jcasisa Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Hello all, Long time stalker ... first time poster. I have always loved aquariums ever since I was a kid and had a 55g fresh water tank. I am now in a position where I want to try my hand at salt water, but it seems a little more daunting that fresh. I have the space for about a 75g to 90g tank, but maybe not the budget. So I am looking for some advice and maybe a mentor to help with some of the decisions. I have been looking through some of the tank builds and I am amazed at the beauty that can be created. So my first question, I am most likely going to have to do this in stages, so I was going to get the stand and tank first then additional accessories as budget allows. Is a 75g or 90g a good size tank to start with? And if so, any particular features that are 'must haves'? Thanks, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Welcome John! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tennisjad3 Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Welcome! That ultimately depends on whether you're wanting to a reef tank or fish only, so I'd say that's the first decision to make Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juiceman Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 90 and 75 both have the same footprint, the 90 is just taller. I'd say 90 if your budget allows. Bigger is always easier to maintain. only drawback is it's hard to reach things at the bottom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wardlaw Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Bigger. Welcome and you're welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Definitely the 90! Looking forward to seeing the build ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 So my first question, I am most likely going to have to do this in stages, so I was going to get the stand and tank first then additional accessories as budget allows. Is a 75g or 90g a good size tank to start with? And if so, any particular features that are 'must haves'? Thanks, John Generally, the rule is that larger tanks are more stable and easier to maintain. Price wise, the 75 and 90g tanks are going to be about the same and use the same equipment. There are very nice aquariums that range anywhere from 3g-25g so don't think you're forced into something that's too large for you. A good, scratchless, used tank is cheaper than buying new and you reduce your startup costs. The pumps and mechanical equipment are another story There are some questions that you have to ask yourself before you start though. How much time and effort do I want to invest? A smaller tank needs to be looked after on a daily basis. That's not to say that you have to test your water every day, but one liter of evaporation in a 10g is a bigger deal than one gallon in a 90g. Larger tanks tend to have more filtration and equipment to maintain them, which is an added expense, but will keep your maintenance time down. On the other hand, smaller tank keepers tend to do more water changes which can cure 90% of all tank issues. What kind of animals do I want to keep? Everyone has their thing that gets them interested in saltwater aquariums. I'm a fish guy myself so I need a large tank to house them, but coral guys can turn a 29g Biocube into the best thing you've ever seen and be totally happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcasisa Posted August 20, 2015 Author Share Posted August 20, 2015 Thanks for the warm welcome!! So after hearing the initial advice I think I will be going with a 90g tank and I definitely would want coral but also I would need a clown fish for my daughter (blame Nemo ). A new question I have, I am a novice woodworker and after looking at many tank stands in stores, I think I could build a nice stand that would match other furniture in the room. I would think a 90g tank would weigh close to 1000 pounds, is that an accurate assumption? I think I may try to attend the next meeting just so that I can place faces with screen names. -John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Thanks for the warm welcome!! So after hearing the initial advice I think I will be going with a 90g tank and I definitely would want coral but also I would need a clown fish for my daughter (blame Nemo ). A new question I have, I am a novice woodworker and after looking at many tank stands in stores, I think I could build a nice stand that would match other furniture in the room. I would think a 90g tank would weigh close to 1000 pounds, is that an accurate assumption? I think I may try to attend the next meeting just so that I can place faces with screen names. -John A general rule of thumb is ten pounds per gallon but that could very greatly with your scape, also don't forget that you might put a hood on letter to hide lights or equipment so I would be inclined to overbuild the stand just a bit.mi would go with a safety factor of 1.5 if you know what you are putting in it fairly well but it could not hurt to go higher. As for clown fish and coral you could easily get away with a smaller tank if that is all you wanted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Thanks for the warm welcome!! So after hearing the initial advice I think I will be going with a 90g tank and I definitely would want coral but also I would need a clown fish for my daughter (blame Nemo ). A new question I have, I am a novice woodworker and after looking at many tank stands in stores, I think I could build a nice stand that would match other furniture in the room. I would think a 90g tank would weigh close to 1000 pounds, is that an accurate assumption? I think I may try to attend the next meeting just so that I can place faces with screen names. -John About right on the weight. If you are good with joints, 3/4 ply has no problem holding this much weight without having to use 2x4's or other internal structure. I have a nice oak 75/90 gallon footprint plywood stand from RJ aquatics, and they said they have load tested theirs at over 2000 lbs without failure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcasisa Posted August 21, 2015 Author Share Posted August 21, 2015 After more investigation, what is the opinion of the 29g Bio Cube as a starter system? I understand because it is smaller I would have to do more maintenance but I think it would be a good learning experience. -John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 I think the all-in-one's make great starter tanks. I ran a nano cube for 5 years and learned a lot about reef tanks during that time. I think you can't go wrong with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Bulk reef supply has a list of good all in ones that it might be worth looking at to see what's out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcasisa Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 I have the option of getting a 55g tank that is currently being used for freshwater and a fluval 306 canister filter for $150. From what I can tell that is a pretty good deal because a new filter alone would cost that. The reviews on Amazon also say it is a pretty good filter and should easily handle this size tank. What is the general opinion about this filter? Thanks, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Canister filters are good for freshwater, but in salt they clog easily and lose effectiveness. They were the mainstream in the 90's but few tanks above 40g use them anymore. The mainstream today for tanks 55g and larger is to utilize an overflow and incorporate a sump. The main reason is because people want to hide the equipment, like a protein skimmer, which can get pretty gnarly. This hobby should really have a Generally Accepted Reefkeeping Principals (GARP) document published! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcasisa Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 So for a 55g or 75g tank would you use a 10g or 15g sump? I guess that is why some tanks are drilled .. just made the connection. -John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 In general you should use a larger sump, given a choice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Tank drilling is a common method of plumbing the drain and return lines so that you don't see them. If you wanted to incorporate a sump, but don't want to drill, then you can add an external overflow to the tank. A place like www.glassholes.com sells kits and hole saws for both methods. In general, you should get the largest sump you can. However, you still want to be able to fit all of your equipment in the stand so that it's hidden. It really depends on how much equipment you want, but I would say 29g sump should be your minimum in a 55 or 75g tank. Very sophisticated tanks incorporate a skimmer, 1-3 reactors, and an automatic top off system. There are other bells and whistles as well, but they are mostly aimed at automation. You don't really need all of that to be successful. There are plenty of members on the forums that use very little equipment and have nice tanks. It's all about you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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