I was looking into the biocube 29, but i dont think it is friendly enough for a starter like me. I have looked into fish supplies and i think i will go with the fluval 306 canister and Odyssea T5 for lighting. I need to find a good place to buy a tank that is 30-55gallon and will fit the odyssea T5 and be starter friendly. If you could reccomend and other supplies that is better, anything will help! Thanks
Amazon.com: Fluval 306 External Filter: Pet Supplies
Odyssea T5 Aquarium Lighting
Don't exactly know you mean by the biocube isn't friendly enough for you...maybe you mean friendly enough to your wallet
. The biocube is actually a great choice for beginners b/c practically all of the filtration and lighting is there. You can do lots of modifications and not worry about plumbing, etc. However, going larger is better b/c there's more room for error and there are more choices of fish and such. 55 gallon tanks are a great size for anyone of any experience level. 40 gallon breeders are great too.
Plus, Petco has a $1 per gallon sale until the 19th so if you have one near you, definitely rush over there! 55s sell faster than others usually.
You could get an Odyssea light which is cheap, but you get what you pay for. If it's 4 bulbs, don't think it's enough to grow SPS, clams, anemones, etc. But soft and LPS can do fine so I've heard. Have worked for many people. Just bought one for my FW tank and they do get pretty hot. Taotronics are cheap LEDs, and many reefers have had great success with them, growing pretty much everything.
In regards for filtration, canister filters are known to nitrate factories if not properly maintained. Like the previous poster said, a DIY sump can be cheaper. If you're wondering what size sump is best, the largest size tank that fits under your stand is the best! Preferably wide like a 40 breeder b/c of space for a skimmer. Tons of youtube videos, articles you can google, and threads on AA, etc. of DIY sumps.
That brings us to skimmers. Any size tank 40 gallons and below doesn't need a skimmer, but for larger tanks, it is recommended. Lighting and skimmers are arguably your most important pieces of equipment. Reef octopus is a popular brand skimmer. Best if it's overrated for your system.
Other Equipment/Materials:
-(Koralia) powerheads
-bags or reactors of carbon(remove toxins & color) and GFO (removes phosphates)
-quality salt like Red Sea Coral pro, Reef crystals, Kent Marine, etc.
-RO/DI water is best and if you can afford a system get it! If not, you can get RO water from your LFS or grocery store, but don't use tap water!
-Test kits like API or Red Sea or Salifert which are more accurate.
-Hydrometer or refractometer which is more accurate.
