How to Setup a Super Simple, Inexpensive Reef Tank

[eric3316]

Hi All, I have created a video showing how easy and how anyone can setup a low budget, super simple, successful reef tank. Let me know what you guys think and also if you like our channel it would be awesome if you subscribe! We do family vlogs and toy reviews. Appreciate it guys and hopefully people find this video helpful!

 

[HRBP]

As a fellow youtuber for a different hobby I'm grateful for everyone who shares there experience via this media, so thanks!
As you list things in your video I'll just comment on it.

RODI water: you didn't cover this and this is by far the most important thing. People will fill the tank with tap water and just add salt. They will then fail if not immediately then eventually. Fish/reef keeping is really all about keeping the best water you can. That starts with RODI water. I'd recommend people get their own RODI system as its way cheaper and more convenient to make your own. Especially if you need to do a water change now. This is also the place noobs want to skip on buying this RODI system. This is where people bail on going marine/reef and say I'll just do fresh. But once you have the filter its good for a long time and you just change out the filters and media. BRS sells an idiot proof one and there are tons on ebay and elsewhere. The alternative is buying RODI from a store, which big box overprices for and even reef stores are going to cost you in the long run. Must have RODI water though, so its best to push this from the start and if people dont want to do this direct them to fresh water.

Tank size: great place to start as without a tank you can't do anything! Recommendation of bigger is better is certainly the way to go. For beginners though bigger the tank the more intimidating it is. So saying 55g is a good size as its one of the biggest tanks readily available at most pet shops (since they wont yet have found there reef store yet) and its a tank they can get for under $100 most of the time. DPG sale is a must time to pick up a tank as you mention.

Live/Dry Rock: I would always tell a noob to go with dry rock. Dealing with hitchhikers is a pain for all of us, nonetheless a beginner. Also, telling someone they need to pay up to $8/lb. for live rock will blow there minds. Dry rock is pest free, cheap, and allows people to aquascape without worry of killing off the bacteria. Also, its more likely to be at a big box as I've never seen live rock at those locations. Heck I haven't seen dry rock either, but they got a better chance of finding it.

Heater: Obviously, would probably go into giving a size rating such as 3-5watts/gallon. But most big box heaters say what volume of water they can handle.

Powerhead: Jebao is a great product for the price! Can't really go wrong at that price point.

Lighting: so many options out there it really deserves its own video. Big box wont have the lightning you need. So I would have recommended some lights specifically and thrown some amazon links below. Would have also commented on keeping just softies under those kinds of lights as there the easiest to keep and have the lowest light requirments. Noobs will think all coral is just coral and it isn't. So even a link to an article that lists what low light, low flow, hardy corals would help a noob a lot.

Mechanical filtration: important that you cover this as it is important to do something about this. Hang on the back is the only reasonable solution for a beginner on a budget as drilling holes in tanks that will be tempered based on price will literally shatter their dreams. Running a siphon to a sump is just a time bomb for when that siphon stops working and adds un-needed complexity. Canisters also add complexity and cost. They will also be nitrate factories as noobs wont be opening there canister every week to clean it out. Hang on the back can just draw water in to filter it through the felt pad or w/e is in there and return the water to the tank. Important to emphasize oversizing this if budget allows and cleaning it weekly and/or having a lot of replacement filter inserts. Perhaps some brand recommendations as anything you recommend will most likely be better than the big box employees gives them when they ask for a hang on the back.

Bare bottom tank: great recommendation! Reduces cost and makes maintenance easier. Sand can always be added later if desired, but it would be more annoying.

Fish: May want to go into stocking guidelines and reef safe fish. I know this was a quick video, but hey you asked for feedback! Honestly everyone buys fish too big for their tank or not safe for coral when starting out. Again a link to some hardy reef safe fish for beginners would be all you need to cover this. You can also link the stocking guide as to the pace at which you can add fish to allow to ammonia eating bacteria to build up over time. As a matter of fact a link to the numerous vids on how to cycle a tank should be included as noobs will just dump everything in day one with disastrous results. I know you mention this, but you can just link to others for them to cover the details.

Protein Skimmer: while not mandatory as you state, I would say long term success derives from having one. Otherwise were talking about more frequent water changes that everyone hates to do and in the long run cost more than a skimmer as your constantly buying salt and making or buying RODI water. Unfortunately, in tank skimmers and hang on back skimmers arent great quality and still cost more than most noobs will be willing to spend. Without a sump though its really your only option. I'd link the one you got (I know I'm asking for a lot of links but its important) to give them something to go off of.

Auto Top Off: I could not live with my Tunze ATO. But I think I'd rather tell a noob to take that money and put it into a better skimmer and go w/o an ATO. They can always add one later as budget allows. For a setup like this just draw a small line where you want the water level to be and every day take a cup and fill your tank back up from your RODI water container. While not as consistent as an ATO it will save them money to go get a better skimmer and it will require them to go by the tank every day and interact with it. Now if they have fish they should be going there daily to feed. But for a noob I'd rather force more daily interaction with the tank than less. With all the controllers, timers, and automated systems you can put into your tank you can almost let the thing run itself. Which I think is great for people who know what their doing. Can spend more time enjoying the tank and less time on maintaining. But like with math its better to first learn how to do it by hand and then introduce the calculator rather than just handing them the calculator and never learning how to actually do it.

Chemicals: while we all dose something (I use a BRS carbon/GFO dual reactor) chemicals aren't necessary. Steering people away form these when starting is best as they can bomb their own tank with additives. Most issues can be solved with water changes and cleaning the tank.

Apologies for sounding nit picky. But you put in the effort so the least I can do is put in the effort to reply. Were all in it to give people the best chance to be successful!

 

[eric3316]

Apologies for sounding nit picky. But you put in the effort so the least I can do is put in the effort to reply. Were all in it to give people the best chance to be successful!

Not nit picky at all and agree with all your comments. I actually had 10 minutes of video discussing water. It put my video over 20 minutes long. While buying a an RO/DI system might be cheaper in the long run on smaller tanks buying saltwater at $1 a gallon and 50 cents for fresh water is not bad at all as installing a water system might be pretty intimadating for some who are already scared to jump in. With these smaller tanks monthly maintenance purchasing your water really isn't much at all. But I was touching on both options.

I also had video discussing sumps which I also cut out. I was looking to cut the time down and figured to keep the basics in there just showing how easy it is if someone wanted to setup a tank and tried to keep it to equipment. The biggest step for someone to take in this hobby who is scared is going to be going out and buying the equipment and knowing what they need. This video was kind of like a step one for someone thinking about it and was sparked by us getting comments about our tank from people who have seen it in the background of our other videos.

It is possible I do a follow-up video about water which really comes after that step when someone says, I am doing it. Let's go buy what we need. I will see how well this video does. It was really something different then our channel does but if it get recieved well I might continue with some more on the topic, maybe even going into cycling and stocking a tank.

Totally appreciate you taking the time to respond and making great points.