new to maast

[paulreyna]

hey there everyone. I'm new to this site and learning a lot. I'm wanting to start my first sw tank. I'm curious if anyone could guide me to any sources for good prices on 100g tanks. I'm in san antonio close to De Zevala. I'm just learning so I think I'm going to start off with a FOWLR tank.

[Belowh20]

Check the for sale forum. 100 gallon tanks pop up every now and then. I've also seen some good deals in the classifieds, and craigslist. Austin aquariums often has used tank set-ups for sale at decent prices.

Not to sure about in the SA area. I'd say maast is the best bet.

[motohead]

ya,check the for sale forum,i got one in there v.v

[witecap4u]

The tank in my signature will be on the market in less than a month

[GaryP]

Most of the LFS such as Texas Tropical and Alamo sell the tanks themselves at or near cost. The end up making thir money on all of the other accessories that go along with it. Be careful though. You wouldn't be the first one to be sold a set up that was not suited for SW. Do some research before opening the check book. its a lot cheaper to set up the system right in the first place then to go back and try to fix it afterwards. I found that out the hard way on my first tank many years ago. My wife still lovingly refers to that tank as the "death zone." That's one advatange to buying a used tank for a beginner. You can sometimes see how well its running before spending a dime. Get an experienced SW hobbyist to go with you to take a look at it and help decide if its going to be right for you.

The other thing to consider is that you may be happy with a FO tank now, but what about 6 months from now when the coral bug starts to nibble at you. How easy will your tank be upgraded to corals? You'll also get a lot better deal on a used tank. There are some ways to save a little money in this hibby, but trying to get by with less then well suited equipment is not one of them. Just because some employee at an LFS says you can "get by" with an undergravel filter or a biowheel for a FO tank doesn't make it so.

[ansonluna]

Welcome to MAAST Paul. Glad you could make it on here. And I agree with Gary. You will want corals eventually. Thery're addictive.

[GaryP]

OK, so someone agreed with me once this year. It was bound to happen sooner or later. :)

Thanks Anson.

[cpreefguy]

I work at a LFS and if there's one thing I can tell you from experience, it is that Gary is absolutly right. I cant tell you how many people get anxious and dont set it up right the first time and have to go back and spend more time and money. Take your time, research, research, research, and look for the best deals on the equipment you find to suit your needs the best. Another plus to a wonderful online forum like MAAST is that you can ask people how they like the equipment they have with a generally un-biased opinion. Good luck!

[Sherri]

Welcome to MAAST Paul...glad you found us. :)