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My son is getting a Petco card for Christmas :/ options?


waldoz

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So my son asked for Petco card from his grandma. I know it's not the best place to start.  He also got the foot in the door for saltwater tank around 10 gallon or so  plus or minus. I don't know how he did it as I have been trying for yrs. LoL.  Mind you he is saving up also and am going to help out with the light.  Options please.

 

The question is if you had $100 to spend at Petco what would you purchase to start a tank?    

 

 

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The most basic things you will need

 

Tank, stand, lights, powerhead, hob(option), liverock, sand, salt, refractometer di or rodi water. Test kits.

 

It depends on what you already have and what stage you are at with the tank start up. 

 

 

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As Clown79 stated, there is a lot you can get.  I might even push for a 20 gallon tank.

 

Anyway, you can get a tank there, sand, filter, salt, test kits for cycling...  There are some food options, Seachem Prime, maintenance items, even boxed water.

 

Petco isn't the cheapest place to buy dry goods, but they have a decent enough selection to use up $100.  He wouldn't necessarily even have to use it all up in one shot.

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Yeah he wants to do an AIO tank. The local one here has the basic stuff for sure. I mean he could get a 10 gallon waterbox online from them if he wanted. I'm trying to keep out of his choices though 😬

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2 minutes ago, waldoz said:

I'm trying to keep out of his choices though

I like that.  Although you could help point out some options based on the direction he wants to go (leaving the final decision to him).

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12 hours ago, waldoz said:

The question is if you had $100 to spend at Petco what would you purchase to start a tank?

 

I love Petco myself, it's where I purchased my own tank since they're so cheap and I love glass canopies.  If you only gave me $100 at Petco and it was all I had, the first thing I'd do is see if Petco is having their $1 per gallon sale for the Aqueon aquariums, and if not, ask them when it will start.  Then I'd buy the 10 gallon, unless he's really dead set on the 5.5 gallon, but you should find out what livestock he *really* wants for the tank.  You don't want to put too many or too large of a fish in a 5.5 gallon.  If it's Nemo that he wants (of the Ocellaris Clownfish variety), I'd automatically start with the 10 gallon or larger.

 

And the rest is just research and planning on what you're trying to achieve.  Since daddy is helping to buy the expensive lighting, sounds like he's halfway there.  For my own children, one of the lessons I'd want them to learn from all of this is the nitrogen cycle and parameter testing.  And later, if it's a reef tank, the regular testing of Calcium and Alk and getting those values within a certain range over the course of time.  I'd start with the cheaper kits and later get the more expensive variety (I prefer the Hanna intruments Checker HC for checking Calcium and Alkalinity).

 

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I think he is finding out with smaller system he is very limited to fish size he wants.  Its not going to be just a fish tank so that is why I am suggesting 10 or 20 long.   Not to much more and I think he would enjoy the fish swimming back and forth on the 20 long. The great thing I think he is learning is budgeting.  :)   

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For a budget tank, a 20 Long is a great starter tank.  Add a HOB filter, heater, powerhead, and light and you have the essential hardware.  For us, Petco's $1 sale is going on during Black Friday's sale (so $20 for the tank).  A standard 20 gallon tank is another option which might make sense depending on the light he chooses.

 

He'd still need salt, sand (optional), live rock, and accessories (thermometer, siphon tube, test kits, etc).  It adds up fast.  A fancy AIO can break the budget before you get started.

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4 hours ago, waldoz said:

Yeah he wants to do an AIO tank. The local one here has the basic stuff for sure. I mean he could get a 10 gallon waterbox online from them if he wanted. I'm trying to keep out of his choices though 😬

How old is your son?

 

I think this hobby is actually a great one, it's quite educational, relies on responsibility and dedication too.

 

Its nice hearing of kids that want to get into it. 

 

I think your son is on the right track, an aio tank would be great. Very easy to run.

 

What options are available at Petco for aio?, the Evo 13.5 would be a good kit to start with.

It comes with lighting too.

 

 

 

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29 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

the Evo 13.5 would be a good kit to start with.

It comes with lighting too.

 

 

The Fluval 13.5 Gallon Evo XII Marine Aquarium Kit costs $196 + tax at Petco.  And he'd still have to buy everything else like the livestock, sand, saltwater, etc.  I guess my question is, are we dealing with only $100?  I do like that kit though.

 

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Salt, bucket, heaters, pumps and powerheads, some seachem prime, maybe a api Nitate kit just do you can watch the cycling it’s kind of a waste of money. A water change symphon hose. Fish net. That’s probably the only things you should buy there unless you find a tank or stand that you don’t think is hideously ugly. 

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13 minutes ago, Seadragon said:

 

The Fluval 13.5 Gallon Evo XII Marine Aquarium Kit costs $196 + tax at Petco.  And he'd still have to buy everything else like the livestock, sand, saltwater, etc.  I guess my question is, are we dealing with only $100?  I do like that kit though.

 

I'm pretty sure the question was just "how can I spend $100 at Petco and it not be a waste?" Quite frankly, $100 just isn't anywhere near enough for a system that's big enough to support common nano reef fish (like clowns) and coral if you are starting from scratch and are buying new.

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As Tamberav said, online is usually cheaper and free shipping at $49 I believe it is. I bought my sand for my new 150 for about half off of the in store price and it was shipped to my house for free. Not sure the UPS guy was thrilled about 120lbs of dry sand coming to my door though. 

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With all this excitement, now you got me looking at the "Fluval 2.6 Gallon Spec III Aquarium Kit, Black" at Petco and I'm wondering if it could support just Pulsing Xenia + a Tailspot Blenny + Chaeto.  And I'd use all my extra stuff lying around and keep it under $100 total.  Cute little kit.

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1 hour ago, Seadragon said:

 

The Fluval 13.5 Gallon Evo XII Marine Aquarium Kit costs $196 + tax at Petco.  And he'd still have to buy everything else like the livestock, sand, saltwater, etc.  I guess my question is, are we dealing with only $100?  I do like that kit though.

 

How is it $196 in the US? Its $176-$189 in Ca. Are we actually cheaper here for 1 thing in this hobby? Lol.

 

$100 budget is not enough to start Sw. Even budget tanks end up costing in the end.

 

I feel it's being an honest person & hobbyist by letting the Op know, not only are start up costs not cheap even when going budget wise but there are regular maintenance costs to factor in.

 

 

Best budget wise method for start up:

 

Standard tank(if you have $1/gallon purchase then)

 

Hob filter (seachem tidal or Aquaclear) if you go with larger models it helps with future upgrades or even hiding heater in them, easy mods for media and heater.

 

Heater (aqueon pro or cobalt neotherm) 

 

Mars aqua led light(amazon) this can even be used with an upgrade

 

 Caribsea Sand.  bare bottom costs nothing and you can paint the outside bottom panel a white or sand colour to give it a more natural look than just glass.

 

If you do a black background with the heater choices and filter they will blend with the black and not be overly noticeable.

 

Rock:

liverock can cost but no additional additives needed. 

If you go with dry rock you will need ammonia and bacteria supplements to cycle the tank.

 

Powerhead- hydor or jebao are affordable.

 

Additional items needed:

 

buckets, gravel vacuum, algae scrapers, Turkey baster, toothbrushes, towels, foods, 

Additional cheap heater/pump for making SW. 

 

Gloves!

 

regular expenses:

 

Salt: Instant Ocean is the cheapest 

 

Testers: api ammonia and nitrate for cycling. Once corals get added.

Calcium, alkalinity, phosphate, magnesium, nitrate will be needed.

 

Water:

Distilled or RODI- so an rodi unit is needed or purchasing distilled needs to be factored as a monthly expense.

Rodi filters are a regular expense, depending on water quality will depend on frequency of replacing.

 

Filter media: cheapest to buy in the containers, get media bags and bag it yourself. 

 

Dosing: if you get into lps or spa eventually you will need to supplement alk/ca in between waterchanges.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Clown79 said:

How old is your son?

He is 13 and I have personally been reading up on 2 gallon jars because I think it would be fun.   As far as cost goes yeah I am aware of how much its going to cost. He seems to be pretty set on it and saving up all the extra cash he gets.  As for a light prob go with a used AI prime or used nanobox as the light is everything.  If he wants to go cheap with smaller tank, could do the ABI.  I am dying at the side lines. LOL Thanks for all the info and suggestions.

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30 minutes ago, waldoz said:

He is 13 and I have personally been reading up on 2 gallon jars because I think it would be fun.   As far as cost goes yeah I am aware of how much its going to cost. He seems to be pretty set on it and saving up all the extra cash he gets.  As for a light prob go with a used AI prime or used nanobox as the light is everything.  If he wants to go cheap with smaller tank, could do the ABI.  I am dying at the side lines. LOL Thanks for all the info and suggestions.

 

If you ever do any 2 gallon jars or something similar, be sure to make a journal for it on here, I'd like to follow it since I've always been intrigued myself.  Although that "Fluval 2.6 Gallon Spec III Aquarium Kit" is almost like a jar on steroids.  Kind of reminds me of those TV shows where they take some cheap vehicle and add all kinds of expensive accessories to it.  "Pimp my Jar" I'd call our show.

 

I think once you've enjoyed a larger tank, which is what all newcomers to the hobby should try first, the next logical step is to get something small & cute and only the things you love most.  I'd be in heaven with a tiny jar of pulsing xenia on my desk.

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1 hour ago, waldoz said:

He is 13 and I have personally been reading up on 2 gallon jars because I think it would be fun.   As far as cost goes yeah I am aware of how much its going to cost. He seems to be pretty set on it and saving up all the extra cash he gets.  As for a light prob go with a used AI prime or used nanobox as the light is everything.  If he wants to go cheap with smaller tank, could do the ABI.  I am dying at the side lines. LOL Thanks for all the info and suggestions.

I've done a pico jar and 3g.

 

Currently have a 2.5g

 

They were all quite fun tanks to run. 

Check out the pico jar and 2.5 retro contest we did on nano.

 

Quite a lot of ideas and info can be found.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 11/18/2019 at 2:31 PM, Seadragon said:

 

If you ever do any 2 gallon jars or something similar, be sure to make a journal for it on here, I'd like to follow it since I've always been intrigued myself.  Although that "Fluval 2.6 Gallon Spec III Aquarium Kit" is almost like a jar on steroids.  Kind of reminds me of those TV shows where they take some cheap vehicle and add all kinds of expensive accessories to it.  "Pimp my Jar" I'd call our show.

 

I think once you've enjoyed a larger tank, which is what all newcomers to the hobby should try first, the next logical step is to get something small & cute and only the things you love most.  I'd be in heaven with a tiny jar of pulsing xenia on my desk.

Natalia has a reef bowl that's been going for several years now, and Brandon has a vase that's over a decade old at this point--not exactly the same as the jar, but similar. I did the "2-gallon" Anchor Hocking jar during the Creative Container contest and found it's closer to 3 gallons! It was very easy to set up and maintain but was taken down due to a dino infestation (RIP). I think the link to my "jarden" is in my sig.


Also, I started with picos, so it's definitely doable, and ended up keeping my 15 long/IM14 peninsula for only a year or two. Just don't have the energy to maintain a "big" tank like that and prefer my picos lol.

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Battle Ground Wa.  We are currently waiting on the next shipment of two  gallon  jars on the 7th  at Walmart. We will pick the best one out of the two. He says I can always go bigger 😂. Which is true as he has gotten this far in few weeks.  I had been working on getting tank in the house for years. LoL

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righttirefire

I have a 20 long on a steel stand in my garage with a light stand. Ac50 and 100w heater. Ill give it to you! Im in keizer or. But work in tigard. Maybe we can met up

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