First timer needs help to start off well

[aznbob]

Hi,

This is my first time ever setting up a saltwater tank. I REALLY need help with pretty much everything and was hoping for some help.

I'm currently looking at a 29 gallon tank with fish and live rocks and maybe down the road corals. I'm also doing all this on a tight budget.

So to start thing off,

1. Live rocks - I'm looking for about 10 lbs live rocks and 40 lbs base rocks (which would convert to live rocks later right?). Which type is the best for color and price? What rocks can be used as base rocks and where can I get base rocks for cheap?

2. Substate - What substrate should I get? Sand/crushed corals? I live in New Orleans, so can I just go to the beach and get a bucket full?

3. Skimmer/Filter - Are there any cheap skimmer that is good for a 29 gallon tank? I read that Remora is the best but I think $150 if too much for my budget.

4. Light - I have no clue where to start. What light? What wattage? How much should I expect to put out for lights for corals down the road?

That's what I think I need to get everything started and cycled for fish so any help is appreciated.

 

[Edmonton Eskimo]

First off welcome to AA Using base rock is an excellent way to save some cash. You can get base rock usually at your lfs but it's quite expensive. You can try some landscaping places and see if they have any lace rock which is excellent base rock. Have you thought of going barebottom(your tank I mean ) Otherwise I would go with sand as it doesn't trap as much detritus as cc. If you are pretty dilligent about water changes a skimmer is not necessary but a simple airstone driven skimmer would be okay. As for lights, if you want corals and anemones you will want some strong lighting. On a 29 gallon tank you could get a 150 watt halide and maybe some actinics to supplement. You could probably find the mh for 150 or so if you look around a little and you can just use a no fixture for actinics. HTH

 

[spongeynip]

lighting can get quite expensive with metal halides on our scale (since i have a 29 too ) and you might have to end up getting a chiller. I have 2 75 watt compact flourescent/actinic lights since just actinic makes the tank a dark blue color (which you might like). for most corals i agree at 150 watts will give you about 5 wpg wich will house all but the most light requiring sps corals.
and i was sucked into buying cc by the lfs too, and it wasn't good at all because my detrivores couldn't eat it out of the cc fast enough. So i put the porus layer over them and added a layer of live sand (which is much better now).
Lee makes a $40 skimmer with a simple wood diffuser that isnt so expensive to change.
And your all good on live rock it sounds.

Good luck
-Trent

p.s. Welcome to Aquarium Advice

 

[lando]

Welcome to AquariumAdvice.com!!!

1. Live rocks - I'm looking for about 10 lbs live rocks and 40 lbs base rocks

Great idea. The more LR you can add to the ratio the better. 50/50 is a god mix. Check out www.liverocks.com for great LR and www.hirocks.com for great base rock. Both are very affordable.

2. Substate - What substrate should I get?

Go with Sand. It is much easier to take care of then CC. Stay away from the "live sand" in a bag from the LFS. It is a waste of money. Source out some good white tropical play sand from garden centers near you. Make sure it is an aragonite sand. Ask the LFS for a cup or two of their LS substrate t seed yours once you start the tank. Most are willing to give it to you. f they do not, do not go there any more.

Skimmer/Filter - Are there any cheap skimmer that is good for a 29 gallon tank?

With enough LR and a good sand bed you should not need a filter. If you want additional filration look at the Emeror 280 or 400. They are versitile HOB filters. As for the skimmer, if you are on a budget, look at the Seaclone 100. It is a decent skimmer and you can get it pretty cheap online.

4. Light - I have no clue where to start.

If y are planning corals down the road, this could very well be the most exspensive part of your set up. To start, I would just go with a NO fixture while the tank is starting out. Use this time o research what corals you would like to keep and we can re-visit this topic at a later time.
The very next thing I recommend you buy is a good bok on SW tanks. I like "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" by Robert Fener. Good luck on the start up and keep stopping here at AA!

 

[aznbob]

Thanks for the warm welcome.

I do have another question about the lighting and tank though. Should I buy a tank with a hood and change out the bulbs with actinic bulbs? Or should I use a glass cover with a hood like one of those Power Compact?

 

[zacdl]

Dont get all Actinic. That would be all blue.

If it just has one bulb, get 50/50s, and if it has more than one bulb get one actinic and one daylight bulb (10,000 or 12,000K)

 

[IndyReefMan]

Don't get sand from the beach. There could be all sorts of organic and inorganic contaminants in that sand. Besides, aren't there off shore oil rigs in that area of the gulf? If there are, that's a good enough reason to stay away from that sand right there.

 

[spongeynip]

A glass cover would be more versitlie, but if the hood is cheaper in the end, than go for it

 

[oyf709]

welcome
first of all, try to do some calculation before you start your tank.
the facts are, smaller tank is harder for beginer and harder to keep stuff at good condiction.(cuz the less water volume usually doesn't allow you make any mistakes)
Look at how much you can spend and make sure you get the best you can get.
tank probly isn't the most expensive factor here, it is the stuff that going to be needed for the size of tank you going to buy.For example, if u want to start with 29g, it is ok, then u probly need a 20 inch lighting or something like that to give you enough light and u need a small heater to keep the temp.However if you want to go bigger tank, all those coast will go up)
Second, type of lighting will be depending on what you will keep in the tank, is it fish only? is it with coral ? Reef tank will require more lights, which you will spend a bit more money on it.
If you want to go for reef at the end, what ype?do you want to just keep basic mashroom?or do you want to go advance to SPS?These can all change the equipments you will need to buy. LR and subtrate are less complicate, but they are important, do some reserch on how much of each of those neded for each type of fish/inverterbrates/coral you want to keep.
I might want to add more on wat i have said, but second thought there might be too much need to say before you can get it right the first time.
Try take a look www.wetwebmedia.com , read throught those articales.
Again, try to buy the biggest tank, the best lighting you can get to start with, you will be suprise how much money u saved at the end.
PS: I am not telling you just run in the lfs and grab the most expensive one u can get, however some knowledge is needed for each item u will be purchasing and be respoinsible.
Maybe my english isn't good but if you need any info u can always PM me or even reach me from msn
moment709@hotmail.com
gl

 

[Brenden]

I do not know if it helps but I am averaging $25 a gallon (no livestock) for my tank. I would like to know what others are averaging.