Beginners Questions

[Groomer]

I have been thinking about getting an aquarium for the past several months, I am still going to give myself till next fall before I open it up that way I can learn as much as possible and maybe start buying a few things along the way to help on sticker shock (starting maybe with the aquarium). I was thinking about a 75 gal. because I don't have room for anything too much bigger. I would like to put it at the back side of my kitchen cabinet that opens up into my living room so I would like an unobstructed view through it with out equipment hanging off, is this possible. Can all of the equipment be stored underneath? I live in a rural community and I thought I might go to a LPS in a town about a hour away and see if they install and set up aquariums if I feel like I can't do it myself, when I get ready but I wanted to get some ideas first. Any ideas on a good place to get tanks online in the U.S.? I'm also wondering should I start with a living-reef aquarium or would it be easier for me to just start with fish, live rock and fake corals etc.? I want to get good equipment, I feel buy the best you can afford and you won't wish you did later, maybe not extravagant but good. Any other hints or ideas would be helpful.

 

[ikon]

when i built my setup i drilled two holes in the bottom of the tank, then ran 1.5" diameter pvc pipes up through the inside of the tank to the water line. this creates an "overflow"...i placed a tank underneath the main tank inside the stand (called a sump)...this is where the water overflows down those two pipes, then i have a return pump in the sump that pumps water back into the main tank up top. With this type of setup, there is no equipment that hangs on the main tank, everything is underneath in the sump...my tank sits against a wall, but it would work with what you plan to do..here is my setup.

 

[ikon]

if you plan to buy a 75g tank, go to the lfs and find one that is made of non-tempered glass, have them drill a single hole (all you will need for this size tank) in the center of the bottom glass pane, then buy a bulkhead, which is a plastic pvc adapter that makes a water tight seal on the hole, and allows for pvc to be glued into either side of the bulkhead (one being an overflow standpipe into the tank, the other being a drain pipe down from the tank into the sump)..this is your best bet, if you buy a reef-ready tank, it will have a built in overflow which wont work for viewing all 4 sides of your tank. any questions?

 

[Groomer]

The pictures are great, and helpful. Should I stay with just fish and live rock for a while till I get the hang of managing water or is it just as easy to go right into the complete reef setup? I am thinking about going with a Eheim filter, not sure on the skimmer or powerheads yet any suggestions? Would a built in heater with the filter be the best bet or would you suggest an in-line heater?