Most beginner tanks setup specs and price

jamesmyers14

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I'm 14 looking to move from freshwater to salt. I need the easiest and lowest cost tank for a beginner. All help is appreciated I've done my research on cycling and managing just need cost effective setup
 
also won't be doing any corals maybe though mostly just fish or invertebrates
 
Well first of all before you even think about starting a saltwater tank you need to know your budget. How much money you have and how big of an income you have. The price to fresh water to salt, there is a astronomical difference in pricing of everything. From the tank, supplies, your not keeping corals it sounds like so lighting won't be much of an issue, and maintaining the tank. You need to have a steady income that will provide you with enough money to keep it running. I was in your shoes once. Been in freshwater for a while. Drooling over the cool fish and things in saltwater, and wanting to do one. After having everything planned out, I had to wait a year or more till I finally could effectively. You hear all those stories of tanks starting out bad and nothing good happens with them until countless amounts of money has been spent. I didn't want that to happen. So I waited till I could do it affectively. I'm young like you. I'm almost 16. It's hard running a tank inwhen you younger. Not much money I had. It was and is hard. So before thinking about the tank, figure out you budget first
 
Well first of all before you even think about starting a saltwater tank you need to know your budget. How much money you have and how big of an income you have. The price to fresh water to salt, there is a astronomical difference in pricing of everything. From the tank, supplies, your not keeping corals it sounds like so lighting won't be much of an issue, and maintaining the tank. You need to have a steady income that will provide you with enough money to keep it running. I was in your shoes once. Been in freshwater for a while. Drooling over the cool fish and things in saltwater, and wanting to do one. After having everything planned out, I had to wait a year or more till I finally could effectively. You hear all those stories of tanks starting out bad and nothing good happens with them until countless amounts of money has been spent. I didn't want that to happen. So I waited till I could do it affectively. I'm young like you. I'm almost 16. It's hard running a tank inwhen you younger. Not much money I had. It was and is hard. So before thinking about the tank, figure out you budget first

Yah that's a problem ha I don't have the highest steady income I mean I have income but not a lot
 
Yeah money can be a problem in this hobby. What I do is I have an emergency fund for my tank of at least $100 at all times. So if something goes wrong, I can hopefully fix it.
 
Yeah money can be a problem in this hobby. What I do is I have an emergency fund for my tank of at least $100 at all times. So if something goes wrong, I can hopefully fix it.

Yah if I do decide to jump I my main problem is water!! Ugh I wish I could use tap water
 
There a good fund to have but it can't solve everything. "With great power, comes greater responsibility"
 
Take your time, do your research, and for Heaven's sake GO SLOWLY. We all want our tanks up and full of life right now, but in saltwater that ain't how it works. Rely on sites like this for info, take recommendations to heart and remember we all have opinions. You'll get conflicting ones which can be confusing. If you do nothing else, get personal with your local saltwater fish store. If they are respectable, they'll guide you through this without taking your bank account. Best of luck and welcome to the "Hobby" (or should I say "Obsession"?)
 
Take your time, do your research, and for Heaven's sake GO SLOWLY. We all want our tanks up and full of life right now, but in saltwater that ain't how it works. Rely on sites like this for info, take recommendations to heart and remember we all have opinions. You'll get conflicting ones which can be confusing. If you do nothing else, get personal with your local saltwater fish store. If they are respectable, they'll guide you through this without taking your bank account. Best of luck and welcome to the "Hobby" (or should I say "Obsession"?)

Haha thanks I am a bit personal with the manager of my lfs he helped me do a freshwater tank
 
I would see if you could pick up a used AIO setup. You can usually find good deals on Craigslist, or maybe from a LFS. IME, AIO setup a are the easiest to learn from.
 
+ on an all in one. But if you are going to do saltwater, biggest investment which is worth the money is an RO/DI unit.
 
Very true, next to that good test kits or a good lfs nearby that will test for you.
+ on an all in one. But if you are going to do saltwater, biggest investment which is worth the money is an RO/DI unit.
 
Letting everyone know I talked to my lfs and he hooked me up with some free nutri seawater 4.4 gallons and I bought a Jbj picotope live sand small heater thermometer and got some free test kits also got a little small siphon
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

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