Looking for advice

[bert236]

Hello everyone, looking to start my first tank. After some research and a bit of discussion on here I’m leaning towards a 40 gallon breeder. Through a couple local stores I should be able to get the cost to start the tank minus the lights for around $800-900CAD.

I don’t want to waste money on bad lights only to have to spend more in short time to get to where I want to be. I’m thinking of going with 2 AI primes because I know they will do the trick and if I want to scale the tank up in a couple years then I can keep them and just add one if needed. With the tank mounts that will cost me around $700 at the cheapest I can find. Which is where the problem arises, my budget is $1000.

A guy at my lfs had a good solution but I wanted to hear some opinions on it. He thinks I should just buy everything but lights to starts and just let the tank cycle and sit with one or two fish for as long as it takes to set aside money for the lights. It would most likely be 3-4 months at the longest. He said that the tank would be even healthier by the time I would be able to do corals so that should result in a higher success rate and I don’t even have the option to turn the lights on to early. Any issues that could arise from doing that? Or any alternative options to lighting a 40 breeder for cheaper that will actually grow health lps eventually? Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Snoopy 67]

It has been shown that a long cycle without lights is better.
Most are just too impatient to do it.

 

[bert236]

It has been shown that a long cycle without lights is better.
Most are just too impatient to do it.

Are there any issues or things I need to watch for specifically when the tank is cycled and ran with fish in it for a while with no lights?

 

[Snoopy 67]

None I am aware of.

 

[LordofCinder]

Lighting matters only if you want corals or clams, which you shouldn't add to a new tank anyway. While your tank is empty or while you have fish only, you can use whatever light you want, you can just use any lamp in your home or buy a cheap clip-on light. Having a reef light right away will tempt you to get corals right away, and then you can kiss your budget goodbye.

 

[LordofCinder]

And don't forget that at this point, you're just a few short months away from black friday sales and christmas sales

 

[bert236]

And don't forget that at this point, you're just a few short months away from black friday sales and christmas sales

That was my plan if this is a good idea. Hopefully able to pick up a couple AI primes even a bit discounted in the fall at some point. I just don’t want to go to crazy on this that’s why I set a low budget. Sounds like this is the plan I’m going to go with as long as no one else chimes in with problems.

 

[Jonddk]

Keep an eye out for people selling used AI lights as well. I usually see a couple posts a month in local facebook groups of people selling used AI Primes.