So many choices what should i get??

[Blue]

I want to start a small fish tank i want something around 28 gal. I been looking at the oceanic bio cube 29 i think this is the best but i want to make sure. i know i ll want to upgrade later but i want this as my start off tank. also i heard that smaller the tank is the harder it is to maintain it idk i need some peopls thoughts that Know alot about this. Plez help

[sasquatch]

Hi Blue, Welcome to RS! you say you want a fish tank? just fish? fish with live rock or reef? where you want to go will decide more or less what you need, ask more questions we have lots of people here with small tanks. Steve

[blue_eyes53813]

HI Blue, Welcome to RS. The main thing to decide on is how much $ you have available???? The bigger the tank the more $ it will take to maintain.. A 29 is a good size but will take alot of watching over so the salinity and temp doesnt change drastically.

[Blue]

I want to plain on putting like 10 Lbs of live rock and get a nice sand bottom and put like 2 or 3 fish later on the year and maybe 1 or 2 shrimp but i have about 1k to spend setting it up i have alot of time so fish and cleaners crew will come later but first i want the rocks and sand in for like 3 months or more i wanna get use to testing every day. i seen the red sex max cube and it s also looks good.

[DrHank]

Welcome Blue! You should really be thing 1 1/2 to 2 lbs per gallon. I know that's going to increase cost but it's what is needed for proper biological activity. I'd be careful about buying all in ones. I've yet to see one that has all the correct items. It's really difficult to set it up with rock and sand and wait 3 months to add livestock without losing significant biological activity. Once a tank cycles in, it's ready and needs to have livestock added to maintain biological activity.

[BigAl07]

Hello & Welcome Blue. I have an All-In-One 12g Nano Cube DX. I love it but it does need to be MUCH larger.

If I were starting out right now, knowing what I know I would go much larger. If I had the space it would be in the 55+ range. If space and design limited that much tank I would look in the 25+ range for all in ones. If I were buying one in the 20-35 range it would be the Red Sea Max. I've been watching it fairly closely as of later and sort of wish I would have gotten one. I have spent so much money in getting things for my current tank that's included in the RSM system.

Whatever you do, take it slow. Read read read and ask ask ask! It's WELL worth the wait!!

Good luck and again welcome.

Allen

[vdituri]

Welcome aboard the board. You still need to decide if you are going with fish only with live rock or what if any corals soft or otherwise you plan on getting. That will affect the lighting system.

[Blue]

well if i can ask and not look dumb there here i go. i want a small fish tank for now i kinda want a all in one system cuz i don't want to have to mix and match parts i want some coral and plants with sum fish and maybe some shrimp. i heard of systems that can take care of the tank its self i know this must take all the fun out. but i would Love to know these systems. just cuz i wouldnt be able to sleep knowing i let something die. but yea i want something small a few plants and rock with some fishes. i gusse alil bit of everything but not over doing it can i get a red sea max and just up gradeing the parts to make sure this all goes well? and i know it takes time and i am all up for that. ? help

[MR PALM BEACH]

You can get a nice 29g starter kit for under $100bux. Tank, filter, heater, hood, and light. Thats what I started with and was pretty successful with It. The problem you will run Into down the road Is If your content with what you have then more power to you, but must likely you gain experience and will want to upgraded with somthing larger. $100 bux thats not bad for a starter. I got It at PetSupermarket.

[BrothaWolf]

I love my 29 BioCube but after having seen the RedSea Max... if I had it to do over again it would be the RedSea...

[caitrina]

Ohhhh, I saw that RedSea Max and it is sweet! To top it off I am thinking about a nano...so I really didn't need to see that..........lol

[surfzone]

I've noticed a lot of electrical problems with the 29 bio-cubes than with the 14s and 8s.

[Frankie]

I like my 14 bio-cube. Makes a great planted tank! If surfzone says there is issues with the 29 i would believe it. He sells them at my lfs.
The one issue i have had with the 14 is the fan. It makes a ton of noise on start up.

[phlyer27]

i have the red sea max and love it like i have said before its a bit pricey but it was well worth it.i have an aquapod 24 nice tank but the red sea max kills it.

[DaveK]

Originally Posted by Blue

I want to start a small fish tank i want something around 28 gal. I been looking at the oceanic bio cube 29 i think this is the best but i want to make sure. i know i ll want to upgrade later but i want this as my start off tank. also i heard that smaller the tank is the harder it is to maintain it idk i need some peopls thoughts that Know alot about this. Plez help

There has been a lot of good information in the previous posts.

However, I think you should consider several things before you decide on the tank size and equipment.

Get yourself several good books on state of the are reef systems, reed them and you'll obtain the basic knowledge necessary for success. Then figure out what you want to keep and what equipment you are going to need. For example, you might want a yellow tang, but it requires a much larger tank. Also, it's very easy to over stock a small tank, and this need to be avoided.

I'm not saying that the tanks and setups you are looking at are necessarily bad. It's just that you should understand exactly what you are getting involved with. For example, some have recommended various "all in one" systems. There is nothing wrong with these, but they are limited in size, and can be very difficult to upgrade.

My own advice is perhaps a "bit more radical". For someone getting involved with a reef system for the first time, I would recommend getting the largest tank that they can reasonably afford, Ideally about 70 to 125 gal. This would be a reef ready tank. The filtration system would be a berlin type sump, with heavy skimming, and live rock at the rate of about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per gallon of water. Lighting would be dependent upon what was being kept.

Now everyone doesn't want to get that deeply involved, or spend that amount of money, but it would give a new person the best chance for success. If that's the case, work backwards from that, and choose a smaller system, but understand what you are giving up.

Lastly, understand that this is not a cheep hobby. As a rule of thumb, you can figure that you will spend $35 to $50 per gallon of water in the main display tank by the time you have it all set up and fully stocked. So even that 29 gal tank will end up costing about $1015 - 1450.