Is this a good deal?

usacutie81

usacutie81

Large Fish
#1
Sep 6, 2006
739
0
16
St Louis
#1
Is this a good deal for a beginners SW tank? I've never done SW but would like a little display tank.

35 gallon saltwater tank with everything established

I emailed the guy to find out what kind of coral and fish he has, he said one blue damsel, one yellow damsel, and crushed coral as substrate. The tank itself is 2 ft wide and PetSmart has a stand this size for 75% off. But I know nothing about SW so I wanted to check w/ you guys first.
 

ram man

ram man

Superstar Fish
#6
Apr 16, 2005
1,441
4
38
33
Arizona
#6
WoW, looks like a major rip-off to me. First off the tank looks nothing like a 35 gallon, compare its size to the objects in the backround, the biggest size possible for an object that small. Also 2 fish with no liverock in a 5 gallon isnt good, with corals in it also? I wouldnt buy it.
 

CAPSLOCK

CAPSLOCK

Elite Fish
#9
Jul 19, 2004
3,682
33
48
39
Cape Cod
#9
For $90, you could get a 30g tank (long, much better for SW than that hex), decent lights if you don't want a reef, and the heater... I don't think he's including much else useful aside from that. The filters might be useful, but not for SW... that's what the live rock is for. I don't see any corals in the pic, and it doesn't say what the lights are (and I would think he would say if they were good enough for corals). Sounds really questionable. I think you'd do better to just start a SW tank, then you can work into it slowly while everything cycles and you can pick out exactly what fish and stuff you want.
 

Dadstank

Dadstank

Large Fish
#10
Nov 4, 2006
162
2
0
Minnesota
#10
First thing I would say is to do lots of research on saltwater before you "dive" right in.
The more you understand about saltwater and its makeup the better armed you will be when a problem arises.
I agree.... that tank doesn't look like a 35G... more like a 15-20.
CAPSLOCK is right... for about the same price you can get much better.
If your interests in SW are more than just a FO or FOWLR, pass on that tank and save up cause your gonna need to for getting into corals :)
 

usacutie81

usacutie81

Large Fish
#14
Sep 6, 2006
739
0
16
St Louis
#14
Dadstank said:
Oh yeah... $4.99 a lb? either that is a good deal or i'm getting ripped off at $7.99-$9.99
Click to expand...
You're not getting ripped off, that's the normal price. But my lfs is having a sale.

I understand what you guys are saying about the research, even if I did get the tank, I wouldn't put a thing in it till I had done some research. I had been researching FW for months before we finally got the first tank.

The coral the guy was talking about is apparently the crushed coral (?) that the substrate is made of.

I have this huge open corner that I've been wanting to put a tank in, that's why this one seemed like a good idea. Can't get a rectangular tank for the corner, it wouldn't look right.

You all keep saying I can get a better deal... but where? Not at my lfs, that tank would be at least $150 for the tank and stand. Do you mean just keep checking Craigslist and asking around?
 

Dadstank

Dadstank

Large Fish
#18
Nov 4, 2006
162
2
0
Minnesota
#18
usacutie81 said:
What are those?
Click to expand...
FO = fish only
FOWLR= fish only with live rock
My tank is basically a FOWLR plus inverts... and some zoo's...

On a side note as for LR.... I have heard and seen TBS rock- Live Rock - Tampa Bay Saltwater Aquacultured Live Rock and it is really nice rock. They dug up old coral rock from the bahamas (I think) and dumped it off the coast of Florida and then they collect it a few years later teaming with life... voila.. no harm to natural coral reefs...
 

T

TheFool

Large Fish
#20
Apr 19, 2006
323
2
0
#20
I would bear in mind that with LR buy cheap and you generally get 'cheap' - there is a lot of rubbishy boulders. I would far rather pay more (and I have paid nearly 35 for a kilo of bsolutely gorgeaus rock) and get quality, at least for some.

As the TBS stuff haas ben buried , so it has been thro' some diagenesis and calcification. What that means is that in comparism to fiji or whatever it is very, very dense, so you'll need about tiwce as much by weight ( app2 lbs per gallon) cpmpared to more modern rock. Personally I don't like it - also the attached fauna, while rich, tends to be poorer in survivable 'goodies'
 

You must log in or register to reply here.