Starting a saltwater tank...

[krishnapathak]

Hi!

I plan on starting a saltwater tank, roughly 40 gallons. It's going to be in my university dorm starting this August.

I was wondering what you guys would recommend as far as tank selection; is it better to buy a tank with everything included, or go separate as far as lighting and the actual tank and other accessories (filters, etc.) go?

I plan on housing a Mandarin Dragonet in this as well.

My budget is limited but I just want to see what the best options are; I immediately thought to buy the National Geographic Oasis starter kit but am reading rather negative reviews...

Thanks!

 

[Ingy]

Manderins need larger tanks and ones that are well established in order for the tanks to produce the pods the fish need to survive.

 

[krishnapathak]

Manderins need larger tanks and ones that are well established in order for the tanks to produce the pods the fish need to survive.

Thanks for the response! How many gallons you recommend then? I decided 40 cause I've seen plenty videos of them in 40 and whatnot...

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

Thanks for the response! How many gallons you recommend then? I decided 40 cause I've seen plenty videos of them in 40 and whatnot...

Attempting a mandi in a 40 is going to get expensive if it's not eating frozen ( and even if it is, the heavier feeding of the tank and larger/ more frequent wcs still add up), supplementing pods at least monthly adds up. As to your original question, I'm a fan of the look of the IM 40 long aio tanks. They have a very sleek look imo, but if you want a reef you'll need to upgrade the lighting (not entirely sure if they come with any lighting actually).


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[krishnapathak]

Attempting a mandi in a 40 is going to get expensive if it's not eating frozen ( and even if it is, the heavier feeding of the tank and larger/ more frequent wcs still add up), supplementing pods at least monthly adds up. As to your original question, I'm a fan of the look of the IM 40 long aio tanks. They have a very sleek look imo, but if you want a reef you'll need to upgrade the lighting (not entirely sure if they come with any lighting actually).


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Why is that? Maintaining a smaller saltwater tank is more expensive than maintaining a larger one?

I'm willing to tank on that plunge, where do you think I could buy these frozen supplementing "pods", and how do I keep care of them?

 

[treemanone2003]

Not to go off topic but I would check on the regs for your dorm. Most only allow a a 10g max and another thought to go along is what will happen during any absence ? Going back home for school break, holidays, over next summer ?


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[krishnapathak]

Not to go off topic but I would check on the regs for your dorm. Most only allow a a 10g max and another thought to go along is what will happen during any absence ? Going back home for school break, holidays, over next summer ?


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Not off topic at all man! I checked w/my university's housing regulations and 40G is fine. I know a local Aquatic maintenance man in the area who will be willing to take them in as I am gone for breaks.

 

[mr_X]

More times than not dragonets don't eat frozen food. Even if they do, many of them revert back to live food and won't touch frozen. The odds are good that you'll starve it out in a small tank.

 

[krishnapathak]

More times than not dragonets don't eat frozen food. Even if they do, many of them revert back to live food and won't touch frozen. The odds are good that you'll starve it out in a small tank.

So 40G is too small to store live food and a mandarin in it?

 

[mr_X]

Definitely not a brand new 40. Perhaps a 40 that's a few years running. I have heard recommendations of 100 pounds of live rock per mandarin. I don't believe this is too far off the mark, as they can eat hundreds of pods in a day.

 

[treemanone2003]

Not off topic at all man! I checked w/my university's housing regulations and 40G is fine. I know a local Aquatic maintenance man in the area who will be willing to take them in as I am gone for breaks.

Very cool then !!! Most don't think that far in advance but at least you've got some great planning in the works ?. Back to the mandie, I agree with BigRed about expense. They are voracious little eaters and have often heard they have troubles (starving to death) in smaller, less established systems. I also agree with the IM 40 long. It's a gorgeous tank for sure, but not sure if it includes lighting and believe it's a bit of coin.


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[BigRedsReefs10]

Why is that? Maintaining a smaller saltwater tank is more expensive than maintaining a larger one?



I'm willing to tank on that plunge, where do you think I could buy these frozen supplementing "pods", and how do I keep care of them?

No but the additional feeding mandis require (2-3x a day) means more in food costs and more in salt because you'll want to do more or bigger changes than normal to combat the extra nutrients.


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