Looking at (re)taking the plunge to salt water...

calivivarium1

calivivarium1

Finished the fight
May 5, 2008
1,432
25
51
Fresno, California
Well, I'm moving to a new place and have been able to convince the wife that we need a 100+gal fish tank. I was originally thinking purely freshwater, but things are changing. I showed the wife a killer reef tank in a local restaurant and now she is absolutely in love with saltwater tanks(I guess its easy to be in love with something when you won't have to care for it, eh?) Anyway, part of the decision between fresh/FOWLR/reef setup is going to be cost and time.

The only saltwater experience I have is probably 9yrs old and I don't remember much. How much work do you guys think a 100-150gal reef tank would be a week? Is it possible to automate(after proper parameters are set) much of the weekly dosing for a reef tank? My wife will be willing to help out with feedings and other "easy" things, but with my unpredictable work schedule I don't want to feel pressured to make time for the tank(water changes are no big deal).

And how much do you guys think I would have to spend on a reef setup(I figure if I get a ballpark for a reef setup, I can subtract alot from that for a FOWLR setup) for a tank that size? I am willing to shop around for bargains, but I don't want to skimp on equipment. I have done that before, and it usually doesn't give me the results I am looking for(especially when this tank will be the centerpiece to the room I put it in). I guess basically, I am just looking for some sort of direction. There is so much out there, I guess don't even know where to begin looking for equipment, reviews, what kind of filtration is best, etc, and how much all this would cost(expensive, I know, but how much is the key).

Any articles, tips, tricks, advice, experiences with tanks this size, would be most appreciated.
 
You should be warned that it will be expensive and somewhat time consuming to have a reef tank. All those tests and water changes. If you not dead set on a reef tank i would work your way up to it. Start with fish and maybe some inverts and slowly move up to reef level. I have a 30 gal Fish and live rock tank and ive put 400+ into it already. Not even a reef tank yet. You will probably spend upwards on 4-8 thousand on it possibly more.
 
Oh i forgot to mention that you will also want to get a sump witch will cost more money. Without a sump you will not be able to have a reef aquarium. If you go to the reef section of this site im sure you will get a ton more advice.
 
Well I would go with a 6 foot tank as this will give you room for a nice sump/fuge in the stand and make sure to get the display tank drilled. I feel reef tanks can be fairly easy AFTER they have been up and running for 9-12 months and depending on available money the sky is the limit on automating your tank short of maybe WC's. I would shop around because somtimes you can get equipment for about 1/2 price from people that are upgrading. I know there are knowledgeable people on here but you could also check out Reef Central and Michigan Reefers for more info and possibly equipment. I would say that a full blown reef could cost about $75/gallon for all new but you should be able to get it down alot if you buy used stuff.
 
Sumps shouldnt cost much, just get a old scratched up 55 of 75 gallon tank and get some glass cut and silicone them in place. I like canopies so if you are handy with wood you can build one and then pick up on a used retro lighting system and mount it in your canopy. I also recomend buying about 50% dry base rock and the rest nice LR also dont waste your money on LS just get dry sand as it will become live fast and if you dont mind rinsing out sand get sand from someone that is taking down a system. I just did a quick look on MR and found a nice skimmer for sale
Reef Octopus Skimmer TDNW 300 Skimmer (600 gallon): $400
So there is always somebody selling used equipment for a decent price.
 
Alright, thanks for the advice. If I started a tank as FOWLR and then move to reef, wont I be getting rid of most of my fish/inverts once I switch it over?
 
calivivarium1 said:
Alright, thanks for the advice. If I started a tank as FOWLR and then move to reef, wont I be getting rid of most of my fish/inverts once I switch it over?
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When I see people going FOWLR they usually dont have reef safe fish so depending what fish you get you might have to get rid of them. I would also think if you went FOWLR you probably wouldnt get the correct lighting for a reef setup because it wouldnt be needed but thats JMO and then going to reef you would need to upgrade your lighting so keep that in mind. I guess what I am saying is make sure anything you get can be used for a reef if you plan on going that way later on.
 
That makes cents(pun intended). I guess I am really finding two cons with FOWLR then: equipment/livestock isn't necessarily compatible with a reef and personally, I just don't find FOWLR as visually appealing as either a Reef or planted fresh setup.
There seem to be some decent deals around me like this(needs a new stand) and this.
 
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