New tank or week vacation?

Go on vacation or get a bigger tank?

  • Total voters
    21
Newjack

Newjack

Member
So my annually paid vacation is coming up and i have been having my company hold all my over time for it. Got about 5 grand coming to me from job.

I want to get a bigger tank, I just have the 8gal nano but then im in a real need of a good vacation.

Would you buy a new setup or go on a long waited and deserved vacation?

Ok to add lets do this!

If you vote new tank, What size and type do you recommend for the budget.

If you say vacation. Where should i go?

Also note. My GF wants to go on vacation but my son wants to have a bigger tank. He is 5.
 
Newjack

Newjack

Member
good morning Diana! I noticed you said new tank. Any recommendations for set-up/budget? I want a DIY that i can fully customize.
 
DianaKay

DianaKay

Princess Diana
RS STAFF
I'd suggest a MINIMUM tank size of 50 gallons...and not going with a narrow (front to back) depth. You'll have more rockscape & coral room.
With just an 8gal tank you are WAY TOO LIMITED.
 
Newjack

Newjack

Member
ok. That is defiantly what i want. I am looking at something along the size of an RSM 650D witch runs about 5 grand. that comes with everything I need but i rather have a DIY. I wonder though if I can find the parts and equipment similar to it for same price or cheaper.
 
DianaKay

DianaKay

Princess Diana
RS STAFF
The thing I don't like to think about when it comes to a DIY system is that sometimes turns out looking like a "science project" sitting in your living room. I think it's worth the money getting one I can actually see what the entire set-up will look like. Then it's a challenge to mod the heck out of it & still keep the smooth clean look...I enjoyed the challenge & I think mine is now all I wanted. (& my husband has NO IDEA what it cost me. :spinner::laughroll:spinner: )
 
DianaKay

DianaKay

Princess Diana
RS STAFF
All you forum LURKERS....join up so you can VOTE :thumber:
(Remember: He only has an 8 gallon tank right now ;) )
 
S

Steve L

Member
If it were me, I'd figure out a way to do both. If you spend all of the money on a new tank your GF will resent it and never enjoy it since you chose your hobby over doing something with her.

You can buy used tanks and equipment online for a fraction of what it costs new, so get a used tank on Craigslist with everything you want, and then use the rest to go on vacation.

Making everybody happy will pay off big time for you in the long run.
 
Snid

Snid

Active Member
I vote for both actually, with more emphasis on the new tank. Split the costs, not all vacations need to cost $5K, and a new tank doesn't have to start out at $5K either. Especially if you live in or near a city that does well on Craigslist (as you do). I've started up a 55 gallon tank for significantly less than $5K, and with a new tank, you can't spend it all at once anyways, which means holding back a little each paycheck for new additions as you go. And if you truly feel you need a vacation, then it might do the three of you good. Heck, you can have a nice inexpensive trip to a cabin somewhere for well less than $5K and get away from it all.

The reason why I lean more towards the new tank verses the vacation is because your son should always come before your girlfriend.
 
BigAl07

BigAl07

Administrator
RS STAFF
You're walking a very delicate line here LOL! On one hand son should always come first but sometimes what the kids want may or may not be the best decision for all involved. For that reason I'll walk the line with you (as others have above) and say BOTH!

Firstly a vacation is good for the whole family as well as can help you get "recharged" in your job. It's similar to a nice big Water Change in your tank.

I vote for an RS tank for the reasons DianaK said. I've done it both ways and the "All In One" do tend to look more clean and "designed". Don't get me wrong if you do your homework you can have a CUSTOM system that's just as clean as a AIO but it's going to take a lot of work and a lot of Trial & Error. Fact of the matter I'm seriously looking into the 650D myself in just a few months. I'm kind of spoiled with the clean looks of the AIO and also you can customer/tweak it to your hearts desire down the road.

In regards to vacation have you ever thought about going to Western North Carolina? Asheville and the Biltmore House are AWESOME! For the little guy we're just an hour away from Dollywood and I think everyone will enjoy that park. We go several times a year and don't forget to hit Splash Country which is on the same grounds but an optional visit.

Good luck and you're in a FUN predicament to say the least :)
 
Newjack

Newjack

Member
BigAl07 said:
You're walking a very delicate line here LOL! On one hand son should always come first but sometimes what the kids want may or may not be the best decision for all involved. For that reason I'll walk the line with you (as others have above) and say BOTH!

Firstly a vacation is good for the whole family as well as can help you get "recharged" in your job. It's similar to a nice big Water Change in your tank.

I vote for an RS tank for the reasons DianaK said. I've done it both ways and the "All In One" do tend to look more clean and "designed". Don't get me wrong if you do your homework you can have a CUSTOM system that's just as clean as a AIO but it's going to take a lot of work and a lot of Trial & Error. Fact of the matter I'm seriously looking into the 650D myself in just a few months. I'm kind of spoiled with the clean looks of the AIO and also you can customer/tweak it to your hearts desire down the road.

In regards to vacation have you ever thought about going to Western North Carolina? Asheville and the Biltmore House are AWESOME! For the little guy we're just an hour away from Dollywood and I think everyone will enjoy that park. We go several times a year and don't forget to hit Splash Country which is on the same grounds but an optional visit.

Good luck and you're in a FUN predicament to say the least :)
Click to expand...

yes i been all over north and south Carolina, Use to go deep sea fishing there.
 
DianaKay

DianaKay

Princess Diana
RS STAFF
OK...so a "stay-cation" and a new bigger tank seems to be most popular.
To have BOTH is a good thing :thumbup:
We'd like for you to have a new tank cause you can SHARE it with us. :D
I'm wondering how much space (in a room that you want it in) do you have for a tank?
Over a 100 gallon tank was just more WC than I like to deal with on a routine basis.
I don't like to dread WC day.
 
D

DaveK

Well-Known Member
If you wanted to sink the entire $5000 into a new tank, it would cover about a 100 to 150 gal tank, if you bought all new equipment, and that estimate would also cover stocking the tank. You can figure a new system is going to cost about $35 to $50 per gallon of water in the main display tank by the time your all done. The good news is that you don't need to spend that all at once.

Things are never that simple though. Everyone needs some play time, so working in a vacation is not a bad idea either. As for where to go, it's kind of like reef systems, in that it depends upon what you want out of the the tank or vacation.

I like to get away and relax, with just enough to do so I'm kept busy. A few places I have liked over the years are, in no special order are -

St Augustine, Florida - Not too expensive if you stay outside of town, lots of things to see and do, good placed to eat.
Key West, Florida - One giant party town, but expensive.
Outer Banks, North Carolina - Need not describe that for you.
Williamsburg, Virgina - Historical stuff, lots of things to see and do beyond that.
Adirondacks, NY - Great if you like outdoor sports, somewhat rustic.
Cape Cod, Massachusetts - Lots of great small towns, but I'd avoid it in the summer tourist season. Just too mobbed.
Booth Bay Harbor and similar towns, Maine - Picture perfect scenes, if a bit over run with tourists.

I didn't put down any of the large northern cities. They are all good places to see, but parking and costs can be out of sight. In summer the heat can get to you, bu they are all good areas to visit.
 
B

bullet

Member
I would go for the new tank as we just ordered a deep sea aquatics 110pro with sump and stand LFS (AquaDreams) has a major sale on tank we also ordered everything we need for it including 2 hydra leds and 1 hydra 52 with controller, sicce return pumps and wavemaker, voyager 3 pump, curve 5 protien skimmer, Aquatics RO Buddie 100gpd, and a few other things and it was under $3500.00 which leaves you around 2000.00 for a vacation to keep the GF happy as the tank is going to take about 1 1/2 months to come in from texas
 
puffermike

puffermike

Active Member
I'm all for DIY when it comes to tanks. The greatest thing about this hobby is you don't have to spend all of the money at once. Go on vacation and get yourself a new tank as well. I'd surf around craigslist for tanks. Glass is glass and it's pretty solid for the most part. I snagged multiple large tanks for very cheap.. I'd say about 80% off retail. Only one of those tanks I had to reseal. My 110 for example cost me 250$ with the stand, lots of equipment and a fixture that could grow soft corals. If that wasn't a steal I don't know what is. If you have patience you will save A LOT of money. I scouted out my new reef tank for about a year. It's 100G and I paid 100 bucks for it with the stand. All together to get it running with sand, live rock, power heads, light fixture and salt it cost me about 750$.

So, realize that if you go the DIY route you'll have a lot more money to spend on a sump, skimmer and livestock! We all know the majority of our money goes into corals and fish anyways... That 750 is like dust in the wind when I look at how much I've dumped on livestock in the past year.... :drown::drown::drown:
 
S

Steve L

Member
$5,000 would buy a vacation in Hawaii for 3 people, and you could swim with your future tank inhabitants while they are still in the wild.

:turntable
 
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