what is the cheapest most reliable system you have had, for someone wanting try this

[Ed Hahn]

I have been asked what is the cheapest , most reliable tank you ever had.
I had a 45 gallon fish only tank with live rock. I had two power heads, under gravel, over the back filter, cheap skimmer, small heater and crushed coral.
Can someone else fill in the blank here too for those wanting to join in this hobby?

Thanks in Advance,
Ed

 

[Scooterman]

I started out with a 30g no twin lights, two PH's & 45lbs of lr & 20lbs of ls, later I picked up a HO-Skimmer, it was ok for a few fish but required lots of water changes.

 

[DonW]

I would only recomend a 55plus. You can set up a berlin system very inexpensivly. The problem with the small tank is they require much more attention to detail. Also they can go belly up over night.

Tank with overflow, 10g aquarium for sump (no dividers), felt sock, return pump, two maxijet 1200's, heater, Jebo skimmer and hello lights vho kit. Shop smart and it can be done for less than $400 easily.

Don

 

[reedman]

For what its worth, I think the system I started with is about as simple as I would go for a reef.

75 gallon tank (no sump)
80W NO strip lights
live rock
PHs
HOB skimmer
RO/DI unit (must have as far as I'm concerned)
Ca, Alk, PH, NO3 test kits

This seems to work fine for mushrooms and other lower light corals. As you move up in lighting you add light (PC, VHO, MH). You can also increase flow with more PHs or, like I did, add a CLS. If the person plans to go any bigger in the future, I would recommend a reef-ready tank with a sump, as it's easier to get a good skimmer and dosing chemicals is much easier. Also a sump provides the oportunity to take advantage of gravity for top-off.

All-in-all, the above setup served me very well for a while until I could add MH, VHO, CLS, and a top-off system. Corals did fine, as did the fish.

I think it all boils down to how much maintainance the person wants to do. You could probably get away with even less equipment if you want to do more water changes. If they want to go smaller than a 75, I would recommend they start with reef safe fish and maybe some low light, easy to keep corals in a smaller setup, but it is more difficult to maintain.

 

[Ed Hahn]

Wow, you guys are great! Very good points. In my oppinion there are a lot of people thinking this hobby is hard. I think it is very simple if you stay with basics. You will see LFS having crushed coral, a over the back with charcoal, and doing water changes in 29 gallon tanks. I agree with Don and Scooty its a lot of work with smaller tanks. I also agree Reed with test kits and a good idea what Natural Saltwater Levels are very important. Come on, We want Mr Freshwater to join us.

 

[Illusion]

My cheapest most reliable system would be my Agressive tank... I have 2 55w power compacts run on a Workhorse 5 and a 4' VHO bulb ran on another WH5.. There is about 20lbs of LR and 40lbs of Base Rock with a 2" Araganite Sand Bed... Tank has a picasso trigger, Niger trigger, Blue Jaw trigger, Dog Faced Puffer, Velvet Damsel and Yellow Tail damsel... Ammonia and nitrites 0, nitrates ?? I do monthly 15g water changes with oceanic and feed the tank every 2 or 3 days with Krill and Silversides and sometimes Flake if I am really lazy.. For water movement I have a single Rio 2100 and for heater I have an Ebo 250w

Equiptment
20lbs LR
40lbs Base Rock
2x55w Pc lights on WH5
1x110w VHO on WH5
Rio 2100
Ebo 250w heater
Cheap timer

Tank is a truvue 55g Acrylic and has been up for about 5months solid.. Was changed over from a 29g AGA tank that was approx 9m old...

James

 

[spooda420]

I have been asked what is the cheapest , most reliable tank you ever had.

Ed

Cheapest and reliable, really two words that mean the opposite in this hobby

I'd say a skimmerless 30g with 15 pounds of LR and 2" SB and 2 fish, trigger/puffer

 

[Witfull]

the easiest tank i had was way back in 1980...75g agressive...humu, clown, and fuscus triggers and a snowflake eel. as long as they were fed they didnt care about anything...low pH...ppffftt,,,nitrates through the roof...double ppffftt,,,,no shrimp...we have issues pal...serious issues!!

and back then i had a state of the art sand trickle system,,,5 drip trays into a sump...boy have things changed!!!

 

[aquariumdebacle]

tank,water,liverock,that's it. Oh I livedin Hawaii!

 

[Ed Hahn]

Dan, Your The Man!. I was hoping someone would say that. Dan did you use anything for water movement for Oxygen?

 

[Witfull]

growing up in hawaii it was the freshies that were the IN-DEMAND thing..i remeber working as a kid in a LFS and angelfish and neons were the rage,,,,anyone could have a salt tank,,,LOL

i made good money breeding marble veil angels...i was one of the few on the island..and i was 12.