New&Inexperienced

[Goomie]

Hello! My boyfriend and I are very interested in starting a reef tank. :neutral: We have run into the fantastically irritating problem of... We have no idea what we're doing! We dont have the most money in the world so this process will be slow going, a year gathering process of the materials and such.

We already plan on buying a BIG tank and have a very large area of the room picked out which we will be reinforcing in preparation of the sheer heaviness of the tank.

What we need is a complete list of recommended items and some advice on set up... Of course this is a process... And will not be completed for some time... But anything helps!

Thank you for your time, I'm happy to be part of this forum! :becky:

 

[jordan banks]

If you want to talk about running a reef tank on a low income. I'm the one. I'm a disabled veteran who's condition is to that which makes me unable to get a job. I have an income which is enough to pay my bills and maybe have up to $150 or less left over from my monthly income. If u want my advise, you should get something less than 30 gallons, supplies livestock and all that is going to cost u dearly and you may not be able to keep your large tank later on down the road due to the expensises just to keep it running.

 

[Goomie]

That is a good point. Monthly we bring in about $3,350. After major bills such as the house and cars and phones, we have appx $1,531 left over. This isn't including household food or other pet supplies. Does this sound reasonable if we wanted to have, say, a 90-100 gallon tank?

 

[tyler1503]

Welcome to R2R!!
There's a ridiculously huge list of thing you can have. Far too many things to name.
But a quick list of things to atleast start up a tank are the tank, light, 2 pumps, heater and/or chiller, thermometer, nets, buckets, a hydrometer (salt measuring instrument), salt and a piece of hose a few feet long.
All you really need to run a tank is light, water movement, correct temperature and correct salt levels. There's hundreds of extras that will make it easier, but that's the necessary stuff.
As for some advice on set up, that conversation could go on for a long time, so I suggest learning things slowly and one thing at a time. Try to understand a specific topic as best as you can before moving on to another subject.
I also agree with a smaller tank. Anywhere between 20-55 gallons is a great start.
Do as much research as you can and ask plenty of questions.
Good luck!

 

[jordan banks]

How much do you think you have left over after food and other expenses? I run three tanks, 10 gallon quarintine, 24 gallon reef and 29 gallon reef. That's 63 gallons total. It's possible u can do it just watch your expenses. I recommend shopping on e bay and petsolutions to you. Stay away from the lfs and talk to us for advise. The lfs will purposley give u wrong info just to make a sale and rip u off every chance they get.

 

[jordan banks]

Well said Tyler.

 

[Goomie]

I'd say after other household expenses we would have around $800 left, after utilities and those types.

I appreciate the small list essentials will he had before anything else. We have a large portion of our room (currently housing a wood burning stove and some rock) that will be cleared and reinforced for this purpose.

 

[tyler1503]

How much do you think you have left over after food and other expenses? I run three tanks, 10 gallon quarintine, 24 gallon reef and 29 gallon reef. That's 63 gallons total. It's possible u can do it just watch your expenses. I recommend shopping on e bay and petsolutions to you. Stay away from the lfs and talk to us for advise. The lfs will purposley give u wrong info just to make a sale and rip u off every chance they get.

I agree. Most LFS are a bad place for advise. They're a business who have to make money and a lot will do it even if it means selling you products you don't need or livestock that isn't suitable for your specific tank. R2R is probably one of the best places as everyone is helpful and most people are pretty knowledgable, plus we have no reason to purposely give out bad advise

 

[jordan banks]

I think u can do it look at the meager amount I have left over compared to you. ($150 if I'm lucky) you will have fun.

 

[Goomie]

My boyfriend is also a disabled vet. Was in the marine special forces and 100% service connected. Makes $2700/month from the VA and we collect rent of $850 from our roommates (there's 7 of them, its a large house lol)

 

[tyler1503]

I don't know what the US market is like, but here in aus you could have a great tank in no time what that kind of money. I have a thriving 5 gal and the most expensive thing on the tank is the light tube which cost me $25!

 

[jordan banks]

The sad thing is that I have lost a lot of corals and fish due to the lfs either giving out bad info or selling me wrong tanks that leaked, wrong equipment, wrong livestock. The list goes on. They don't care that they are helping kill coral or fish either.

 

[Goomie]

What is LFS?

 

[jordan banks]

I'm 50% service connected. I'm confident u guys will have a great tank. You're in better shape than I am.

 

[jordan banks]

Wayyyyy better!

 

[jordan banks]

The local fish store.

 

[tyler1503]

The LFS is the local fish store/pet shop.
This link should be helpful for you https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57652

 

[jordan banks]

You're from Australia? The us market retails things ridiculously expensive. An elegance coral here cost $100 plus. If you want an ultra ricordea, $80+

 

[Goomie]

Oh thank you! Yeah that's why we are here. We have 3 major pet stores, PetCo included. I have never trusted them or their fish! Every fish I have ever gotten from them has been sick or has gotten other fish sick. I have experience with fresh water tanks... Just not the salty ones lol

 

[jordan banks]

In my experience it doesn't matter where you buy your fish. There is no such thing as a fish store with no sick fish. They all carry something wether it be ich or microscopic parasitic worms you can see. Browse through my threads and find the one I wrote about quarintine tanks. You will for sure need one. If you can find my thread let me know. I will help you on how to quarintine fish when you are ready to learn about it.