What are the costs of a tank? And opinions on the setup I've got planned.

[discuspaul]

Just opinions, but here's my .02:
-Consider an AquaClear 50 HOB filter - very quiet, easy to maintain/clean/allows for varied media. S/B under $50. (save $50.)
-Heater: 100 watt Eheim Jager - very reliable. S/B around $30.
-Substrate: Pool filter sand - 50 lbs. for $10. (you'll only need around 30 lbs. or so) (save $30.)
-Don't need CO2 for a 20 gal. (Unless you really want to have it around for when you go to a larger tank.) Go with dry ferts, root tabs, Flourish Excel & Comp. Supp. - maybe $40. or so, all in (save $160.)
You've already been advised you can save on the tank price too.
Hope this is helpful.
You should be able to effectively do all you want to do for half the amount of your expected cost.

 

[ianab]

The thing is you are going with an absolute top end high tech system for a relatively small tank.

That's about the same budget I have for my 2 X 80gal tanks (including stand and sump filter). But I'm an expert at scrounging and DIY.

You don't NEED an Eheim Cannister, there is an Emperor BioWheel on sale on that site for $26 that would work great on that size tank.
A $10 bag of gravel, not some fancy substrate.
Pick some low light plants and they will do just fine in gravel and some 1/2 decent lighting.

You can't really skimp on food and water conditioner, you need a heater, lights for the plants, and the test kit is good. But it still gets a prefectly good tank set up for under $200.

Sometimes we just need to work with the budget we have...

Ian

 

[Gotcha38]

Have you tried http://www.freecycle.org/

See if they don't have a chapter near you, you can usually find one for free ...

I had no idea this existed, and I will be signing up as soon as I get back from dinner. That's awesome!

 

[ValorG]

Wow so many replies to fast! Thanks for the quick responses. I'll definitely check out the sunsun filters on Ebay. I had no idea I could get a good canister for $50.

I was considering going ahead and dropping the dime on a full CO2 system because I could use it on a larger tank or two tanks when/if I upgraded. If I got a paintball system how long would that last on a twenty gallon? Average light conditions, not high or low. The light fixture I was looking at on Al's was a dual T5 about 35 watts.


I really like the pool filter sand substrate. I've read that people cap a organic miracle grow bottom with it for good results. Is a 50lb bag of pool filter sand way more than I'll need, about right, less?

I love this forum.

Ive heard of the 20 oz tanks lasting 6 months. But ill be more conservative saying 3-4.5 months.

30-40 pounds of sand should be good.

 

[Gotcha38]

The thing is you are going with an absolute top end high tech system for a relatively small tank.

That's about the same budget I have for my 2 X 80gal tanks (including stand and sump filter). But I'm an expert at scrounging and DIY.

You don't NEED an Eheim Cannister, there is an Emperor BioWheel on sale on that site for $26 that would work great on that size tank.
A $10 bag of gravel, not some fancy substrate.
Pick some low light plants and they will do just fine in gravel and some 1/2 decent lighting.

You can't really skimp on food and water conditioner, you need a heater, lights for the plants, and the test kit is good. But it still gets a prefectly good tank set up for under $200.

Sometimes we just need to work with the budget we have...

Ian

Just opinions, but here's my .02:
-Consider an AquaClear 50 HOB filter - very quiet, easy to maintain/clean/allows for varied media. S/B under $50. (save $50.)
-Heater: 100 watt Eheim Jager - very reliable. S/B around $30.
-Substrate: Pool filter sand - 50 lbs. for $10. (you'll only need around 30 lbs. or so) (save $30.)
-Don't need CO2 for a 20 gal. (Unless you really want to have it around for when you go to a larger tank.) Go with dry ferts, root tabs, Flourish Excel & Comp. Supp. - maybe $40. or so, all in (save $160.)
You've already been advised you can save on the tank price too.
Hope this is helpful.
You should be able to effectively do all you want to do for half the amount of your expected cost.

Thanks for the opinions! That's exactly what I made this thread for. I didn't realize what i had was a really high tech tank.

Thanks especially everyone for the specific equipment recommendations. I don't have any experience to go on myself.

 

[ianab]

It's easy to look at other peoples really cool tank setups, and think that's "normal" or even "necessary". In reality you can keep things a LOT simpler and still have a nice tank.

This seems to be a common thing with many hobby internet sites. If you go to a car site everyone is raving about Ferraris, but 99% of them are driving Toyotas

Ian

 

[Gotcha38]

It's easy to look at other peoples really cool tank setups, and think that's "normal" or even "necessary". In reality you can keep things a LOT simpler and still have a nice tank.

This seems to be a common thing with many hobby internet sites. If you go to a car site everyone is raving about Ferraris, but 99% of them are driving Toyotas

Ian

Yeah, I think that's the trap I fell into. I just saw an amazing 20L on ptf without co2, ferts, or anything. I didn't realize something like this was possible.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/tank-journals-photo-album/103111-20l-downoi-farm-3-26-11-a.html

 

[ianab]

Yep - a couple of $5 desk lamps with daylight spectrum "energy savers". Good enough for a low light planted tank, and there is another $20 left in your pocket

 

[Gotcha38]

Lights - if your going plants, go with t5 HO Here is the 24" version of a light I just bought. http://cgi.ebay.com/24-T5-HO-Aquari...767?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45f974b52f $40 bucks shipped.

Will these lights put me in a situation where I have too much light?

 

[jetajockey]

I don't think it would be too much overkill if you had pressurized co2 going, idk i've heard mixed reviews on the reflectors on those fixtures. Personally I go the low/medium light method, which would be a single t5ho with a good reflector.