[blu23girl]

Hey everyone, i am new to the forum, and i have been reading all day! There seems to be reviews/ideas/threads on just about every peice of equipment other than, the tank! (unless i just can't find it!!) I want to order a tank online (probably 75-120 Gal), still not sure how large i should go...

Any tips on how to pick the right tank?
Where to look online?
how much is too much to spend? good deals?

Any help would be great!
Thanks!!!!!

Feeling a bit overwhelmed!!!

[NATIVEVAMAN]

I would say that tanks over 24 inch's deep are a biy difficult to work on, you have to reach the bottom.I think I would go for a tank that is over 18 inch's wide narrow tanks are sometimes hard to aquascape if you like large pieces of live rock.Light fixtures over 48 inch's long become very expensive.So unless you have long arms,a hammer or a lot of money I would go for the 120 lol.24x24x48.So much for logic,the bigger the tank the better.lots of water equals stability.It takes longer for things to go bad.Just remember that the tank is the least expensive of all the things you will need for a reef tank.Before you put your first fish in the tank it cost from 30 to 60$'s a gallon. I hope I didnt scare you off but the truth is the truth.

[blu23girl]

Thanks nativevaman!

I have been reading, and SAVING! i know the tank is the least of my expenses... i just dont want to choose wrong, b/c i certainly dont want to start over!!!

[Salt-lick]

check out craigslist.com thats one of the best places for deals... but be careful there are some scammers out there.. search local

[Six-line Wrasse]

Anywhere between 75 - 120 is a perfectly fine size to start. I would go a little larger, if you can afford it, so your 120 is the best bet.

A key is planning a successful tank to plan for what you initially are going to want in your tank. So, what is it? If it's SPS you may want to also look at the lighting for a 120 gal. and determine if that's affordable for your budget, maybe a 75 gal. would be better for you since the lighting will be a little cheaper.

Lighting is one of the most expensive components of a marine system, seconded by live rock, which will be similar issue.

[Tonz of fun]

I agree just keep in mind you need about 5 watts per gallon. That means bigger everything. I would research lights and skimmers and pumps and live rock before you buy a tank. for a 120 gallon expect to pay around 2500 maybe a lot more and thats not including a tank and stand. I would not do a corner tank for a reef either. Finding lights are very tricky! O ya I just started and I already want a bigger one fyi. Let us know how it goes.

[Cela Vie]

Blu23girl, Welcome to the hobby .

With all that being said and in summary, the size of your tank depends on your overall budget. Like you said, the tank, not including the cabinet, will be the least of your costs. Not really but it can probably be a lot less than 1) a very good skimmer, 2) a light fixture providing the appropriate wattage per gallon, and 3) the amount of live rock per gallon. Heck, even the live sand per gallon adds up to quite a bit. There's also a lot of other little items that add up real quick (magnet glass cleaner, moonlights, timers, powerheads, etc.). So nativevaman's range of $30-$60 per gallon is spot on with $30+ getting you there without livestock and approaching $60 with livestock (maybe more depending on the livestock and where you get it). It is a great hobby and the first part of setting up a tank (planning) can be a lot more fun than most perceive due to all the learning (and dreaming) going on. So enjoy this phase by taking your time (patience) because once you are set up it is a lot harder to change something major. Keep us posted and when you begin the process, please post your progress with pictures so we can all enjoy it with you .

[Tonz of fun]

Im at 3k for my 54 gallon and it has nothing but sand and rock in it right now

[Cela Vie]

Originally Posted by Tonz of fun

Im at 3k for my 54 gallon and it has nothing but sand and rock in it right now

Wow! That is definitely higher than I would expect. I'm at less than $40 per gallon for a 90 gallon with nothing but sand and rock. Ummm, I must be missing something...where's that marine depot catalog again?

[Krazy]

Hi Rachel !

Welcome to the forums for starters..

I would agree with most and say go the 120 route, it'll be your best bet, more water volume makes for a tank that is easier to deal with and more forgiving to you. I'd buy the tank at a local shop to, shipping would kill ya on a tank I think. Ask your local shop what the current deals from the wholesaler are, of course they will tack on some but its ok, The wholesalers that they can get the tanks from run specials every month on different tanks..

I can get a 120 reef ready tank here locally for $350, The standard all glass aquarium stand is another $150 and the canopy if you wish is $90, all Oak stained pine...

The deals are out there, you just gotta ask and ask and ask some more, haha !!

180's are on special next week locally, $499.99 for the 180 reef ready with plumbing, the stand is $199.99..

Good Luck with your search and let us know how your making out...

[Krazy]

Here's an example of what you'd need if you went with the 120...

120 gallon reef ready tank
Wooden Stand
Wood Canopy? (if you like the full piece look, would need "retrofit" lighting for this)
2x250 Metal Halide Fixture with PC or T5 actinics (Hamilton Light Fixture)
120-240lbs aragonite sand
a 20 gallon long or 30 gallon breeder/long tank for a sump
return pump (mag 9, or mag 12)
PVC pipe and fittings for plumbing return pump to tank and sump
power heads (tunze,seio,hydor)
heater/heaters (2, 250 watters)
Salt
Refractormeter
RO/DI unit
Live Rock, (120-200lbs)
Test Kits (Sera, Salifert, Seachem)

Just to give you an idea of what you need if you wanna do it RIGHT the 1'st time...

[CyberJester]

Something else to consider is surface area of the tank. The larger the surface area the more gas exchange that can take place. So wider and longer with a shorter height is better and also makes for easier cleaning of the tank and as well as aquascaping. This also means that less light is required because it does not have to penitrate as deep. Also I would tend to lean twords rectangular tanks. Getting lights for other types can be tricky unless you are electrically inclined and want to go the DIY route.

Oh by the way,
Welcome to RB!!!

[Tonz of fun]

You forgot to add in the skimmer

[Tonz of fun]

120 gallon reef ready tank 500.00
Wooden Stand 200.00
Wood Canopy? (if you like the full piece look, would need "retrofit" lighting for this) 100.00
2x250 Metal Halide Fixture with PC or T5 actinics (Hamilton Light Fixture) 1000.00
120-240lbs aragonite sand 120-240
a 20 gallon long or 30 gallon breeder/long tank for a sump 30?
return pump (mag 9, or mag 12) 100.00
PVC pipe and fittings for plumbing return pump to tank and sump 70 for kit or 20 do it self
power heads (tunze,seio,hydor) 100.00
heater/heaters (2, 250 watters) 40.00-50.00
Salt 40.00
Refractormeter 20.00
RO/DI unit 100.00
Live Rock, (120-200lbs) 600-1000
Test Kits (Sera, Salifert, Seachem) 50.00?
Skimmer 240 low end

Bringing it to a grand total of 3800!

[Krazy]

Originally Posted by Tonz of fun

120 gallon reef ready tank 500.00
Wooden Stand 200.00
Wood Canopy? (if you like the full piece look, would need "retrofit" lighting for this) 100.00
2x250 Metal Halide Fixture with PC or T5 actinics (Hamilton Light Fixture) 1000.00
120-240lbs aragonite sand 120-240
a 20 gallon long or 30 gallon breeder/long tank for a sump 30?
return pump (mag 9, or mag 12) 100.00
PVC pipe and fittings for plumbing return pump to tank and sump 70 for kit or 20 do it self
power heads (tunze,seio,hydor) 100.00
heater/heaters (2, 250 watters) 40.00-50.00
Salt 40.00
Refractormeter 20.00
RO/DI unit 100.00
Live Rock, (120-200lbs) 600-1000
Test Kits (Sera, Salifert, Seachem) 50.00?
Skimmer 240 low end

Bringing it to a grand total of 3800!

Your right Greg..

I did forget to add the skimmer to that list "Doh" lol

I'd say a rough estimate would be $3500-5000 for everything minus fish and corals...

[tank72]

I just got on the forum today and am also new to this but I have had a freshwater tank for 6years, and from what I understand and was told today you can use any size tank you want.

[kolokefalo]

To me the beauty of a tank is in the front to back depth. I love the more squared tanks. My dream is to one day set up a 48l x 48w x 24h tank. If you really want to save money on a stand and are handy you can try DIY. Geothermal Aquaculture Research Foundation Home Page has a nice tool in the DIY pages to help you build a stand from scratch.

In the end you want a tank with a good size you can afford. The biggest mistake people make is "starting small". Less water volume = less stability = bigger sways in salinity, ph, etc = tank crashes. Then they get frustrated and say "saltwater is just too hard".

[blu23girl]

Thank you all for the advise! I will keep you posted!!

[Krazy]

Originally Posted by tank72

I just got on the forum today and am also new to this but I have had a freshwater tank for 6years, and from what I understand and was told today you can use any size tank you want.

You can most defiently use any size tank you want

Bigger *is* better in this hobby though, more water volume is good, it leaves alot more room for forgiveness with errors and such, and it also creates more stable water parameters.

[ncdiablo]

Just to let you know I have a 120 gallon tank that is 6 feet long and yeah I will forewarn you the cost of the lighting is the place where you start to understand the true cost of the tank. 72" lighting is a bit expensive. I got a very nice t5 light with 14 bulbs and 3 different cords and switches to help stagger the lights on for morning, day, and night. The light itself was $684 and the bulbs added another $250-300. I had really drooled over a few other lights but they were around 3-4 times that amount (talking LED Solaris lighting). My next house I will try to get a custom tank made that will be much more square.

Just a side note on buying from craigslist. Please make sure to ask if they have ever used copper medicines in their tank and hope they are honest. If they have it means that tank can't be used for reef.

Just a fyi.