rookie needing help =)

[hkerekes]

Im trying to start up a salt water tank.....

I was planning on going fish only first because from what ive read its easiest to start with.
Im not jumping head first ive dealt with freshwater and am going to take my time.

I came across this setup "will sell the tank with a Turboflotor 1000 Skimmer with Rio 2100 pump and a 120v Workhorse 7 Ballast all together for $225!"

Or should i just buy the tank for 150 ( has a corner overflow ) and get an asm g3 skimmer , a decent pump ( mag?) and find diff lighting.

Help heheheh
Thanks in advance

 

[whitesquall]

what size tank?

 

[hkerekes]

sorry about that its a new unused 65 gallon.  Im probably goin to step up to a bigger down the road but nothing crazy.    I also have a 10 gallon sitting around.     Could i use the 10 gallon as the sump,  ( keep the skimmer, heaters, etc in there? or is that too small.

 

[Phyl]

I'm currently using a 10 as the sump to my 65, but more because that's the biggest that I can get into the stand. If I had more room, I'd go bigger!

 

[BobCReef]

can we assume this is with a stand and how about a canopy?

bob

 

[hkerekes]

No stand or canopy.

Now i could make one out of wood or im good friends with a welder. I talked to him and he said no problem he just needs measurements. Would aluminum be ok or should i go the steel route or just make it out of wood.

 

[hkerekes]

New plan, advice needed.

dimensions on the tank are 36x18x25
I believe the 10 g sump is gonna be too small so i started reading up on diy acrylic.

1. so 65 g tank with overflow
custom acrylic sump/refugium located in the basement or under the stand not sure which i wanna do yet.
2. asm g3 skimmer
3. mag pump
4. 2 heaters no clue what to get there?
5. ro/di unit
6. use an open tank for now with 250w lighting ( starting with fish only probably gonna go to FOWLR later) is that ok for now and acceptable for maybe adding live rock?
7. Salifert sp? testing kits
8. Refractometer
9. ???? am i missing anything equipment wise aside from the plumbing.

sorry for all the questions =(

 

[dflint]

if it's fish only and the fish are hardy you can probably start out without the refractometer (use the cheap swing arm type to start) and the RO unit. You also don't need alot of light to start if you don't have corals, it'll just promote lots o hair algae. I started up in stages,s o I didn't have to plunk down a ton of cash.

you can order heaters, test kits, pumps, ect. a lot cheaper online. try ww.bigalsonline.com or www.thatfishplace.com, or do a search for pet stores. buying used is always a big money saver. keep an eye the for sale forums of reef central and here.

hope that helps.

 

[hkerekes]

yes it does thank you.

I plan on goin into a reef later on down the road so i dont mind the money now.