[Uncle Drusty]

I am looking to getting into starting a salt water live ecosystem, however looking for advice or maybe informative reading material before i get started. I really think just a small live rock system to start helping me find out in the space restrictions i currently have if this is a hobby for me. Right now looking for suggestions on where to get started and maybe ideas for a small tank system. Thanks

 

[Uncle Drusty]

I have been doing some research, and for me with no time restraints and tons of patience I think I am going to build my own tank. I am think 24x24x24 cube will give me about 60G. Also thinking of using acrylic and not glass. The DIY tank guides I have read don't give to much info on the plumbing and filtration sytems so I am wondering how much I'll need to actually cut after I get the 24x24 sheets . The pricing I have seen for half inch cell cast clr acrylic sheets cut to 24x24 and a quantity of 6 was roughly $300 haven't checked a local supplier yet just getting a base atm. Am I on the right track or am I being too ambitious for my first tank ?

 

[badxgillen]

Unless you are rather handy and have some tools at your disposal I might go for a premade tank. $300 can get you a pretty decent aquarium. If you like the challenge of making things and you have some extra time on your hands then maybe its a project you might want to tackle. It can be a little challenging the first time so I usually recommend starting a smaller build and then when you are finished decide if going the expensive bigger route is the right way for you.You can get pretty cheap acylic or glass at local shops,just make sure its of the proper thickness to hold the volume of water you are shooting for.

 

[VerdantGrotto]

I agree.

If you wanted to relieve some of the costs you could build your own sump system. I personally would get a premade tank and then build my own sump and stand. There's quite a bit of work in those projects alone so you would be able to enjoy your tank sooner. Most local fish stores and even petsmart :roll: have 1$ per gallon sales around holidays. However I would look into getting a reef ready system unless you wanted to get a HOB (hang on back) overflow pump.

Look at my saltwater thread as it has a few questions answered on it that might help you along. One thing I've done is purchased a 20 gallon tank and some acrylic from Home Depot to make a sump setup. Simply measure the inside dimensions and then draw it up on the ole laptop. One thing I've learned in this hobby is plan, plan, plan...