Reef Wanna-be! :)

[Scrappy RN]

The layaway is no refund - exchanges only. That's why it wasn't really a big deal to keep paying on it while I figure out what I need.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

That's one reason I left the bedside - getting old and broken down from the riding pulling lifting and flat out running (not to mention fighting with the crazies!) I'm 45 and figured that management was my way to give back to our profession without killing myself in the process. If i could make the job easier for even one nurse then it is worthwhile! And if the management thing hadn't worked out clinical informatics was my next stop! I love computers and most of the programmers for medical systems apparently never set foot inside an actual hospital so I figured I might be able to make a difference in nurses' lives that way :)

I think you're my twin!

 

[Anirban]

Welcome.....:)

 

[Scrappy RN]

@Lionfish Lair - awesome! Always thought it'd be cool to be a twin! :)

And thank you Anirban!

 

[Blackhawk Fan]

Welcome to R2R! :)

 

[bklynreef123]

I started my reef journey in a similar fashion and just had to call it like it is. While this hobby is expensive if you spend your money wisely and look out for deals it can be done. I was going to buy a wet dry filter off craigslist, and they seller asked me what my goal was. When I told him a reef he told me "this isn't for you" he then invited me inside his house and showed me his system. He then pointed me in the direction of the forums. We became close friends and are to this day. That was 3 years ago. Feel free to PM me and ask away.

 

[KJ]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[Scrappy RN]

Thanks all!
@bklynreef123 - so there is hope! Lol
Thank you for the offer of support. I may definitely take you up on it as I decide which questions to even ask. As I research I've found that, like in medicine, the deeper I delve into a topic the more I realize even simple concepts are actually quite complex - which leads to even more questions! I'm a nerd by nature so I have to know the why's and how's! But I think that's why reefs attract me at this point. They seem to be an even greater challenge than my previous aquariums!

 

[jsker]

Welcome to R2R, Even for us reefer that take a break and come back, it was some times overwhelming with all of the products and new techniques that are ever changing. We are here to help you with that journey. As some have said here, it can be expensive, but a budgeted planed out reef will save you the mistake expense. I own my own thing, and took a part time job to pay for reefing habit:).

 

[Scrappy RN]

Thank you and yes, I'm learning that reef tanks are definitely more expensive! I saw a great quote somewhere: "What's the best way to make a small fortune in the saltwater aquarium hobby? .....Start with a large fortune!"

 

[Fin]

Welcome to R2R & the hobby! I am not a fan of the standard 55s either. Just too narrow. You might consider getting a 40 gallon breeder or 75 gallon tank from PetCo when they have their dollar a gallon sale (which may be going on now). Good way to get started on a budget. Use your lay-away store credit for other supplies.

Start a build thread here. Use it to post ideas on equipment that you are considering for your tank and get some other opinions on whether it would be best for your application. Too many people just buy and then ask if it was a good idea. There are a lot of gear junkies out there (guilty) and you can spend a ton of money in this hobby, but you can also have success with a more conservative approach, depending on what you plan to keep in the tank.

I would suggest going with a drilled tank and sump. Hang on back overflows can be problematic. Tanks drilled for overflows are much more reliable. Sumps are good places to keep all of your filtration equipment out of sight and easy to get to for maintenance.

You are in a good place here at R2R, so joining this community was a good start!

 

[Scrappy RN]

Thank you - Great advice!
I learned the hard way about buying first and planning second when I got my first 29 gal freshwater tank :( That's why I'm determined to do it right this time, lol! Hence, joining R2R before I actually start setting up shop this time. The layaway has actually helped in that regard. Since it will be almost 2 more months before I can pay it off it helps force me to research and plan ahead of time instead of jumping in all at once - as I am usually prone to do, lol :) I've already done tons of planning ahead in the last 6 weeks just in deciding if I wanted to do fresh or fish only saltwater or reef. I've also stated a remodel/rearrange of my living room to accommodate the tank once it's home. Finally decided definitely on reef so now I go to the store to negotiate a different setup tomorrow! Wish me luck!

 

[Scrappy RN]

I'm so excited, lol! I went back to my LFS and exchanged the 55 gal setup I had on layaway with a 75 gal reef ready tank!!! I exchanged the strip light that came with it for an LED appropriate for soft corals that has a control feature via bluetooth for sunrise/full sun/sunset/moon/off etc. I think that's the thing I'm excited the most about. I couldn't afford the top of the line LED's just yet but this one will do for now I think. The sump/pump etc. are all included. I even upgraded the stand to one that doesn't have the center support in the front so that I can get to the sump a lot more easily! The only thing I'll eventually have to buy separately will be a protein skimmer. Unfortunately, it's going to take longer to pay this setup off but since I won't have to modify anything myself (and it's a bigger tank) I will be happier with it in the long run. Now to keep researching what kinds of corals and fish I want to eventually have when I'm able to get started. Any ideas on good books to read on the subject? The guy at the fish store recommended a good overall book, The Marine Aquarium Handbook: From Beginner to Breeder, by Martin Moe and Julian Sprung. Any other ideas? Do you guys subscribe to any magazines for the hobby that are really good??

 

[Fin]

a 75 gallon was my first reef tank. It is a good size and it will serve you well. You will have extra room for aquascaping and more water volume. What kind of light and sump did it come with? Any pics of what you bought?

 

[Scrappy RN]

I think I'm going to love this tank. It's amazing what a few extra inches of space front-to-back does for the whole look.

The sump is a P1000RR w/media?? Not sure if that tells you anything, lol. The assistant manager who helped me is their main reef expert and he said he uses the same sump on a 90 gal just fine. I probably won't be going any bigger anytime in the next 5 yrs or more so this one will hopefully do the trick just fine. The light I picked out is a Fluval Marine and Reef 2.0 LED 48"-60." It came with a T5 strip light but I much prefer LED's. I really wanted the higher end LED's but it would have taken 2 of the ones I liked best and they would have cost more than the tank and stand put together. I opted for this one because it has the capability to program it via bluetooth and I really love the idea of the sunrise to sundown to moonlight feature. I will probably have to do it manually at first until I can figure out the bluetooth thing though! I'm having trouble uploading the picture I took from my phone to my PC so I'll post it later. The pic doesn't really do it justice anyway because I got a different light and a different stand than what's in the store setup and the sump was in the cabinet.

 

[Scrappy RN]

Oh, I saw several talking about a "build" thread. What category would I start such a thing under??
And is it just a thread where I talk about what I'm doing, kind of like a blog but with the ability to answer questions?

 

[bklynreef123]

Really happy to hear that you will be getting into a tank much more suitable for your needs!!!

 

[Scrappy RN]

Me too, thank you! I knew I'd have to change a few things once I decided I wanted to do a reef tank but didn't really realize how much until I started doing the research, lol.

 

[Scrappy RN]

Can anyone tell me more about "build threads?" Like what topic should I post it under and what kinds of things I put in it...

 

[dbl]

A build thread is simply a thread that allows you to share the process and progress of putting your system together. It's also a spot for you to ask questions as you go, specific to your build. The link below will takes to the appropriate spot.


https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/member-tanks.52/