Help me build on a budget.

[USMA36]

Very very new. I've been going back and forth between buying an established set up and just buying a mix of used and new components and starting from scratch. Downside to an established system is moving it. The ones I have found are about two hours away and I'd have to do the tank breakdown on my own. I could pay a lfs but the cost is 400.00 which is a big drain on my budget. Long story short I'm looking for build ideas that will fit a 1500.00 budget. I don't need a stand as I am building my own. Id like it to be 90-110 gallons with live rock and sand when all is said and done. I look forward to your recommendations.

 

[saltnewb]

sounds like you're starting with a fowlr setup? Are you looking to add corals down the road or at the start? I'm also building on a budget. It takes time, especially depending on where you live, but you can find some really great deals through places like craigslist and other online "garage sale" type apps and sites, maybe even eBay. Good luck. can't wait to see what you find. You may even find something in the dry goods for sale section on this website.

 

[USMA36]

Yes the goal would be Coral and anemone's when the system is established enough to do so.

 

[Current107]

Don't start out like I did. I started with 80% new equipment. Being new into the hobby I purchased a way overpriced light B/C I wanted corals. I also went and dropped stupid money on live rock from my LFS. After speaking with another customer in the LFS he turned me onto a local saltwater/reef club. I instantly jumped on the local forums. I found live rock for a tenth of the price and better equipment/lights less than half the price of new. I was also able to hear others opinions and make better decisions with my money. Half the fun is setting up your own system IMO, why would you have to buy someone else complete setup?

 

[USMA36]

It's hard. The lfs makes such convincing arguments lol. How do people feel about black box lights. I just cannot see myself spending 700.00 or more on lights.

 

[Frop]

Very very new. I've been going back and forth between buying an established set up and just buying a mix of used and new components and starting from scratch. Downside to an established system is moving it. The ones I have found are about two hours away and I'd have to do the tank breakdown on my own. I could pay a lfs but the cost is 400.00 which is a big drain on my budget. Long story short I'm looking for build ideas that will fit a 1500.00 budget. I don't need a stand as I am building my own. Id like it to be 90-110 gallons with live rock and sand when all is said and done. I look forward to your recommendations.

By chance do you live in Southern California?

Craigslist is your best friend either way. My only advice is just watch the post. I've been watching the posts for like 3 months trying to piece my tank together from good deals.

Here is stuff I bought for my new setup.
58gal w/ 20 gal sump, plumbing, stand, skimmer - $150
1/10 HP chiller - $80
50lb live rock - free
40lb sand -$35 on Amazon
2 heaters - $50 Amazon
Basically you could get $100 Chinese light and a refurbished RODI from spectrapure for another $125. However I already had a light and bought a more expensive RODI setup..

So something like that would be about $540 + salt mix, livestock, food, test kits, dosing solutions.

If you see an established system that has livestock that would probably be better than doing the mix. If not why not mix. It's up to you.

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

I found 125 gallon tank and stand on craigslist 150 bucks ebay less are cheap till the tank is established enough circulation pumps 4 pk 800gph were like 30 bucks did 40g breeder tank for sume 68 buck make it yourself. Overflow box 65 bucks ebay. Buying everything I needed and building my own stand was like 600 buck. Just dropped 420 buck on the vertex 180i skimmer though.

 

[Frop]

I found 125 gallon tank and stand on craigslist 150 bucks ebay less are cheap till the tank is established enough circulation pumps 4 pk 800gph were like 30 bucks did 40g breeder tank for sume 68 buck make it yourself. Overflow box 65 bucks ebay. Buying everything I needed and building my own stand was like 600 buck. Just dropped 420 buck on the vertex 180i skimmer though.

~ 1hr 15min away from your city some dood is giving away 60lb free sand.

 

[saltnewb]

if you're around phoenix area, i could hook you up with some sand. i bought someone elses setup for $30. it came with 60g hex stand/canopy some wierd four finger fluorescent bulb and moon light as well as live rock, sand and a canister filter. i bought it so i can get the filter and rock. the rest sits in the garage waiting to go to Discount Aquarium in Tempe to be traded in for stuff I need. I have 4 other tanks sitting around the house just waiting to be put to use.

 

[pdt7361]

Used is your best bet. I got my 90g, stand, mag12, and 4 bulb T5 (that came with 9 bulbs) for $250. I then did some creative trading and ended up with my brand new skimmer and sump for super cheap.
From there I bought a new pump, powerheads, RODI, and heater. I got a good deal on dry rock locally and bought live sand. By the end of it, I had about $1000 in the tank before adding fish and coral.

 

[sbash]

It's hard. The lfs makes such convincing arguments lol. How do people feel about black box lights. I just cannot see myself spending 700.00 or more on lights.

Black box lights are fine... If you get the right ones, and they ship them properly... I have four of them on my 220 gallon, and it looks great, lots of coral growth, etc... The fifth one I order (well, it was actually the second), is the wrong LED configuration, despite the sticker and the specs I ordered. It would cost too much to ship back to justify the return, and replacing the LEDs is only 20-40$ at most...

Anyway, if you go the black box route, do some reading and get the right mix of LED colours on each channel. There are also several community builds that augment the traditional black box fixture to be better. (Look up SB reef lighting)...