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Unread 11/08/2017, 10:16 AM   #1
EvergreenShadow
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Newbie to saltwater, is this a good tank to start with?

First of all, hello member for less than five minutes, haha!

I am about to get into the beautiful hobby of saltwater aquariums. I wasn't going to originally, but I finished my freshwater project (10 gallons, spent around $300 TOTAL including animals, filled it with neat little critters like pom pom crabs and marimo balls). It was a simple project, only took me 2 months from the moment I got the idea to the day I finished, and I absolutely love it.

But now I have a problem.

Went to my LFS, saw a wyoming white clownfish and a sandhopper goby, and now I've got the silly idea to try my hand at a nano reef.

My intention was to try a mirrored version of my 10g freshwater (live rock instead of driftwood, saltwater pom pom crabs instead of freshwater, maybe even attempt to acclimate a handful of marimos to saltwater, etc).

However (and here is the point of my thread), what someone offered me instead was a JBJ 28g nanocube with live rock and sand, and the lighting was modified to one of those Chinese black boxes. We agreed to $125 for it all.

I am on a super tight budget, $300 is my limit. So:
$125 tank with light, sand and rock
$45 rodi buddy
$20 50lb instant ocean salt
$25 API saltwater Test kit
$20 refractometer
$28 Sandhopper goby
-----------
$263
Plus maybe $25 for a clean up crew (I was thinking blue hermits and snails to start?)

Might try a coral frag or 2 as well.
I know this will be a long term project (why are corals so expensive?!?!?!), and it will probably look hideous for the next few months. I work part time and am saving up for a car, possible apartment, etc. My spending budget for fun stuff is normally $100 (or less) a month, but I can scratch together the $300 for this project.

You who have more experience in this, please advise: should I go for it?


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Unread 11/08/2017, 10:27 AM   #2
Dmorty217
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$125 for the nanocube with light,rock, and sand seems like a pretty good deal to me. Obviously cheaper is always better. Go slow and don't rush anything in this hobby otherwise things that will happen won't be good. Nothing good happens quickly in the saltwater hobby


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Unread 11/08/2017, 11:20 AM   #3
Jeramirez85
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Agreed take your time and plan accordingly. Always budget for more then what you plan on spending. No such thing as a set budget in this hobby lol


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Unread 11/08/2017, 11:55 AM   #4
Fiver
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That's a good deal if everything is in good condition.

Good luck.


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Unread 11/08/2017, 03:03 PM   #5
hkgar
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For reasons unbeknown to an human, a reef tank seems to demand money from you every day.


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180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx

Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels
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Unread 11/08/2017, 11:45 PM   #6
JUNBUG361
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Good deal as long the tank doesn’t have a leak


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Unread 11/09/2017, 07:55 AM   #7
rocsec1
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Yes that is a good deal. Remember there are reoccurring costs. Salt for one, filters for the rodi, food for the fish, and so on.


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Unread 11/09/2017, 06:58 PM   #8
EvergreenShadow
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hkgar View Post
For reasons unbeknown to an human, a reef tank seems to demand money from you every day.
I noticed that seems to be a pattern fortunately I will always be too poor to afford such vices, hahaha!

As for the rest of you, thank you very much for your advice, and I will most definitely take it slow.

Honestly, I don't want such a big nano (twisty oxymoron, eh?). I really prefer 10g. However, this option is a bit cheaper than the new 10g set up I was planning. I plan to stock it like a 10/15 gallon. It is better for the animals anyhow, extra swimming room, less bioload pressure. Then, if I get a good deal on a smaller set up, I will be able to switch everything over, this time with a bit of experience under my belt.


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Unread 11/09/2017, 07:02 PM   #9
EvergreenShadow
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JUNBUG361 View Post
Good deal as long the tank doesn’t have a leak
No leak, he currently has it filled, with a little maroon swimming around. Because the agreed price of $125 is a bit lower than his original asking price, he intends to sell/rehome the maroon or something before I pick it up.


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Unread 11/09/2017, 07:21 PM   #10
EvergreenShadow
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rocsec1 View Post
Yes that is a good deal. Remember there are reoccurring costs. Salt for one, filters for the rodi, food for the fish, and so on.
Yup, recurring costs are part of the reason i want something a little smaller. Frankly the rodi concerns me; from what I found, replacement membranes cost nearly as much as the system itself!


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Unread 11/09/2017, 07:33 PM   #11
Fiver
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EvergreenShadow View Post
No leak, he currently has it filled, with a little maroon swimming around. Because the agreed price of $125 is a bit lower than his original asking price, he intends to sell/rehome the maroon or something before I pick it up.
Probably for the best that the maroon goes. They get super aggressive.

Good luck.


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Unread 11/09/2017, 08:53 PM   #12
EvergreenShadow
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Originally Posted by Fiver View Post
Probably for the best that the maroon goes. They get super aggressive.

Good luck.
!!!! That would explain why he had it isolated from his other tank 😂


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