UGHHH PLEASE HELP!!

[sheepdog76]

I would look at the redsea reefer nano (28gal) or the reefer 170 if I were you. Yes they are up around 700-1000 but it is a true all in one with descent equipment. I understand the budget but one thing you learn in the hobby if you don't spend the money up front one good equipment you will pay it in the end.

 

[smokin'reefer]

I would suggest looking at a 29g Biocube. I have one and it comes with lights and return pump with filter chambers in back. Everything on it can be upgraded but the stock system is a good solid start. They usually can be had for around $250. My lfs runs a special where you get tank, live sand , 15lbs live rock and nutra seawater to fill for $399. Mine is awesome. I upgraded to LEDs but in hindsight probably could have kept stock lights.

 

[Diesel]

@Anirban and @Diesel
Thanks.

When I went to the lfs yesterday, the man said for the sump, mandatory things to have would be only the scimmer. A refugium if I want as well.

See he is saying just this, and you guys are saying way more. See why I am confused?? Haha.

Well in that case I would stick to the advice of your LFS guy.
That's a no brainer to me.
If the skimmer is the only mandatory thing to have how do you get your water in the sump?
And how do you get it back in the tank.
Tank needs to be cycled for a month or longer and you need to test for the out come and what to do.
Once you are through the cycle period, you want fish and corals and you need to keep these alive.
So you need flow, and lights and food.
Fish poop in your tank so you need a filter sock and filter sock holder, if you feed to much your Po4 gets high but you don't know that without testing as you need a test kit for that.
Once you know your Po4 is high you need to bring it down, you can do a few water changes which you need to do any ways every week but you might need a reactor to help you with that.
Not to mention that fish can get sick so you need medicine or you lose your fish and that can happen in less than three day, worse case.
Oh and if your corals grow you can frag them and make a few $$$ of them as you can buy some fish food again or a new pump as you old pump is doing weird.
These are just facts and it would scare most newbies but my point is don't jump in the deep end and read, read, read and read some more, talk to other reefers as I'm not a nice guy to talk too and do your home work on this hobby.
There are ppl that dropping 20k just like that on a build system that's not include fish and corals but they did at least their home work over the years.
I want YOU to be successful and I want you to be better than me in this hobby, one way to get there is following advice from hobbyist in this hobby.
You don't have to listen to me but listen to other, one day maybe we run into each other and you will or want me to do the High five

 

[Waboss]

Ok, so my recommendation if you don't want to go with with the standard tanks and you want something a little sleeker like the JBJ (since you mentioned it) would be something along these lines:

Red Sea Reefer 170 (give you tank, sump, stand) for around $800 OR something like the IM Nuvo Black 30, IM stand, and a Trigger systems sump (if you want the 'fuge and everything already worked out for you without DIY. The IM/Trigger setup would run around the same price as the Reefer 170. If you're handy, make your own stand, you'll be happier with it........probably.


Then you need (like everyone else already said, I'm just throwing in my 2 cents)
-Heater (Finnex 150W submersible) $35
-Skimmer (basic skimmer like the SCA-301 or whatever you like) $90
-Return pump (Eheim Compact 3000) $90
-Light(s) for tank (Really depends on what you plan on stocking....I run AI Hydra 26HD's on mine) $100-$700
-Flow (this is kinda like lights, but an option would be a pair Jebao RW/PP 4's if you want to start cheaper and see where you go from there). $110
-30-ish lbs of LR $65

If you're going with a refugium and plan to have Chaeto, you'll need a light to grow it (there's tons, I have a cheap LED on mine) $30

Of course you'll need test kits and food, but I consider those consumables and not really part of the build (like gas/antifreeze/oil changes for your car).

Controllers and all that stuff can be added later.

 

[tom reilly]

Petco has their dollar a gallon sale going on. You can get 40 gallon breeder for display. Lots of floor space for rocks. And 20 long for a sump. Can't beat for start.

 

[Waboss]

If Petco's sale is going on now (I don't keep up) then that would be the most economical way to get into the hobby.

Drilling the tank is really not that big a deal, I've drilled dozens over the years. Just be careful and make sure you understand how to do it (It's not rocket science). Making the baffles for the sump will take longer (at least for me) and that' really easy too.

I mean, you could pick up a 5 or 10 gal tank just to practice on at those prices.

 

[Alex23]

@tom reilly @Waboss It ended today :/

 

[Alex23]

I just can't find a good tank!!! :/

 

[sheepdog76]

The dollar tank sale at petco happens all the time now usually every other month. You can also find good used stuff sometimes on that new app "let go " I scored a nice 75gal with canopy and stand for 50$ a month ago.

 

[Brian Treadwell]

Not to be a buzz kill , but I started wanting to spend between 650 and 800 two months later , I have about 2200 hundred into my 90 gallon mixed reef. Sorry

 

[justingraham]

Well depends what u honestly wanna do

I just can't find a good tank!!! :/

yes the Internet is filled with tons of information and tons of tanks honestly. But I wanted to add a 30-40 gallon anemone tank to my 90 gallon tank so I needed a drilled tank. I'm a DYI kinda guy but I'm scared to drill a hole in glass. I've done acrylic but something about glass that I just don't wanna do. So I went to a local fish store and they had a rimless Deep Blue 35 gallon reef ready cube for 204.99 that's way cheaper then the Internet so I grabbed it. Comes with the plumbing so save some money there. Now onto the lights just searching Craig's list I found a brand new AI light for 275 now to me having gone thru crap lights before it's worth the up front cost. But u may be lucky in a Chinese light there about a hundred. Sump find one on Craig's list honestly if not I'm in jersey if u pay the shipping I have a 30 gallon glass sump I'll give ya. now honestly just did the math yesterday the stand is going to cost me 85.33 plus tax. It's no @Diesel stand but it's going to look like the rest of my furniture. U can grab a pump for like 85. My first pump was nothing special just needed to pump water up. Need a heater the guy said 35 so we can go with that. A sock 4 dollars. Skimmer well that's whatever u want it to be. I mean honestly cycle your tank get some fish save some dollars and if you enjoy the hobby then get that and a phosban 150. Salt I get Red Sea salt pro 59.99 for a big old bucket can get cheaper stuff for like 20. Ro-di water at least if not a unit. Now I used to think differently on needing Ro water but it's worth it. .20 a gallon. Power heads well korallas do the trick they honestly do ugly but they work. Get 2 650s?? I honestly don't know how many u would need I run seaswirls on a closed loop and I have extra ones I'm a try out on my 35 gallon tank so I havnt really looked into it. But there like 80 at the most I would say. I say dead rock and reg substrate and then use bacteria in a bottle to cycle the tank so like 100 for that. Then misc thermometer,test kits(cheap ones will work till ur tank is cycled) grounding plug, food, wall timer, extension chords, power strips with like ten extra plugs(u always need one more), towels, 5gallon buckets, trash cans, plumbing, and so on and so on bout 75-100. So added up

Tank 204
Sump 20
Stand 85
Lights 100
Return pump 85
Power heads 160
Salt 20
Heater 35
Sock 4
Water 10 bucks for 50 gals
Rock sand 100
Misc 75
Total = 898
Like 900
It's not a cheap hobby but it is a fun enjoyable one.
Side note I think I was reading a post on here about a guy who's Jbj tank cracked at the corner so if u go that route research. I think the bio cubes are better bang for the buck anyway but honestly the only thing that matters is what u think cause at the end of the day it's your tank in your house it's not ours. And take your time go even slower then slow when I started I had a budget like u did and I just bought it piece by piece you don't have to get everything right now u don't. Look for sales on stuff then buy it and stash it. Then in a month or two that 8-900 dollars budget can turn into 16-1800 dollar budget. This hobby is about going slowwwwww. Going fast kills everything including the enjoyment of sitting down on your couch watching the Eco system you have just built. Ps I am no pro or ever claimed to be one I learn something new everyday in this hobby hoped I helped u.

Justin

 

[Salty1962]

I would stay away from JBJ tanks, there seems to be allot of problems with tanks busting at the edges. As mentioned, a 40 breeder makes a very nice tank and are not that expensive.

 

[helen ann]

@Alex Scott, where in South Florida? I have a NIB Biocube 29, with Biocube Skimmer, Extra Filters, ect.
It comes with lights and I am able to successfully keep soft corals as you can see, I have mushrooms, acans, zoas, ect.
This is a nice little tank for beginners and if you check my build thread you can see details on my current Biocube that I am keeping.

 

[Alex23]

@Alex Scott, where in South Florida? I have a NIB Biocube 29, with Biocube Skimmer, Extra Filters, ect.
It comes with lights and I am able to successfully keep soft corals as you can see, I have mushrooms, acans, zoas, ect.
This is a nice little tank for beginners and if you check my build thread you can see details on my current Biocube that I am keeping.

I am in Coral Springs.

I've seen the biocube a lot, just don't reaalllyy like the look of it. haha.. but it is an option.

 

[helen ann]

I am in Coral Springs.

I've seen the biocube a lot, just don't reaalllyy like the look of it. haha.. but it is an option.

Ok.

 

[erinmegan85]

Not to be a buzz kill , but I started wanting to spend between 650 and 800 two months later , I have about 2200 hundred into my 90 gallon mixed reef. Sorry

I didn't really have a set budget per say, but I sat down and thought about how much I've spent on my tank build so far for my 68 gallon, and it's over $2,000 so far. Brian is definitely right when saying you can pretty much blow your budget.