impulse buy

[mountaineer]

Hi everybody. Great forum...I've lurked for a couple weeks.

 

I am returning to aquariums after almost a 20 year hiatus. When I was a young'un, I kept cichlids and Synodontis cats, but really wanted a reef aquarium. Too many obstacles at the time, particularly that: 1) we lived way out in the mountains of West Virginia and far from any saltwater fish store, and 2) I knew that when I took off for college, my parents wouldn't be able to keep up a reef while I was gone. I did a lot of research (the second volume of Julian Sprung's Reef Aquarium had either just come out or was about to), but never took the plunge.

 

Now that my wife & I are a little more settled, we've been talking about a nano reef (our condo is small and we had to give up other hobbies like gardening when we moved here). But I had cold feet, simply because there are so many equipment options these days (a lot changes in 20 yrs!) and I didn't know where to begin, especially with how expensive new gear is.

 

I made the mistake of browsing Craigslist, and I found a used set-up for $75. Just couldn't pass it up. A guy had moved up to a larger tank, and I got a 27 gallon marineland cube, an Aquatic Life nano protein skimmer, an Aqueon Pro Heater, an 18" Marineland Reef Bright LED, and a Fluval 204 canister filter. It's all in great shape.

 

I'm sure I'll have questions down the line. Right now, I'm doing research and I plan to set up the tank in January, after holiday travels are over. We live way out on the Cape and we're easily 2.5 hours from good fish stores, but we'll make it work. I hope to start a basic tank with beginner friendly fish and soft corals.

 

 

 

[atrox]

Pictures!

[hey]

Welcome to the forum, what part of WV were you from?

[Sk8n Reefer]

That's a great size and shape to start back with - yes tons to research on here- great site!

[mountaineer]

Pictures!

Here ya go! You know, I've never had a cube style, but now that I have it up close, I dig it. Perfect size for our place.

 

Looks good for a used aquarium. He took a razor blade to it and it's looking good. The back is already painted black, which I like. I'll build a stand this fall -- we've got a wood shop at work. Actually, my wife is a better carpenter than I am, might her take the lead on that. She built us two awesome Adirondack chairs from scratch.

I've never used a canister filter. He left some bioball type media and the original sponges in there, but research tells me I should probably jettison that stuff to avoid nasty build-up. The guy recommended polyfilter. So figuring this out is next on my list.

 

Skimmer, heater, LED.

18" LED. I asked the guy if it worked for soft corals, and he said it did for him, and he even had a Montipora that did fine under it.

Moonlight setting:

Next up, figuring out if I need a powerhead or two.

 

Welcome to the forum, what part of WV were you from?

Thanks. I was born in Nicholas County (outside Summersville) and spent the first part of my life there, then moved to Wetzel County where my dad is from. Finished high school there. My family still has a farm down there, and I get back a lot. I actually still lived there until last August, when I moved to Cape Cod to take a job. Quite a change...lol.

 

Where are you in WV? Most of my family lives in Wetzel, but my sister's in Charleston.

[TigerLily]

Welcome! That's a great find for $75!

[mountaineer]

Welcome! That's a great find for $75!

Thanks! Yeah, that's what I thought. Hope it doesn't explode the first time I use it!

[Mariaface]

Thanks! Yeah, that's what I thought. Hope it doesn't explode the first time I use it!

Hope so, too! Make sure you invest in a glass thermometer (maybe suction cupped to the wall) to make sure that heater's giving you a proper, stable temperature in there.

 

Good luck!

[mountaineer]

Hope so, too! Make sure you invest in a glass thermometer (maybe suction cupped to the wall) to make sure that heater's giving you a proper, stable temperature in there.

 

Good luck!

Thanks for the tip, I appreciate it!

[Sashimi]

I would ditch the canister filter if I was you. It can cause you more problems down the road if it's not cleaned weekly.

[hey]

Here ya go! You know, I've never had a cube style, but now that I have it up close, I dig it. Perfect size for our place.

 

Looks good for a used aquarium. He took a razor blade to it and it's looking good. The back is already painted black, which I like. I'll build a stand this fall -- we've got a wood shop at work. Actually, my wife is a better carpenter than I am, might her take the lead on that. She built us two awesome Adirondack chairs from scratch.

I've never used a canister filter. He left some bioball type media and the original sponges in there, but research tells me I should probably jettison that stuff to avoid nasty build-up. The guy recommended polyfilter. So figuring this out is next on my list.

 

Skimmer, heater, LED.

18" LED. I asked the guy if it worked for soft corals, and he said it did for him, and he even had a Montipora that did fine under it.

Moonlight setting:

Next up, figuring out if I need a powerhead or two.

 

Thanks. I was born in Nicholas County (outside Summersville) and spent the first part of my life there, then moved to Wetzel County where my dad is from. Finished high school there. My family still has a farm down there, and I get back a lot. I actually still lived there until last August, when I moved to Cape Cod to take a job. Quite a change...lol.

 

Where are you in WV? Most of my family lives in Wetzel, but my sister's in Charleston.

 

small world, i am in charleston. I do spend some time fishing a few times a year in pocahontas county on the williams and greenbrier, so somewhat close to where you were. Great part of wv to be from imo.

[mountaineer]

small world, i am in charleston. I do spend some time fishing a few times a year in pocahontas county on the williams and greenbrier, so somewhat close to where you were. Great part of wv to be from imo.

Right on. I am a pretty serious fly-fisherman, but more in Randolph, Webster, and Tucker County, though I used to sneak over to Durbin to fish small streams quite a bit, as well as Seneca Creek and the Elk around Monterville before that resort brought in a million people. I actually grew up closer to Cranberry and Williams, between Richwood and Summersville. Now I chase stripers on Cape Cod. Are you on the WV Angler forum? My great grandpa used to hang out with the Hammons Family (of mountain fiddlers) and hunt bears with them over on the Williams, but that was a hundred years ago.

 

LOL....If you're in Charleston, you've probably seen my cousin Natalie on a million signs.

[Lawnman]

Right on. I am a pretty serious fly-fisherman, but more in Randolph, Webster, and Tucker County, though I used to sneak over to Durbin to fish small streams quite a bit, as well as Seneca Creek and the Elk around Monterville before that resort brought in a million people. I actually grew up closer to Cranberry and Williams, between Richwood and Summersville. Now I chase stripers on Cape Cod. Are you on the WV Angler forum? My great grandpa used to hang out with the Hammons Family (of mountain fiddlers) and hunt bears with them over on the Williams, but that was a hundred years ago.

Strippers I love chasing them to.

[mountaineer]

I would ditch the canister filter if I was you. It can cause you more problems down the road if it's not cleaned weekly.

Would you recommend that I just use the protein skimmer? Or replace the canister with another piece of equipment? I can tell it would get funky pretty quick.

[mountaineer]

Strippers I love chasing them to.

Hey, I live in Provincetown...I can see all the naked people I want for free, whether I want to or not. (Turns out my kayak fishing spot is near the secret nude beach. Learned that the hard way. I thought, "Man, those are some funny colored seals hauled out...wait a minute.")

[Lawnman]

Would you recommend that I just use the protein skimmer? Or replace the canister with another piece of equipment? I can tell it would get funky pretty quick.

I would use a Aquaclear filter on the back since the tank isn't drilled. The light isn't very good either you will end up hating it.

[hey]

Hey, I live in Provincetown...I can see all the naked people I want for free, whether I want to or not. (Turns out my kayak fishing spot is near the secret nude beach. Learned that the hard way. I thought, "Man, those are some funny colored seals hauled out...wait a minute.")

 

HAHA shes running for office right

 

I'm not an avid fisherman but like to get out when I can which isn't often with 2 small kids. My buddy has a cabin near watoga and a few of us try to make it up there a few times a year usually once in winter and once in summer. I think my aquarium obsession stems from not being able to get out onto real bodies of water much.

[mountaineer]

I would use a Aquaclear filter on the back since the tank isn't drilled. The light isn't very good either you will end up hating it.

Thanks for the tip. Alas, I'm on a budget (starting a new family)....Do you think the light will get me by for awhile?

[Lawnman]

I have been to WV once. My buddy owns a business that puts video games and pool tables in bars. Well Marlboro had a contest where they gave away a juke box and a pool table they paid him to deliver the items. I rode out there with him to deliver them to the winners.

[frankdr]

A craigslist special is how I got into the hobby too. Had freshwater before my move 6 years earlier. One thing I did was to take the whole setup to the back patio and let the pump run for about 24 hours (with just freshwater) to make sure there wasn't any leaks. I would rather have a mess outside than inside..

[Lawnman]

Thanks for the tip. Alas, I'm on a budget (starting a new family)....Do you think the light will get me by for awhile?

Yes it will get you by just fine. But you will end up wanting to upgrade.

[hey]

I have been to WV once. My buddy owns a business that puts video games and pool tables in bars. Well Marlboro had a contest where they gave away a juke box and a pool table they paid him to deliver the items. I rode out there with him to deliver them to the winners.

 

Wasn't that exciting was it, lol. We tend to have fun things to do but not well known to visitors which really kills the states tourism.

[mountaineer]

HAHA shes running for office right

 

I'm not an avid fisherman but like to get out when I can which isn't often with 2 small kids. My buddy has a cabin near watoga and a few of us try to make it up there a few times a year usually once in winter and once in summer. I think my aquarium obsession stems from not being able to get out onto real bodies of water much.

Cool. PM me before your next trip and I'll give you a couple spots to try. The main Greenbrier is a lot of fun for smallmouth.

 

Winter up here is pretty brutal, the wind never stops blowing (we have ocean on three sides), that's why I'm keen to set up the nano this year...something to keep us from going crazy.

[Lawnman]

Wasn't that exciting was it, lol. We tend to have fun things to do but not well known to visitors which really kills the states tourism.

It was pretty crazy TBH. These people lived so far back in the woods we had to meet them at a gas station. We followed them deep into the woods for 10-20 minutes. I think the juke box was worth more than the house they were nice people just really back woods.

[mountaineer]

Wasn't that exciting was it, lol. We tend to have fun things to do but not well known to visitors which really kills the states tourism.

West Virginia's a great place to visit if you're outdoorsy, but we don't get the tourism that other mountain states do. Pretty far from any substantial airports. I think it's one of America's great hidden secrets. My wife's family came down from Long Island to spend a week with us and they loved it. Great hiking, fishing, rafting, camping, skiing, rock-climbing, etc. and a million acres of public land. Just wish there were more job opportunities. (Except it's booming right now with the natural gas stuff.)

 

But we still don't have cell phone service where we are! My parents got cell reception when they were out on the plains of Namibia last year, but not in good old WV! Lol. They couldn't believe it. We lived pretty far off the beaten path.

 

 

A craigslist special is how I got into the hobby too. Had freshwater before my move 6 years earlier. One thing I did was to take the whole setup to the back patio and let the pump run for about 24 hours (with just freshwater) to make sure there wasn't any leaks. I would rather have a mess outside than inside..

 

 

Thanks. He didn't have the instruction manuals for the equipment, so right now I'm digging away on the internet looking for them.