Noob to all this

[Bl00dAngel97]

Hey guys, I’m about to buy a 40-50 gallon from Petco because they’re having there famous dollar per gallon sale. This will be my first saltwater but I’ve wanted one since I was little. I was looking for a new hobby and I’ve had countless experience with freshwater, including Betta and other fish breeding. Saltwater, though, is a whole other ballgame with beautiful fish and coral and inverts and everything! Now I am on a budget, so I’m looking for the cheapest set up for that tank, keeping in mind I will upgrade constantly overtime. I would like to do a reef aquarium because I love the coral too . So any suggestions on cheap lighting good for coral, and a cheap setup in general. I got some good advice earlier, but looking for more.

 

[GoVols]

When it comes to reefing I don't think cheap on things like lights or the setup.

Might want to look into these OR light bars
https://orphek.com/or-bar-led-light/

A T5 fixture would be great too.

Welcome to Reef 2 Reef...

 

[Jesterrace]

Hey guys, I’m about to buy a 40-50 gallon from Petco because they’re having there famous dollar per gallon sale. This will be my first saltwater but I’ve wanted one since I was little. I was looking for a new hobby and I’ve had countless experience with freshwater, including Betta and other fish breeding. Saltwater, though, is a whole other ballgame with beautiful fish and coral and inverts and everything! Now I am on a budget, so I’m looking for the cheapest set up for that tank, keeping in mind I will upgrade constantly overtime. I would like to do a reef aquarium because I love the coral too . So any suggestions on cheap lighting good for coral, and a cheap setup in general. I got some good advice earlier, but looking for more.

Cheap and Reef don't usually go well together. One of the things I would encourage you to do if you are looking to save money is to check out your local fish store or craigslist for used 40-50 gallon setups as there are people upgrading, moving, getting out of the hobby all of the time. One of the problems that you will run into is that in the 40-50 gallon range you are at the tipping point for a sump setup and the Petco "Dollar Per Gallon" Tanks aren't set up for it (ie being pre-drilled with an overflow). Technically you can drill the tank yourself, but some tanks used tempered glass (which will shatter if you attempt to drill it). In addition you can get most of the mechanical equipment you need (ie return pump, protein skimmer, sump and possibly lighting) at a fraction of the cost of a new setup. You just have to be willing to take the time to clean and sanitize the tank and equipment (generally with tapwater and a white distilled vinegar mix). For reference my current 90 gallon setup came with the pre-drilled tank, sump, protein skimmer, return pump and stand for $350. The same thing would've easily cost me $800-$1000 new.

 

[Dpate]

Buy cheap=buy twice

 

[Jesterrace]

Buy cheap=buy twice

Depends on what it is. I agree that going cheap on lights, pumps, skimmers and other mechanical equipment isn't wise.

 

[Snookin]

Hey guys, I’m about to buy a 40-50 gallon from Petco because they’re having there famous dollar per gallon sale. This will be my first saltwater but I’ve wanted one since I was little. I was looking for a new hobby and I’ve had countless experience with freshwater, including Betta and other fish breeding. Saltwater, though, is a whole other ballgame with beautiful fish and coral and inverts and everything! Now I am on a budget, so I’m looking for the cheapest set up for that tank, keeping in mind I will upgrade constantly overtime. I would like to do a reef aquarium because I love the coral too . So any suggestions on cheap lighting good for coral, and a cheap setup in general. I got some good advice earlier, but looking for more.

I agree with most others that “cheap” isn’t always realistic and you’ll end up spending even more money as the cheap equipment starts to fail and/or causes issues.

What is your monetary budget? This will help people come up with ideas on how to craft your first set up.