Need advice, $1,000 budget build.

cedwards04 · 11/08/2017, 06:07 PM

I've got around a $1,000 budget to work with, maybe a little less. I also have a size restraint. It needs to fit in a 30"x18" deep area, with no room for a sump. So some sort of all in one, or diy all in one, I am very handy and not afraid to build.

Would like to be able to keep mostly lps maybe some sps. I currently have a 20 gal fowlr setup with a jebao pp8 powerhead, I will transfer everything from this tank to the new one. I need ideas on the setup, and equipment. Thanks!

Knighthawk · 11/08/2017, 06:10 PM

If you can fit a 40 breeder I would suggest that. They are 36 inches long though. If 30 is a hard limit, you will be limited to a 20 long or 29 gallon. You can go custom but will pay for it.

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Anotherplanet · 11/08/2017, 06:22 PM

Is $1,000 your entire budget? Or just for the tank and stand? I ask because I️ thought that was my budget then 6 months later I️ spent $12K lol so I would really try to stick with a setup where you can utilize your current equipment. I️ think staying in your budget will be most satisfying and a reef tank can really be any size

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cedwards04 · 11/08/2017, 08:41 PM

$1,000 is my tank/equipment/rock/sand budget. I already have a stand, and I am limited to 30" or less in length so unfortunately a 40 breeder is out.

I was originally thinking a 29gal with some sort of diy sump/refugium setup behind it rather than under it. I cannot place anything under it, but a 29 gal is 12" wide and I have 18" to work with. So that gives me a good 6" of sump/refugium behind it and still have a little clearance from the wall.

I'm thinking drill the 29 and use a glass holes overflow to lead into a diy acrylic box that can be divided into different chambers for housing the heater, return pump, refugium, a skimmer, and maybe even an auto top off. I thinking gravity type auto top off mounted to the wall above it.

rocsec1 · 11/08/2017, 08:55 PM

Sure you can do that to start epically if you buy used equipment, but this hobby has a habit of getting expensive quick. I started with a 30 cube and that was four tanks ago. I have way more invested then my wife realized, lucky she really tanks, the tank (currently a 120 with a forty breeder sump and a forty breeder frag tank).
If you don’t get upgrade fever you should be fine as long as you can disciple yourself and keep your wallet closed.

cedwards04 · 11/09/2017, 06:13 AM

Maybe I haven't explained myself well enough here. I already have a 20 gal going with sand and rock in it, and a wavemaker. The $1,000 budget is just to upgrade the tank and equipment to go a little bigger and be able to keep coral.

I need to buy a little more sand and rock for the extra footprint since my current tank is a 20 tall. I am also looking for suggestions on how to setup the sump area, and what skimmer to go with.

mcgyvr · 11/09/2017, 07:16 AM

I have no clue why people are worried about your stated budget..
For what you have/want $1k is PLENTY..

But I think you are making a big mistake focusing on needing a sump/skimmer..

You absolutely DO NOT need those to have a successful tank.. and if you are just cramming it into such a small space is basically useless anyways...

If you had nothing at all I would suggest this so remove what you already have from this list..

Get the largest tank you can fit in that area..
Get a couple decent powerheads if you don't have them already..
Get a good light (maybe ATI T5.. maybe LED.. whatever you want)..
Get a heater and heater controller if needed for winter months,etc.. (inkbird controllers are great/simple)
Get the extra rock and brand new "dry" sand (use your old rock but not the sand) to have about 1.5lbs of rock per gallon and enough sand for about a 1.5" sand bed..

Done..
Simply rely on water changes to maintain proper water chemistry and use the rest of the money for corals once the tank is fully cycled and has gone through the ugly stages..

Thats it.. Way under $1k easily.. and you can have a fantastic tank..

NO tank needs a skimmer or reactors or sumps,etc...... They can be great "help" on larger tanks to reduce maintenance,etc... but with what you are talking about its just not needed at all..
With sufficient rock (usually around 1.5lbs/gallon or more) there will be plenty of bacteria to keep nitrates/phosphates low even with decent feeding that all the extra equipment just isn't worth it and water changes alone do all you need..

RobZilla04 · 11/09/2017, 07:17 AM

Look into a 32g Bio Cube.

Heuristic · 11/09/2017, 07:51 AM

Buy a used reef ready tank/sump. You can get these things for pennies on the dollar and that'll give you a lot of money to spend on better equipment. Most of them only need a little TLC with some vinegar and elbow grease to look brand new.

Subsea · 11/09/2017, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

I have no clue why people are worried about your stated budget..
For what you have/want $1k is PLENTY..

But I think you are making a big mistake focusing on needing a sump/skimmer..

You absolutely DO NOT need those to have a successful tank.. and if you are just cramming it into such a small space is basically useless anyways...

If you had nothing at all I would suggest this so remove what you already have from this list..

Get the largest tank you can fit in that area..
Get a couple decent powerheads if you don't have them already..
Get a good light (maybe ATI T5.. maybe LED.. whatever you want)..
Get a heater and heater controller if needed for winter months,etc.. (inkbird controllers are great/simple)
Get the extra rock and brand new "dry" sand (use your old rock but not the sand) to have about 1.5lbs of rock per gallon and enough sand for about a 1.5" sand bed..

Done..
Simply rely on water changes to maintain proper water chemistry and use the rest of the money for corals once the tank is fully cycled and has gone through the ugly stages..

Thats it.. Way under $1k easily.. and you can have a fantastic tank..

NO tank needs a skimmer or reactors or sumps,etc...... They can be great "help" on larger tanks to reduce maintenance,etc... but with what you are talking about its just not needed at all..
With sufficient rock (usually around 1.5lbs/gallon or more) there will be plenty of bacteria to keep nitrates/phosphates low even with decent feeding that all the extra equipment just isn't worth it and water changes alone do all you need..

This is some of the most practical advice I have heard on this forum in a long time. I might have disagreed with you on discarding the sand but that is me and I am tight. More importantly, depending on if it has healthy biodiversity, I want all the biodiversity that I can get which includes bacteria in sand bed.

mcgyvr · 11/09/2017, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Subsea

This is some of the most practical advice I have heard on this forum in a long time. I might have disagreed with you on discarding the sand but that is me and I am tight. More importantly, depending on if it has healthy biodiversity, I want all the biodiversity that I can get which includes bacteria in sand bed.

Thanks for the compliment..
I think that what I wrote is the best path forward for them given the restrictions,etc... they have

My personal preference is to just replace the sand as I find that many of the same creatures/bacteria,etc.. that are in it will also be in the rock/carried over into the new tank to some extent and will repopulate in a short enough time..
You also aren't bringing all the old detritus "mulm" as inert as it may be it just a mess,etc.. I just like to start "fresh" there.. In a few weeks after starting a new tank I always see the same worms/bugs/,etc.. in the new sand as I did in the old.

To your point though it can certainly be beneficial to take a few heaping cups of the old sand though to help repopulate the new sand even faster..

saf1 · 11/09/2017, 08:47 AM

Bio-cube is a great option. Can also upgrade the lighting later with LED's if you are into any sort of DIY. Heck, could even buy pre-built LED from a couple of the vendors and you can keep anything in the hobby more or less coral wise.

You don't need a sump nor do you need a skimmer. You need the basics of the tank, salt mix, heat, lighting, and of course water flow. Then decide what you want to keep (seriously, list out what you want to keep both fish and coral) and go from there. Might also want to shop sell/want adds because people upgrade all the time and sell stuff that is in excellent condition and cheaper.

$1,000.00 can go a long ways especially if you are limited by tank size. Make that list and go from there. Maybe that will help guide you a bit. Best of luck!

nereefpat · 11/09/2017, 09:07 AM

With a smaller tank, I would recommend staying away from non-essential equipment as well. I'm not sure a 6" wide sump would be worth it. It would basically hold your heater and return pump.

I would, instead, get a 6" wider display tank...Something like 30"x18"x24" tall. After some looking around online (marineland, deep blue, glass cages), it looks like any 18" wide tank is much longer than 30". It might be worth emailing glasscages. I bet they would make you a 30x18x24 for somewhere in the 200-300 dollar range...or less.

Then add a 4 bulb T5 light, or one or two black box LEDs, heater, a couple hydor koralia powerheads, dry rock, dry sand. You're in business for half the 1000$ budget.

Subsea · 11/09/2017, 09:17 AM

I have found that the basic tank equipment is the cheapest part of the set up. Depending on what goes into the tank will determine the method required to operate the tank and to some degree, the equipment required, which effects cost.

So, to cut thru the gaff, what do you want in your tank? What is your dream for it?

Their are many ways to operate a successful reef tank. Let us focus on the skimmer, to be technical, a foam fractionator. It indiscriminately removes free swimming bacteria in the water column due to surface tension of air bubbles. Ken Feldermans peer reviewed research on effects of carbon dosing on bacteria in reef tanks shows that protein skimmers remove at best 30% of DOC, GAC removes 60% and a mature reef tank inhabitants remove 75%. Why get a skimmer when you can grow coral with what the skimmate removes?

JTL · 11/09/2017, 10:06 AM

When I was tank shopping I did not find Glass Cages to be all that cheap. If you are into diy you could always build your own tank. I have done it a few times and recently built a sump that is about the same size as what you are needing. It is pretty easy if you are handy, you just need to think it through and be organized because the silicone skims over pretty fast.

Knighthawk · 11/09/2017, 10:48 AM

I would also look into the SCA PNP systems. You can get the 50 cube right now for 599. Just need lights, pumps and heater

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Shia · 11/09/2017, 10:53 AM

Building an acrylic tank may be a great option for you if you are very handy, and you can make a very custom all in one. You can make the enclosed sump area as big or as small as you like. I am not one to skimp on the sump. The less filtration you have the more water changes you have to do. Regardless of the direction you take $1000 is more than enough to get you a nice setup.

cedwards04 · 11/19/2017, 08:55 PM

i emailed glasscages about getting the glass for me to build a custom tank to my size requirements, it was much higher than i expected it to be. i think for now i am going to stick to the original plan of doing a 29 gal, drill it, and find/build an acrylic sump area. i will place a drain on the bottom of my "sump" for easy water changes, and have a return pump section where i can set up a simple gravity fed auto top off. the wife and i frequently vacation and i dont want the house sitter worrying about topping the tank off. i can divide out each days supply of food and make it as simple as possible for them.

that being said, i currently have a jebao pp-4 wavemaker that should work great in the 29gal as it is too strong in the 20 gal even turned all the way down. i will reuse that, my heater, my rock, and replace the sand. i will use a small/cheap return pump as i really wont be needing a large turnover rate through the sump.

i could use some help with lighting. i would prefer leds. it seems like everything i find has either an 18x18 or a 24x24 coverage area. so it seems i will end up needing to purchase 2 fixtures. i really like the wifi ability built into the ai prime hd, but at $200/ea, i think i would need 2 to cover the tank, which puts me at $400, plus the mounts. are there any better options out there? can i get by with 1 fixture?

also, i am sure that raising the light higher will give me a larger spread, but would also lose penetration depth. if i went to a 20 long instead of the 29gal, could i raise the height of the light enough to get a larger spread and still get decent penetration to the bottom of the tank since it would be shallower?

greengeco82 · 11/20/2017, 01:05 AM

Hmmm. No skimmer is the new craze? Do you skimmerless people use airstones, or is gas exchange not important as thought to be too?

ReefMaster48 · 11/20/2017, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cedwards04

i emailed glasscages about getting the glass for me to build a custom tank to my size requirements, it was much higher than i expected it to be. i think for now i am going to stick to the original plan of doing a 29 gal, drill it, and find/build an acrylic sump area. i will place a drain on the bottom of my "sump" for easy water changes, and have a return pump section where i can set up a simple gravity fed auto top off. the wife and i frequently vacation and i dont want the house sitter worrying about topping the tank off. i can divide out each days supply of food and make it as simple as possible for them.

that being said, i currently have a jebao pp-4 wavemaker that should work great in the 29gal as it is too strong in the 20 gal even turned all the way down. i will reuse that, my heater, my rock, and replace the sand. i will use a small/cheap return pump as i really wont be needing a large turnover rate through the sump.

i could use some help with lighting. i would prefer leds. it seems like everything i find has either an 18x18 or a 24x24 coverage area. so it seems i will end up needing to purchase 2 fixtures. i really like the wifi ability built into the ai prime hd, but at $200/ea, i think i would need 2 to cover the tank, which puts me at $400, plus the mounts. are there any better options out there? can i get by with 1 fixture?

also, i am sure that raising the light higher will give me a larger spread, but would also lose penetration depth. if i went to a 20 long instead of the 29gal, could i raise the height of the light enough to get a larger spread and still get decent penetration to the bottom of the tank since it would be shallower?

I'd check out some black box LEDs on amazon. For just over or even under a 100 bucks, you can get an awesome light. Might not have a whole lot of fancy features, etc etc, but it will certainly grow your tank!

mcgyvr · 11/20/2017, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greengeco82

Hmmm. No skimmer is the new craze? Do you skimmerless people use airstones, or is gas exchange not important as thought to be too?

There is still plenty of gas exchange happening due to water circulation from powerheads,etc... any little bit of turbulence at the water surface is usually sufficient..

norton503 · 11/20/2017, 04:47 PM

Have you looked into SCA Starfire 50g? On Amazon for 699. Kessil lights are great and at 230 ish. They come with a stand are are cube I think they were like 24x24 but I could be off. Whole setup under 1000$.

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jphayes921 · 11/20/2017, 09:34 PM

Can go a long way with Craigslist for a tank and stand. IMO I have the cheapest setup and fish and other fauna are flourishing. I got a dt for free from a friend getting rid of it. Built the stand. Sump for free, another friend getting rid of a tank. Most cost was pumps and skimmer. I'm no expert by any means, but my setup is far less than 1k and I have a 55" dt and a 30gal sump with all the amenities needed for a worry free tank.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

cedwards04 · 11/22/2017, 11:31 AM

Bc of where the aquarium is going, I am limited to 30" or less in length, and 18" or less in width. I absolutely cannot make any exceptions on that size restriction unfortunately. I have to work within the space I'm allowed at the moment.

EzReefs · 11/22/2017, 12:15 PM

I had a 29 gallon for a while and I enjoyed it. If you do it you should definitely have a sump. The main reason is to fit a lot of live rock in there so you don't have to crowd the 29 gallon with too much rock. Could make your own 10 gallon sump with one baffle to keep a consistent water level for a skimmer (if you want one) and then as much live rock as possible on the other side of the sump with a return pump as well. I would get the following stuff if I were to build a new 29 gallon tank:

29 Gallon Tank: 30" x 12" x 18"
10 Gallon Tank for sump: 20" x 11" x 13"
SCA 301 Protein Skimmer
Light of your choice
3/4" Bulkheads with Diamond Coated Drill Bits to cut glass
Internal Overflow box
PVC Pipe with gate valve
20lbs live rock + however much rock you can fit in the sump
350gph return pump
Heater
Jebao Wave Makers
Thermometer

You'll have to look up how to drill and plumb the tank.

11/08/2017, 06:07 PM	#1
cedwards04 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 217	Need advice, $1,000 budget build. I've got around a $1,000 budget to work with, maybe a little less. I also have a size restraint. It needs to fit in a 30"x18" deep area, with no room for a sump. So some sort of all in one, or diy all in one, I am very handy and not afraid to build. Would like to be able to keep mostly lps maybe some sps. I currently have a 20 gal fowlr setup with a jebao pp8 powerhead, I will transfer everything from this tank to the new one. I need ideas on the setup, and equipment. Thanks!

11/09/2017, 07:16 AM	#7
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	I have no clue why people are worried about your stated budget.. For what you have/want $1k is PLENTY.. But I think you are making a big mistake focusing on needing a sump/skimmer.. You absolutely DO NOT need those to have a successful tank.. and if you are just cramming it into such a small space is basically useless anyways... If you had nothing at all I would suggest this so remove what you already have from this list.. Get the largest tank you can fit in that area.. Get a couple decent powerheads if you don't have them already.. Get a good light (maybe ATI T5.. maybe LED.. whatever you want).. Get a heater and heater controller if needed for winter months,etc.. (inkbird controllers are great/simple) Get the extra rock and brand new "dry" sand (use your old rock but not the sand) to have about 1.5lbs of rock per gallon and enough sand for about a 1.5" sand bed.. Done.. Simply rely on water changes to maintain proper water chemistry and use the rest of the money for corals once the tank is fully cycled and has gone through the ugly stages.. Thats it.. Way under $1k easily.. and you can have a fantastic tank.. NO tank needs a skimmer or reactors or sumps,etc...... They can be great "help" on larger tanks to reduce maintenance,etc... but with what you are talking about its just not needed at all.. With sufficient rock (usually around 1.5lbs/gallon or more) there will be plenty of bacteria to keep nitrates/phosphates low even with decent feeding that all the extra equipment just isn't worth it and water changes alone do all you need.. __________________ Who me?

11/09/2017, 07:17 AM	#8
RobZilla04 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: St. Augustine, FL Posts: 1,857	Look into a 32g Bio Cube. __________________ 90g Mixed Reef

11/09/2017, 08:47 AM	#12
saf1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: California Posts: 2,259	Bio-cube is a great option. Can also upgrade the lighting later with LED's if you are into any sort of DIY. Heck, could even buy pre-built LED from a couple of the vendors and you can keep anything in the hobby more or less coral wise. You don't need a sump nor do you need a skimmer. You need the basics of the tank, salt mix, heat, lighting, and of course water flow. Then decide what you want to keep (seriously, list out what you want to keep both fish and coral) and go from there. Might also want to shop sell/want adds because people upgrade all the time and sell stuff that is in excellent condition and cheaper. $1,000.00 can go a long ways especially if you are limited by tank size. Make that list and go from there. Maybe that will help guide you a bit. Best of luck! __________________ -saf1 Current Tank Info: 210 gallon mixed reef

11/09/2017, 09:07 AM	#13
nereefpat Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Central Nebraska Posts: 3,190	With a smaller tank, I would recommend staying away from non-essential equipment as well. I'm not sure a 6" wide sump would be worth it. It would basically hold your heater and return pump. I would, instead, get a 6" wider display tank...Something like 30"x18"x24" tall. After some looking around online (marineland, deep blue, glass cages), it looks like any 18" wide tank is much longer than 30". It might be worth emailing glasscages. I bet they would make you a 30x18x24 for somewhere in the 200-300 dollar range...or less. Then add a 4 bulb T5 light, or one or two black box LEDs, heater, a couple hydor koralia powerheads, dry rock, dry sand. You're in business for half the 1000$ budget. __________________ Pat Current Tank Info: 125 in-wall , 40b sump. 6 bulb T5. ASM G2 skimmer. LPS and leathers

11/08/2017, 06:10 PM	#2
Knighthawk Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 167	If you can fit a 40 breeder I would suggest that. They are 36 inches long though. If 30 is a hard limit, you will be limited to a 20 long or 29 gallon. You can go custom but will pay for it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

11/08/2017, 06:22 PM	#3
Anotherplanet Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 16	Is $1,000 your entire budget? Or just for the tank and stand? I ask because I️ thought that was my budget then 6 months later I️ spent $12K lol so I would really try to stick with a setup where you can utilize your current equipment. I️ think staying in your budget will be most satisfying and a reef tank can really be any size Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

11/08/2017, 08:41 PM	#4
cedwards04 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 217	$1,000 is my tank/equipment/rock/sand budget. I already have a stand, and I am limited to 30" or less in length so unfortunately a 40 breeder is out. I was originally thinking a 29gal with some sort of diy sump/refugium setup behind it rather than under it. I cannot place anything under it, but a 29 gal is 12" wide and I have 18" to work with. So that gives me a good 6" of sump/refugium behind it and still have a little clearance from the wall. I'm thinking drill the 29 and use a glass holes overflow to lead into a diy acrylic box that can be divided into different chambers for housing the heater, return pump, refugium, a skimmer, and maybe even an auto top off. I thinking gravity type auto top off mounted to the wall above it.

11/08/2017, 08:55 PM	#5
rocsec1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Medina oh Posts: 1,782	Sure you can do that to start epically if you buy used equipment, but this hobby has a habit of getting expensive quick. I started with a 30 cube and that was four tanks ago. I have way more invested then my wife realized, lucky she really tanks, the tank (currently a 120 with a forty breeder sump and a forty breeder frag tank). If you don’t get upgrade fever you should be fine as long as you can disciple yourself and keep your wallet closed.

11/09/2017, 06:13 AM	#6
cedwards04 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 217	Maybe I haven't explained myself well enough here. I already have a 20 gal going with sand and rock in it, and a wavemaker. The $1,000 budget is just to upgrade the tank and equipment to go a little bigger and be able to keep coral. I need to buy a little more sand and rock for the extra footprint since my current tank is a 20 tall. I am also looking for suggestions on how to setup the sump area, and what skimmer to go with.

11/09/2017, 07:51 AM	#9
Heuristic Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Sacramento Posts: 295	Buy a used reef ready tank/sump. You can get these things for pennies on the dollar and that'll give you a lot of money to spend on better equipment. Most of them only need a little TLC with some vinegar and elbow grease to look brand new.

11/09/2017, 09:17 AM	#14
Subsea Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Austin, Tx Posts: 1,882	I have found that the basic tank equipment is the cheapest part of the set up. Depending on what goes into the tank will determine the method required to operate the tank and to some degree, the equipment required, which effects cost. So, to cut thru the gaff, what do you want in your tank? What is your dream for it? Their are many ways to operate a successful reef tank. Let us focus on the skimmer, to be technical, a foam fractionator. It indiscriminately removes free swimming bacteria in the water column due to surface tension of air bubbles. Ken Feldermans peer reviewed research on effects of carbon dosing on bacteria in reef tanks shows that protein skimmers remove at best 30% of DOC, GAC removes 60% and a mature reef tank inhabitants remove 75%. Why get a skimmer when you can grow coral with what the skimmate removes? __________________ Laissez les bons temps rouler, Patrick Castille Current Tank Info: 10,000G. Greenhouse Macro Growout

11/09/2017, 10:06 AM	#15
JTL Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Venice Island, FL Posts: 2,532	When I was tank shopping I did not find Glass Cages to be all that cheap. If you are into diy you could always build your own tank. I have done it a few times and recently built a sump that is about the same size as what you are needing. It is pretty easy if you are handy, you just need to think it through and be organized because the silicone skims over pretty fast. __________________ John 100 gallon DT and 50 gallon sump with refugium. Reefbreeders Photon V2+.

11/09/2017, 10:48 AM	#16
Knighthawk Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 167	I would also look into the SCA PNP systems. You can get the 50 cube right now for 599. Just need lights, pumps and heater Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

11/09/2017, 10:53 AM	#17
Shia Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 981 Blog Entries: 1	Building an acrylic tank may be a great option for you if you are very handy, and you can make a very custom all in one. You can make the enclosed sump area as big or as small as you like. I am not one to skimp on the sump. The less filtration you have the more water changes you have to do. Regardless of the direction you take $1000 is more than enough to get you a nice setup.

11/19/2017, 08:55 PM	#18
cedwards04 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 217	i emailed glasscages about getting the glass for me to build a custom tank to my size requirements, it was much higher than i expected it to be. i think for now i am going to stick to the original plan of doing a 29 gal, drill it, and find/build an acrylic sump area. i will place a drain on the bottom of my "sump" for easy water changes, and have a return pump section where i can set up a simple gravity fed auto top off. the wife and i frequently vacation and i dont want the house sitter worrying about topping the tank off. i can divide out each days supply of food and make it as simple as possible for them. that being said, i currently have a jebao pp-4 wavemaker that should work great in the 29gal as it is too strong in the 20 gal even turned all the way down. i will reuse that, my heater, my rock, and replace the sand. i will use a small/cheap return pump as i really wont be needing a large turnover rate through the sump. i could use some help with lighting. i would prefer leds. it seems like everything i find has either an 18x18 or a 24x24 coverage area. so it seems i will end up needing to purchase 2 fixtures. i really like the wifi ability built into the ai prime hd, but at $200/ea, i think i would need 2 to cover the tank, which puts me at $400, plus the mounts. are there any better options out there? can i get by with 1 fixture? also, i am sure that raising the light higher will give me a larger spread, but would also lose penetration depth. if i went to a 20 long instead of the 29gal, could i raise the height of the light enough to get a larger spread and still get decent penetration to the bottom of the tank since it would be shallower?

11/20/2017, 01:05 AM	#19
greengeco82 Reefer Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Pittsburg, CA Posts: 584	Hmmm. No skimmer is the new craze? Do you skimmerless people use airstones, or is gas exchange not important as thought to be too? __________________ Budget reefing is a pipe dream. Current Tank Info: 190 gallon DSA mixed reef, 2 X 250W metal halides, 2 X 80w T5's, SRO 3000 skimmer, and a few other goodies under the hood

11/20/2017, 04:47 PM	#22
norton503 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 6	Have you looked into SCA Starfire 50g? On Amazon for 699. Kessil lights are great and at 230 ish. They come with a stand are are cube I think they were like 24x24 but I could be off. Whole setup under 1000$. Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

11/20/2017, 09:34 PM	#23
jphayes921 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Linden, MI Posts: 53	Can go a long way with Craigslist for a tank and stand. IMO I have the cheapest setup and fish and other fauna are flourishing. I got a dt for free from a friend getting rid of it. Built the stand. Sump for free, another friend getting rid of a tank. Most cost was pumps and skimmer. I'm no expert by any means, but my setup is far less than 1k and I have a 55" dt and a 30gal sump with all the amenities needed for a worry free tank. Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

11/22/2017, 11:31 AM	#24
cedwards04 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 217	Bc of where the aquarium is going, I am limited to 30" or less in length, and 18" or less in width. I absolutely cannot make any exceptions on that size restriction unfortunately. I have to work within the space I'm allowed at the moment.

11/22/2017, 12:15 PM	#25
EzReefs Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 121	I had a 29 gallon for a while and I enjoyed it. If you do it you should definitely have a sump. The main reason is to fit a lot of live rock in there so you don't have to crowd the 29 gallon with too much rock. Could make your own 10 gallon sump with one baffle to keep a consistent water level for a skimmer (if you want one) and then as much live rock as possible on the other side of the sump with a return pump as well. I would get the following stuff if I were to build a new 29 gallon tank: 29 Gallon Tank: 30" x 12" x 18" 10 Gallon Tank for sump: 20" x 11" x 13" SCA 301 Protein Skimmer Light of your choice 3/4" Bulkheads with Diamond Coated Drill Bits to cut glass Internal Overflow box PVC Pipe with gate valve 20lbs live rock + however much rock you can fit in the sump 350gph return pump Heater Jebao Wave Makers Thermometer You'll have to look up how to drill and plumb the tank.