# Need Help, On Prices



## Bcarr (Dec 5, 2008)

I'm looking to get into saltwater tanks and need a good price breakdown on everything I will need. I already have the 20 gallon tank, so you can minus that. I am planning to keep around two Clownfish, with perhaps a Goby. I appreciate the help! :-D


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Let me say this...

I have a ten gallon reef. And I'm in high school. 
I'm broke all the time. :roll:


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

this question is to broad. i mean you can spend anywhere from $500 to $50,000+ ( no joke ) depending on what your stocking, what equipment and what your going for.

they say your better off having the ultimate freshwater tank then having a saltwater tank if money is an issue. i dont want do discourage you but i think reseach is needed, alot more research.


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

I'd honestly say, come up with a plan of attack rather then potential fish. 

What kind of tank will it be? reef, fish only with liverock(FOWLR)?
What kind of substrate do you think (it will be a sand and never crushed corals)
If fish only, what are compatable?
If reef what kind of lighting and flow? and how much of each?
will this tank be drilled? or will you put a section for a refugium within the tank?

You need to answer some of these questions and more before we can even start to give prices

To point you into a direction, www.marinedepot.com and www.drsfostersmith.com are 2 good places to start comparing prices and if you order all at once, you'll get better pricing and free shipping. also, join a club in you area. They have forums and threads of tank items and livestock for sell. Most of what i have in my tank were from a club member and i didn't pay half of what i should have for all of it.


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## Pasfur (Mar 29, 2008)

You know.... every now and then us marine hobbyists tend to go overboard. Are you REALLY only wanting to keep a 20 gallon tank with a pair of Clownfish? If this REALLY all you want, and there is NO CHANCE at all that you are going to change your mind, then we can discuss low cost alternatives for small marine aquariums.

First, you need to understand that there is only 1 family of fish that this method works well for. These are the Damselfish, which include Clownfish. This family of fish is extremely durable and able to be kept in systems which are similar in equipment to freshwater aquariums. Hear me clearly on this... if you want ANYTHING other than these Clownfish... ANYTHING... then I can not personally support what I am about to suggest you do.

Ok, here goes.

Keep it simple. What type of filter were you using on the freshwater tank? Any effective biological filter, even an undergravel filter, will work fine for this setup. Clownfish are very tollerant of Nitrates, much more so than Discus or Uara, so there is no reason to think that a biological filter is bad for such a simple setup. 

Lets say you already have a biological filter. You will need:
A submersible heater, a hydrometer to measure specific gravity, aragonite sand (unless you have an undergravel filter, then you need crushed coral), a single power head for water movement, Reef Crystals salt mix, decorations, and pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate test kits. If you order everything online, say from Aquarium Supplies, Pet Supplies and Pond Supplies by That Fish Place - That Pet Place, I bet you will spend less than $150 total.

{Dear experts... I recommended Reef Crystals for its superior buffering ability, due to the high levels of borate in the mix. This will help cut back on testing and alkalinity adjustments for a newbie.}

Again, the ONLY fish that I have found to be Nitrate tolerant are the Damselfish. This method will require water changes to keep Nitrates in the 20 to 25 ppm range. Marine fish as a whole will not tolerate this long term, in most cases for most people. However, if you REALLY only plan to keep a pair of Clownfish, you should be fine.


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## Pasfur (Mar 29, 2008)

Did I mention that the cost of this setup and equipment needed goes up by HUNDREDS of dollars due to needing other equipment to successfully keep ANY other livestock? No exceptions.


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