New 2 this world

[Void760]

This tank was given to me yesterday to start my first aquarium. I am on social security and a really tight budget but i really want to start this hobby. I went to my salt water store today and he told me to get this stuff.

Water test to see if tank has leaks...
40 bulks to drill in over flow holes
A 2o gallon sump
31" light (mars hydro)
Return pump
J bo 4000
Protien skimmer
Wave maker
Live rock
Live sand
Salt water
temp controller
Titanium heater

Am i missing anything? Do you have any advice? Also any donations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Antonio.dejesus]

What size is the tank and what do you want it to be. A fish only with live rock(FOWLR) or do you want corals also?

 

[scott11106]

you can search around and get some good stuff for free or at a large discount because everyone is always upgrading ect if you are not rushed. If you are in a hurry you will most likely have to buy new and it can get pricey fast. Also you need to read through the forums and learn, learn, learn before you start otherwise you will have a large and painful learning curve. This will also help you decide on what type of salt water environment you want and also what you can afford both in time and funding. If you try to bite off more than you can chew you will end up loosing your livestock and fighting water parameters to the point of frustration. having said all of that ,this hobby is amazing and as you grow into it you will be amazed on how far you can go with it.

Also i dont know anything about the mars lights but they seem to be for growing plants or algae..

 

[mjlash22]

Well here's what you absolutely need:
- A heater (wattage matched to your tank size)
- If you choose to, a substrate
- rock (live or dry)
- salt mix
- A filter
- Lights

Depending on what kind of tank you have and what your vision is will depend on the rest of the necessary equipment.

- Is the tank plumbed for an overflow or is it just a standard glass box aquarium? Having it plumbed to go into a sump would be ideal, but there are other options like wet/dry filters that will have a hang on overflow. Not really recommended any more but still a possibility.
- If you have a sump/plan on using a sump, skimmer for sure, and possibly a reactor.
- If you utilize a sump or wet/dry filter, you will need a return pump. Hang on filters are a cheap option but you get what you pay for.
- Power head/wave maker will be a great addition, especially if you plan on adding corals.

I think it's great you got the tank and want to get into the hobby, but really take the time to dig around these forums. Look at other people's builds and come up with your own vision. Map out what you will need from there, hone in on some equipment you will need/want, and take the time to save. As you will hear many time throughout this forum, rushing in this hobby is never a good thing.

My first ever salt water tank was a glass box aquarium with a hang on overflow to a wet/dry filter. It was a disaster, but i learned so much from it and it led me to a much better second tank. And now a third!

 

[Best Fish-Jake]

This may be a very difficult hobby to maintain while on a budget such as yours. I personally would reccomend for you to save your money until you get yourself more secure financially and then come back and enjoy the hobby[emoji4].
Now would be a great time to really get to know what you’re going to be potentially dealing with by doing research/ looking around the forum. That will also help you to make a plan down the road for when you are ready to dive in!
If you still want to be active outside of doing research, you could set the tank up for fresh water fish. It will definitely be less costly in setting up/ maintaining and is a great way to learn some of the basics in aquarium husbandry.

 

[Jason mack]

Welcome too R2R , and your new Reefing family !
You Will also need test kits too test the water
Too start with you Will need
Ammonia test kit
Nitrite test kit
Nitrate test kit
After tank has cycled and you add corals you will also need too test for
Calcium
Magnesium
Alkalinity
Phosphates

You will also need something too test your salinity sg
Hydrometer or refractometer

You will also need too have rodi water constantly on hand too top off from water evaporation

Just a few things I thought had been missed !

 

[mjlash22]

Needless to say, as you can see from these posts. It's not that we are trying to persuade you other wise, but this can be a very expensive and demanding hobby if you want to make sure you do it right! Take the time to really research everything then decide if this is the right hobby to tackle at this time. Maybe it is the right hobby not the right time.

 

[Jesterrace]

DO NOT DRILL A TANK THAT HASN'T BEEN FACTORY DRILLED!!!!! If your LFS is recommending that, I wouldn't trust them. What size is the tank? believe it or not you can get by with HOB filters or without a sump if the tank isn't huge. The cheapest way to setup a saltwater tank is to buy a complete used setup. I have seen complete 29-32 gallon biocube setups for $300-$400 and that generally includes a few corals and fish.

 

[reef lover]

Welcome to r2r!

 

[hoppy]

Welcome to R2R

You can get set up on a budget- watch the forums, Craigslist and eBay- take some time to learn the equipment and make informed decisions to what you need vs what you want and find a happy place in the middle-
People turn over in this hobby frequently and when they want out many have a “fire sale” and sell cheap- just be patient.

Good luck!

 

[Greybeard]

Welcome.

1st. don't buy anything new, at least not anything _expensive_ new. There's tons of people getting out of this hobby, or upgrading tanks... used equipment is plentiful, and cheap.

2nd, don't by anything AT ALL, until you understand what you're doing, and where you're headed.

My list would vary from what you posted... there are many ways to achieve a healthy reef, some of them are more expensive, some less so. The first thing I would recommend you do is research, reading, understand the basic methods and goals of reefkeeping. Once you know what it is that you want to do, only then should you start looking to obtain tools and equipment to reach those goals.

Since it's an easy place to start, I'd suggest you read the startup guides for Triton, ATI, Red Sea, Aquaforest, ZEOvit... Not that I'd suggest you try and implement any of these systems, but each of them offer a method that works... They're all different, but they all share a common goal. It's the goal you're interested in. Bulk Reef Supply's video series '52 weeks of reeefing' is also an excellent source of information.

 

[rockstarta78]

Welcome to the hobby and welcome to r2r. This forum could be your one stop shop for anything you want to know about reef keeping. There are lot of really really knowledgeable people in this forum. You've been given some really good advice. Just like everyone else, I'd also like to say read and decide which route you want to take. Below is a guide that is an excellent starting point. Read the below guide to get started.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.138750/

As @Greybeard has mentioned, look for used item. But go slow. I mean really slow. Take your time. Decide what you are willing to deal with and what's too much. At the end of the day this can be a very rewarding experience.