Help! Help! Help!

[bigmac03]

HEYA FOLKS,

First and foremost, I'm looking for the most bang for my buck! I would really like to stick to a limited budget so i dont whipe all of my funds on my first attempt....after six months i hear you will dump all your money into it=)

i really want to stick around 30 gals.

I have been checking out a lot of the cubes at lfs and online. also i have been reading all of the nano forums and really like a lot of the ones i see, but dont know if i can get there on my limited budget=(

Budget around 450-500 bucks...so off of that would it be better to build a tank with fuge, and i already have a stand(rember never built a tank or even tried/forums are good if you have links of mats and step by step process) , or go with the cube and upgrade the filtration?

In the tank i dont want much cause i like things clean and not so cluttered! i was thinking 2 little nemo's(lol clowns) and a mandarin goby(around that 6th month mark!), then your snails and crabs...maybe one more fish. Then the corals that the stock or stock (non MH) lighting could hold. i heard anything would be good but not clams or stoney(?)
also remember this would be for either tank!

please help me decide on which way to go, think if it were you trying to get the best outcome for your wallet and space...i know larger is better but dont have the space or money for that

sorry for the restrictions on everything and for the length just thought it would be easier with all details=) also if i should give up on salt and go fresh for the cost let me know....lol I wont listen but reality sometimes helps!

[Illuminati]

Skip the all in ones, get a regular rectangle tank, stand, light and some hang on back things like a skimmer and your set.

Keep an eye out on craigslist.org and your local classifieds, people are always getting rid of tanks for a lot less than what they paid.

Ditch the mandarin idea as well. Your not gonna be able to keep one. They eat pods and nano's don't have enough live rock to keep the pod population up.

[mr pink floyd]

Id say get a nice big HOB fuge, keep as much of the equipment in there as possible, skimmer is not neccesary if only 2 clowns, just do weekyl 5 gallon water changes, lighting cen be many things, id probably say go with a 4 bulb T5 HO system, less energy/heat adn probably more cost effective in the long run for halides. You can also keep most things under that

To keep cost down buy maybe 10 or so Lbs of LR, the rest base rock, and let them mix together for a while and the base will be seeded and become "live" which should save money, 1 tunze nano 6025 should be good flow for the tank

so pretty much, my recomendations would be:
Lighting - 4 bulb T5 fixture
Flow - Tunze nano 6025
Heater - 200w is 30 gallons im pretty sure
Filtration -Skimmer not neccesary but remora would be good. Nice HOB fuge with cheato,some CC for pod growth, few Lbs of LR too. Also 30+ lbs of rock would be a great natural filter

My 29 SPS is similar, tunze 6025, no skimmer, nice big fuge


good luck

[bigmac03]

thank you so much for the advised! im sorry to inform you that i feel to inexperienced and im just gonna try a 24 gal aqua pod with those minor filter upgrades.

i wish my funds were up just a lil but im gonna try and make this work with the help of a local reefer head!lol

if you still have any suggestions please feel free to let me know what i should or could do (i still havent started ordering but will very shortly!)

I also think that i will learn a lot even if i start to botch the entire project...cause fudge, it's a trial and error thing (only money, hopefully not living creatures=(}

please post with anymore ?'s, concerns or comments.please!!!


thnx a ton

[danoreef]

I just paid 329.00 +17.99 SH from dr.f&s for a 24 gallon aquapod with the 150 watt MH. I think that is a great deal . That 17.99 SH also included 50lbs of salt. 1 site wanted over $400.00 for the same tank and $50.00 SH. I gonna stick around and see what you end up decideing. Keep us posted.:strooper:

[Doglover_50]

go with colinadam's idea, OR be patient and buy a used one--I got a 12g jbj nano fully stocked with stand for $125., and just bought a 24g jbj nano with sand and rock for $150. --no corals
The deals are out there if you wait a while and you are around a decent sized city.

[bigmac03]

okay folks, i made up my mind! I decided to start out with the 29 (even though not 29) gallon biocube.

i feel a lot better knowing that i can get it set up and let it rip after some cheap modifications!

running into trouble, i cant find a very credable place to oreder...please post good experiences you have had with online stores=)


thnx a million

[Doglover_50]

dr foster and smith companies and marine depot are very good.

also, check if your city has a reef club. if so, join, get educated, and you'll get plenty of free frags and help in return!

[Illuminati]

If you want the biocube go with www.petsolutions.com.