Howdy all

tharbin

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 22, 2021
Messages
4,404
Reaction score
30,876
Location
Arizona
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Welcome to R2R Charlie!

Good luck with the build.

Really small tanks are much more expensive per gallon than larger ones. Just make sure all the gear you buy, except maybe the heater, is good enough to support a 20-or-so gallon tank. The tank always ends up being the cheap part. I have a 5.5 gallon QT tank that is equipped with gear that would run a 20 cube just as easily.
 

Fish Think Pink

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 6, 2021
Messages
5,629
Reaction score
25,987
Location
DFW Texas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hello! My name is Charlie. I've had freshwater tanks just about my whole life. About 12 years ago I had a 55 gallon saltwater tank (FOWLR) for about 3 years but due to work and young kids I just didn't have the time to keep it up so I gave it away. I currently have a 30 gallon apistogramma cichlid tank and a fluval spec that had various nano fish.

My youngest son (10) got SCUBA certified this past summer and after a wonderful trip to Jamaica he is absolutely hooked on all things saltwater and has successfully talked me into setting up a saltwater tank. My wife is less convinced so instead of letting me buy the brand new setup I wanted I was told to compromise and setup a topless Fluval 6 I had setting around empty and prove we would actually take care of it before going big. I tried to explain that smaller isn't easier with salt and well that seems to have been her point. So we're going to put a ton of time and effort into this tiny reef tank so we can do well and upgrade.

I just set up the tank Friday to make sure no leaks (passed) and ordered all my missing supplies (except for lights) and hoping to setup with live sand, dry rock and bacteria this coming weekend. Then it's off to coral which is something I've never had.

Looking forward to the journey and I'll probably ask questions and share too much along the way.

Thanks!

Hi Charlie! Welcome and Welcome Back! Great family hobby.

Watch for used equipment on craigslist or your local hobby club, etc.

Have you considered starting your build thread? I found its a great place to document my tank's evolution for myself. Like you, 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:
 

atomos

52 32 52 20 52 6f 63 6b 73
View Badges
Joined
Jan 22, 2021
Messages
676
Reaction score
2,402
Location
California
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
PTBRK2R2R.gif
 

TnFishwater98

Drink more fishwater there! And I still want more!
View Badges
Joined
Nov 7, 2017
Messages
6,544
Reaction score
8,452
Location
Nashville TN
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hello! My name is Charlie. I've had freshwater tanks just about my whole life. About 12 years ago I had a 55 gallon saltwater tank (FOWLR) for about 3 years but due to work and young kids I just didn't have the time to keep it up so I gave it away. I currently have a 30 gallon apistogramma cichlid tank and a fluval spec that had various nano fish.

My youngest son (10) got SCUBA certified this past summer and after a wonderful trip to Jamaica he is absolutely hooked on all things saltwater and has successfully talked me into setting up a saltwater tank. My wife is less convinced so instead of letting me buy the brand new setup I wanted I was told to compromise and setup a topless Fluval 6 I had setting around empty and prove we would actually take care of it before going big. I tried to explain that smaller isn't easier with salt and well that seems to have been her point. So we're going to put a ton of time and effort into this tiny reef tank so we can do well and upgrade.

I just set up the tank Friday to make sure no leaks (passed) and ordered all my missing supplies (except for lights) and hoping to setup with live sand, dry rock and bacteria this coming weekend. Then it's off to coral which is something I've never had.

Looking forward to the journey and I'll probably ask questions and share too much along the way.

Thanks!
Welcome to Da Reef!
 

attiland

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 22, 2020
Messages
2,594
Reaction score
4,800
Location
United Kingdom
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hello! My name is Charlie. I've had freshwater tanks just about my whole life. About 12 years ago I had a 55 gallon saltwater tank (FOWLR) for about 3 years but due to work and young kids I just didn't have the time to keep it up so I gave it away. I currently have a 30 gallon apistogramma cichlid tank and a fluval spec that had various nano fish.

My youngest son (10) got SCUBA certified this past summer and after a wonderful trip to Jamaica he is absolutely hooked on all things saltwater and has successfully talked me into setting up a saltwater tank. My wife is less convinced so instead of letting me buy the brand new setup I wanted I was told to compromise and setup a topless Fluval 6 I had setting around empty and prove we would actually take care of it before going big. I tried to explain that smaller isn't easier with salt and well that seems to have been her point. So we're going to put a ton of time and effort into this tiny reef tank so we can do well and upgrade.

I just set up the tank Friday to make sure no leaks (passed) and ordered all my missing supplies (except for lights) and hoping to setup with live sand, dry rock and bacteria this coming weekend. Then it's off to coral which is something I've never had.

Looking forward to the journey and I'll probably ask questions and share too much along the way.

Thanks!
Welcome to R2R
Welcome to R2R.JPG
 

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
90,836
Reaction score
200,082
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
13   0   0

FloridaTechHopeful

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 21, 2021
Messages
4
Reaction score
36
Location
Ashville, AL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hello! My name is Charlie. I've had freshwater tanks just about my whole life. About 12 years ago I had a 55 gallon saltwater tank (FOWLR) for about 3 years but due to work and young kids I just didn't have the time to keep it up so I gave it away. I currently have a 30 gallon apistogramma cichlid tank and a fluval spec that had various nano fish.

My youngest son (10) got SCUBA certified this past summer and after a wonderful trip to Jamaica he is absolutely hooked on all things saltwater and has successfully talked me into setting up a saltwater tank. My wife is less convinced so instead of letting me buy the brand new setup I wanted I was told to compromise and setup a topless Fluval 6 I had setting around empty and prove we would actually take care of it before going big. I tried to explain that smaller isn't easier with salt and well that seems to have been her point. So we're going to put a ton of time and effort into this tiny reef tank so we can do well and upgrade.

I just set up the tank Friday to make sure no leaks (passed) and ordered all my missing supplies (except for lights) and hoping to setup with live sand, dry rock and bacteria this coming weekend. Then it's off to coral which is something I've never had.

Looking forward to the journey and I'll probably ask questions and share too much along the way.

Thanks!
We are new too... My daughter got her certification when she was 12 and she's in the 11th grade now, she still has a love for the Ocean and aspires to be a marine biologist. We just got a new Fluval 5-gallon Nano. Looking forward to reading your post. Good Luck!
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 38 47.5%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 42 52.5%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 16 20.0%
  • None.

    Votes: 21 26.3%
  • Other.

    Votes: 8 10.0%
Back
Top