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Average Price for starting out.... 2g


Jimmyboo

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Hi guys, I have compiled a list of things needed for the 2g "cookie jar" reef I am interested in setting up and here are my pricing thoughts based on what I have been able to find:

 

 

2 gallon jar - $25

 

air bubbler - $10

 

heater - $25

 

testing supplies - $25

 

refractometer - $30

 

mini thermostat - $5

 

Salt - $10

 

refractometer - $30

 

lighting - $50

 

live rock - $ 15

 

live sand - $10

 

water conditioner - $12

 

other expenses etc. - $30

 

 

Adds up to $277,

 

 

It seems a bit high to me for a little 2g fish tank, what are other peoples ideas here? seem about right.

 

Best,

JB

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Water conditioner? This tells me you plan on using tap water for your tank? Not a good idea IMO.

 

I think that your pricing seems ok. You might find a better deal if you search around your local craigslist to find a small <10g tank with stuff already with it. Just an idea. GL!

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and with a tight budget the first thing id cut from the list is testing supplies, use none. optional, never needed in pico reefing only optioned for. take that 15$ saved and put towards frags.

 

I dont see corals on the list, their cost for frags

 

 

use only a salinity swingarm hydrometer and a thermometer so your change water matches your take water. buy no api :)

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You only need one refractometer by shopping around craigslist and the local forums you might get by cheaper. What do you mean by air bubbler?

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Good catch on the refractometer!!!

 

Yes, tap water is my idea, I do live in a VERY clean tap water area, but might invest in some RO/di water. Will think about that some more.

 

Brandon, why no testing material?

 

more thoughts are welcome.

 

-------------

 

 

Instead of editing the list, ill post it again as we can see how much we are able to save on the setup.

 

 

2 gallon jar - $25

 

air bubbler - $10

 

heater - $25

 

testing supplies - $25

 

refractometer - $30

 

mini thermostat - $5

 

Salt - $10

 

refractometer - $30

 

lighting - $50

 

live rock - $ 15

 

live sand - $10

 

water conditioner - $12

 

other expenses etc. - $30

 

 

Adds up to $247,

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something that small i wouldnt use a heater imo iv done a 1.5 mini reef and it stayed 77* without a heater. ontop of that iv seen alot of small heaters just plain out fail and cook the small tank.

 

 

*edit* yea and dont do tap water youll run into headachs from the start!

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remember its all opinions in the pub forum because there are so many ways to reef. my opinion was why spend any money on any form of test equipment other than temp, and a $10 swingarm (not a refract) if Ive never needed anything other. It didnt make sense to me to go to bare bones and then spend money where it is not needed.

 

if you are doing full water changes weekly, you need no testing. if you are doing partial water changes, then at least dont buy api :)

 

testing is not needed for a successful long term reef tank, it is only optional. I think you should buy optional stuff only after you maximized your lighting in my opinion.

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Steensj2004

For what it is worth buy distilled water before using tap water..... .70 a gallon at a store, you can buy 15 gallons for the price of one bottle of conditioner....enough to last some time. Don't use tap water, especially in a 2 gallon IMO.

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hmm interesting idea.... I only want to do partial water changes because I want some inverts and such, plus it will add up cost wise to do full ones. So I want to testing equipment.

 

hydrometer wise... Isnt it hard to get enough want from such a small tank?

 

Im not sure thats the best are to try to save $$ from..



For what it is worth buy distilled water before using tap water..... .70 a gallon at a store, you can buy 15 gallons for the price of one bottle of conditioner....enough to last some time. Don't use tap water, especially in a 2 gallon IMO.

 

kk, that does sound like a pretty good deal.

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Damn, no idea where you live but refractors are like $50-$150 at my LFS, 5lbs of live rock cost me $70, sand was $20, the smallest cheapest LED cree light I could find was $120 + $30 for additional setup, electronic thermostat $20.. and not sure what you mean 2G jar, but my 5G tank was $120. (Are you planning to buy an actual like... jar? a mason jar?) what about pump/flow/circulation. I think some corals need specific flow!

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Damn, no idea where you live but refractors are like $50-$150 at my LFS, 5lbs of live rock cost me $70, sand was $20, the smallest cheapest LED cree light I could find was $120 + $30 for additional setup, electronic thermostat $20.. and not sure what you mean 2G jar, but my 5G tank was $120. (Are you planning to buy an actual like... jar? a mason jar?) what about pump/flow/circulation. I think some corals need specific flow!

 

hahaha yes an actual jar :D

 

http://www.amazon.com/Anchor-Hocking-2-Gallon-Heritage-Glass/dp/B000KKI7GY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1397846110&sr=8-5&keywords=2gallon+jar

 

P.s. dont think its been done in a jar before. I found this on reddit:

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/1kuhuc/my_coral_reef_in_a_cookie_jar_after_5_months/

 

 

----------

 

I have owned larger tanks in the past, but a 5g costing $120 that seems outrageous :wacko:

 

refractometer is $25 new on amazon. sand is pretty easy probably just ganna get a 5lb pack via amazon and LR is undecided yet. I found it for $12 for 2.75 pounds off of Petco, but am going to try my LFS to see if they can match, or come close to that price.

 

Lighting is where things have been debated between Brandon and myself. Looking at getting a cheapish one for like $40.

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yes agreed distilled is what I use for topoff and have mixed water with it as well, works fine. I buy premade stuff now from the pet store and set my own salinity.

 

the reason i mentioned not buying a refract was to save money as well, pico reefs tolerate salinity shifts just fine in their care, it does no good to be able to pinpoint a certain salinity exact only to use it in an environment that swings in salinity above other reefs.

 

 

whether or not you use inverts has nothing to do with the wc percentage, but partial water changes are the most common I can see why someone would want to start there.

 

swingarms tend to read consistently if you rinse them, it just may be a hundredth up or down in the actual reading compared to a refract. either way, refracts do not make any difference whatsoever in pico reef lifespans, none at all, so consider it a luxury unneeded like testing if we are talking true bare bones reefing. in my opinion of course :)

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thanks brandon! For now, Im leaving the refractometer because its only $15ish more expensive an I think its worth it :) but I will think about it.

 

Any chance you could post a link to that circular light you were talking about earlier?

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i sent it in the last pm

 

given the lighting restrictions I had mentioned in that pm you are better off using the mini aqualight sideways on your reef vs over it. id use the miniaqualight instead of that round light, it was a coralife screw in base 50 50 light for 7$ bucks for dr foster and smith. my recommend will always be to use boost led, dafils light etc when possible simply because they have threads showing actual coral growth under it, not just illuminated corals. in the meantime while skimping on light, anything is pretty much an equal guess w just have to try and see how it fares.

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i sent it in the last pm

 

given the lighting restrictions I had mentioned in that pm you are better off using the mini aqualight sideways on your reef vs over it. id use the miniaqualight instead of that round light, it was a coralife screw in base 50 50 light for 7$ bucks for dr foster and smith. my recommend will always be to use boost led, dafils light etc when possible simply because they have threads showing actual coral growth under it, not just illuminated corals.

 

I cant find it in the PM, and chance of a post here :lol:

 

 

Ide like to to avoid putting the light sideways if that is possible, would make the tank look meh...

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its the 50 50 version of these

 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9870

 

 

you have to buy big reflectors from home depot or custom make them to screw the bulb into them. hardly anyone uses these anymore. but given the options for all white led 40 bucks etc, Id take this.

 

You could pay someone 50 bucks to custom build you a two led cree setup here with pucks im not sure, have to check, that would certainly beat these screw in lights above. trying to reef on 40 dollar lighting is tricky.

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No blue spectrum, that's a plant light.

 

This new thread up top about eBay led looks good, that would work quality wise it at least has blue. Just now a new post was made asking about eBay lights.

The last two lights you mentioned were for freshwater planted tanks

 

nothing beats a 100 dollar boost led setup. But among 40 setups this eBay one looks good.

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if you don't want to go the led route there is always the t5 option. you can find the coralife mini for around $45 on line and it's plenty of light output for a 2g tank.

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That light is the best idea you've had yet. I dont agree with your tank choices and I don't see that anyone else does either (first you had to have the little betta thing with the divider and now this bottle). I have looked at your list and your tank, light, and bubbler? cost 85.00. I still thing you should consider either the Picotope at 42.99 or the fluval 2 gal spec at 59.99. Both these come with lights and filter. The picotope has a light that will support softies and some lps.,

 

Back to the subject at hand, The light you're looking at is a great little light for small tanks, just be sure to get the

model with half daylight and half blue led's (same exact light just different color temps). I've seen small tanks with that light growing beautiful coral.

 

Please listen to the advice you've been given and especially the advice on no tap water. That is not just an opinion but a fact. have a great little tank and I hope you're successful.

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"I dont agree with your tank choices and I don't see that anyone else does either I dont agree with your tank choices and I don't see that anyone else does either"

 

I tried to say use the vase, the only prudent move was the vase all along.

:)

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Why the jar? $25 seems like a lot for a 2g jar when you can get a picotope that already includes a light and filter to support easier corals.

 

Bubbler + light + jar = $85

 

Pictotope = $43

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I guess now after reading this thread I am going to have to sit down and itemize how much I have invested in my 6 month old 2.5 gallon tank. That's probably going to prove to be a pretty rude experience to the wallet!

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