Budget Conscious Marine Tank

[tactics007]

Hi everyone,

I'm a newbie and i'm glad to be one of the members here. I planning to have a 4ft*2ft*2ft marine tank with sump or without sump(other option canister filter) and i'll stick to that.

I wanted to have a few fishes and interesting creatures eg. octopus,eel,hermit crabs or crabs but would prefer small sizes when they reached adult stage. I also would like to have easy to maintain corals..i mean hardy corals i presume, with a simple scape.

This is my list which i need to buy:

1)Filter (Canister if without sump)

2)Pump (If sump available)

3)Protein Skimmer (Is surface skimmer will do?)

4)Calcium reactor (Is it important for easy to maintain hardy corals?)

5)Live Rock and Sand

6)Hydrometer and Testers and Temperature (Is there any all-in-one product which can ongoingly monitor all these important factors)

7)Lightings

8)Wave Maker

9)Overflow box (If sump available)

10)Is it possible if i put in miniatures or small cave-like pots vice versa in the tank juz like freshwater tank do?

Since i'm budget conscious type, i would like to buy all or some of these equipments 2nd hand. I prefer low or mid-range equipments which adhere to the litres of the tank and uses less power but better performance. My budget is 1000 to 1500 if possible lower, excluding the tank.

I need ur opinion and knowledge abt the planned list that i have put up. I greatly appreciate it. Thanks!!

[nwyk153]

Hi everyone,

I'm a newbie and i'm glad to be one of the members here. I planning to have a 4ft*2ft*2ft marine tank with sump or without sump(other option canister filter) and i'll stick to that.

I wanted to have a few fishes and interesting creatures eg. octopus,eel,hermit crabs or crabs but would prefer small sizes when they reached adult stage. I also would like to have easy to maintain corals..i mean hardy corals i presume, with a simple scape.

This is my list which i need to buy:

1)Filter (Canister if without sump)

2)Pump (If sump available)

3)Protein Skimmer (Is surface skimmer will do?)

4)Calcium reactor (Is it important for easy to maintain hardy corals?)

5)Live Rock and Sand

6)Hydrometer and Testers and Temperature (Is there any all-in-one product which can ongoingly monitor all these important factors)

7)Lightings

8)Wave Maker

9)Overflow box (If sump available)

10)Is it possible if i put in miniatures or small cave-like pots vice versa in the tank juz like freshwater tank do?

Since i'm budget conscious type, i would like to buy all or some of these equipments 2nd hand. I prefer low or mid-range equipments which adhere to the litres of the tank and uses less power but better performance. My budget is 1000 to 1500 if possible lower, excluding the tank.

I need ur opinion and knowledge abt the planned list that i have put up. I greatly appreciate it. Thanks!!

Hey. I'm a noob too. I'm using a canister filter for my tank. I just recently added UV to prevent some nasty bacteria/parasite. Anyway, octopus cannot kept with other invertebrates and fishes cause it sure eat them. And Protein Skimmer and Surface skimmer is totally different thing. You might want to read up here www.wetwebmedia.com

[angelfishlover]

Hi everyone,

I'm a newbie and i'm glad to be one of the members here. I planning to have a 4ft*2ft*2ft marine tank with sump or without sump(other option canister filter) and i'll stick to that.

I wanted to have a few fishes and interesting creatures eg. octopus,eel,hermit crabs or crabs but would prefer small sizes when they reached adult stage. I also would like to have easy to maintain corals..i mean hardy corals i presume, with a simple scape.

This is my list which i need to buy:

1)Filter (Canister if without sump)

2)Pump (If sump available)

3)Protein Skimmer (Is surface skimmer will do?)

4)Calcium reactor (Is it important for easy to maintain hardy corals?)

5)Live Rock and Sand

6)Hydrometer and Testers and Temperature (Is there any all-in-one product which can ongoingly monitor all these important factors)

7)Lightings

8)Wave Maker

9)Overflow box (If sump available)

10)Is it possible if i put in miniatures or small cave-like pots vice versa in the tank juz like freshwater tank do?

Since i'm budget conscious type, i would like to buy all or some of these equipments 2nd hand. I prefer low or mid-range equipments which adhere to the litres of the tank and uses less power but better performance. My budget is 1000 to 1500 if possible lower, excluding the tank.

I need ur opinion and knowledge abt the planned list that i have put up. I greatly appreciate it. Thanks!!

Number 6 yes go to http://www.aquamarin.com.sg/productsDetail...d='182' .But it is way super expensive but good ah since it is very accurate.Get API test kit if u are low on budget or if u want Salifert brand go to AquaMarin they sell it much cheaper.If u wnat an accurate reading get a floating hydrometer since ur budget is tight.what kind of lights u going to get???HO T5,PL or metal halide???Is ur tank covered wif a hood or not???

NO POTS!!!!!Live rocks and stack them together since it is way natural and pots are like to be found in Singapore Shores.Which brand of wavemakers u want to get and what corals u want to take care???

Uhmm hardy hard corals no nid calcium reactor.Hardy hard corals are bubbe corals,hammer corals,torch corals and blastomussa.These are called LPS(Large Polyped Stony)corals.They suck calcium in super low.If u get SPS(Small Polyped Stony)corals they suck in very fast.SPS corals are like those branch like corals u see them in TV.Those are acropora species.

Lemme show u some of the pics of the corals.

Acropora species.

Bubble coral

Taken from my tank.

Protein skimmer i would say that no shortcuts in protein skimming.Surface skimmer is for freshwater tanks.This marine tank is like those bubbles produced when the waves hit the shore.It skims out organic wastes.I think you should go and check out AquaMarin's website again.

ABout ur livestocks lemme recommend u of getting a clownfish or two after done cycling.Octopus you cannot add corals in already.Same goes for eels.Do read up a little bit more and if u have any more questions,feel free to ask us at SGReef.Happy reefing.Can drop me a PM too.

Your Reefing fren

Faiz

[tactics007]

having a canister filter with UV is a good idea if i'm thinking of not having a sump and it cost less. after some research, I'm worried abt the nitrate levels which the canister produced. nwyk153, how's ur aquarium nitrate level until now? R u using any additives to control the nitrate?

For the lightings, i'm still confused which is better or efficient. I prefer those which uses less power and cost less but sufficiently bright for the aquarium. Can anyone recommend me? Does a marine tank require two different lightings which represent day and night?

For the tank, is it better to have a hood? Can I use the water output to the tank from the sump as a improvised wavemaker rather than i buy a wavemaker?

Abt the hardy corals, can anyone give me a list of the coral names?

Thanks nwyk153 and faiz for ur help.