New game plan.

[Titleist1964]

The JBJ 15 Gal Cube and Stand just came back in stock at BRS, leaning towards it. I look at it if I'm not fully commited and find the hobby enjoyable enough, then the $1225 Red Sea Max would've been a lot of money. So this is what I have.

JBJ 15 Gal Nano T&S = $411
75 Watt Ehiem TruTemp = $25
InkBird Wifi Controller = $60
Tunze ATO 3152 = $115
AI Prime HD16 = $210 (recently purchased here)

Puts me at $821, with $400 saved I'll have plenty of money for:
Salinty Tester
Test Kit.
Perhaps a Wavemaker.
Rock & Sand.
Anything I may be missing?

Please feel free to add or subsitute, but keep in mind I'm attempting a friendy eco budget. Just in case.
Thanks

 

[shakacuz]

why not get a 20G long and buy an AIO from fiji? 5 extra gallons, and can make it an AIO for less? get a stand from any furniture store for less as well.

just my two cents. also, welcome aboard the r2r board!

 

[lavoisier]

I don't have a lot of experience with smaller tanks but I did see this thread you might find useful: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/back-in-the-hobby-15-gallon-sps.843351/

 

[Titleist1964]

why not get a 20G long and buy an AIO from fiji? 5 extra gallons, and can make it an AIO for less? get a stand from any furniture store for less as well.

just my two cents. also, welcome aboard the r2r board!

Thanks, this is something I'll look into. I like the looks of the matching tank and stans as well.

 

[Titleist1964]

Even if I threw another $50 ux at it for the 20 Gal it's still a lot cheaper.

 

[shakacuz]

Even if I threw another $50 ux at it for the 20 Gal it's still a lot cheaper.

can always go to petco for their 1$/G sale they have regularly. less than 30$ for it!

 

[Titleist1964]

I guess I'm a lil OCD, want everything to match. Just curious about the hardware.

 

[Titleist1964]

I think it seems like a pretty solid start for my first go around.

 

[shakacuz]

I think it seems like a pretty solid start for my first go around.

i agree.

 

[Titleist1964]

i agree.

I was curious about the Inkbird compared to the Finnex controller.

 

[shakacuz]

I was curious about the Inkbird compared to the Finnex controller.

i have no experience with the finnex, but the inkbird has been great! unfortunately i couldn't link it via wifi due to my router being over the required ghz.

 

[Titleist1964]

Hmmm, I have a Nighthawk AC3200 Router/Modem. I wonder if I'll have a problem?

​

 

[Drummingbaker2010]

The JBJ 15 Gal Cube and Stand just came back in stock at BRS, leaning towards it. I look at it if I'm not fully commited and find the hobby enjoyable enough, then the $1225 Red Sea Max would've been a lot of money. So this is what I have.

JBJ 15 Gal Nano T&S = $411
75 Watt Ehiem TruTemp = $25
InkBird Wifi Controller = $60
Tunze ATO 3152 = $115
AI Prime HD16 = $210 (recently purchased here)

Puts me at $821, with $400 saved I'll have plenty of money for:
Salinty Tester
Test Kit.
Perhaps a Wavemaker.
Rock & Sand.
Anything I may be missing?

Please feel free to add or subsitute, but keep in mind I'm attempting a friendy eco budget. Just in case.
Thanks

you'll need bacteria to start cycling the tank.

 

[Drummingbaker2010]

you'll need bacteria to start cycling the tank.

perhaps a protein skimmer a little bit later, siphons for water changes, but those can come later.

 

[Drummingbaker2010]

you'll need bacteria to start cycling the tank.

you don't need a wave maker until you decide you want to start adding corals.

 

[Drummingbaker2010]

you don't need a wave maker until you decide you want to start adding corals.

if then, there are plenty of beginner soft corals that do fine in low/moderate flow, so you can leave some space under your return pump to give them a little flow, and you'll be fine without the powerhead/wave maker for a while.

 

[tharbin]

Hmmm, I have a Nighthawk AC3200 Router/Modem. I wonder if I'll have a problem?

​

The vast majority of IoT devices (including WiFi aquarium equipment) run on the 2.4 GHz band. The 5.0 GHz band supports higher performance (but less range) so many people only set up the 5.0 GHz on their access points/routers. Most access points/routers today have both bands available. Just be sure the 2.4 band radio is turned on and accessible. Many like to set up separate SSIDs (identifiers) for the two bands so that they can consciously connect to one band or the other. If you only set up one SSID then a device can connect to either band depending on what it supports.

 

[Titleist1964]

The vast majority of IoT devices (including WiFi aquarium equipment) run on the 2.4 GHz band. The 5.0 GHz band supports higher performance (but less range) so many people only set up the 5.0 GHz on their access points/routers. Most access points/routers today have both bands available. Just be sure the 2.4 band radio is turned on and accessible. Many like to set up separate SSIDs (identifiers) for the two bands so that they can consciously connect to one band or the other. If you only set up one SSID then a device can connect to either band depending on what it supports.

I got ya, I have my Netgear set at 5G. I did a test run on the used AI Prime HD I have yesterday, ran through a demo mode, played around with a couple settings and had no problems. My future plan for a wavemaker will be the Nero 3 when they come available. Thanks.

 

[Titleist1964]

@Drummingbaker2010 Thanks for the heads up, great info.
So far I've been reading about live sand and live rock, couple of the LFS sell it, they seed in tanks using rock from their own live set ups, so mainly no pesky hitchhikers, as far as sand not so much, so mainly that'll be a Caribsea mix of some sorts.
Both wavemaker and protein skimmer are on the short list of items to come, also I have an ATO in the cart already. Corals will most likely be the beginning stages of the tank before I add a couple fish, very light bio load, small CUC, and 2 clowns and maybe 2 more small mild mannered fish.
Coral goals are, fast growing, hardy and easy to keep. I'm not looking for anything like the SPS stuff, mostly softies and a few LPS's. Thanks.

 

[Drummingbaker2010]

@Drummingbaker2010 Thanks for the heads up, great info.
So far I've been reading about live sand and live rock, couple of the LFS sell it, they seed in tanks using rock from their own live set ups, so mainly no pesky hitchhikers, as far as sand not so much, so mainly that'll be a Caribsea mix of some sorts.
Both wavemaker and protein skimmer are on the short list of items to come, also I have an ATO in the cart already. Corals will most likely be the beginning stages of the tank before I add a couple fish, very light bio load, small CUC, and 2 clowns and maybe 2 more small mild mannered fish.
Coral goals are, fast growing, hardy and easy to keep. I'm not looking for anything like the SPS stuff, mostly softies and a few LPS's. Thanks.

I would add your clean up crew and maybe 1-2 fish before adding your corals.