Tank (And UpKeep) Costs

[runningboy01]

Welp..nvm that...He sold it

[wagner7123]

CL is like that, just hit it fast and have cash on hand. sort of like buying drugs (not that I would have any idea about that)

[goldielocke76]

Ok, so probably not a good deal on that tank then. Oh well. I did find this on live rock

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/for/2681394591.html

NICE!!! LoL you can always get it and store it, but you would need the hydors the hardest part is looking at all these great deals before you have the tank set up and running haha ^.^ it's torturous! If you can find a deal like that again I would get all LR if you can manage it. This is what one of my weekends consisted of:

Friday
Get RO water from store
Fill tank up half way, bring to specific gravitiy desired
Get hydors up and running to mix salt
Let salt mix for 12 hours
Use the other buckets to wash the substrate and add it to the tank

Saturday:
Trip to Petco to get premixed SW (so I didn't have to use my own)
Go see the guy selling the LR.
Pick out LR, put it in the 5 gallon buckets and fill with salt water (I had 6 buckets, I filled three up with SW and left the other three empty. Ended up taking home 91 pounds, and we used 4 buckets)
Go home
Put in LR the way I wanted it (made sure it was all underwater though in the tank), readjust the koralias
Go get more RO water
Mix more SW, let sit with a bubbler for 12 hours in a bucket. (I had to mix a heavy dose, so I could add it to my other 5 gallons of RO water to make it 1.016 SG to add to the tank to keep the entire tank at 1.022)

Sunday:
Mixing three 64 oz pails of SW @ 1.027 SG and 3 64 oz pails of RO water made it a perfect 1.016
Put that mix in the tank slowly until at desired level.


LoL as you can see, it was an all weekend event that required me and my bf to do a lot of running around. We got it set up and running though, and I am just about ready for my little GSP. The LR went above and beyond my expectations. I would totally do it again in a heartbeat. The tank has just been interesting with the LR in it, then I added 2 hermits and 2 emerald crabs. It's been awesome even without the GSP.

[goldielocke76]

CL is like that, just hit it fast and have cash on hand. sort of like buying drugs (not that I would have any idea about that)

+1, that is almost exactly what Xray told me, minus the drug part LOL uh huh...suuure you wouldn't LOLOL I'm jkjk ^.^

[runningboy01]

Thanks again for all of the insight and info.

I edited the sheet again and broke it down into GSP vs F8.

I'm starting to lean more towards F8 and not just because of up front costs. Also (and mainly) because I've never owned anything other than freshwater, and I fear that taking care of Marine may be more than what I could handle up front.

I'm kind of thinking that if I start with an F8, I can learn a lot, get familiar, continue to read and learn .

With that, I am talking to the person selling this setup:

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/hsh/2624709553.html

Details that aren't listed are as follows:

The two filters are Tetra Whisper EX45 and Whisper EX70,The heater is a 300 Wt Heater (never been used).. Bubble stones are Top fin.

Knowing all of that, would that setup work well for an F8?

[wagner7123]

I haven't kept fish for years ,until recently, and only FW then. Salt is easy. good skimmer + live rock heater thermometer. Almost no work after initial set up. I do no more than a 10% water change every 2-4 weeks and scrub the glass every saturday. the initial set up was only difficult because I went from FW to BW to SW in a week while cycling( 4 WC/daily 2 weeks then 2 daily x2weeks) with fish (oops). if you fish-less cycle, it really is easy and almost all play time.

[goldielocke76]

Thanks again for all of the insight and info.

I edited the sheet again and broke it down into GSP vs F8.

I'm starting to lean more towards F8 and not just because of up front costs. Also (and mainly) because I've never owned anything other than freshwater, and I fear that taking care of Marine may be more than what I could handle up front.

I'm kind of thinking that if I start with an F8, I can learn a lot, get familiar, continue to read and learn .

With that, I am talking to the person selling this setup:

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/hsh/2624709553.html

Details that aren't listed are as follows:

The two filters are Tetra Whisper EX45 and Whisper EX70,The heater is a 300 Wt Heater (never been used).. Bubble stones are Top fin.

Knowing all of that, would that setup work well for an F8?

Personally I would leave the heaters and the filters and get your own....you don't know how they were used, if they are really "never been used" make sure that they aren't faulty....etc etc etc. I don't want to take the chance with some off brand of heaters or filters that can fail. Not saying that these would, that is just my personal opinion. I trust my aquaclears and hydor heaters. It should work just fine for an F8. Maybe ask PP or someone else to verify, but I might put 2, 110 aquas or if someone thinks that is too much, I would put 2 70s on a tank like that. Something to handle the bioload and provide enough current for the fish. But as long as the tank is in decent condition, I would say why not? =)

[Pufferpunk]

Forget the wave timer, I don't think that is necessary for a FOWLR system.

[wagner7123]

Forget the wave timer, I don't think that is necessary for a FOWLR system.

Probably not, but i doubt it would hurt.

[Pufferpunk]

Korilias aren't meant for that application.

[wagner7123]

I disagree:

from http://www.hydor.com/

http://www.hydor.com/prodotti/show/famprod/47/list/14

The new and improved Koralia Nanos now come in 2 models, 240 gph and 425 gph, but remain super compact and efficient. The magnet suction support and sphere joint have been strengthend and modified allowing better flow direction. Both models can be safely run on a timer. Just choose which model is best suited for your aquarium and watch your creatures benefit from the flow of this super efficient little powerhead.

http://www.hydor.com/prodotti/show/famprod/46/list/14

Finnaly a compact, energy saving controllable pump with amazing, never before seen performance! Even the exclusive magnet suction-cup support has been improved with vibration reduction technology. Find the model that best suits your needs, position it, plug it into a timer or directly into your electrical supply and watch your aquarium benefit from the powerful yet gentle flow.

http://www.hydor.com/faq/index/famprod/47#faq48
Are the Koralia Nanos safe for use on wavemakers?

Yes. Like the Koralia Evolutions and Magnums, the Koralia Nano 240 and 425 are designed to handle operation on wavemakers and timers.

[runningboy01]

Thanks again .

I believe that if I go with an F8, then I don't need to worry about the power heads and timers though correct? Because with F8, you do use filters and not LR as they stay in a true Brackish setup not Marine ?

***Edit***

Also, with the tank I link above, would it be necessary to purchase an air pump still being as it has the two Top Fin bubble stones?

[J-P]

Ok, so probably not a good deal on that tank then. Oh well. I did find this on live rock

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/for/2681394591.html

That's an excellent deal.

[runningboy01]

Ok, so probably not a good deal on that tank then. Oh well. I did find this on live rock

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/for/2681394591.html

That's an excellent deal.

Sadly, it was sold .

[J-P]

Yea I saw that afterwards.


Keep an eye on that dry rock I told you about in Reef Central. Marco Rocks

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forum ... .php?f=602

Every Tuesday he runs the contest and you only pay $0.99 + shipping. I got 45 lbs for $40.00 (and I live in Canada). Not a bad deal and it looks good.

A great way to save some $$ is you are fast and ready with the fingers. <== ok no comment on that one, please