Trying To Save Money

[SilverCityReef]

So I know that Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just a few weeks away, and I will wait if necessary, but was curious if there's any way to cut down costs on items I need to start cycling? I still plan to get a Kessil H380 or H160 fuge light, an additional Hydra 26HD, and would like to get a small skimmer like the Tunze 9004 so the more I can save now, the better.

The other day, I randomly had 25% taken off my cart on BRS but by the time the money came in it was removed. I have no idea where the discount came from or if it was just a glitch in the site but it dropped my total cost by over $125. Marine Depot cart is filled with similar items, 10lbs extra of dry rock, but is $50 more than BRS.

Also, feel free to give tips and advice on any items in my cart.

 

[dantimdad]

Salt and power heads might be cheaper then.

Plumbing parts, unless it's a % off coupon for the site, I doubt will be on sale.

 

[dantimdad]

BTW, ditch the braided hose. It's not necessary at the pressures in aquariums and it's very hard to work with.

Use vinyl hose, black preferably to stop algae build up.

 

[Retro Reefer]

Black Friday would be a great time to save some money but you can find deals all the time it just takes patience and a plan.. my current build is all about saving money without completely compromising quality and performance. Check out my build thread, I have scored just about everything on sale so far and save hundreds!

 

[SilverCityReef]

BTW, ditch the braided hose. It's not necessary at the pressures in aquariums and it's very hard to work with.

Use vinyl hose, black preferably to stop algae build up.

Prior to starting over, due to poor storage of equipment by a friend, I just had regular clear tubing but BRS recommended the braided in the plumbing video so I assumed that's what I should have. I would much rather just have black vinyl tubing instead if adequate. At most theres only 650gph being pushed through the return line.

 

[SilverCityReef]

Black Friday would be a great time to save some money but you can find deals all the time it just takes patience and a plan.. my current build is all about saving money without completely compromising quality and performance. Check out my build thread, I have scored just about everything on sale so far and save hundreds!

Are you just watching sales for multiple sites? If so, which sites are you watching? The two I know of that I feel are trustworthy are BRS and Marine Depot.

 

[Retro Reefer]

I agree on black tubing.. this is what I use.

https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+10090+8004&pcatid=8004

 

[SilverCityReef]

I agree on black tubing.. this is what I use.

https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+10090+8004&pcatid=8004

Wow! That's half the price of what BRS, Marine Depot, and even Home Depot charge.

 

[Retro Reefer]

Are you just watching sales for multiple sites? If so, which sites are you watching? The two I know of that I feel are trustworthy are BRS and Marine Depot.

I’m not dedicated to any one retailer when shopping for equipment.. I will check all the major retailers, eBay and amazon. I look for sales, special offers and some places will offer discounts for first time customers.. the best way to save is patience which is all part of reefing anyway, figure out what you want or need then just sit back and wait for the price your willing to pay.

 

[Retro Reefer]

Just an example of some of the savings..

Paid $148 for a $250 skimmer and $138 for a $220 sump..

 

[Wiringwizards]

Good morning I cycled my tank with a bottle of turbostart 900 a 4oz bottle for 35 I bought 80lb dry rock from amazon for $90 the skimmer I held off on till after 4 months because theirs nothing really to skim yet. The plumbing I bought fitting from HD. returns are easy and prices are reasonable. the return pump went cheap and got 2 of them from amazon just in case. but in total you can get it cycling for under 175 and add from there. the light your not really gonna want to run for a little bit to avoid as much brown algae as you can(normal after a tank cycles). for lights skimmer good return pump etc I would wait till cyber Monday all you need to start the cycle is flow rock\surface area for the bacteria to grow. I hope this helped

 

[SilverCityReef]

Good morning I cycled my tank with a bottle of turbostart 900 a 4oz bottle for 35 I bought 80lb dry rock from amazon for $90 the skimmer I held off on till after 4 months because theirs nothing really to skim yet. The plumbing I bought fitting from HD. returns are easy and prices are reasonable. the return pump went cheap and got 2 of them from amazon just in case. but in total you can get it cycling for under 175 and add from there. the light your not really gonna want to run for a little bit to avoid as much brown algae as you can(normal after a tank cycles). for lights skimmer good return pump etc I would wait till cyber Monday all you need to start the cycle is flow rock\surface area for the bacteria to grow. I hope this helped

My local Home Depot doesn't carry the plumbing parts I need and most of their prices are the same as BRS anyway. I may check Lowe's and Amazon though. I don't want to cheap out on rock/sand and sacrifice quality or risk adding pests to new setup which is why I'm hesitant to look elsewhere for those items. I agree 100% on not needing skimmer or additional light at start but trying to plan around needing to make those purchases in future. Even then, I think fuge light should be bought before either so that can be incorporated early. I bought a used Eheim 1260 return pump on here for like $50, along with a Hydra 26HD and BRS 6-Stage RO/DI. Haven't found a good deal on a set of powerheads that I like yet. I would rather spend a little extra now than risk equipment failure later.

Did you use sand or bare bottom? If bare bottom, did you add something to offset lack of live sand or just the turbostart to introduce the bacteria? I'm still new so I dont fully understand the bacteria process yet.

 

[Wiringwizards]

I feel the same way. I also don't mind having back ups, what I mean is on amazon I got adjustable 880gph pump good reviews and a lot of reviews it was $22 I bought 2 of them on cyber Monday i am going to upgrade my pump to a 2400gph dc that is adjustable I only have a 60 gallon display 10 gal wet/dry and 20gal sump. I will be upgrading in the next 8 months when I move to a 250-500 gal I also have additional pumps, for auto top off, uv light failure etc..
one thing I will say is be redundant about plumbing with check valves and unions you can get that a hd bulkhead amazon, brs or marine depot. the rock is dry I haven't had any issues just had to rinse for a day in a bucket with a pump.
https://www.amazon.com/Worldwide-Imports-AWW0855-Atlantic-40-Pound/dp/B0002DI7F0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1541687926&sr=8-4&keywords=dry+rock+for+saltwater+aquariums
I don't claim to be an expert, I'm new also this is how I saved and started.
turbostart900 is kept in the fridge its live beneficial Bactria with a exp date. Best to get from a lfs. I painted the pipe I got from home depot to give it a cleaner look before I installed it.