snaggle Posted August 27, 2004 Share Posted August 27, 2004 I would just buy the dry stuff and then save some more and get the thing up and runing that is how I have set up every one of my tanks. Link to comment
djm32189 Posted August 27, 2004 Share Posted August 27, 2004 I have a 10 gallon and have probably spent about 300 dollars in tank, filters, supplies, fish, etc....not to mention that eventually salt and more test kits will need to be bought and things break. I would personally wait and just gain more money. Link to comment
OAM Surfer Posted August 28, 2004 Share Posted August 28, 2004 This is my nano tank less then 3 weeks old 10 gallon tank 10.99 Whisper Power Filter 10 13.95 Whisper Sub Heater 5-15 19.99 JBJ Sub Powerhead SP1300 14.99 Oceanic Salt 50 gal 24.99 IO Hydrometer 10.39 Quick Dip pH Test Strips 10.39 Quick Dip Nitrate/Nitrite 15.99 Mag-Float 10.99 LCD Marina Thermometer 2.99 LR Fiji 6,5 bls 33.34 LS Indo-Pacfic 24.99 Kent Reef Starter 12.99 Kent Marine Starter 10.99 Kent PhytoPlex 9.99 Purple Zoo's 10.00 Mushrooms 5.00 Starter Fish 3.29 ______ Total 258.24 Hope this helps Shawn Link to comment
nalbar Posted August 28, 2004 Share Posted August 28, 2004 adin and von digity are right. it can be done cheap. after all a REEF tank is just the live rock, and live rock needs minimal light. a home depot shop light (10 bucks) would EASILY work for the first 3 months. all you REALLY need to get started; 10g tank ...10 bucks simple light ... pendant with a twisty screw in flourescent ..10 bucks aquaclear hang on back filter ... 25 bucks powerhead...12 bucks (you could easily skip this) heater...20 bucks sand... 20 bucks (or skip this and go bare bottom or add it later) uncured live rock ....60 bucks. test kit...20 bucks 10g premixed salt water from store.. 5 bucks total cost...185 bucks. put it all together and let it cure under those simple lights for 2 months and you have a reef tank. people like to advise that just because THEY bought all their stuff at the beginning EVERYONE must buy their stuff in the beginning. people like to advise that because THEY spent a lot of money EVERYONE must spend a lot of money. on a LOT of the above tank lists i see protein skimmers, even though you in no way NEED a skimmer, they are completely a voluntary expenditure. adin and von digity are respected veterans of this hobby. nalbar Link to comment
brahm Posted August 28, 2004 Share Posted August 28, 2004 ..bah I got you all beat hehe .75 gallon tank on sale 16.00 w/light and Filter Lr rock rubble from LFS free! (livestock soon to be plucked from other tanks, but if not....lets pretend i had to buy it) 3 zoa frags from cheapie bin 30.00 2 Mushroms from cheapier bin 20.00 total cost 66.00 Link to comment
kappa Posted August 28, 2004 Share Posted August 28, 2004 5.5 aga tank 10 bucks 10 lbs of sand 10 bucks 10 lbs kaelini lr 30 bucks diy rain gutter 20w 50/50 light 30 bucks one maxi jet 600 13 dollars plus gas money to pick it up at marine depot premixed salt water @ 60 cents a gallon the other stuff later a fish cheap zoo frags at 10 dollars a frag test kits Link to comment
Chris687 Posted August 28, 2004 Share Posted August 28, 2004 When I first got into this hobby I didn't know anyone. I relied on what the local fish stores told me. I think you should save that $200 go on here and reef-central meet some people. A lot of people have tanks up that they really don't even need or want to take care of. I have a tank that didn't cost me much to set up and would sell it for $200. The famous Minibow 7 I think I've seen them in the classiefied. If you want mine it will have to be a local pickup. Unless which you want to pay for shipping which I don't think you would want to do. I would never pay for corals. Local Reefers will give them for free. I also would not pay for live rock, foood, or anything expcept the ennitial fees for getting started. I am not going to just tell of the site how to do all this but if you PM i will. Anyway if you are interesed in a full established tank with LR and LS pm me. I'll sell it to you for $200 bucks. Link to comment
Chris687 Posted August 28, 2004 Share Posted August 28, 2004 also I have made 4 nano tanks. I will post some upadated pics of my display tank. Link to comment
kappa Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 I would never pay for corals. Local Reefers will give them for free. Unfortunately Moe probably does not have any local reefer friends, and nether do I. Link to comment
Turk Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 kappa is right on. here is what I'd do if i were to set up another tank... 5 gallon tank - $5 glass cover - $10-15 Coralife Aqualight - $35 powerhead - $30 HOB filter - $30 $115 if I'm right You don't need to spend a ridiculous amount of money to have a nice little reef. In a 5 gallon tank a HOB filter may be all the water circulation you need, and it gives you the ability to create a mini refugium in it (providing you take out all the filter media). A 5 gallon tank WITH a power comapct lgiht close to the water and a powerhead operating in it prolly does not need a heater. You keep the tank at room temperature and the heat generated by the lights/powerhead will be enough to keep it going. worse comes to worse spend $25 on a small 50 watt heater. so that'd be $140. Those Aqualights are dual 9 watt bulbs, one 10k and one actinic -> 18 watts PC. In a shallow 5 gallon tank thats definately enough for what you're looking to do now use the remaining $60 to spring for test kits. get 8ish lbs of live rock (get rock that is very porous) for about $40-50 and 5-8 lbs of live sand for $25. Couple snails, hermits, and you're good to go! now its the corals (also known as reef hobbyist cocaine) that gets exspensive Link to comment
kasperskij Posted September 30, 2004 Share Posted September 30, 2004 Don't Use Playsand, ie sand made for a sand box!!!!!!! This will cause you to have an abnormally amount of algae. The play sands are not all that "pure" and contain phosphates which algae will thrive on. Link to comment
matt the fiddler Posted September 30, 2004 Share Posted September 30, 2004 " but, if you top off and use premixed water, you theoretically would never need to use a hydrometer or refractometer." umm 1- LFS emploies some times get it wrong. one bad screw up and you are ...screwed 2- you need one. Link to comment
bladze Posted September 30, 2004 Share Posted September 30, 2004 50 bucks: http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...6026#post346026 Link to comment
obarrera Posted September 30, 2004 Share Posted September 30, 2004 I think we scared MOE.lol Link to comment
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