bassicly just the cheapest descent quality stuff I could find, but I have unfourtanutly yet to come accros a good 90 gallon aquarium

Refuge: just a 20 gallon I already have

Main: 90 gallon tank, dont know wich one yet, suggestions would be appretiated, you be willing to go up to 100 gallons, but not much above that.

Light: also dunno, cause there are a bunch of crap options out there, and then a bunch of expensive stuf.

Heater: I already have a aquatop titanium I would be using

powerheads: yes I know they are pretty cheap and low quality, but they would work fine for at leat the first few months of my reef

Skimmer: complete newb to this as I dont use one for my 20 gallon nano, again suggestions please!

I will be making the overflow chambers in the sump myself, and just using pvc pipes to run water from the tank to the sump, the return pump would just be whatever they have on amazon, and so yeah, other needed equitment that I frogot would be helpful to know about too

If you are handy there are a lot of DIY solutions for much of the stuff you will need.

Have you figured out what type of livestock you want to keep? That might help the group tailor where to spend your money. There are some reasonably priced retrofit T5 kits out there that will do more than an adequate job at getting you started.

I am always wary of used gear because I have been burnt (not in the aquarium industry) but on a good forum you can usually track down some good used gear at reasonable prices. I have also kept a watchful eye on placeslike FB marketplace and again, you have to be careful but you can find a deal or two hiding.

In a previous life working PT at a LFS got me all kinds of discounts and equipment I would have never been able to afford at that point in my life.

Budget reefs are definitely possible! Allowing us to upgrade over time.

 

[Fishurama]

To find a tank wait for your local petco to had their dollar per gallon sale. Craigslist is another good option, just leak test the tank.
For lights you will need 2 of whatever you get in your price range. I would recommend viparspectra, marsaqua, or other chinese black boxes.
For ease of use but not the strongest lights, but have a ramp up and down timer for sunset/sunrise Current marine IC Loop is good, but you can't grow SPS coral with these very well, which i doubt you will be doing since you are new anyway, but will grow soft coral, LPS coral, and anemones, so these could work until you want to upgrades.

Your picture for powerheads isn't showing, but a great powerhead which is cheap, Jeabo which many on here use is link below.
You will need at least 2. You could also do 4 smaller ones for no dead zones at all.
powerhead amazon link

You dont need a skimmer, but honestly, most are the same since they have the design down now, just look at reviews for the pump as thats really what you are paying for. I like Bubble Magnus, but they are kinda expensive, might find a cheap used one on here.

Return pump i love this one, super cheap, controllable, good reviews on R2R, I use the 12,000L(3100gph+) one as i like to oversize my pump as it makes me feel it lasts longer as you dont have to run it at 100 percent power. I run mine at 75 percent on my 120 gallon. Super quiet, can't say anything bad about it.
return pump link

 

[Crustaceon]

I’d say you’ll want to install a baffle kit on the 20g (tank) sump, to prevent microbubbles from being sucked into your return pump and launched into the display. Whichever 90g you decide to go with should be fine. It’s glass. As long as it’s put together right, it shouldn’t cause you any problem. Cheap tanks tend to have issues the smaller they get because manufacturers skimp on glass thickness. They have no choice but use thicker glass for a 90g, which means the seals are wider and less prone to leak/separate. As far as skimmers go, check their gallon rating and get the largest one within that range you can afford. I use a cheapy bubble magus nac 3.5. Some people despise this brand but I’ve never had a problem with it and I keep acropora. It gets the job done on my 65G system. For lights, don’t skimp. Get something now that will be powerful enough to keep whatever you put in the tank later on. I’d recommend either a 6-bulb 48” t5ho fixture or a pair of “black box” “165w” led fixtures you’ll find on ebay or amazon. These puppies will give you the best bang for your buck. Lastly, get variable flow powerheads. Just starting out, I’d get either a pair of jebao ow25’s or a single ow-40-50.

 

[K7BMG]

If your going for a reef then I suguest you do yourself a huge favor and give yourself a huge leg up.
Buy a quality RO/DI unit with a TDS meter.
Huge opinions on brands but a little research will go a long way.
I always recomend a 7 stage. Yes I know the initial outlay of cash
on such an item is hard. But the ability to seperate out the resins will save a heck of a lot more over the years. The 7 stage will see you through any tank you will ever have.
With a reef the importance of high quality water is the first and formost benefit you can do.

I think you should go with a bigger sump for a 90 or 100g tank.
Your mot going to get a lot of equipment in a 20g sump.

 

[Fishurama]

I’d say you’ll want to install a baffle kit on the 20g (tank) sump, to prevent microbubbles from being sucked into your return pump and launched into the display. Whichever 90g you decide to go with should be fine. It’s glass. As long as it’s put together right, it shouldn’t cause you any problem. Cheap tanks tend to have issues the smaller they get because manufacturers skimp on glass thickness. They have no choice but use thicker glass for a 90g, which means the seals are wider and less prone to leak/separate. As far as skimmers go, check their gallon rating and get the largest one within that range you can afford. I use a cheapy bubble magus nac 3.5. Some people despise this brand but I’ve never had a problem with it and I keep acropora. It gets the job done on my 65G system. For lights, don’t skimp. Get something now that will be powerful enough to keep whatever you put in the tank later on. I’d recommend either a 6-bulb 48” t5ho fixture or a pair of “black box” “165w” led fixtures you’ll find on ebay or amazon. These puppies will give you the best bang for your buck. Lastly, get variable flow powerheads. Just starting out, I’d get either a pair of jebao ow25’s or a single ow-40-50.

Sir it's not okay to copies someone elses homework LOL

To find a tank wait for your local petco to had their dollar per gallon sale. Craigslist is another good option, just leak test the tank.
For lights you will need 2 of whatever you get in your price range. I would recommend viparspectra, marsaqua, or other chinese black boxes.
For ease of use but not the strongest lights, but have a ramp up and down timer for sunset/sunrise Current marine IC Loop is good, but you can't grow SPS coral with these very well, which i doubt you will be doing since you are new anyway, but will grow soft coral, LPS coral, and anemones, so these could work until you want to upgrades.

Your picture for powerheads isn't showing, but a great powerhead which is cheap, Jeabo which many on here use is link below.
You will need at least 2. You could also do 4 smaller ones for no dead zones at all.
powerhead amazon link

You dont need a skimmer, but honestly, most are the same since they have the design down now, just look at reviews for the pump as thats really what you are paying for. I like Bubble Magnus, but they are kinda expensive, might find a cheap used one on here.

Return pump i love this one, super cheap, controllable, good reviews on R2R, I use the 12,000L(3100gph+) one as i like to oversize my pump as it makes me feel it lasts longer as you dont have to run it at 100 percent power. I run mine at 75 percent on my 120 gallon. Super quiet, can't say anything bad about it.
return pump link

 

[Crustaceon]

Sir it's not okay to copies someone elses homework LOL

Great minds think alike

 

[Shaka_Reefer]

Can you tell us more about this “dream?” What kind of fish and corals? What’s your budget?

 

[Freshwater fish man]

I guess it all depends on what you want to have in your display tank. Are you looking at a Fish Only tank? Or do you want to have corals?

I was thinking coral, actually not really thinking definitely coral, I am mostly doing beginner stuff for now, like gsp, Xenia, zoas, and some other things

 

[Freshwater fish man]

Saw your second post so came looking

Yay! Thanks that was al I needed to get some answers running in this one I guess

 

[Freshwater fish man]

If you are handy there are a lot of DIY solutions for much of the stuff you will need.

Have you figured out what type of livestock you want to keep? That might help the group tailor where to spend your money. There are some reasonably priced retrofit T5 kits out there that will do more than an adequate job at getting you started.

I am always wary of used gear because I have been burnt (not in the aquarium industry) but on a good forum you can usually track down some good used gear at reasonable prices. I have also kept a watchful eye on placeslike FB marketplace and again, you have to be careful but you can find a deal or two hiding.

In a previous life working PT at a LFS got me all kinds of discounts and equipment I would have never been able to afford at that point in my life.

Budget reefs are definitely possible! Allowing us to upgrade over time.

I am pretty handy, not welding or anything of that caliber but sure to drilling tanks and making inserts for the overflow in the sump, I have a fair experience in building terrariums, so thought about just going full diy, building myself a custom tank, but decided not to as well terrariums ain’t just gonna bust if you mess up your silicon job in one spot

 

[Freshwater fish man]

If you are handy there are a lot of DIY solutions for much of the stuff you will need.

Have you figured out what type of livestock you want to keep? That might help the group tailor where to spend your money. There are some reasonably priced retrofit T5 kits out there that will do more than an adequate job at getting you started.

I am always wary of used gear because I have been burnt (not in the aquarium industry) but on a good forum you can usually track down some good used gear at reasonable prices. I have also kept a watchful eye on placeslike FB marketplace and again, you have to be careful but you can find a deal or two hiding.

In a previous life working PT at a LFS got me all kinds of discounts and equipment I would have never been able to afford at that point in my life.

Budget reefs are definitely possible! Allowing us to upgrade over time.

Sorry for second reply, forgot to include this in the first one, but I am hopping to transfer from my 20 gallon ( clownfish, gobys, pistol shrimp ) and mabye add some slightly larger but peaceful fish, and basic corals like gsp Xenia etc.

 

[Freshwater fish man]

I’d say you’ll want to install a baffle kit on the 20g (tank) sump, to prevent microbubbles from being sucked into your return pump and launched into the display. Whichever 90g you decide to go with should be fine. It’s glass. As long as it’s put together right, it shouldn’t cause you any problem. Cheap tanks tend to have issues the smaller they get because manufacturers skimp on glass thickness. They have no choice but use thicker glass for a 90g, which means the seals are wider and less prone to leak/separate. As far as skimmers go, check their gallon rating and get the largest one within that range you can afford. I use a cheapy bubble magus nac 3.5. Some people despise this brand but I’ve never had a problem with it and I keep acropora. It gets the job done on my 65G system. For lights, don’t skimp. Get something now that will be powerful enough to keep whatever you put in the tank later on. I’d recommend either a 6-bulb 48” t5ho fixture or a pair of “black box” “165w” led fixtures you’ll find on ebay or amazon. These puppies will give you the best bang for your buck. Lastly, get variable flow powerheads. Just starting out, I’d get either a pair of jebao ow25’s or a single ow-40-50.

Thanks! I think lights are probably the way to star spending my money too, as I would be under stocking, so the other stuff can wait to get Improved later on

 

[Freshwater fish man]

If your going for a reef then I suguest you do yourself a huge favor and give yourself a huge leg up.
Buy a quality RO/DI unit with a TDS meter.
Huge opinions on brands but a little research will go a long way.
I always recomend a 7 stage. Yes I know the initial outlay of cash
on such an item is hard. But the ability to seperate out the resins will save a heck of a lot more over the years. The 7 stage will see you through any tank you will ever have.
With a reef the importance of high quality water is the first and formost benefit you can do.

I think you should go with a bigger sump for a 90 or 100g tank.
Your mot going to get a lot of equipment in a 20g sump.

Okay, question a 60 to large? I also already have it, the only thing I dint like is it is very tall and Long, not deep, but if a 60 isn’t to large then that is another option

 

[Freshwater fish man]

Can you tell us more about this “dream?” What kind of fish and corals? What’s your budget?

Honestly it’s more of like a, my final large tank until I can afford to get something like a 250 custom made, which could be like 5-6 years, so too long for me to just wait

fish, whatever I transfer from the 20g and some larger peaceful stuff coral, gsp Xenia zoas bubble tip anemone, that kind o stuff

 

[NashobaTek]

Welcome to the team

 

[Freshwater fish man]

Welcome to the team

Thanks ( I dunno that was just in my recommended emojis

 

[Idoc]

As for powerheads, take a look at the IceCap 2K gyre for the 90g tank. They won't break the bank and I believe they are so much better at moving the water in a tank than regular powerheads.

I have a SB Reeflights 16" basic light over my coral quarantine tank and I swear it grows coral better than the lights on my display tank! I think it was around $125 when I got it...you'd need two of them for the 90g tank, though.