Flipturn88 Posted July 6, 2003 Share Posted July 6, 2003 I went to Walmart (yes, I AM on a tight budget :ermm: ) and found this starter hit for a 29 gallon tank. That is the exact size I wanted, and it looks like a great deal. but there are some issues: First, I think it is designed for freshwater because these are the supplies it comes with: 29 gallon glass aquarium Aqua-Tech power 20-40 filter Regent flourescent Full light hood 100 W heater EZ-change filter cartridge digital thermometer Fish net water conditioner tropical fish food Aquarium Care booklet Some of the items are strong signs that this kit is for freshwater. My question(s) is that could I potentially use this for sw IF I bought the other necessary supplies (aka protein skimmer, salt, powerhead, chemicals, vho or pc bulbs, etc.)? And can I trust that filter? I've never heard of the brand "Aqua-Tech" before...??? Can that filter even work for sw? Hehe this post is definitely a newbie-question--not surprisingly from me . ~Kayla Link to comment
AbSoluTc Posted July 6, 2003 Share Posted July 6, 2003 Kayla- Depending on the price of that kit, price out the cost of just the tank you want. If there is a big difference, I would just get the tank and build up from there. Now, if the kit is about the same or cheaper - you don't have to use all the other stuff. Keep the tank, heater (if its good) and maybe the filter. As far as the filter goes, don't use any of the cartridges. Just use it empty. The hood can also be gutted to allow PC insertion for more adequete light. Hope this helps a bit. Link to comment
Dustin Posted July 6, 2003 Share Posted July 6, 2003 Those heaters, and filters suck! Trust me, they are SO not worth it. Save the cash. Link to comment
penguin87 Posted July 6, 2003 Share Posted July 6, 2003 i've seen that starter kit, and considered it for upgrading my freshwater tank, and i know the price is intriguing, but you could save alot of money, and not have so much stuff to retrofit, and throw away if you just bought all the parts seperately. to save money, i would reccommend: a top-fin 29 gal. aquarium top-fin aquarium stand emporer 280 filter 2x65w hood from hellolights.com http://www.hellolights.com/30aqualights.html cheap top-fin thermometer and an ebo jager 100w heater maybe another penguin powerhead instant ocean salt, 200gal. mix this test kit: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...d=6&pCatId=4452 i plan to use these products for when i put together my own 29g reef, and i own something from all of these brands, and they are very reliable and cheap. it's probably a good idea to research these products and compare them with others, but i've done alot of that already, so this should be a virtually perfect setup, unless you wanted a skimmer and chiller. this setup will run you up $400-$500. however, if you were interested in just a fish only tank or FOWLR, consider this starter kit: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...d=6&pCatId=9018 i hope my helpful help has been helpful Link to comment
Flipturn88 Posted July 6, 2003 Author Share Posted July 6, 2003 Wow. thanks again everyone. It was just the info i needed/wanted. If I can't find anything better, I may just buy the kit and replace the cheap items since it is such a great deal. ~Kayla Link to comment
Flipturn88 Posted July 7, 2003 Author Share Posted July 7, 2003 Penguin87, the hood from hellolights.com will fit onto that topfin 29 gal perfectly?? ~Kayla Oh, and where did you find the aquarium? I looked all over the internet and I couldn't seem to find a 29 gal topfin that fit the same characteristics.... thank you much. Link to comment
blk_g20 Posted July 7, 2003 Share Posted July 7, 2003 topfin is a brand made by perfecto for the petsmart chain i believe. Link to comment
seabass Posted July 7, 2003 Share Posted July 7, 2003 Marineland manufactures the Regent brand for Wal-Mart and their products are usually alright; I use a Regent Aqua-Tech 5-15 HOB filter for my Mini-Bow 7 (it’s a Penguin Mini without the Bio-Wheel). You don’t want the Bio-Wheel anyway, and you’ll only use the filter cartridges temporarily after you cloud your tank from aquascaping or cleaning (then remove it and put in about 4 ounces of SeaGel in a media bag and run that in your HOB all of the time - switching out new SeaGel every couple of weeks). · The aquarium is the size that you want – OK · The filter is fine for breaking the water surface, creating flow, and holding media – OK · You’ll want to retrofit almost any hood that you buy – OK · A cheap heater can crash your tank (I'm not sure what this one is, but if it's saltwater compatible, you could use it when mixing water for partial water changes; keeping in mind that a 100 watt heater can melt plastic). Buy a reliable heater for your tank. – OK · Any mechanical filter cartridges are alright on a temporary basis only – OK · Thermometer (stick on LCD thermometers are good for around a year) – OK · Fish net – OK · Water conditioner (Buy RO/DI water if you can and test it for Nitrates) – If you use RO water, you should toss the water conditioner · Tropical fish food – toss · Aquarium care booklet (While some of the information in this book will be accurate and cross into saltwater care, other information will not apply) – Get a current saltwater book. However, you'll find that most books don’t discuss natural filtration in detail (live sand and live rock) and many of the principles that make our nanos successful are not addressed in a lot of books. Therefore, continue to supplement your research here. I think the kit is fine. Obviously you’ll need some more things like a hydrometer, marine test kits, powerheads, marine food, synthetic salt mix, siphon… Link to comment
Flipturn88 Posted July 7, 2003 Author Share Posted July 7, 2003 Thanks a lot seabass. Your insight was very helpful. About the water... should I just keep on buying it in jugs at the store if I don't have acess to RO at home? I know water conditioner works for freshwater---I used it for my tank, but couldn't tap water be harmful (regardless of this conditioner) for my fish? ~Kayla One more thing ... I think I want to get a pengiun powerhead. Should I get the 1140 (300 forward) or would that be too strong of a current? The second highest was the 660R which is 175 reverse w/reverse sponge flow. Link to comment
Deimos Posted July 7, 2003 Share Posted July 7, 2003 Tap water is a big no no....usually has fairly high levels of phosphates at least...if not silicates, nitrates, copper, and of course..chlorine and chloramine. You'll end up with a giant green mess in a couple of months if you use it. Get some good RO/DI water from a reliable source...test it if you have any doubts. As far as the kits goes...ahhh..hmmm...I probably would save my money and just buy everything piecemeal...even if you are on a budget, you'll want to get the best that money can buy (ESPECIALLY, I should say...as I believe its Euro-Reef that uses the slogan "The regret of poor quality lasts far longer that the joy of saving money"..or something along those lines..anyway..all I'm trying to say is that if you skimp now...you'll just have to spend more money in upgrading in the future.) As someone has didn't "do it right the first time" myself...I always recommend getting the best you possibly can right off the bat...if I had..I would have saved hundreds of dollars. My initial setup was a 10gal nano....I skimped on the lighting (I had 45 watts of NO fluorescent), the skimmer (a Skilter..ugh), the water (used TAP..ugh again..lol), the heater, and the powerheads. On my current 29 (what I consider, "done right"), I've got a 400w MH lamp, a CPR Bak-Pak 2R, I only use RO water, and I only use high quality heaters and PHs. Sure..it costs a bit more...bit it cost me SIGNIFICANTLY more because I didn't do things right the first time. Thats just my standard precautionary tale to beginners....you'll listen or you won't...but if you wind up spending a bundle more down the road..don't say I didn't warn you.... Link to comment
Flipturn88 Posted July 7, 2003 Author Share Posted July 7, 2003 Deimos, what heaters do you recommend? I was planning on getting a tronic or ebo-jager. Are they good/reliable brands? Also, would 100 W be sufficient, of should I get the 150 W? Also, you're saying no to the test kit from drsfosterandsmith.com?Thanks again. ~Kayla I'm just waiting for the day I will run out of questions... ha yeah right-- that WOULD be the day! Link to comment
Deimos Posted July 8, 2003 Share Posted July 8, 2003 I always go big on my heaters...helps to stabilize the temperature swings I may otherwise have while running a big honking halide. I've got a 200 or 250w Ebo in my tank..can't remember which off the top of my head. As far as recommendations..I'd either recommend the Ebo or a Titanium/Stainless steel heater...less chance of breakage with them. As far as test kits go....again..I'm always going to recommend quality which usually translates into pricier kits..unfortunately. I like LaMotte and Salifert kits...but thats just me..I've also heard good things about SeaChem kits. Anything else? Link to comment
Flipturn88 Posted July 8, 2003 Author Share Posted July 8, 2003 Thanks Deimos, but that just about sums it up... I think I know pretty much what I am going to get. Oh! except power heads... well I have to start looking into them... have any suggestions? ~Kayla Link to comment
Deimos Posted July 9, 2003 Share Posted July 9, 2003 powerheads...well...I use Aquaclears and Rios (going to get booed and hissed at for that..lol..but they've never given me problems..)...in my view...'heads are 'heads as long as they're namebrand. Link to comment
Flipturn88 Posted July 9, 2003 Author Share Posted July 9, 2003 What size powerhead do you reccomend? I was thinking about a: http://marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idp...roduct=TARIO600 Thanks ~Kayla Link to comment
Flipturn88 Posted July 9, 2003 Author Share Posted July 9, 2003 When I say size I mean in terms if GPH : Link to comment
offsprg01 Posted July 10, 2003 Share Posted July 10, 2003 i be a starving college student so i'm on a budget, i'll tell you up front just buy the tank from pet co, wal-mart. or pet-smart. where ever's cheaper. i tried that same started kit and i wasn't until i realised later that i didn't use any of the stuff it came with. i do have ever use whisper and aquatec hob filters but i always get the biggest they have. on my 29 i use two of the biggest whispers wal mart has. the work good. little noisey from time to time but the are cheap so i won't complain. i also have the aquatec power head from walmart i have no complaints about it. it works good. my next tank will have the high dollar stuff though. just to see if that stuff works better. Link to comment
Flipturn88 Posted July 10, 2003 Author Share Posted July 10, 2003 Thanks offsprg01. I will look into those whisper filters and aquatech power heads. ~Kayla Link to comment
Deimos Posted July 10, 2003 Share Posted July 10, 2003 On my 29, I've currently got an Aquaclear 200 HOB, 2 Rio 600's (I belive..the ones rated at 200gph), and 2 Aquaclear 301 PH's. Oh..plus the Bak Pak 2R skimmer which is driven by another Rio. I'm still not entirely happy with the amount of flow I've got and will probably install some other returns in when I setup my sump...but thats what I've got right now. You'd be surprised just how much flow you really need in a tank as big as 29 gallons (and even more so with larger tanks..but we won't get into that here..lol). Flow requires a lot of "tinkering"...its what has given me some of the biggest headaches with my reef...may get rid of them all-together when I setup my sump and just plumb in a slew of returns with a couple of Sea Swirls (rotating return devices). But thats neither here nor there for you I guess...your best bet to do it "cheaply" without drilling your tank is to get 4 or 5 PH's and go to town. HTH... Link to comment
Flipturn88 Posted July 10, 2003 Author Share Posted July 10, 2003 Thanks Deimos, sounds like fun! But my tank is gonna be "FOWLR" for at least the first 6 months so I'll probably stick with just one ph for now until the time comes to buy corals (then I'll get the proper lighting too). But I can't wait until then... that's when the real fun begins. ~Kayla Link to comment
Flipturn88 Posted July 10, 2003 Author Share Posted July 10, 2003 Oh and I also noticed that you have an Elibi Angel. I was considering getting one when my tank was well-established. how are they??? Thanks ~Kayla Link to comment
Deimos Posted July 11, 2003 Share Posted July 11, 2003 Gyah...don't start in on my angel..lol. Let me put it this way...you can either can beautifully behaved little guys or little coral pickers..its about a 50-50 toss-up. Unfortunately...mine came up the WRONG side! Ugh...there are days he's good and days he's bad..but everyday he'll at least peck at one of my sps. Fortunately..I've provided him with enough "variety" that he doesn't pick on any one coral too too much. I've never seen him actually take an entire polyp...they either retract too quickly or he only catches part of them or he's not even picking at them in the first place..I can't really decide whats going on..lol. But at the very least he annoys them into closing up for a few minutes and at the most he picks on one enough that it closes up for the rest of the day. Like I said..they're 50-50 and my system provides mine with enough variety that he isn't doing any damage...just a major annoyance. In my mind..the beauty is worth the risk..but wait until you've got a fairly well-stocked tank before adding one...they CAN and WILL pick on a small variety of corals enough to stop them from expanding their polyps..which can sometimes mean certain doom. Centropyge angels are definately one of those "add at your own risk"...like butterflyfish..but we won't get into my experiences with those..lol. HTH... Link to comment
Flipturn88 Posted July 12, 2003 Author Share Posted July 12, 2003 Wow, I didn't think that an Elibi could be that destructive... I was thinking about a coral beauty instead, but from what I've read they're even worse! Maybe I should do some more research. Lemonpeels? They seem cute but hard to handle for a newbie like me... 8) ~Kayla Link to comment
Deimos Posted July 14, 2003 Share Posted July 14, 2003 Scratch the angel..he's no longer a resident of my tank...dumb thing went on a pecking spree followed by me on a "removing rock in order to get angel out" spree. He went back to the LFS....none the worse for wear. My tank on the other hand looked like hell for 2 days. Ahh..live and learn..as for me..no more angels in reefs... Link to comment
Flipturn88 Posted July 14, 2003 Author Share Posted July 14, 2003 Ouch! That makes me really reconsider my "selections." Well, one less big--at least in my tank's case--fish leaves room for more smaller ones... Hope your tank is ok! ~Kayla Link to comment
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