| Nano Reefs Learn more about how to care for tanks of 20 gallons and less. |
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04-06-2004, 01:40 PM
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#1
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Plankton
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 40
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30-55g tank, newbie lookin for advice
I am new to reef tanks, and lookin for my first tank to be between 30-55g. Any advice people could give me on where to start, what i'll need, and what i should get, along with costs and things.
Hope to get some good advice, thanks for the time!
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04-06-2004, 02:21 PM
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#2
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Reefer Freak
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Norcross, GA & Columbia, SC
Posts: 637
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NOT A NANO 
For a first fish, there are several that come to mine. Clowns, chromis, no damsals. Firefish, but they will jump out of the tank.
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William Mann
5.5 Gallon Nano
125 gallon reef
"My girlfriend tells me I spend too much on fish stuff......." :0
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04-06-2004, 04:40 PM
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#3
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Nano reefer and Jeeper
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Posts: 784
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the largest tank I have had is a 20, and I did it...so you can easily do it wiht a tank like that. I am a fan of the 50 gallon breeder size tanks. They are 3' long, and 18" by 18" , so they give a lot of nice room for a good aquascape. I have been a fan of those 30 gallon cubes for a good three sided view aquascape, too....but the bigger the better in this hobby. It is EXPENSIVE! I would go with the fifty...as you'd probably outgrow a 30 soon. Get the best equipment you can afford, and DIY whenever possible to save money. Additionally, for lighting, look at what you will probably want to keep in the future, and look at budget constraints too...corals add up quickly in price, as does the equipment, with many hidden costs, such as RO/DI water, salt, test kits, fish food, Live rock, etc....it can be VERY expensive!
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04-06-2004, 11:24 PM
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#4
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onetwentythree
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Chandler, Az
Posts: 482
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i first started w/ a 10gal and a skilter pump/skimmer... worked out well then i upgraded to a 29gal... with the same set-up just a few more powerheads i think i had 2 rio 180's on each side spraying towards the middle... that worked very well for about a yr. then i moved up to a 40gal on this i had a backpack II and a JBJ 36" dual fan somthin or other cant remember been a while since i had this about 2yrs. ago... but if u wanna go cheap-er i would go w/ a 29 gal w/ the skilter skimmer/ pump and a few powerheads... you can find a light strip for a good price i think a 36watt. would be sufficient.
although right now the hobby has cursed me im back into it i know have a 5.5gal nano w/ 10lbs LS 6lbs LR and an Aqua Clear 300 that i have converted to a refugium...
hope this helps out a bit. 
-don
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29g 150w MH, and other fun stuff
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04-07-2004, 12:26 AM
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#5
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Nano reefer and Jeeper
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Posts: 784
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well, I would have to say that you would want to have at least 150 watts on a 30 gallon, as you're probably going to want some variety in your corals, and that would go it for you. a 30" lighting fixture for a 29 gallon with only 36 watts would only allow you to keep minimal corals...only REALLY hardy stuff like xenia, zoanthids, mushroom anemones, and the like...
just my honest opinion. Hope that doesn't confuse you more.
I have used CPR bak-paks and Red Sea prizm skimmers with great success...those would be fine for the size tank you're looking to get into (well, maybe not a 50 gallon, but you probably could push it). |
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04-07-2004, 01:30 AM
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#6
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onetwentythree
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Chandler, Az
Posts: 482
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i dont know what i was thinking but i deffinitly didnt have a 36watt on my 29... sorry for the dumb mistake.
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29g 150w MH, and other fun stuff
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04-07-2004, 03:51 PM
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#7
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Nano reefer and Jeeper
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Posts: 784
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no problem, we all have brain farts...I usually get them on exams...but the prof's just won't accept that as a reason why I didn't do too hot on the exam!
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04-07-2004, 05:58 PM
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#8
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Oh no...not again!!!
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 5,442
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Let your rock or LS cure for a couple months. My clown is bulletproof and nice.
Also in Mrs. Phish's tank the cardinalfish is doing great.
My Tangs got ich and I was a goober and bought a Mandarin...so get these two books...The New Marine Aquarium...and the 500 plus book on fish species.
Phishnoob  |
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04-07-2004, 08:36 PM
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#9
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: New York
Posts: 57
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If you have not bought your tank yet and have the room, consider going larger. You are going to end up spending way more money then you hope to anyway, so you might as well go for the biggest tank you can. Honestly, once you start adding all the equipment, lighting, coral, fish, and inverts - the tank will end up being the smallest expense. I have a 6 foot 125 which is so much more stable than the 55 gallon I started with (in fact my clownfish just spawned), but if I had to do it again I really like the 4 foot 120 (125) gallon tanks. I think the 4 foot 120 gallon are the perfect size for a reef tank - should never need to go larger unless you intend to keep large tangs.
I can kick myself for all the money I spent on my 55 gallon tank, just to end up upgrading. However, the 55 is now working great as a refugium.
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