new and lost!

futurefishguy · Aug 22, 2011

Hello!

I am very new to the hobby of saltwater fish keeping ( and very confused!), haha! I have had a freshwater gold fish tank for about 7 years now and its getting old. Im really wanting to upgrade to a saltwater tank. right now i have a 10 gallon fish tank, but i was thinking about buying a 40 gallon. I have read tons of article on the web about saltwater tanks and it seems very complicated! Is a saltwater tank very complicated? And is a 40 gallon tank big enough? Also, on average how much does a 40 gallon salt water tank cost monthly ? Im tight on cash, haha!

soccerbag · Aug 22, 2011

Lots of folks keep fish and corals in a 40breeder. But I will say that saltwater is NOT cheap. If you are short on cash, it may be a stretch. There are some shortcuts you can take in the this hobby, but proper lighting, alk / calcium supplements, fresh RODI top-off water, salt, test kits, etc are necessities. They all add up quickly. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of reefers who keep a tank on a tight budget, but it's not something to get into if you're trying to save money! lol.

It would be difficult to give you a monthly number as far as cost goes. It depends on a lot of factors. : )

And WELCOME to R2R!!!!!!!:bigsmile:

Captain Nemo · Aug 22, 2011

Well your question is all dependent on what your choices are when you start out. General rule is get the biggest size tank you can afford, or you will just upgrade later. I started with a 30g and now have a 70g. Second it depends on what you want to keep, corals a.k.a - "reef tanks" require more commitment than do fish only tanks. Lighting comes into play here. Corals require specific lighting and dosing of additives or strict water changes with a quality salt. In regards to is it complicated??? The bestanswer is if you let it be it is. All this depends on you and your commitment level to the hobby. Is it more expensive than your gold fish, yes. Is it worth the extra money, yes to me. Spend the money up front and don't skimp on equipment and you will be far better off down the road. Ask any other questions you have. Hope this helped. Nemo

Rockadile · Aug 22, 2011

To maybe give you a better idea on cost. My first tank was a converted 55gal fresh water tank.

I went sumpless and used a hang on back <HoB> skimmer and a marineland biowheel. after I got it all setup with all the equipment I needed for a basic setup, I was about 1800 bucks into it. this included my Live rock.

This did not take into account my clean up crew <CuC> or any other livestock. Now because i was so new and knew everything there was to know about everything I lost probably another $300 in livestock due to rushing and not doing my research.

Now as far as difficulty, that is really tough to say. Myself I dont find it very difficult, but it is time consuming, and for me very gratifying. I find my face plastered against the side of my tank more often then not and feel it is so much more rewarding then any fresh water tank i ever did.
My best advice to you is to find yourself a local reef club, I am sure there is one in your area, and go check out some setups and maybe find some used stuff

futurefishguy · Aug 22, 2011

Thanks guys for the answers! Once i get my tank going, will the cost of maintenance be lower? Should i take on this project if i can spend around 100 dollars a month on my tank?

skinz78 · Aug 22, 2011

Welcome to R2R!

You can definitely do a low budget reef tank, and 40g is a great size to start out with. I highly recommend watching the for sale forums, Craigslist, and if you can look into a local club. People are constantly upgrading or just plain getting out of the hobby so you can find some great deals out there. I picked up a 40g for $40 at the Petco dollar a gallon sale so keep your eyes peeled for them too.

If you choose to have corals you should go to frag swaps at your local club, good deals are found there.

I say a budget of $100 a month will be more than enough to maintain a 40g tank!