mountaineer
Non-member
Hi everybody. Great forum...I've lurked for a couple weeks. I'm originally from West Virginia, but I've been living way out on Cape Cod for a year now.
I am returning to aquariums after a 20 year hiatus. When I was a younger, I kept cichlids and Synodontis cats, but really wanted a reef aquarium. Too many obstacles at the time, particularly that: 1) we lived way out in the mountains and far from any saltwater fish store, and 2) I knew that when I took off for college, my parents wouldn't be able to keep up a reef while I was gone. I did a lot of research (the second volume of Julian Sprung's Reef Aquarium had either just come out or was about to), but never took the plunge.
Now that my wife & I are a little more settled, we've been talking about a smallish reef tank (our condo is small and we might move across town eventually). But I had cold feet, simply because there are so many equipment options these days (a lot changes in 20 yrs!) and I didn't know where to begin, especially with how expensive new gear is.
I made the mistake of browsing Craigslist last week, and I found a used set-up for $75. Just couldn't pass it up. A guy had moved up to a larger tank, and I got a 27 gallon Marineland cube, an Aquatic Life nano protein skimmer, an Aqueon Pro Heater, an 18" Marineland Reef Bright LED, and a Fluval 204 canister filter (I'll probably chuck the canister for a simple HOB). It's all in great shape.
I'm sure I'll have questions down the line. Right now, I'm doing research and I plan to set up the tank in January, after holiday travels are over. We live way out on the Cape and we're easily 2.5 hours from good fish stores, but we'll make it work. I hope to start a basic tank with two or three beginner friendly fish and some soft corals. The distance from an LFS is going to be a challenge -- we have to go to Boston this weekend, so I'll check out two or three stores. Plus I hope to get to the one in Seekonk someday.
We're doing this on a budget, and we'll have to take it slow, but I'm already lusting after an RODI unit...
If there are any stores I should check out in Boston this weekend, let me know! I'm coming up from the south.
I am returning to aquariums after a 20 year hiatus. When I was a younger, I kept cichlids and Synodontis cats, but really wanted a reef aquarium. Too many obstacles at the time, particularly that: 1) we lived way out in the mountains and far from any saltwater fish store, and 2) I knew that when I took off for college, my parents wouldn't be able to keep up a reef while I was gone. I did a lot of research (the second volume of Julian Sprung's Reef Aquarium had either just come out or was about to), but never took the plunge.
Now that my wife & I are a little more settled, we've been talking about a smallish reef tank (our condo is small and we might move across town eventually). But I had cold feet, simply because there are so many equipment options these days (a lot changes in 20 yrs!) and I didn't know where to begin, especially with how expensive new gear is.
I made the mistake of browsing Craigslist last week, and I found a used set-up for $75. Just couldn't pass it up. A guy had moved up to a larger tank, and I got a 27 gallon Marineland cube, an Aquatic Life nano protein skimmer, an Aqueon Pro Heater, an 18" Marineland Reef Bright LED, and a Fluval 204 canister filter (I'll probably chuck the canister for a simple HOB). It's all in great shape.
I'm sure I'll have questions down the line. Right now, I'm doing research and I plan to set up the tank in January, after holiday travels are over. We live way out on the Cape and we're easily 2.5 hours from good fish stores, but we'll make it work. I hope to start a basic tank with two or three beginner friendly fish and some soft corals. The distance from an LFS is going to be a challenge -- we have to go to Boston this weekend, so I'll check out two or three stores. Plus I hope to get to the one in Seekonk someday.
We're doing this on a budget, and we'll have to take it slow, but I'm already lusting after an RODI unit...
If there are any stores I should check out in Boston this weekend, let me know! I'm coming up from the south.
