jsvokowest

Experienced Reefer
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bayside
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purchasing a tank

Looking fo a goood place to buy a 90 reef ready. The other consideration is the red sea max 250 but am afraid i will be stuck with no other upgrade options. (which i can see this is a compulsive hobby and upgrades are inevitable). currently running a 30 gal high cichlid tank for yearsbut thanks to my daughter we have managed to convince wifey to salt.(love that kid) also the 65 red sea seems to limit me a lot more than a 90 gallon as far as species and amount of fish is concerned. final question is refugium or bio balls. not looking to crazy just yet with the equip and fish but would like the room to grow so i turn to the pros. any suggestions greatly appreciated. i have been warned about purchasing used tanks. but probably a sales pitch. i live near fishtown but they have proved to be useless especially once they told me a 30 gallon high can not be made into salt the tried to sell me a 28 gal nano,
 
Last edited:

18oreefer

+270
Location
Franklin NJ
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Welcome to MR. Lots of good people here that can help you every step of the way with whatever you need. As for someone telling you dont go used thatg was totaly a sales pitch. Here and craigs list are good places to get a lot of stuff at some really screamin prices. I built practicaly my entire tank off of craigs. Saved a s#$t load of coin. My best pice of advice is if you think you have the reef bug then go as big as your wallet will allow you to go from the start. The advantges in that are, first you wont be buying 3 different tanks before you get to where you want to be. Second a larger volume of water will allow you some more wiggle room with you water parameters. If your going to go big from the start make sure you do your research on what kind of tank you want to build and what you want to have in it. If your going to do a fish only tank then bio balls will do you fine. If you are going to do a reef or fowlr (fish only with live rock) can the bio balls. A good book for getting started, even before you get a tank, is Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Robert M. Fenner. Check it out and go from there. Look foward to seein a build thread.
 

jsvokowest

Experienced Reefer
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bayside
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Thank you I spoke with Steve at Wonderful Worlk of Fish on Steinway (very helpful) as i was close to being the winning bidder on a 150 tank. Just trying to get the hobby started so as not to allow the wife the deter the crusade me and my 4 year old have pushed for. (mostly mine) gonna go to the library again and check out this book. been reading up for a while now. started with a book from fishtown till i noticed it was a 1973 printing. guess things have changed a bit since then. just a glimpse as to what i have been going through which leads me to here and unbiased reviews. Thanks for the invite and hope to be sharing soon
 

CHEMCHEF

PERMANOOB
Location
westbury ny
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People are getting in and out of this hobby everyday.
Buy used!!!! I did and paid far less than 50% on everything I bought.
Paitience through every aspect of this hobby will pay off.
After all the purpose of a hobby is to slow down and enjoy.
So it seems you are off to a sucessful start

Welcome
 

jsvokowest

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seems to be way to go. my kid has been into the fish thing since birth we used to relax in from of the fresh tank with her and i was more relaxing than just plopping her in front of the tv. so i am glad cause it will teach responsibility i hope. was gearing for a 100 gal room divider for about 680 just the tank cabinet hood predrilled from what i can see that is not that bad it is a floor model. for something like that i know i should have about 100 lbs of live rock but what can i get away with to stabilize the system for good filtration. naturally one of the conditions is to get nemo but if nemo dies needless to say it will be tramatic around here
 

18oreefer

+270
Location
Franklin NJ
Rating - 100%
11   0   0
100 lbs is a good start especialy with a few fish but once you start stocking more you will need around 2 lbs per gallon. A clown is a good starter fish they are damsels and damesls are more forgiving to water parameters. Once you put your rock in you should leave the tank with only that and just keep an eye on your levels (amonia, nitrite, and nitrate). So buy a good test kit plus phosphate in the future. It will probably be a couple of weeks before you want to put any fish in there, and when you do start with one maby 2 if there small. Again I might recomend Shopping here or craigs list. you will definatly get a lot more bang for your dollar. Thouse are most definatly the best places to buy rock. Do you know what kind of tank you want to have?
 

jsvokowest

Experienced Reefer
Location
bayside
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was looking at a couple of styles. just got back from a place that offered a rr half cylinder 68 gallon with sump, heaters powerhead cabinet lighting ( not halide)t5 protein skimmer for about 1400 was also thinking about a room divider 78 gall or a bow front any preferences benefits. or coments on the deal?
 

18oreefer

+270
Location
Franklin NJ
Rating - 100%
11   0   0
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/sale-trade/

http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/for/1041171837.html

http://newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/for/1040945690.html

http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/for/1039084375.html

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum...lack-laminate-stand-sump-protein-skimmer.html

Check them out. They are all a good start at a good price. The first link is to the market place here. Happy hunting. O what i was aking before was do you want to do a fish only tank or fowlr or a softie reef sps lps? What are you lookin to do in that sense?
 

jsvokowest

Experienced Reefer
Location
bayside
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
was original looking at a fowlr but kinda leaning to the fact that i might end up in sps i am toying with the idea that i should plunge for the halide if i do right off the bat.thanks for the links i really appreciate the help
 

18oreefer

+270
Location
Franklin NJ
Rating - 100%
11   0   0
Well if i were in your shoes i would get your tnk legs first with some softies or lps. sps are the most demading corals you can have. But if you are looking to have a sps tank in the end and you can afford the electric then definatly go with the halides. It will save you a lighting purchase.
 

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