Should I do this?

Seachelle · Jul 15, 2021

Hi! I used to have a saltwater tank back in the late 80s, but things seem to be so different now, that I feel like it's not even the same thing! I didn't have any corals, just fish. I honestly don't even remember buying ROID water- I think I just did water changes with tap water! Yikes!! All this was pre internet, so you had to rely on your LFS to help you out and I think a lot of the things people know now,weren't known back then.

Anyway, I'm in the very early stages of researching this hobby. I think reef tanks are fascinating, but they look like a LOT of work! I work and don't have oodles of free time to maintain a tank so I'd appreciate advice about how much time and effort these tanks require to maintain. I'm looking at getting a Red Sea Max e170 or a comparable Nano tank, with some easy corals and a few fish.

Thanks for any advice!

Peace River · Jul 15, 2021

Hi! Welcome to Reef2Reef!!! Only you can answer the question if this is right for you and right for you right now, but please know that there is a lot of great information here for you as well as genuine nice, helpful people here to help you, cheer for you, and commiserate with you when things don't go quite right.

Here is an R2R article that you may find helpful:

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium Introduction The marine environment is one of the most complex systems on the planet. The aquarium you are about to set up is only a tiny sliver of the vast ocean, but it is nowhere near simple. This task is going to take patience, a...

www.reef2reef.com

cPr · Jul 15, 2021

Remember to do it right or do it twice.

@Peace River is right, only you can decide if it’s right for you.

The main things you need to decide is cost and time. What do you want to spend and how much time do you want to give the tank.

You can honestly get away with a few hours of maintenance a week if you plan appropriately.

You will find the answers to every question you might have with a quick search and if you can’t find it, post a thread and the great peeps on here will assist you.

Welcome!

PeterC99 · Jul 15, 2021

Welcome to R2R!

I had RSR 170 and loved it!

Fred2482 · Jul 15, 2021

Welcome! I would 100% agree with the previous responses. Best of luck in your decision.

|Frank| · Jul 15, 2021

welcome to R2R!!

vetteguy53081 · Jul 15, 2021

PeterB113 · Jul 15, 2021

I have a 20g long I setup 7 months ago and matinence every week is about a hr give or take. I also don't have a sump or refugium and I'd imagine that would add time to your matinence schedule if you decide to use those. My maintenance consists of 10% water changes a week, scraping glass, siphon sandbed and pruning corals. Easy if your deciding a nano tank. Can't speak about tanks that are larger tho. Hope this helps.

ash9965 · Jul 15, 2021

I say go for it! start off slow and really think over every decision whether it be the tank or the livestock especially with fish I have had some of my fish for over 5 years so the clown you buy today will be with you for a long time make sure its something you really want . Don't impulse buy or make changes to quickly - Research everything before making any decision. You Tube has a 100 videos on every subject - watch them all - then read - there are probably 1000 posts on reef 2 reef on every subject as well. Go with your heart take slow steps with every decision. Finally if you are stumped there are plenty of people on this site that are very experienced and willing to help.

Also if you are on a budget sometimes the better deal may be used good equipment VS new cheap equipment as CPR said do it right or do it twice. However good equipment doesn't always mean the most expensive either .There are many low cost options out there Shop around and again research. Good luck to you and keep us updated on your decision . All the Best !!

Fish Think Pink · Jul 15, 2021

Seachelle said:
Hi! I used to have a saltwater tank back in the late 80s, but things seem to be so different now, that I feel like it's not even the same thing! I didn't have any corals, just fish. I honestly don't even remember buying ROID water- I think I just did water changes with tap water! Yikes!! All this was pre internet, so you had to rely on your LFS to help you out and I think a lot of the things people know now,weren't known back then.

Anyway, I'm in the very early stages of researching this hobby. I think reef tanks are fascinating, but they look like a LOT of work! I work and don't have oodles of free time to maintain a tank so I'd appreciate advice about how much time and effort these tanks require to maintain. I'm looking at getting a Red Sea Max e170 or a comparable Nano tank, with some easy corals and a few fish.

Thanks for any advice!

Welcome!

I had to have my saltwater tank dream on hold until I had spare money and time, but these days working from home, so that "break" I would have taken to swing by a coworkers desk for couple minutes, instead I can spend it enjoying or working on tank. As I was waiting for my career to improve my finances, I spent time researching.

I also had saltwater tanks in late 80s-90s but corals weren't being kept by many. RODI and so many other improvements have helped change things in hobby, so while before I had just fish, this time back in hobby I'm doing both fish and corals

Only you can determine if now is the right time for you to just be planning tank or have actual tank. Glad you joined.

Clo · Jul 15, 2021

welcome back!

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Jul 15, 2021

10 or 15 minutes a.day makes a.diffrence.over time.
U can also spend hrs on a weekend if that works.
Get an auto top off.
Tap was.prob okay for fish only.
D

coralfishreef · Jul 15, 2021

Welcome!

Reef tanks take a lot of time and money. I’d compare having a tank to having a dog or a cat. You don’t have to give it much attention but it still takes time. Cleaning glass, feeding, emptying the skimmer, topping off the tank or reservoir, making RODI water, mixing saltwater, water changes, testing, dosing, shopping for fish, shopping for corals, researching issues, etc…

Also, the tank doesn’t have to be complex. Food and water changes are the basics same as before.

slojim · Jul 15, 2021

@Seachelle, I had plenty of tanks in that same era, but very little in the way of coral. If you can keep some discipline, it's a lot easier now.
Just as a most basic example - my algae scrubber easily pulls out nitrates and phosphates so I'm no longer having to schedule my time around water changes for fear my tank will crash on day 15.
But on the discipline side - the internet will show you every gadget and cool tank in existence, and information isn't vetted the same as if it were in a published book, and there's a constant drumbeat of "what's the best..." instead of "what will work...". Now people need things that didn't exist a few decades ago, and i'm quite sure some of my homemade stands and gear from back then would generate a lot of cringeworthy comments today (and my SO sure wouldn't let them in the house).
I guess one thing that seems more difficult - I rarely quarantined back then. And while I've yet to see a fish exhibit signs of illness in QT, because my tank is large and filled with rock making in tank treatment or fish removal dicey, I've heard enough horror stories that I do choose to quarantine. Some folks say the supply chain is more disease-ridden than it used to be.
That's my then vs now intro - good luck!

Goaway · Jul 15, 2021

Seachelle said:
Hi! I used to have a saltwater tank back in the late 80s, but things seem to be so different now, that I feel like it's not even the same thing! I didn't have any corals, just fish. I honestly don't even remember buying ROID water- I think I just did water changes with tap water! Yikes!! All this was pre internet, so you had to rely on your LFS to help you out and I think a lot of the things people know now,weren't known back then.

Anyway, I'm in the very early stages of researching this hobby. I think reef tanks are fascinating, but they look like a LOT of work! I work and don't have oodles of free time to maintain a tank so I'd appreciate advice about how much time and effort these tanks require to maintain. I'm looking at getting a Red Sea Max e170 or a comparable Nano tank, with some easy corals and a few fish.

Thanks for any advice!

Welcome to the reef addiction.
Real work comes in with illness. Setting up and getting things in order helps prevent but won't stop brown jelly disease, slow tissue necrosis and rapid tissue necrosis, but can help prevent it. So, a medicine cabinet is in order!

So there are a lot of beautiful and easy lps out there. Some hardy sps, birdsnest pocillopora coral, monti digitatas or caps.
LPS - blastomussa - brain corals (tons of brains out there) - candy cane or trumpet corals. There's a huge list you can probably find pictures and find out what you'd like to try.

Huge database and lots of helpful people. And some snarky ones, you'll learn quick who they are if you haven't already.

NabberNate · Jul 15, 2021

Hello and welcome!

I too had a tank in the early 90's and it was super simple. All I ran was a whisper hang on the back filter with 4 chambers that I alternated front to back to maintain biologic filtration. I was able to keep a yellow tang, gray angel, tomato clown and a bunch of damsels. Up on top was an old school fluorescent 2 bulb light. Water changes were 5 gallons once a week and the only testing was salinity with the float. Having some real live rock helped out a lot in retrospect. Nothing has really changed except that were more knowledgeable now and can push the envelope of difficulty with more testing and more advanced equipment and more automation and more communication via groups like this.

In Socratic fashion I would just honestly ask yourself if you will be satisfied with whatever approach you take potentially keeping it simple which doesn't have to be boring. I myself like to tinker too much so I wanted more flexibility and I didn't really have a specific plan that was well researched so I went bigger with a oversized sump.

Here is a link to a simple setup in terms of maintenance and equipment but not simple in terms of setup and planning just to give some ideas about easy reef keeping.

Brad908's 40 gallon shallow coastal mangrove and macro algae biotope - November 2016 Featured Reef Aquarium

Congratulations to community member brad908 and his 40 gallon reef aquarium for being selected for our November Reef Profile! This all natural nano reef aqua...

www.nano-reef.com

I really like the idea of a planted aquarium in terms of simplicity like the link shows recognizing certain fish won't work otherwise the All in One you have listed is going to be a great system that will allow a lot of options just not some of the bigger swimming fishes unless you only keep them when they are small.

I love my quiet evenings with lights in the room off watching fish settle down it does wonders for me after busy days so I vote yes.

Uncle99 · Jul 15, 2021

Welcome, if you stick with softies coral and automate as much as possible, you can still have a stunning reef, but much less work than the stoney types.

Good luck.

Sump Crab · Jul 15, 2021

Seachelle said:
Hi! I used to have a saltwater tank back in the late 80s, but things seem to be so different now, that I feel like it's not even the same thing! I didn't have any corals, just fish. I honestly don't even remember buying ROID water- I think I just did water changes with tap water! Yikes!! All this was pre internet, so you had to rely on your LFS to help you out and I think a lot of the things people know now,weren't known back then.

Anyway, I'm in the very early stages of researching this hobby. I think reef tanks are fascinating, but they look like a LOT of work! I work and don't have oodles of free time to maintain a tank so I'd appreciate advice about how much time and effort these tanks require to maintain. I'm looking at getting a Red Sea Max e170 or a comparable Nano tank, with some easy corals and a few fish.

Thanks for any advice!

A reef tank is only as complicated and time consuming as you make it. Build a tank that suits your lifestyle and you will find a balance that works for you.

A simple soft coral tank with an ATO (especially one started with aquacultured liverock) is more maintenance free than a freshwater tetra tank IMO/E.