New Setup, 120 gallon long

[FishVet]

Hi, I've been maintaining freshwater tanks for years now, and after years of talking, the boss (my wife) has finally given me her blessing on starting a new reef tank. I'm in Iraq, returning in a couple months, so all my research is over the internet right now.
I want to set up a 120 gallon long, and I want an Ocean View set-up.
Can you give me a rough estimate on what I should plan to spend on initial equipment (tank, stand, filtration)? I have an idea what I'm looking at on live rock, sand, etc....but can't find any prices online for Ocean View tanks and stands.
Thank you....
Dominic

[Redfish]

I was wondering what your long range plans for your tank are? If you are planing a coral tank, I would go with a differant size tank than the one you want. I would look for a tank with more depth to the tank, front to back. IMO, Front to back is better for a coral tank, longer across the front is better for the fish. I am not syaing that you can't put both in one tank, fish and corals, its just if you really want alot of corals in your tank down the road, you want a differant tank that a 120g long. When your corals start growing, you run out of space quick.

[Gerwin]

Ocean View has been bought by Deep Sea Aquatics out of TX, I can still get but its not the old made in MS tank anymore
and Prices have changed as a result, All Glass makes a 125 Reef Ready great quality as well with no shipping charges and I would be happy to get you prices on both.

I would respectively disagree with redfish, everyone has a look they are going for, if that look is long opposed to short so be it, if its fat opposed to skinny ...so be it. As long as you go at least 18" front to back you should be fine.(and thats because its easier to stack rock) If you can be long and wide, even better.....hmmm I think there may be a joke in there somewhere
The simple rule of them that has always been around is : buy the biggest tank you have room for and/or you can afford.
also remember surface area a 72x18 tank has more than the 48x24 and since its about area for growth you can see to get more of that you have to get really WIDE or Long and Wide.

I can appreciate what redfish is saying but to say a 125 is to small or to thin is based solely on his discoveries and where he is going w/o considering others may have different needs or budgets. The 125 is the largest tank before the costs really start to go up.

I would say these are my opinions but the more I look at what I wrote the more fact it becomes.....

[Gz28]

Welcome to the salt water/ Reef community!!

[phisher]

Its so difficult to help people with budgets on new tanks anymore. You can save a lot of money by finding deals on used equipment, however I would recommend purchasing the tank new. Also if you are handy DIY projects can also help with expenses. Lastly the amount of "tech" and automation you want makes a huge difference in set up cost. I am setting up a 75g for instance with all the bells and whistles, controller, reactors for Ca, carbon and phos removal, auto top off, etc. Some of the equipment I already had, some I purchased second hand and some I bought new. If I bought it all new I would have somewhere around $3,500 in the set up before adding the first drop of water or livestock. This might seem like extreme overkill to some but I have spend 15 years carrying buckets and dosing tanks and I just want to enjoy this one!

I would advise you as Gerwin mentioned to find the largest tank you can budget but also keep equipment in mind as you budget. What you specifically want to keep plays a major factor in what you need to buy as well, simple corals like mushrooms and leathers don't have the same requirements as say sps coral. Here is a basic list of what you will need, you have many options for each to suit your needs:

Lighting
Tank, Stand & Canopy
Protein Skimmer
Water Movement
Return Pump & Sump if you are drilling the tank
Heater
Some type of mechanical filtration
Calcium Reactor-optional
Controller-optional
Misc.-timers, thermometers, nets, moon lights

If you plan to go heavy live rock and sand this is a large expense as well, if you message Gerwin with quantities I'm sure he can give you an idea of what you need there.

HTH

[Gerwin]

This might seem like extreme overkill to some but I have spend 15 years carrying buckets and dosing tanks and I just want to enjoy this one!

and you have a better job than when you started 15 years ago

[Redfish]

LOL