Where do i syart and how can i do this on a budget?

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AcidRainFalls

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Oct 11, 2013
Messages
40
Location
Boston, MA
I'm just looking for a simple tank setup. Basic square tank and the bare essentials with a budget if ideally 40$ or less. I tried craigslist, but find I'm unsure if what I need as far as brands and watts and sizes. Is this going to be Impossible? Fresh water with live plants and the three guppy's I have now to start.
 
Craigslist might have a good deal for you, or maybe not.
You can get a cheap starter tank kit from petco, petsmart, or walmart for about 40 bucks or maybe less, about 20 gallon or 10 gallon. Shop around for the prices, those kits usually come with a cheap filter and some kind of light hood. You can get better stuff if you buy things separately, but kits are way cheaper.

If you can get one, my Aquaclear filters have been great. They aren't very expensive as far as filters go, but a new size 20 would cost you about 30 bucks. Aquaclear size 20 would be great for a five, ten or even twenty gallon if it only has a few fish.

Since you have live plants, look for a hood that uses fluorescent bulbs, or a fluorescent strip light. A low watt fluorescent bulb is plenty for low light plants, like java ferns and anubias. What plants do you have? The ones I mentioned are way easy, even I can take care of them! A hood in one of the petsmart tank kits i bought had an incandescent hood, but i found a little ten watt fluorescent bulb at walmart that fit in it. (I'm not 100% sure if it worked like a regular fluorescent, but if it fits and lights up, it works, right?)

My best advice is shop around at your local stores and see what is available.

Beware of trying this on a budget. I started with a $25 five gallon kit from petsmart, but ended up spending a few hundred on bigger tanks and upgraded filters, decorations, plants, and medications. The fish were the cheapest things I bought. That kit was the bait, and I took it! Now I'm stuck on the boat!
 
You can start low and gradually add on. I started with a ten gallon that was given to me. Check with friends, family, and neighbors. A lot of people get tanks and then get tired of them. I got all of mine free from family. Check out drfostersandsmith.com and aquariumguys.com. They have the best prices that I have seen so far. I spend a lot of time trying to save money.(y) You can get a decent, cheap HOB filter for as little as $8 on the first web site. I would recommend the Aqueon Quietflow to start with. Cheap, quiet, and does a nice job. The only thing is the flow rate isn't changeable like more pricy HOB's. Check Amazon for equipment too. I needed an adjustable heater quick and got one for $10 shipped. I have had it for several months and it works great. A ten gallon tank and the local Walmart runs around $13 dollars here. Lots of research and you can get some great deals. All you need to start is a tank, heater, and filter. If you want live plants you can use a cheap metal dome clamp light in the hardware department of most department stores. Runs around $8. Then buy spiral CFL daylight bulbs, 3 for $10 at walmart. I grow high and medium light plants with them. Just check the light bulb box and get ones that say 6500k.

On Walmart.com you can get some tank kist for under $30. Sorry to promote Walmart so much. We do not have anything else around here. I do most of my ordering on line.
 
A 5.5 gallon would be good for 3 guppies and some plants..the whole kit is 27 bucks at walmart..minus the plants and guppies..lol. its nice though led hood and everything..which would be good to grow plants
 
Starting Out in the Water Keeping Hobby

I'm just looking for a simple tank setup. Basic square tank and the bare essentials with a budget if ideally 40$ or less. I tried craigslist, but find I'm unsure if what I need as far as brands and watts and sizes. Is this going to be Impossible? Fresh water with live plants and the three guppy's I have now to start.

Hello Acid...

Used tanks are "hit and miss". I've bought a few and half have had problems. I don't do it any more. I'd wait for a sale at your local pet store and get a new tank. Save up until you can get at least a 30 gallon, with heater, lighting and an HOB (hang on the back) filter. The larger the tank, the easier to maintain.

You need 4 watts per gallon for a heater. The filter needs a gph (gallon per hour) rating of 4 times the volume of the tank. Lighting at 1 to 2 watts per gallon of tank volume. Standard florescent lighting is fine. Lamps at 6,500 to 10,000K (Kelvin).

Don't think you can do all this with $40.00. It would be best to price these items new and save up.

You'll definitely need more specific information. So, keep the questions coming.

B
 
Looks in good condition..for around 30 dollars more you can get a brand new one at pet smart with good filters and led lights though
 
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