What Hardware Do I Need To Buy For My Nano Setup?

[TigerIssey]

I suppose the difference Musho, would be that we would have to get a collection station station to do the work, not having a tropical shore. I am guessing that wages and costs would be cheaper out in indonesia / fuji than they would be in Florida.

Hence, Florida prices will also take into account the wages and costs of the people employed and at the company etc.

 

[seffieuk]

I am guessing that wages and costs would be cheaper out in indonesia / fuji than they would be in Florida.

etc.

You are right there Tina, we went to Bali, first guide we had, gave him a tip (well what we thought was a tip) for taking us white water rafting and he stood there with his mouth open, saying this is too much, it's like a weeks wages!

Seffie x

 

[Musho3210]

I suppose the difference Musho, would be that we would have to get a collection station station to do the work, not having a tropical shore. I am guessing that wages and costs would be cheaper out in indonesia / fuji than they would be in Florida.

Hence, Florida prices will also take into account the wages and costs of the people employed and at the company etc.

Doubt it, price gets inflated as the rock flies all around the world and all around the US, TBS cuts out the middle man. Sea Life Inc. is $3.50 a pound of aquacultured rock + relatively inexpensive shipping, cheaper than the average LFS which is around $5.50 a pound of rock - shipping.

TBS just has slightly higher quality rock than Sea Life Inc and they ship rocks sumbmerged.

If we were living in the South East Asian collection sites then fiji rock etc. would be dirt cheap, if not a few cents per pound, but the moment it reaches American companies who only have large amounts of $ on their mind the price skyrockets, ignoring the wages in SEA.

Of course, this is what i think, thats all.

 

[TigerIssey]

TBS

Thats the only link I have seen, even accounting for the critters you get, that seems expensive to me. Especially since its not shipped from fiji or indonesia.

Ok the stuff I bought was LR from fuji, which was collected under CITES agreements. I paid £2 per pound which will have included air costs from fiji. Therefore the wages must be really low in these countries and Florida must account for wages and costs in there aquacultured rock.

 

[Musho3210]

TBS

Thats the only link I have seen, even accounting for the critters you get, that seems expensive to me. Especially since its not shipped from fiji or indonesia.

Ok the stuff I bought was LR from fuji, which was collected under CITES agreements. I paid £2 per pound which will have included air costs from fiji. Therefore the wages must be really low in these countries and Florida must account for wages and costs in there aquacultured rock.

That is rock plus CUC, not what comes on the rock, but what you can get WITH the rock IF you WANT to. So you can get 10 pounds of rock and all the life that comes with the rock, AND THEN an ADDITIONAL 10 hermit crabs etc.

Its great that you got rock that cheap, but most dont pay 5 UK pounds per kilo for first hand rock in the UK, I see people here complain constantly of 10 pounds per kilo at their local LFS.

If you want to see accounts of what people get with their live rock (minus this package thing) go to their forum on RC.

You got your rock straight from Fiji, but most dont, thats probably where this disagreement spewed from, most get their rock from LFS who raise the price for a profit.

There is a ton more life on the TBS rocks than there are rocks that came in from Fiji, in the US at least. TBS rocks even have the occasional hitchhiker fish. The cost IS justified IMO, if it isnt for you, well that's that then.

The OP isnt even from the US so this has nothing to do with him anyway.

 

[TigerIssey]

I did not get my rock direct from fiji, it came via an online UK store. Prices are similar for the same amount everywhere now, yes it is more expensive in an lfs.

It is actually you that sees this as a disagreement, I did not say that the critters were what you would expect to get on LR, I was pointing out that we don't actually know the cost because as far as we can see you can only buy it as a package.

Seffie got what I was meaning about wage comparisons in far off countries and Florida. You chose to make it a disagreement.

I was taking part in a discussion about differences in ethical collection and costs as far as I was concerned.

If you cannot have a discussion without a disagreement then I am out of this conversation.

To the OP, I apologise for the way your thread has gone, if you need any more info about local shops contact me via PM, I will be happy to help.

 

[jtnova13]

hehe, i don't either poster meant for this disagreement to be taken personally!

Anyway, back on topic. I hope you have decided for Live Rock! I am looking forward to seeing your progress in gearing up for the salty side!

 

[pscl227]

Hey,

Dont worry about the thread, its good reading a debate by people "in the know."

i bought the "Aquarium Corals, Selection, Husbandry & Natural Histoy" book, i shall get the other one mentioned next month as it is a little pricey, but it looks very useful.

For all those watching the thread i will be starting to buy the gear probably october / november time once i have moved house and i am settled in my new job. Plus it gives me plenty of time to research, because as much as i would like to dive in head first, i want to make sure everything is done properly, and that the needs of the fish i am going to be looking after will be catered for as best i can.

After a long hard think (and talk with the other half) i have decided i am going to have a new tank built and keep my current freshwater one as it is. So i will hopefully be getting a tank around the 50 Gallon mark as well as a nice big sump and cabinet for it all to sit in.

Cheers,

Paul

 

[TigerIssey]

Very nice Paul.

Where will you get the custom tank made??

Aquarium Corals is a very good read, be sure to read from the beginning as Borneman intended rather than dipping in and out of chapters, it does enhance the reading experience alot.

In a few weeks if you want to make the trip up in t moors, you are welcome to come and have a look at my setup if you wish. Mine at present is slightly smaller than you are planning, but it does have the sump and is all plumbed in.

Have a think about what you want cabinet wise. Some people build a frame and clad with wood and doors usually used on kitchen units, that is what I am planning for my 6ft upgrade. My other half works for a kitchen manufacturer in Galgate if this is the way you wish to go.

 

[jtnova13]

upgrade!

Some people build a stand to accomodate an equal sized sump to their display tank. This is way more expensive though! I think a good sump size is about 30% of your display tank, so you want to make sure the cabinet you build to have room for a 15-20 gallon sump.

 

[Musho3210]

upgrade!

Some people build a stand to accomodate an equal sized sump to their display tank. This is way more expensive though! I think a good sump size is about 30% of your display tank, so you want to make sure the cabinet you build to have room for a 15-20 gallon sump.

A new stand or a sump? Sumps are dirt cheap, get a second hand tank or just make your own acrylic one with store bought acrylic, use some acrylic sheets and make your baffles, buy a drill bit somewhere online, some PVC pipe, bulkhead and thats about it. If you have a spare tank lying around even better even cheaper.

A new stand, well maybe it can be more expensive to get a new stand just for a sump, but again you can make your own, which would again make it dirt cheap.

Anyway i use a 20 gallon long sump for my 65 gallon. Just try and buy the biggest water volume sump that will fit in your cabinet, just dont get one too deep. Ignore rules that say you need this much sump for this size tank, just get the biggest cheapest tank that can hold water indefinitely and will fit in your cabinet.

 

[jtnova13]

upgrade!

Some people build a stand to accomodate an equal sized sump to their display tank. This is way more expensive though! I think a good sump size is about 30% of your display tank, so you want to make sure the cabinet you build to have room for a 15-20 gallon sump.

A new stand or a sump? Sumps are dirt cheap, get a second hand tank or just make your own acrylic one with store bought acrylic, use some acrylic sheets and make your baffles, buy a drill bit somewhere online, some PVC pipe, bulkhead and thats about it. If you have a spare tank lying around even better even cheaper.

A new stand, well maybe it can be more expensive to get a new stand just for a sump, but again you can make your own, which would again make it dirt cheap.

If a used 50 gallon tank is not available, it will run close to 100 bucks instead of a 20 gallon which is like 40? Also, acrylic for a 20 gallon, baffles will be maximum of 15 dollars, whereas for a 50 gallon it will be about 45. so that's 145 vs 55 (without the cost of RO water). If you can get a used one, then yes it would be cheaper. Lumber for the stand will depend on prices at your hardware store, but a much bigger center area is required for a 50 gallon, than a 20 gallon.

Anyway, I was just saying that relative to a nano tank, running a 50 gallon with a 50 gallon sump may not be "dirt cheap".

 

[Musho3210]

upgrade!

Some people build a stand to accomodate an equal sized sump to their display tank. This is way more expensive though! I think a good sump size is about 30% of your display tank, so you want to make sure the cabinet you build to have room for a 15-20 gallon sump.

A new stand or a sump? Sumps are dirt cheap, get a second hand tank or just make your own acrylic one with store bought acrylic, use some acrylic sheets and make your baffles, buy a drill bit somewhere online, some PVC pipe, bulkhead and thats about it. If you have a spare tank lying around even better even cheaper.

A new stand, well maybe it can be more expensive to get a new stand just for a sump, but again you can make your own, which would again make it dirt cheap.

If a used 50 gallon tank is not available, it will run close to 100 bucks instead of a 20 gallon which is like 40? Also, acrylic for a 20 gallon, baffles will be maximum of 15 dollars, whereas for a 50 gallon it will be about 45. so that's 145 vs 55 (without the cost of RO water). If you can get a used one, then yes it would be cheaper. Lumber for the stand will depend on prices at your hardware store, but a much bigger center area is required for a 50 gallon, than a 20 gallon.

Anyway, I was just saying that relative to a nano tank, running a 50 gallon with a 50 gallon sump may not be "dirt cheap".

Makes sense, still i bought my all glass (not company, but in literal terms the tank is glass and the baffles is glass) sump second hand and it was 20 bucks for a 20 gallon sump, and glass tanks are dirt cheap around where I am, free if its 20 gallon or under glass tank second hand. But yes, prices vary and I have a lucky situation since I'm in a huge city with dozens if not hundreds of reefers who all go to one forum for easy access to other local reefers... Maybe the OP is in a city like that hopefully, things run a lot cheaper that way.

Well since I'm on the topic, look for a LRC (local reef club) near your area, members there are always willing to help and give away free stuff.

 

[TigerIssey]

No he is not in a city with hundreds of reefers.

I am in the same area and the area is mainly agricultural. Not many reefers this way, have to travel to Manchester or Liverpool to a large population of reefers round here. This is 1.5 hrs or so on a good day traffic wise, could take much longer.

Travel to an LFS is bad enough you are looking at around 40 minutes in general, again dependent on traffic as this is a summer tourist area too.