Starting a small reef tank

[James0264]

I am looking at starting a small reef tank. I was thinking doing something around 30 gallons. I currently have 75 gallon FOWLR tank that I have had for years. People always say it must be a lot of work to keep saltwater fish but I don't think so . Not being experienced with keeping corals how much more difficult is it then a FOWLR tank?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[ms705jk]

I have 0 experiences with fowlr. Perhaps if you put together a system checklist Red and bribo would be able to assist you. Tank, lights, filtration... ext. What types of corals are you thinking about doing? Sps, lps, softies... all these thing will help in answering your questions. Also what kind of parameters to you keep in your tank know. What test kit are you currently using. I would think our water test are a little more involved than the one you do for fish only. Good luck! Reefs are a lot of fun just be prepared to be poor. If you already have and 75 up and running I would say that in less than a year that big tank will also be a reef tank. The reef bug bites hard

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Macscale]

Corals are not that much harder if you do it right.
It also depends on what you plan to keep and the time and effort you can devote to your tank.
I'd always start off with equipment suitable for SPS, because you never know what you'll want to keep down the road.

 

[Slightlylooney]

Yes it tends to bite you on the bum where your wallet is .. But it's a passion ,marine fish keeping I think is easy because you have to daily do something in the tank which I feel is very rewarding but you also get a genral feel for the tank and notice without hesitation when something is different .. I live in uk our fish are typically expensive I'm not sure how prices are in US but I got a 290 litre corner tank marine set up for £1000.00 and slowly added another couple of hundred in fish and about the same on corals .....


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[James0264]

Going back and forth with taking the plunge and getting a large tank. Maybe a Ref Sea S400 110 gallon tank or starting out small w a 25 gallon tank. About a $2000.00 difference in initial costs .


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Ravden]

If you have the 30 then just piece it together that's what I've been doing. Down to just rock and sand to get it going but life keeps interfering, lol.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[ms705jk]

Maybe its just me but if you don't have a problem with the added exspense of the bigger tank then I would jump all over the 110. Keeping the water where it needs to be for some out the harder to keep corals will be easier in a bigger tank.
The nice thing about the smaller tanks is you can stock them with rics frogspawn and zoas and watch them take over the rocks. The amount of color in some of these nanos is breathtaking

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Aquarium Advice mobile app