Beginner needs your help

[noirsphynx]

Originally Posted by Stab_Master_Arson

If you get the smallest and cheapest this and that, you will want to upgrade shortly (and I mean shortly) after that and the money will be spent in vain. the problem comes into play when you say "I was a 10 gallon system" and you buy a filter, skimmer, lighting all around this. 2 months down the road, you learn more and you want..more. Now you are upgrading to a 70 gallon system and you wasted 600 bucks on nano reef equipment. Be very SURE that you will be satisfied for a while with your initial purchase. I know I wasn't. I upgraded everything several times.

Trust me, you will enter the phase of "i want a _____" and it will not fit in your current tank even if you crammed it in with a plunger. You will find yourself blowing twice as much as you had to to get that "______".

I completely agree. I'm new into salt too. I purchased my 1st salty tank, a 24g plug-n-play(now have wellllll over $1000 into it) in April and I've already upgrade to a 90g(not even stocked yet) but a already thinking larger, lol.

[Whatigot]

PM me, I can probably get you started in a 25 gallon tank, stand and skimmer, powerhead and livesand for around 200 bucks.
I have lots of LR for sale too.

[Johnny Reefer]

Get your hands on and read "The New Marine Aquarium" by Michael S. Paletta. Although it certainly isn't a bible, it is an excellent beginner's book, IMO.

Mostly, I've seen people start getting into this wonderful reef at soe reasonable small gallons, like small cubes, 20, 30.. or 50...)
But for me, somehow, after finish reading a few book, google and google, I started this expensive hobby at 210G (170+40sump) system.
Is that mean my "step in" was abit risky? - Hope not!

And I 100% agree with noirsphynx about the "never end" as a matter of fact - As right now, my system is still under cycling (2 and half mnths now), BUT I already have a big plan for a giant system down in the basement- And the plan is already have SECOND VERSION DRAWINGS, cheez!!! - and the funny thing is, how much knowledge do I have about reefing? - Maybe, just maybe, PPM (parts per million, not percent though)

All I am trying to do is to bring a part of those pictures I captured from diving "into" my house ?!? -
have fun reefing to you all - Watch your pocket when reefing !!!

[mike31154]

Yeah baby, 210 gal, that's the way to start!! No kidding, with that amount of volume, it's less likely you will suffer any dire consequences if you make an error. From what I've heard, read, googled ... starting small, especially with SW is more difficult since a mistake can crash the system pretty quick ... more difficult to keep small systems stable than larger ones.
I started with a used 75 gal, bought another used 65 gal six months later and now have a new 90 gal sitting dry in the basement waiting to build. The used 75 or 65 will come in handy as a sump/refugium.

[marie]

Originally Posted by mike31154

Yeah baby, 210 gal, that's the way to start!! No kidding, with that amount of volume, it's less likely you will suffer any dire consequences if you make an error. From what I've heard, read, googled ... starting small, especially with SW is more difficult since a mistake can crash the system pretty quick ... more difficult to keep small systems stable than larger ones.
I started with a used 75 gal, bought another used 65 gal six months later and now have a new 90 gal sitting dry in the basement waiting to build. The used 75 or 65 will come in handy as a sump/refugium.

While its true that a large aquarium is less likely to "suffer dire consequences" keep in mind if they do have problems they are a lot harder to fix...unless you have the ability to make up 200g of fresh saltwater

[mike31154]

Yes, thanks for that reality check, I guess I got a little carried away there.