Upscales in Tualitin has liverock for $5.95 a pound. $4.95 if you buy over 20#.
quality stuff too. if you want cheaper you should buy online.
as for "inexpensive", it is truly a subjective term.
but depending on the specifics you are looking for i could steer you one way or the other to find the most inexpensive specific.
until you let me know what you are looking for, i really can't point you in any particular direction
i can tell you this, newbie...
... buy some books. good authors include Borneman, Sprung, Delbeek, Shimek, Toonen and Seigel to name a few. this is where you will learn the most scientifically sound advice.
... if you have yet to decide on a tank size, remember that a reef tank's major expense is it's lighting and hardware, not the tank itself.
... find a tank with a deep view. generally, cubes are better than long and narrow.
... the cheapest aquariums i have found are at Hollywood Aquarium
... if inexpensive is your game, buy your skimmer and pumps and pretty much all your hardware online. Marine Depot,
Premium Aquatics, etc.
... buy quality livestock, including liverock and livesand. please don't get cheap here ( excessively inexpensive
).
... never, ever trust a LFS's word as golden. they are salesman and want to sell you things. i also wouldn't look to them for "learning the ropes". i did this when i started and they confused the hell out of me. i repeat, buy a book(s).
... a bit more cash now (better hardware) and less immediate gratification ("i want fish now!") will be well worth the impatient anxieties you suffer today.
... try not to fall into the snakeoil traps. they are everywhere.
... fly your ideas past a discussion board (this one will do). when you have a particular product or specimen in mind the opinions of a discussion board can be priceless.
feel free to pm me for any specific questions you might have
