I started my first reef a few years ago based on some pictures I read in a book someone gave to me... the book was from the early 90's and the hobby had changed quite a bit by 2000...
but, regardless... I tossed together a 120g reef, no predrilled overflow, red sea berlin skimmer, ghetto cheap stand, lots of deep sand, and a couple pieces of live rock...
Within a week I'd already changed 90% of my equipment and ordered in more rock...
After just a few months I was really happy with my tank... it just kept growing and growing and growing. Only lost two fish (one clown jumped and one mystery wrasse dissappeared mysteriously while a reefer friend was babysitting... no, he doesn't have a mystery wrasse bt sometimes I wonder... lol).
I kept that tank for just under two years before I was bitten by the bigger tank bug and took it down. The only real work I did on the tank was clean the glass and skimmer, weekly 2 bucket water changes and top with kalk every night. So simple yet very effective...
I think my point is, you can jump right in the hobby and have a decent tank even if it's all rough in the beginning...
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