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Old 01-15-2010, 03:11 AM   #15 (permalink)
Imaexpat2
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Name: Ritsuko N.
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Default Re: How should I go?

Trouble93 made some very good points.

The advice about the sand is not a bad one. If you insist on using it anyways and can confirm that there is no contamination from Copper based meds and such, then I would seriously rinse it thoroughly, then when adding it back to the tank add a bag of live sand or 10-20 lbs of Graf Grunge. Just make sure its a calcium based sand substrate.

Yes that is a lot of weight to be placing on a home floor. Not only is that a lot of weight but its a small foot print to distribute that weight on. Consider too that a tank that size, the minimum recoomended monthly water changes will send you through a bucket of salt pretty quick too. The amount of top off water you will need will make a R/O water unit a very cost effcient piece of gear to have too and thats an added cost to consider. Granted you can bu the water from the LFS but it gets expensive when dealing with a large tank and their maintenance on the filter may not be all that great, so the water quality might not be as great either.

As for stands...I wouldnt trust even a new one from the factory. Getting one built will add a good bit to your start up expenses. Builting one for a tank this size makes a lot more sense using well designed plans. I have built many of the stands I have used in the past on large tanks including a 300 gallon RR and a 240 gallon RR tanks. My stands generally ran me about 200 fun dollars or more to build. Its not a project you want to "just slap together".

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Here's what I would do sit down with a piece of paper and a pen count every dollar you plan to put into your tank. Then make a list of everything you will need to get the tank up and running. Then if you have a good local fish store in your area go and get a price for that from them then look online and see what will work best for you and go from there. It is always better to get the biggest tank you can afford, but at the same time you want to be able to put something in it. I know how it is when you want something...you want it right now, but take your time this earth is covered by 70% ocean so it's not going anywhere and we promise you we'll save you some my friend.
If you only knew just how great that piece of advice was...seriously! I would first sit down and do some serious soul searching. Figure out what you want to keep in your tank, FOWLR, FO, Fish/Reef or Coral Reef only. If corals are involved which corals are you wanting to keep. This can have a profound effect on exactly what it is you need, especially when it comes to lighting!!! The depth of your tank will also be a mitigating factor when it comes to lighting as well so dont forget that consideration either. Lighting on a reef tank can easily cost more than a custom tank! Generally speaking a 4 ft long tank can usually be outfitted with lights as cheaply as a 36 inch tank or a 6ft tank. Instead of constantly upgrading your are money ahead just getting what it is you need to begin with. Develop a detailed plan before you spend the first fun dollar, start out slow and easy and you will most likely save yourself a lot of money and a lot more headaches. Nothing good in a SW tank happens fast, I assure you! Sometimes a lack of funds can be a blessing in disguise too! At the time, you just might not realize that is the case.

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I feel you would be better off running a sump/fuge under your tank but not sure what cost difference there would be
If your going with a reef tank I would have to strongly agree with that statement!!! That being the case I would suggest a Reef Ready tank from the get go. Yes it will cost more for the tank but after years of keeping and propagating corals, it really is the best route by far to go. Of course you dont have too. Many use a Siphon Over Flow Box in a standard tank and some just use HOB filter and get nice results. Do some research and decide whats best for your needs.

Thats my Buck O Five on this topic...
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