VitalApparatuz

This is my first saltwater tank set up after having many freshwater tanks down through the years.
During September 2009 I went into a new fish store that had opened up a while back looking for something new to spruce up my freshwater tank.Thats when it happened.I noticed that this store had just a very small section of freshwater livestock but five times that amount of saltwater fish.But wait,what else is that?Some of these tanks have no fish at all just corals.I had never seen a live coral before in my life.I brought my wife back to the store and she was awestruck as well at the beauty of the SPS and LPS on display.
Of course later that day I was thinking about getting a reef tank of my own.I figured it couldn't cost more than 4 or 5 hundred dollars,and would be as "fire and forget" as the freshwater tanks I had owned had been.Needless to say I was brought down to Earth quickly by the price and the sheer amount of care these systems require.But I was not put off.
BIG MISTAKE #1 On my next off day I run through craigslist looking for a tank.I found a 75g with canopy and stand and sump for 300$.
The stand is nice it allows the 55 gallon to go under the 75 as the sump.Tha tank however upon close inspection days later was crap.It had scratches all over it and it leaked.The canopy was equally inadequate.So I bought a new tank and built a new canopy.
Why I rushed out and bought that used tank set up Ill never know.But I told myself I would not let a lack of research cost me that much money again.So I spent every free moment reading articles and forums about reef tanks and I joined our local club.