Hello from Northern Indiana!

Fish Think Pink · Jan 23, 2022

R33FDr3amer said:
I must say, this place looks amazing! I am terrified to jump in and start my first reef tank. I will soon take the plunge! lol I use to have a 29 gallon freshwater system for a long time but when we bought our first house and moved to another city, there was a lot of issues with the water dif etc. I started losing the fish and I just never put it back together. I was pretty young then and had 2 small kids to run after. Now that it's just me and the hubby I decided we just need to do this! I've always dreamed of having a reef tank but felt like it was too difficult so that's why I had gone with freshwater originally. Well, now we have internet and YouTube and awesome forums like this so I'm about to jump in...of course after I do more research, which is how I found this place Thanks in advance for all the knowledge I am about to soak in

Welcome! Glad you joined. I started in the freshwater side of hobby too.

Have you considered starting your build thread? I found its a great place to document my tank's evolution for myself. I wish I had started while in planning phases, which sounds like you may still be. I started tank first then joined, so I'm still finding myself going back collecting pictures & updating historically as well as current state. Once you create your first post in your thread and link it to your account, they will give you build badge (look left, under my ID)

This is a good reference book type online article I still review:

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

This article was sponsored by @MarineDepot at www.marinedepot.com. 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 no...

www.reef2reef.com

R33FDr3amer · Jan 24, 2022

So, I do have an update and not sure if i should start a build thread now or not as i'm back to planning again lol My husband said to just go big and buy what I want. Which is a Red Sea Reefer Deluxe 350. Buttttt....idk that I want to spend that kind of bank right now lol I canceled my fluval and now it's sold out. I'm going to weigh out some more options, continue to do research and read read read and then go from there! I still have the option to purchase used as well but idk yet. Thanks for being here everyone! I am enjoying researching and can't wait to get this going!

welsher7 · Jan 24, 2022

I have a reefer 350 and love it. It is great size and wider than a standard 75g . You can still get a away with two lights and two powerheads. I ditched the provided ATO tank and just use a 5g tank with Tunze ATO. The 5g tank fits perfectly in the empty side of the stand. I think a lot of the reefers are on sale right now. Its on sale.... how can you not buy it.....

R33FDr3amer · Jan 24, 2022

Yeah that's why he told me to buy it but it doesn't come with the protein skimmer, heater, rocks, etc. Skimmer alone is $450 as I don't think the smaller one will work with it as I do plan on having corals later down the road. I found the tank for 10% off, bringing the price down to $2,629.80. Have you seen it somewhere for less?

welsher7 · Jan 25, 2022

10% is all I've seen. You could always look for used setups. They are normally a great way to get in to a full system.

Just start slow. Start with just the tank and stand. Then a few months later buy the heater, rock and small powerhead. You can then start your cycle with the heater, rock, and powerhead in the aquarium by filling the aquarium to just below the overflow. Then while the rock cycles save up for the return pump and additional powerheads. Once you have the return pump fill up the rest of the aquarium and sump. Once the cycle is complete you can start to add fish. Another few months go by start looking at skimmers and then finally lights. There is usually a lot of waiting involved with setting up a new tank so there really isn't a need for all the equipment right off the bat.

Or just buy a standard 75g and go that route. Either way take it slow and ask a lot of questions.

R33FDr3amer · Jan 25, 2022

Thank you @welsher7 ! I have something lined up that's used. I decided on a watercube 32 gallon pre-owned. No livestock in it. Just the sand and the rock. He upgraded moving his livestock to a larger tank. I will be picking it up this friday. it's a great deal at $250 (including the stand) and he's upgraded some of it as well.
From the Seller:

Comes with rock, sand, protein skimmer, return pump, heater, media racks, and chaeto.

Freenow54 · Jan 25, 2022

R33FDr3amer said:
I must say, this place looks amazing! I am terrified to jump in and start my first reef tank. I will soon take the plunge! lol I use to have a 29 gallon freshwater system for a long time but when we bought our first house and moved to another city, there was a lot of issues with the water dif etc. I started losing the fish and I just never put it back together. I was pretty young then and had 2 small kids to run after. Now that it's just me and the hubby I decided we just need to do this! I've always dreamed of having a reef tank but felt like it was too difficult so that's why I had gone with freshwater originally. Well, now we have internet and YouTube and awesome forums like this so I'm about to jump in...of course after I do more research, which is how I found this place Thanks in advance for all the knowledge I am about to soak in

I was forced into salt by my son. Believe me it is actually less maintenance. However is more challenging as to coral, and $$$. Developing an ecosystem is much more rewarding as well. On my advice invest in an RO system with a DI filter as well first I have a Watts zero waste Made a huge difference. I recommend it for your drinking water as well. I am on town water sourced from Lake Erie. Here is what my filter looked like after 6 months using it for my Aquariums exclusively. Was white

Freenow54 · Jan 25, 2022

As to previous comment. Go for your dream. As big of a tank you can afford ( with all the extras ) plan on about $ 10,000. If you can afford that or you will have a small tank like me, and a new one as well. If you cant afford that then yes go small. I run my 45 gallon with a third of the investment as my 90 which I already wish I had gone bigger with ,as it costs very little more to double that. With a small tank you don't need the things you are going to read about, and can basically use the same type of equipment you are used to for fish only. When you talk coral the price tag goes up dramatically

as to lighting, skimmers about $1000. My forty is on a very basic led lighting system , and a fluval canister filter, and a $300 skimmer. Because I have mushroom coral in it, which is the easiest and most forgiving. My 45 about $200 all in

Freenow54 · Jan 25, 2022

Sorry $ 2000

R33FDr3amer · Jan 25, 2022

@Freenow54 WOW@that filter

I just purchased a RO/DI off Amazon. It will be here tomorrow! I do hope to get into corals as I believe I will really enjoy those and my cuc the most lol I probably won't be able to ever go over a 90 gallon due to space (unless I want to give up having furniture in my living room...lol) Your tank is gorgeous! It looks like a magical fairy land! ;Joyful

Freenow54 · Jan 26, 2022

R33FDr3amer said:
@Freenow54 WOW@that filter I just purchased a RO/DI off Amazon. It will be here tomorrow! I do hope to get into corals as I believe I will really enjoy those and my cuc the most lol I probably won't be able to ever go over a 90 gallon due to space (unless I want to give up having furniture in my living room...lol) Your tank is gorgeous! It looks like a magical fairy land! ;Joyful

Thank you a lot of failure to get there. Did not know about BRS, and this forum then. Could have saved a lot of headaches here is my new one Kid Gloves here. Its a 90 with anti siphon. Also suggest this little kit that you can get at a hardware store for your RO if you have copper

RO

FragFarm · Jan 26, 2022

R33FDr3amer said:
I must say, this place looks amazing! I am terrified to jump in and start my first reef tank. I will soon take the plunge! lol I use to have a 29 gallon freshwater system for a long time but when we bought our first house and moved to another city, there was a lot of issues with the water dif etc. I started losing the fish and I just never put it back together. I was pretty young then and had 2 small kids to run after. Now that it's just me and the hubby I decided we just need to do this! I've always dreamed of having a reef tank but felt like it was too difficult so that's why I had gone with freshwater originally. Well, now we have internet and YouTube and awesome forums like this so I'm about to jump in...of course after I do more research, which is how I found this place Thanks in advance for all the knowledge I am about to soak in

Hello and welcome to the hobby!! If you have any questions about anything please feel free to contact us! We are a small business in Staten Island, NY and our goal is to encourage beginners to get into the reefing hobby. We have many beginner pieces of coral on our website which is fragfarmcoral.com and we'd love to give you a discount since your new to this! Email us at [email protected] for a discount code on our website. Happy Reefing!!