I would like some good ol advise :)

[ReefingWerewolf]

I am just going to give my background and ask for some advise on where to go from here. This may be a little long but i hope you read through and reply :thumbsup:

I am thirteen and have been keeping a successful 22 gallon planted aquarium for the past 5 years. I have always dreamed of keeping a saltwater aquarium, but as we all know reefing isn't cheap... But during the last 6 months or so I have had a renewed obsession with reef tanks and this amazing hobby and been researching like crazy (silently stalking your threads.)

How should i start out in the hobby? I keep asking myself this question... I cant just look at them on my laptop forever. My current plan is to attempt to take the plunge over summer brake. What sort of tank though and what route to take (its killing me :headwallblue:)? I don't want to go too big for starters, but I know that smaller tanks are harder to keep stable. My current plan is to go with a nice 38 gallon rimless deep blue aquarium with a 10 gallon sump. Unless an amazing craigslist deal comes along.

As for funds... god damn this hobby is't cheap! I have about 800 in savings plus a barmitzva and birthday :hb2: in the next month, how much will i gain not sure.

I have had no prior hands on experience in reefing and no'one in my family besides me is the least bit interested in aquariums. So any advise would be greatly appreciated :spin1:.

What are my next step's, give your opinion :wavehand:.

[ggreene66]

Well hello, and welcome to reef central. I am also a beginner currently setting up a 125 gallon reef. First of all this is just my opinion and how i started off in this hobby and i am just a beginner also so im just talking beginner to beginner. This hobby can be expensive but it doesnt have to be. There are many ways to acquire what you need for your tank and for great prices. I mainly buy from my local craigslist, ebay, lfs, or other fellow hobbyists. Between all these you can find great deals. I just started two months ago and before that i was exactly like you just reading and researching and asking as many questions as i could. The second thing i did was figure out what kind of system i wanted, how big and what i wanted in it. I went to craigslist and found a used 125 gallon reef ready with stand, canopy, lights and evrything included for$250. Now im just taking my time and slowly getting it the way i want it and making it my own. I hope this helps you and im sure more experienced people will give you more advice but hopefully this gives you some idea of how to start.

[ReefingWerewolf]

Thanks for the reply :)

I would looovvve to get a bigger tank like a 75 (theirs a great deal on my local craigslist right not for a stocked 3 month old 75 gallon reef for 600$ ;I) but don't know where i would construct a saltwater mixing station and so on...

Good luck on your build :)

[ReefingWerewolf]

Come one their have got to be some other people with suggestions out their in reef central :D.

[ReefingWerewolf]

What would you do for your first reef tank with lets say about 1-2k initial setup budget, I need ideas :P.

[ggreene66]

Thanks. A saltwater mixing station is no problem at all. You could easily use a large trash can thats safe of course and do your mixing in that with the powerhead for water movement and mixing also the heater and of course salt and ro di water and boom! Let that mix for 12 hours or overnight and use the next day dor water changes or whatever you need.

[ggreene66]

I may be a beginner just like you but i have read and researched and watched enough videos to know alot lol! As im sure you have.

[Crooked Reef]

Here is the list of all of my equipment from and approximate prices.

Tank stand and sump (65 gallon bought used) - $650.00
Return pump (Mag 9.5) - $100.00
Hoses, bulkheads, fittings - came with the used tank.
Heater - $30.00
Aqua c remora protein skimmer - $200.00 There are better skimmers but I got a HOB for my sump to save room for a refugium. You can go without a skimmer but will need to do more water changes.
Koralia 240, 425, 850, and 1150 gph pumps for flow in my display tank. Currently you can find these on the internet for anywhere from $30 to $40 a piece. You may not need as many as me though depending on your rockscaping and size of the tank you choose.
80+ lbs of live rock at $7.00 a pound $560.00, Again you will need less for a smaller tank.
80 to 100lbs aragonite sand. Dry sand maybe $60? it has been a while since I have checked and honestly dont remember what I paid.
Macro algea (cheato) for your sump. $10.00
Live rock rubble for my sump $25.00
Clip on shop light with a 6500K cfl bulb $15.00
T5 HO fixture at a minimum to keep corals. For a decent one with individual reflectors with 4 bulbs about $350.00 plus roughly $130 to replace the cheap stock bulbs with ATI bulbs. If you just start with fish only this can be purchased later
RO/DI reef buddy system at $100 will work for that size tank no problems.
Thermometer $3.00
Test kits $125.00
refractometer $25.00
3 X power strips $25.00
Salt $50.00

With that list I have roughly $2500.00 in my tank not including livestock. You can easily do this cheaper but I wanted to give you a real world cost for not even top of the line equipment.
Luckily I don't need a chiller. I also dont run any reactors because it is a small system and I can dose calcium, but I have looked into it. When you start corals you may need to dose calcium and magnesium. I dose calcium but havent had to dose mag yet.

One thing you have to consider being that you are thirteen, do you have an adult or older sibling that can drive you to a lfs to buy water for top offs or water changes or do you have space to set up your own ro/di and mixing stations?

[johnike]

And lose the potty mouth please, there's youngsters around here.
Oh wait, you are a youngster.
:(

[zeroalpha]

Also a beginner here. I think you've got some time. Considering you'll have to go through your cycle for about a month. Best advice I can give you is research, research, research, I started my tank (90g) in early April. But before that I would got to all the stores in my area and "price" out what I was going to need to buy. I would then come home and compare those prices with what was currently available on eBay, Craigslist, and Amazon. I ended up getting pretty much everything on craigslist for around $200.
That includes: 90 gallon tank with stand, over 100 pounds of live rock, tons of misc equipment that at the store is $5, $10, and $20 for free. Craigslist turned out to be my best friend. So go out and get yourself the basics that you'll need to at least start your cycle. Find the best deal on a tank and stand. Next, you'll need the live rock, sand, probably some power heads (appropriate for you tank size), salt, test kits, maybe a heater, and either buy the RO water or for right now use tap and get something like Seachem's Prime. Start your cycle with a piece of uncooked shrimp and test every couple of days to see where your parameters are at. During the next month, you can save up and continue buying piece by piece.

[zeroalpha]

Something else I forgot to mention is to look at the DIY section here. You'll be able to make some of the expensive equipment yourself. Not only do you save money so you can buy better items that you cant make, but you'll also be more heavily invested in your tank. Which normally means you'll be more apt to take more/better care of the tank. Good luck!!

[scott3569]

wow, humm Hello, I don't think this hobby sees many teenagers trying to get into it I am sure..However, You will probably, end up being one of the well known reefers!! maybe biologist. :) To me I think your off to a great start, your taking it slow, your realizing the cost, and the the fact that you might be able to get a deal on craigslist...I would not just llok at the diy section here but also on youtube, do a search for diy aquariums..I made the PVC over flow that everyone seems to hate..but it works fine you do have to add a small pump with an air line to pull the air out of it..but other than that I have had NO issues with it at all, the issues I have had are things that everyone has issues with(adjusting a ball valve)..I have a feeling you will do your research, and you will be fine!!

[Silvergryphon]

Watch Petco for their $1 a gal sale and pick up a pair of 40g breeders. Find someone handy with wood and build a stand, drill the back of one tank and set it up as display, use the second for a sump. Watch Craiglist for equipment, that'll help you save a bit too. Lights are going to be what breaks your budget if you buy new, another thing to watch for on craigslist.

Instead of paying $6-8 a lb for live rock, take the slower route and order dry rock from online sites like reefrocks.net or marco rocks, and seed with a couple pounds of live rock. Reefrocks.net is great because you can get 40lbs of Bahama Argonite sand per 25lbs of rock ordered for free (just have to pay shipping for the sand, around $15). In fact, I'll be ordering some in the future so if you're interested in joining in on the purchase to save shipping costs I have no problems helping there. Since you're in Seattle, there are plenty of local reefers that would be willing to donate a cup of sand to help seed your tank, including me if you're near Federal Way. Feel free to PM me if you need any local help!

[Mrramsey]

Yep buy used and do some diy. Pick up a 20g long for a sump at a minimum. You'll appreciate the extra work space. Standard tanks up 55g can be had a couple times a year from petco and petsmart for $1 per gallon. 40b tanks make nice reefs. There's always good deals on CL however I would steer clear of the all inclusive tanks unless there is no livestock. Just my opinion but I want to make the tank the way I want it and not the way someone else made it.

It does not have to be uber expensive or take up a great deal of space. I am currently cycling my 48x25x25 120g custom in wall reef tank. I built this in my office and it takes up a whopping 6'x7' area and has a 55g sump, 10g qt tank, ro/DI system, two 32g brutes for water storage and mixing. Between craigslist and a couple of trades selling off some of my old freshwater equipment, I have about $1800 out of pocket into this. That includes new led reef lighting, the new ro unit, new wp25 powerheads. The rest was used, sand was new, all dead rock.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/07/ny4ure7u.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/07/ytahasy3.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/07/amaqegy9.jpg

[ReefingWerewolf]

Thanks all for advise :)

Keep em coming, Its so nice to talk too people who actually care about care about the hobby, i usually just watch videos online :)

[shesacharmer]

I'm new too. I met a wonderful young teen at Petco while doing some research last week. He started about six months ago and was so happy to share all he had learned with me and tell me about forums and lfs that I had no idea existed. So, on that front you are not alone!

I found an entire setup, 75 gal, hood, tank, 30 gal. sump, metal halide, live rock, live sand, cycled water, and three damsels, with one power head, fully plumbed and operational for $350 on the craigslist of my neighboring state. It has taken some doing to get the logistics figured out to move all of that and the water but the plus side is I can begin right away after just monitoring my levels for a week or two. If everything stays stable I can add my inverts and take off (in the slow, patient manner this hobby demands.)

I suggest you scour the CL and local paper ads to find yourself an amazing deal. You could even get a rubbermaid barrel and cycle some dry rock while you shop...no time like the present! Best of luck to you and welcome!

[ReefingWerewolf]

Nice craigslist find shesacharmer, ya craigslist is a gold mine. Nice idea cycling dry rock before hand, might just do that!

Good luck with your build :)

[ReefingWerewolf]

Watch Petco for their $1 a gal sale and pick up a pair of 40g breeders. Find someone handy with wood and build a stand, drill the back of one tank and set it up as display, use the second for a sump. Watch Craiglist for equipment, that'll help you save a bit too. Lights are going to be what breaks your budget if you buy new, another thing to watch for on craigslist.

Instead of paying $6-8 a lb for live rock, take the slower route and order dry rock from online sites like reefrocks.net or marco rocks, and seed with a couple pounds of live rock. Reefrocks.net is great because you can get 40lbs of Bahama Argonite sand per 25lbs of rock ordered for free (just have to pay shipping for the sand, around $15). In fact, I'll be ordering some in the future so if you're interested in joining in on the purchase to save shipping costs I have no problems helping there. Since you're in Seattle, there are plenty of local reefers that would be willing to donate a cup of sand to help seed your tank, including me if you're near Federal Way. Feel free to PM me if you need any local help!

Great to find some local help:hmm5:
Il keep Reefocks.com in mind!

[ReefingWerewolf]

Yep buy used and do some diy. Pick up a 20g long for a sump at a minimum. You'll appreciate the extra work space. Standard tanks up 55g can be had a couple times a year from petco and petsmart for $1 per gallon. 40b tanks make nice reefs. There's always good deals on CL however I would steer clear of the all inclusive tanks unless there is no livestock. Just my opinion but I want to make the tank the way I want it and not the way someone else made it.

It does not have to be uber expensive or take up a great deal of space. I am currently cycling my 48x25x25 120g custom in wall reef tank. I built this in my office and it takes up a whopping 6'x7' area and has a 55g sump, 10g qt tank, ro/DI system, two 32g brutes for water storage and mixing. Between craigslist and a couple of trades selling off some of my old freshwater equipment, I have about $1800 out of pocket into this. That includes new led reef lighting, the new ro unit, new wp25 powerheads. The rest was used, sand was new, all dead rock.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/07/ny4ure7u.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/07/ytahasy3.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/07/amaqegy9.jpg

Thats a beautiful tank, makes me jealous :spin2:. Nice job keeping your spending low, il take notes :D.

[ReefingWerewolf]

wow, humm Hello, I don't think this hobby sees many teenagers trying to get into it I am sure..However, You will probably, end up being one of the well known reefers!! maybe biologist. :) To me I think your off to a great start, your taking it slow, your realizing the cost, and the the fact that you might be able to get a deal on craigslist...I would not just llok at the diy section here but also on youtube, do a search for diy aquariums..I made the PVC over flow that everyone seems to hate..but it works fine you do have to add a small pump with an air line to pull the air out of it..but other than that I have had NO issues with it at all, the issues I have had are things that everyone has issues with(adjusting a ball valve)..I have a feeling you will do your research, and you will be fine!!

The future generation of reefers has to come from somewhere! Im definitely gonna diy some stuff, such as possibly some led's, pvc overflow scares me though :I.

[ReefingWerewolf]

Also a beginner here. I think you've got some time. Considering you'll have to go through your cycle for about a month. Best advice I can give you is research, research, research, I started my tank (90g) in early April. But before that I would got to all the stores in my area and "price" out what I was going to need to buy. I would then come home and compare those prices with what was currently available on eBay, Craigslist, and Amazon. I ended up getting pretty much everything on craigslist for around $200.
That includes: 90 gallon tank with stand, over 100 pounds of live rock, tons of misc equipment that at the store is $5, $10, and $20 for free. Craigslist turned out to be my best friend. So go out and get yourself the basics that you'll need to at least start your cycle. Find the best deal on a tank and stand. Next, you'll need the live rock, sand, probably some power heads (appropriate for you tank size), salt, test kits, maybe a heater, and either buy the RO water or for right now use tap and get something like Seachem's Prime. Start your cycle with a piece of uncooked shrimp and test every couple of days to see where your parameters are at. During the next month, you can save up and continue buying piece by piece.

I have been researching long enough to know theirs tones to buy! Piece by piece seems too be a trend people are suggesting. Thanks for the reply!

[ReefingWerewolf]

And lose the potty mouth please, there's youngsters around here.
Oh wait, you are a youngster.
:(

The disadvantages of telling people my age...

[mcozad829]

The future generation of reefers has to come from somewhere! Im definitely gonna diy some stuff, such as possibly some led's, pvc overflow scares me though :I.

The best advice I can offer you, is for your first reef tank try to keep the DIY stuff to a minimum. Often times DIY projects take a long time to complete and many never get completed. I would buy a used system off craigslist that has at least a tank w/ overflow, stand, sump, and protein skimmer. You can probably pick up a common size like a 55 or 75 for a few hundred bucks. Also I would check out some of the books by mr. saltwater tank. He makes things very simple and easy to understand. Most of all don't bite off more than you can chew, start slow and don't get overwhelmed or you will lose the enthusiasm quickly. Best of luck to you and happy birthday and bar mitzvah

[ReefingWerewolf]

The best advice I can offer you, is for your first reef tank try to keep the DIY stuff to a minimum. Often times DIY projects take a long time to complete and many never get completed. I would buy a used system off craigslist that has at least a tank w/ overflow, stand, sump, and protein skimmer. You can probably pick up a common size like a 55 or 75 for a few hundred bucks. Also I would check out some of the books by mr. saltwater tank. He makes things very simple and easy to understand. Most of all don't bite off more than you can chew, start slow and don't get overwhelmed or you will lose the enthusiasm quickly. Best of luck to you and happy birthday and bar mitzvah

Thanks man, im mostly dreaming with diy led's :I. Your advise is greatly appreciated. And thanks for the happy birthday/barmitzva :spin3:.

[ReefingWerewolf]

More advise, Keep it comin people!!! :)

[mcozad829]

Thanks man, im mostly dreaming with diy led's :I. Your advise is greatly appreciated. And thanks for the happy birthday/barmitzva :spin3:.

DIY leds- if you feel comfortable doing it go for it. Your tank will be up and running for quite a while before you even need lights.

Things like a stand and a overflow are not things that I recommend for a beginner, no offense but especially a 13 year old. A wrong move while drilling could crack glass, if your carpentry skills aren't great your tank could collapse during initial fill. And odds are you will spend more getting pieces to complete DIY projects than if you found the item on craigslist used. Again welcome to the hobby.

[0coool]

I got into my first reef tank at 14. It wasn't easy and I did way too much DIY. I would suggest not running a sump and staying on the smaller side around 40 gallons. Running a sump adds a lot of cost and energy usage that arguably isn't needed. The tank I ran at your age had a hang on overflow which is a terrible idea, you will eventually leak water if you have one. So use a drilled tank if you insist on a sump. I personally run a 40L peninsula tank $100 with an eshopps HOB skimmer $130, phosreactor with pump $45, jebao wp25 $70, and 4 bulb t5 lights $200, 150 heater $25, 25lbs of brs pukani rock ~$75 and 20lbs of sand $20. If you shop around a lot you should be able to get a similar setup for a reasonable price. You will also want an RO system $100-200 and I built my own stand which isn't too hard but costs vary wildly depending on what you want.

Good luck and have fun!

[ReefingWerewolf]

DIY leds- if you feel comfortable doing it go for it. Your tank will be up and running for quite a while before you even need lights.

Things like a stand and a overflow are not things that I recommend for a beginner, no offense but especially a 13 year old. A wrong move while drilling could crack glass, if your carpentry skills aren't great your tank could collapse during initial fill. And odds are you will spend more getting pieces to complete DIY projects than if you found the item on craigslist used. Again welcome to the hobby.

Im too scared to ever try drilling a tank lol :hmm5:. I definitely wont be doing a diy stand or overflow, but thanks for the warning. I most likely will start out with a cheap t5 fixture (what i run on my planted tank) while working on a diy led fixture. totally inspiring build i found in YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZSlgRpf9tg

[ReefingWerewolf]

I got into my first reef tank at 14. It wasn't easy and I did way too much DIY. I would suggest not running a sump and staying on the smaller side around 40 gallons. Running a sump adds a lot of cost and energy usage that arguably isn't needed. The tank I ran at your age had a hang on overflow which is a terrible idea, you will eventually leak water if you have one. So use a drilled tank if you insist on a sump. I personally run a 40L peninsula tank $100 with an eshopps HOB skimmer $130, phosreactor with pump $45, jebao wp25 $70, and 4 bulb t5 lights $200, 150 heater $25, 25lbs of brs pukani rock ~$75 and 20lbs of sand $20. If you shop around a lot you should be able to get a similar setup for a reasonable price. You will also want an RO system $100-200 and I built my own stand which isn't too hard but costs vary wildly depending on what you want.

Good luck and have fun!

Great to get advise from people who started as youngsters! And thanks for the shopping list! I really want a sump, cant stand the idea of having my skimmer hanging off the back + it does not leave much room for upgrades in the future.

[ReefingWerewolf]

Loving the comments people! please feel free to post your advise and how you started out :D.

[mcozad829]

Loving the comments people! please feel free to post your advise and how you started out :D.

How I started? I was 7 years old and caught a bluegill and refused to let it go, kept it in a 5 gal bucket for a few days until it died. It all went downhill from there lol.

[ReefingWerewolf]

lollll, thats one way to start out in the hobby!

[ReefingWerewolf]

Keep em coming people, no need to be shy =)!!!

[johnike]

I started out in the 70's.
http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p361/john_eichwedel/scan0001.jpg (http://s345.photobucket.com/user/john_eichwedel/media/scan0001.jpg.html)
http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p361/john_eichwedel/scan0004.jpg (http://s345.photobucket.com/user/john_eichwedel/media/scan0004.jpg.html)
http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p361/john_eichwedel/scan0005.jpg (http://s345.photobucket.com/user/john_eichwedel/media/scan0005.jpg.html)

[ReefingWerewolf]

I started out in the 70's.
http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p361/john_eichwedel/scan0001.jpg (http://s345.photobucket.com/user/john_eichwedel/media/scan0001.jpg.html)
http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p361/john_eichwedel/scan0004.jpg (http://s345.photobucket.com/user/john_eichwedel/media/scan0004.jpg.html)
http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p361/john_eichwedel/scan0005.jpg (http://s345.photobucket.com/user/john_eichwedel/media/scan0005.jpg.html)

You have been in the hobby 40+ years, Congrats!

[johnike]

Did you just call me old?
;)
:)

[ReefingWerewolf]

Not at all, just commenting on your dedication to the hobby. :)

[ReefingWerewolf]

Keep the advise coming people. I love to read it! :)

[DrBoxedWine]

You can also find good all inclusive deals on Craigslist. You won't have the flexibility of getting exactly the equipment you want, but you can find complete setups for $300 for 30ish gallons and so on. I'm sure you can find a 75g for $500. You don't HAVE to start out big, it's ideal to do so, but if a nano tank is all you can manage right now then go for it!