300$-500$ starting a tank for first time,
 

Hi i have always wanted a neat tank of fish. I know that there are very very cool and interesting fish out there. I have about a 300-500 budget and i would like a tank that has neat interesting fish. Exotic, i once saw a fish that ate the gravel and cleaned it then spit it out its side. Stuff like that. I want a very alive tank with lots of activity, but not just schools of boring small fish. What do you guys think i should buy, BTW i need a tank and stuff too. I know corals are expensive so that might not be an option. I dont mind working either, i have alot of time. So what and where should i buy, also im in florida.

Wow. The world is at your disposal!

Give us some background on your experience in the hobby. What sort of tanks have you kept in the past? Have you ever had a marine aquarium? How long do you expect the tank to be set up? Are you a patient person, or do you generally want immediate results?

well, i have kept reptiles and some gold fish. I worked at a pet store though with some cool stuff. I would say i would wait if its something really really cool end result. But other then that i kinda dont wanna wait more then 6 months for the tank to be active. I have my own house now so it will be here for a long time.

oh boy this will be great!

sarcasm?

subscribed!!!!

Some of the various sand sifters from the Goby family do this... look at a diamond goby.

Listen to everything people like Pasfur have to say. That is the best advice I can give you.

seeing that your in florida your in a great position. there are alot of local reef clubs around your state, look for a good one and get involved. ask questions, read, and read some more. local reefing clubs are great for learning, meeting people and picking up used equiptment cheap. IMO a few months research are needed prior purchasing anything... anything, tank included, let alone fish. a decent protein skimmer goes for how much you have to spend with your budget. i dont intend to bring you down, only to give you the heads up. there are ways around this though, like finding one that was used for a cheaper price. however, on any tank larger then a nano a quality skimmer IMO is required. patience seriously cannot be stressed enough in this hobby and one must think long term. i know more then 1 clownfish (and some other fish) that are 10+ years old so keep the big picture in mind. doing things right from the start will save a ton of money and lead to greater chance to a long term succesful, healthy, enjoyable aquarium.
as for the sand shifting, that was most likely a sleeper goby of some sort as NCFrank mentioned. i would not put gravel in my saltwater tank to begin with but i would def. not let one of these guys sift gravel as it prob. isnt the best for passing through their gills.

do you have a size tank in mind?

welcome to the forum.

thanks onefish, i wouldnt say more then 100 gallons would be my limit. A little bigger wouldnt hurt. I would rather have sand as well. I want something i can look at and be intriqued. Maybe my own little ecosystem type deal.

this is the idea your looking for. my reef will always have 0ppm nitrates because it was properly setup. if your willing to do it, this shouldnt be hard for you to accomplish either. since were on the topic of sand and you claim its what you want, go with a 4'' - 6'' sand depth. this is called a deep sand bed (DSB) which is something that will come up in your research.
if any questions come up feel free to ask away via message or better yet create a thread so everyone can include their input and regardless if they contribute, they still read!