Planning my first tank.

[MrSean]

Hello Everybody,

A few months ago I walked into a new pet store in town, called Blue Planet, to pick up some dog food, but what I left with was a new found love for reef aquariums. I have returned to Blue Planet weekly just to look every wonderful thing they keep. But, looking just doesn't feel like enough anymore. I love seeing these impossibly amazing creatures so much, I just want to get started on my own tank! So I have resolved to save my pennies to get started.

Upon my initial decision to start a reef tank I purchased a book called "Successful Saltwater Aquariums: a beginners guide" by John Tullock, And read it in short order. So I am starting to understand what is involved in keeping a tank. But one thing I have read multiple times is that planning is the most important step. Thankfully, you don't need very much money to start planning, so let's begin.

I know I want a reef tank, not fish only. Invertebrates are way too cool to pass up.

The tank I want to buy is the "Oceanic Bio Cube 29", It comes with all the basic things you need which is what made me feel comfortable even considering this hobby. I have learned that the more water you have in the tank, the easier it will be to maintain the chemical balance, so I have wanted the biggest size Bio Cube.

I would like to know if there are better, cheaper options out there for a beginner. The cube seems like a good choice because the only other equipment I would want to buy is a protein skimmer and maybe some of those fan things (power heads?) and possibly stronger lights; however, I don't doubt the apparent convenience of it may raise the price a bit.

So. my first big planning question is: What do you all think of the Bio Cube, and are there more cost effective options out there that will surpass the cube in quality?

Also, I live on the North Coast of California, with the ocean less than a mile from my home. And naturally I love the ocean. My question is, does anyone know if it is possible to get a license of some sort to be able to take Anemones, crabs, Star fish, etc from the ocean. And if I were to keep local species, would I still keep the tank temp at 75f for animals that live in water that is much cooler.

Thanks for your help!
I am really excited to learn more about this hobby, and dream of the day I set up my first tank!

[jenjen]

Welcome to an addicting hobby!!! Pat yourself on the back for doing so much research before making a big purchase... you'll live to appreciate that decision more than you know.

I've never had a BioCube so can't really comment on quality vs other solutions. I think you could definitely get a less expensive setup if you bought individual pieces, but it depends if the ease of a cube is important to you. Definitely if you decide to upgrade to a larger tank later on, having individual pieces will allow you to possibly re-use some stuff.

Have you given any thought to what fish you're hoping for in your tank? A 29gal will limit you to smaller fish, so it's a good idea to make sure you'll be able to get fish you're happy with in the size tank you've chosen.

Good luck, and make sure to ask lots of questions!

[MrSean]

Thanks for your reply!
I have definitely spent time thinking about the types of fish I want, but one thing I am interested in is learning a lot about the species before I make a final decision.

The more I have read and learned about clown fish, the more interested I am in them. They are really iconic (thanks to little Nemo) and I usually like to do things a little more unique, but they seem like really entertaining tank inhabitants. Also, keeping an anemone or two is something I'm pretty excited about, so the clown fish seem good for that too, possibly.

I was also thinking of getting a Royal Gramma: they are both strikingly colorful and hardy (from what I've read), so they seem like a good choice too.

Beyond fish, I am really interested in keeping plenty of inverts, all kinds, but especially little emerald crabs.

So that's what I've been thinking about lately, but plans change and I'll have plenty of time to think about it while my aquarium fund fattens up.

[sharky's machin]

I obviously don't know you, but I would think a biocube would get boring in a short while. I have a 14 gallon along with my 110 gallon reef and I can tell you the biocube pretty much ignored. If space is an issue, look at a rimless setup. They get mixed reviews, but glasscages makes a nice 60 gallon cube that would make a nice setup that you can grow. The problem with biocubes is that you can only modify so much. Just my two cents.

[IslandCrow]

Whether or not the tank would get boring really depends on the person I'd say. I find my 12g Aquapod just as entertaining as my 46g, but most people look at the 12g with no fish in it and don't quite get it.

That said, 29g is still considered a small tank in this hobby, so the relatively small volume will still be a little bit challenging for a first timer. I realize you have to balance cost in there, though, and smaller tanks are much less expensive both in initial purchase and to maintain.

Clownfish can indeed be very entertaining, and there are many species out there, including some interesting hybrids if you can afford them. Definitely consider getting a mated pair. They tend to be a little more expensive to buy as a pair, but some can be a little tricky to pair up on your own. Royal Grammas I don't know a lot about, but they are hardy and probably well suited for a tank that size.

Next, don't rush into getting an anemone. Despite the claims of some, they are not for beginners, and require a mature and very stable tank environment. Most of the clown hosting anemones can also get fairly large, so you may be lucky to keep even one in your tank long term, especially if you're planning on keeping corals as well. And just so you know, a captive clownfish has absolutely no requirement for an anemone.

Those all-in-one systems are a good idea and do make things a little simpler, but don't be too intimidated by putting together your own system. It can be a challenge, but is usually well worth it.

As far as collecting from the wild, I'm really not sure about California laws. Here in Florida, you can collect quite a few species with nothing more than a saltwater fishing license. Just keep in mind that northern California waters are much colder than the more equatorial waters where the fish we keep generally come from, so I doubt many species would be well suited for a reef tank, but there may be some.

[phenom5]

The biocube would work fine. Although I believe the biocubes come with PC lights, so you'll likely be limited in what you can keep as far as corals go. There are also some other options out there. The Elos mini is very nice, but carries quite a price tag. The Solana is really popular right now, and if I were going to go with an all-in-one nano, that's probably the route I'd go. Cad Lights also makes some nice AIO nanos.

For me, I prefer not going the all-in-one route, but it's a personal preference thing. It'd take a little more time, and a little (okay, a lot) more research, but I think you end up with a system that's better tailored to what you want in the end.


As far as collecting off shore in northern Cali goes, I'm not too familiar with the laws, although I'm fairly certain that to do it legally would be pretty costly. Also, you'd be getting into a cold water setup, which is a whole different animal. Cold water setups are awesome, but they're also pretty costly, and it can be very difficult to find livestock. Here's a good site to give you an idea of what you'd be in for. OregonReef (http://www.oregonreef.com/sub_coldwater.htm).