Help me

[vicmonahan1396]

So I really want to get into this hobby. I was gonna do a nano tank but I don't want my fish to die because of the water parameter swings. I just want a good sized tank with fish but it's so dang expensive. I was going to do freshwater but freshwater is so boring and it sucks imo. Saltwater has so much variety and I love it but it's so expensive. My parents are paying for this stuff and I don't want to overwhelm their wallets with cost. I love saltwater but I need help. I might just get a canister filter and maybe I can connect that to an overflow box idk. I'm so stress please someone help

 

[Swoody]

Where do you live?? If you live in or near Phoenix..I have a 75g tank in perfect condition that I will donate to you!

 

[theMeat]

Being stressed before you even start is not a good sign.
Do some research. Maybe buy a used set up from someone getting out of the hobby

 

[vicmonahan1396]

Being stressed before you even start is not a good sign.
Do some research. Maybe buy a used set up from someone getting out of the hobby

I'll try. But it's not only the tank the dang equipment

 

[vicmonahan1396]

Where do you live?? If you live in or near Phoenix..I have a 75g tank in perfect condition that I will donate to you!

Sorry buddy I'm in New Jersey

 

[DSC reef]

You really need to slow down. Go to a LFS with your parents and talk to the staff and see if this hobby is right for you at this moment in your life. In the past week you've made a lot of decisions in multiple directions. This hobby is costly and takes a lot of patience and being erratic will cost your family money and animals there lives. Also, a freshwater cichlid tank is absolutely beautiful so dont throw freshwater out of the idea box.

 

[vicmonahan1396]

You really need to slow down. Go to a LFS with your parents and talk to the staff and see if this hobby is right for you at this moment in your life. In the past week you've made a lot of decisions in multiple directions. This hobby is costly and takes a lot of patience and being erratic will cost your family money and animals there lives. Also, a freshwater cichlid tank is absolutely beautiful so dont throw freshwater out of the idea box.

Maybe. The thing is I want to order from liveaquaria and they are out of stock on certain fish I wanted for my freshwater tank

 

[DSC reef]

Maybe. The thing is I want to order from liveaquaria and they are out of stock on certain fish I wanted for my saltwater tank

There is no maybe. You've got a lot of advice from previous posts by members. Why ask questions if your not going to heed advice. Were all trying to help you.

 

[Bill_Moorman]

Vic-

I think you need to relax a bit and do more research. Nothing in this hobby happens fast (except diseases).

Try coming up with a game plan and then executing it.

 

[theMeat]

Manhattan reefs is an awesome website that is local to you. They also have a for sale forum that is great.

 

[vicmonahan1396]

Do you guys think I should do a 20 gallon nano tank or will the water parameters be too bad?

 

[theMeat]

Do you guys think I should do a 20 gallon nano tank or will the water parameters be too bad?

That question alone tells you need to do more research. Or buy and set up a tank according to the guidance of the maintenance company that will maintain it for you

 

[vicmonahan1396]

That question alone tells you need to do more research. Or buy and set up a tank according to the guidance of the maintenance company that will maintain it for you

I've heard nano tanks can have water parameter shifts because of there small size but I don't know. I'm asking my dad to ask his friends if they have any spare tanks

 

[theMeat]

Yes, the smaller the tank the smaller the stability.

 

[vicmonahan1396]

Yes, the smaller the tank the smaller the stability.

I heard 30% water changes every week or so will help maintain stability

 

[theMeat]

Lighting, if you want reef, is going to be your biggest expense.

Gotta give you credit for wanting to start this. Many of us started the same way. Will leave you with one of my fav sayings....
Dumb people make the same mistakes over and over. Smart people learn from those mistakes. But a genius learns from others

 

[vicmonahan1396]

Lighting, if you want reef, is going to be your biggest expense.

Gotta give you credit for wanting to start this. Many of us started the same way. Will leave you with one of my fav sayings....
Dumb people make the same mistakes over and over. Smart people learn from those mistakes. But a genius learns from others

I was actually thinking of doing a fish only tank with some live rock

 

[LadyMac]

Welcome! While I understand the stress as well as the excitement, take a breath and relax. If you seriously want to go marine, I wouldn’t go for anything smaller than 40 simply because the parameter swings.

Gather your equipment first. You’ll need to make many decisions between gathering and setup, and you need to read the entire time. Look at build threads here for stocking ideas as well as good advice with mistakes made by others

Search Craigslist for a used setup, either the whole thing or just a tank. You can build a stand and a sump. If you have places like goodwill or thrift shops look there as well. It would be nice to go with brand new but sometimes a little used will save money.

Don’t completely write off fresh, there’s many varieties of fish that are beautiful and many you will never see in any life or even on live aquaria.

Read, read and read some more. Basic knowledge of the nitrogen cycle is needed for any setup, fresh or salt and you’ll also have to know about the salinity and how temp ph and other things effect such things.

For me it also helped to write down what my end goal was, and do a price list for the equipment, fish and supplies.

Never try to rush through or you’ll end up hating it. Take it one day at a time and make it fun. It will reward you eventually.

 

[theMeat]

I was actually thinking of doing a fish only tank with some live rock

In a nano you will be greatly limited to what fish you can have. Stress levels will be huge

 

[vicmonahan1396]

Welcome! While I understand the stress as well as the excitement, take a breath and relax. If you seriously want to go marine, I wouldn’t go for anything smaller than 40 simply because the parameter swings.

Gather your equipment first. You’ll need to make many decisions between gathering and setup, and you need to read the entire time. Look at build threads here for stocking ideas as well as good advice with mistakes made by others

Search Craigslist for a used setup, either the whole thing or just a tank. You can build a stand and a sump. If you have places like goodwill or thrift shops look there as well. It would be nice to go with brand new but sometimes a little used will save money.

Don’t completely write off fresh, there’s many varieties of fish that are beautiful and many you will never see in any life or even on live aquaria.

Read, read and read some more. Basic knowledge of the nitrogen cycle is needed for any setup, fresh or salt and you’ll also have to know about the salinity and how temp ph and other things effect such things.

For me it also helped to write down what my end goal was, and do a price list for the equipment, fish and supplies.

Never try to rush through or you’ll end up hating it. Take it one day at a time and make it fun. It will reward you eventually.

Thank you. I'll try and buy a 40 gallon nano tank , canister filter, small skimmer, and heater and lighting and salt water and live rock and live sand. Also I know the nitrogen cycle the price is the part that's freaking me out. All I want to do is look at fish and relax and forget about my problems. I'm going to try and get cheap equipment. I will not do a sump because I can't afford it now. One day though I will take the fish I will have in my 40 gallon and upgrade them to a bigger tank.