Have I bitten more than I can chew?

[Homer]

The 26th is coming fast (when I receive my 90 gallon tank), and to say the least, I am changing my underwear every 3 hours...

I did some calculation... and I think I have bitten of more than I can chew... Lets do some quick math... The tank it self - around 300 dollars (already paid), lights 1120 dollars, plumbing for sump 40 dollars.. Sump I already Have.. Reversed osmosis - 200 dollars . I dont have that kind of money.. SO I called my brother, and He said that He could buy the aquarium from me (for his freshwater fetish)...

So my question is : Should I go with 55 gallon tank? Because then the costs are a lot lower...

i could buy the tank for 120 dollars, lights would be 560 dollars, osmosis 200 dollars... I would require a lot less salt and corals... And what is the choice cost? Bigger aquarium - that`s pretty much it,because I can keep a yellow tang or dori in 55 gallons....

Please help guys to make up my mind...

 

[Bifferwine]

You really can't keep a yellow or especially a hippo tang in a 55 gallon tank. The minimum tank size for a hippo tang is 180 gallons.

Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Yellow Belly Regal Blue Tang

Lighting for a 90 gallon tank at $1120? Where are you getting that number from? There are a lot of different types of lights, but I used T5s over my 90 gallon tank, and they cost around $400.

Likewise, you can get lights for a 55 for a lot cheaper than $560. Are you looking at LEDs? LEDs will be more expensive than other types of lighting. So if you can't afford them, you don't have to buy them. Get a cheaper type of light instead.

If both tanks are 48" (4 feet) long -- and a standard 55 and standard 90 are both 4 feet long -- then there really isn't going to be that much of a price difference.

 

[Northstar24]

Neither a 90 gallon or a 55 gallon are large enough for a hippo tang

A 90 would work for a yellow tang, but a 55 is going to be too small. Both are 4 foot tanks so lighting won't be half the price for a 55. Larger tanks are also easier to maintain.

What lighting are you looking at?

 

[poksal]

I did not see any mention of life rock.. for the 90 you will need at least 100 pounds at around $7 a pound... even if you find a cheap price then you should buy more. OR.. if you never keep coral and add a filter into the costs you can skip the live rock... AND.. your sump needs to be a well established refugium with lots of bio activity.... something has to manage the fish waste and that is going to be an expense...


EDIT: Erin is right.. you need the live rock..

OR you can go fresh water..

 

[ErinCahir]

A filter really shouldn't even be used in a FO tank, you should still be using live rock.

To cut back on the costs of live rock, you can buy dead rock and "seed" it with live rock.

 

[Homer]

You really can't keep a yellow or especially a hippo tang in a 55 gallon tank. The minimum tank size for a hippo tang is 180 gallons.

Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Yellow Belly Regal Blue Tang

Lighting for a 90 gallon tank at $1120? Where are you getting that number from? There are a lot of different types of lights, but I used T5s over my 90 gallon tank, and they cost around $400.

Likewise, you can get lights for a 55 for a lot cheaper than $560. Are you looking at LEDs? LEDs will be more expensive than other types of lighting. So if you can't afford them, you don't have to buy them. Get a cheaper type of light instead.

If both tanks are 48" (4 feet) long -- and a standard 55 and standard 90 are both 4 feet long -- then there really isn't going to be that much of a price difference.

Yes, I am looking at leds, because it would save a tons of money on bill. Because for t5 I need like 3-5 wats to liter (doing the quick math without par and lumen), so that is alot, compared to leds, where I would need 1 - 2 wats per liter (again without considering par and lumen etc.) . and i got the info abut the blue tang here: Pacific Blue Tang Profile - Facts, information and pictures of the Pacific Blue Tang

http://www.thehomeaquarium.com/blue-hippo-tang/

OH, and my bad... I did miscalculate liters to gallons... I have ordered 450 liter which is 118 gallons, and I was thinking to go with 300 liter - 350 liter 79gallons - 92 gallons.

I was looking at the SOL ficture and I calculates that I need at least two of them..Aqua Illumination Sol Blue LED Aquarium Light Black Case | eBay

 

[Homer]

I did not see any mention of life rock.. for the 90 you will need at least 100 pounds at around $7 a pound... even if you find a cheap price then you should buy more. OR.. if you never keep coral and add a filter into the costs you can skip the live rock... AND.. your sump needs to be a well established refugium with lots of bio activity.... something has to manage the fish waste and that is going to be an expense...


EDIT: Erin is right.. you need the live rock..

OR you can go fresh water..

Of course I have planned on buying live rock, I currently have already 20 kg, so it means, I need to buy extra 25 kilograms, which is about 320 dollars.

And going with freshwater - that`s one shitty advise...

 

[poksal]

Of course I have planned on buying live rock, I currently have already 20 kg, so it means, I need to buy extra 25 kilograms, which is about 400 dollars.

And going with freshwater - that`s one shitty advise...

But if one truly can not afford to go salt, fresh water is better than no tank... :D

If you get deep into a reef tank set up process and run out of funds.. you have lost a serious amount of funds. In the past I have had some incredible 125 gallon fresh water tanks with some very cool fish.

 

[Homer]

oh,and for sump refugium.. I will turn my current nano tank in to sump refugium, gona addd some glass panels to separate protein skimmer from refugium and return pump.

 

[Bifferwine]

Since you have thought it through, then I'd say to go with the tank you can afford. I think you will be happier having a smaller tank that looks nice and is as good as it can be rather than an empty box of rocks that you can't afford to fill or stock. I experienced this myself -- when I had my 240 gallon, I was really unhappy with it because it was so expensive to make it look nice. When I downsized to my 90, I was much happier because I could afford to make it look how I wanted.

 

[poksal]

+1 Biff... absolutely

It is not a good hobby if you can not afford to enjoy it without constantly worrying about the next expense.. this is why there are so many nice nanos and cubes. .and.. frankly.. being able to do one of them up well is down right impressive in my opinion. My next tank will be a cube.

 

[Homer]

wattage wise.. How many watts should I need if I`m getting t5`s? Like 6 t5 tubes?

240 wats? 400 wats? Please keep in mind, I want to grow some corals :)

 

[Northstar24]

Take a look at the current nova extreme fixture, you'd want a 4 or a 6 bulb fixture over a 4 ft tank

Use www.liveaquaria.com for determining minimum tank size for fish, it's regarded by many to be the most accurate for minimum tank sizes. The blue hippo tang needs a lot of swimming space, at least six feet of length. There are days where my hippo tang looks cramped in my 180 gallon tank

 

[Homer]

Take a look at the current nova extreme fixture, you'd want a 4 or a 6 bulb fixture over a 4 ft tank

Use Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums for determining minimum tank size for fish, it's regarded by many to be the most accurate for minimum tank sizes. The blue hippo tang needs a lot of swimming space, at least six feet of length. There are days where my hippo tang looks cramped in my 180 gallon tank

If only I didn`t live in Europe :( :(

 

[Northstar24]

If only I didn`t live in Europe :( :(

They may not ship to you, but the information they have regarding minimum tank sizes is much more accurate than either of the other sources you've linked to.

 

[little_fish]

The lighting is going to be the same over the two tanks because they are both 4 feet long

 

[FishyReef]

I'd personally stick with the tank you've ordered but hold off on getting decent lights for a few months. It will take you a few months just to get it aquascaped and cycled, and you really don't need decent lights until you start to add coral. Maybe you can rig up your current lights over the top to give your fish some light, and then save up your money for decent lights later. I didn't see any mention of a skimmer - do you have plans for that?

You can also buy most of your rocks dry and then add in a few pounds of live rock. It will take longer to cycle than if you had all live rock to start wtih, but is substantially cheaper!

 

[Homer]

I'd personally stick with the tank you've ordered but hold off on getting decent lights for a few months. It will take you a few months just to get it aquascaped and cycled, and you really don't need decent lights until you start to add coral. Maybe you can rig up your current lights over the top to give your fish some light, and then save up your money for decent lights later. I didn't see any mention of a skimmer - do you have plans for that?

You can also buy most of your rocks dry and then add in a few pounds of live rock. It will take longer to cycle than if you had all live rock to start wtih, but is substantially cheaper!

Yes, I have protein skimmer, I bought it like 6 months ago.

I am thinking it about the cycling process as well... That I could postpone the lights for one month or maybe one and a half month, meanwhile I could put on ,something like 48 wats on it (I have two spare t5 lamps) . My fish meanwhile could keep living in the nano aquarium...

I need the recheck my finanses and do some planning, because smmer is coming , there for my need for a new motorcycle .

 

[Civicdemon]

You dont have a Craigs List ??? i Tend to Find stuff on there all the time. Might wana try there, i actually got my 125gl with stand for only 120$ with hang on back filters and heaters, I do not use the heaters nuw but you get my point.

 

[Homer]

I have no idea what is craigs list... I guess, we europeans, don`t use that stuff.. :( We started trusting ebay only few years ago :D :D