Reddit mentions: The best aquariumhydrometers

It's not overprice. It's actually a very fairly price and well thought out kit. There's some unnecessary things, and the stock nuvo lights are fine (I actually have them only cause I got a sweet deal), but I would rather get the tank only and different lights. Here's my
attempt to piece that kit together with more ideal parts:

NUVO FUSION 20 BY INNOVATIVE MARINE ($200 anywhere)
This kit includes the TANK WITH THE LIGHTS, which are $400 MSRP. Just get the tank at $200. Use the $200 you would've spent on a better light and fixture:


AI PRIME HD AND MOUNT ($225 for light MSRP, $30 mount, MSRP)
This is a much better light. Stronger. Controllable (able to control all spectrums, set a sunrise sunset schedule, all from a mobile app). The Nuvo lights are just on and off, with no switch. You have to plug them into outlet timers. The AI PRIME is way better, for only a little more.


20 LBS. OF REEF SAVER ROCK ($52 bulk reef supply)
This is actually a good price per pound.


100 ML INSTANT OCEAN BIO-SPIRA (NOT NEEDED)
If you cycle your tank properly, this isn't needed.


4 OZ CLORAM-X AMMONIA REMOVER (NOT NEEDED)
You shouldn't be using a chlorinated water source to begin with, so declorinator only enables bad habits. Get RODI water from a local reef store, or make your own, or at the very worst, use vending machine water.


20 LB. SPECIAL GRADE ARAG-ALIVE! LIVE REEF SAND ($30 amazon)
You definitely want at LEAST special grade sand. Google it. Grain size matters. Too fine, and you'll get a sandstorm when the water is moved.
https://www.amazon.com/CaribSea-Arag-Alive-20-Pound-Special-Bimini/dp/B000EM2BRO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1479312554&sr=8-3&keywords=arag+alive


HW-MARINEMIX REEFER SALT MIX (DONT GET THIS SALT)
Instead, get the gold standard:


INSTANT OCEAN REEF CRYSTALS ($50 for enough to make 160 gallons, Drs Foster and Smith, also, FREE BUCKET!)
Make sure you get REEF CRYSTALS if you want corals (it's the orange box/bag), or you can get just the regular INSTANT OCEAN (purple box/bag) if you're doing fish only. This is the most trusted and widely used and available salt. I recommend you use it, so your corals always get the same consistency of nutrients, since this salt is sold everywhere and reliable.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4856


REFRACTOMETER FOR READING SALINITY WITH CALIBRATION FLUID (THESE ARE UNNECESSARY)
Accurate? Yes. Pain in the ass? Also yes. Always having to clean these and calibrate them sucks. Get a standard plastic floaty arrow hydrometer instead.


HYDROMETER ($11 amazon)
https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Ocean-tk504-SeaTest-Hydrometer/dp/B00019JOSO


TUNZE CARE MAGNET NANO - 0220.010 CLEANER MAGNET (UNNECESSARILY OVERPRICED ITEM)
Everyone knows that when it comes to cleaning magnets, Mag Floats are the go to. Sure you can pay more, but you don't always get more.


MAGFLOAT SMALL ($12)
https://www.amazon.com/Gulfstream-Tropical-AGU030SM-Mag-Float-Aquarium/dp/B003WRKVUC


MARINE S PELLET FISH FOOD - HIKARI (THERE ARE BETTER FOODS)
The best widely available pellet fish good is New Life Spectrum.


NEW LIFE SPECTRUM THERA A ($10 most online places)
They have big pellets and small pellets. Make sure you get the small pellets.


HMA-S 50W FINNEX DIGITAL SUBMERSIBLE HEATER (YOU COULD BUY YOUR OWN FOR CHEAPER)


EHEIM JAGER 50W HEATER ($23 amazon)
These are pretty well regarded and reliable heaters. Avoid getting the $15 chinese heaters, for a few bucks more this is a brand you can trust.
https://www.amazon.com/EHEIM-Jager-Aquarium-Thermostat-Heater/dp/B003U82YEY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479313472&sr=8-1&keywords=50+w+heater+jager


HPS-100 FINNEX DIGITAL SUBMERSIBLE (GET ANOTHER FOR CHEAPER)
It's cool that the BRS team thought of this, but you can get your own large cheap heater for mixing water. Since it's a nuvo 20, and water changes would be around 2-5 gallons, a 150 watt or even 200 watt heater could warm up the water to match the tank pretty quickly.


EHEIM JAGER 150 WATT HEATER ($25 Amazon)
https://www.amazon.com/EHEIM-Jager-Aquarium-Thermostat-Heater/dp/B003M7P9YU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1479313666&sr=8-3&keywords=150w+heater


HYDOR KORALIA EVOLUTION POWERHEAD 600 ($29 Amazon)
https://www.amazon.com/Hydor-Koralia-Evolution-Aquarium-Circulation/dp/B004F461UA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479313724&sr=8-1&keywords=hydor+koralia+600


So as you can see, you can do it with better parts and remove unnecessary things, but you'd be paying $697 before tax. Personally, I would still rather part it myself, because I know I can find used AI primes with mounts for $150-$200 (check the classifieds of reef forums or you local club). Also, I don't have to buy some of this stuff because I'm already in the fish hobby and have leftover heaters, or have friends who are that can help me get started. But if you're in a hurry and want to start, or this is your first endeavor into fish keeping and have no fish keeping friends, the BRS kit is not bad at all and the convenience is nice.

PROTIP: If you do plan on buying something this big from BRS, i'll let you in on a trick. First, make an account if you don't already have one. Then, add the kit to your cart. Then, leave it there for a few days. You'll get an email reminding you that you have it in your cart, and since it's a large purchase, they'll give you a coupon (i forget the percentage) to encourage you to buy it. Then use the coupon and buy it lol. WINNING!

Have disposable income. :) I had gotten some overtime hours at work, so I went ahead and took the plunge back into saltwater (pun intended).

These were the steps I took so far. I'm not sure if I did it right or not, but I've been able to keep things alive without any die-off, so I've got that going for me. In total, I've spent probably around $300 for the whole setup. Couldn't be happier!

Step 1: Acquire aquarium. This one is the Aqueon Cue 5 gallon, which has a stock led light of whites and blues with "moonlight" option. Put your aquarium on a sturdy, level surface away from sunlight (or in indirect sunlight if you must).

Step 2: Add pump for flow. I'm using the 80 GPH Uniclife found [here on Amazon] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZW6OHHY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

Step 3: Mix saltwater. I use distilled water from the store and Kent Marine Reef Salt Mix. It dissolves so quickly! I seriously use a white 5 gallon bucket and a spatula to mix it. I keep my salinity at 1.024.

Step 4: Let the water come to room temp. Measure salinity with a hydrometer (like the Instant Ocean brand). Be sure to rinse it off with fresh water every time you use it.

Step 5 (optional): Add barely 1/2 inch of live sand. I used CaribSea, 5 lb bag. Yes, you will have LOTS left over. Use it for craft projects!

Step 6: Add live rock. Not just any old live rock, I'm talking about the stuff that's been at your lfs for freakin' ever in the dark, unloved corner. This is more established rock and will help your cycle move along. Currently I have about 3.5 lbs in there.

Step 7: Put some live rock where filter floss will go and skip out on filter floss or carbon. Seriously, somehow this works.

Step 8: Add water. Wait several hours for your ensuing sand storm to die down. You're welcome to leave your extra pump off for this part. I did use some filter floss in the filter to catch loose detrius, but once the water was clear, I threw it out. Once your water is clear, turn the pump back on. By now you should have a thermometer in there, too. My tank stays at 73-74F most days.

Step 9: Make a tiny mark with a permanent marker where your "full" water line is. Every day, top off your tank with fresh distilled water up to that line. That way you can stay ahead of evaporation and keep your tank water at a stable salinity.

Step 10: Wait about 2-3 weeks. Watch your rock spring to life! I had all kinds of fun critters crawling on mine.

Step 11: Take a water sample to your lfs or pet store to be tested (Petco does it for free, which is where I went). If your parameters are good, move on to the next step. If not, wait another week. If it's still no good, consult reddit or start over.

Step 12: Add your cleanup crew! This can be an assortment of hermits, different types of snails and so forth. I've listed my current stock in another comment in this thread. My only complaint would be to have more things that eat more hair algae.

Step 13: Wait another 3 weeks. Ensure your livestock is still alive.

Step 14: By now you may notice brown algae clinging to your glass and rockwork. It's the ugly phase, but it'll pass. Scrub lightly on the glass to get rid of the algae. I use a piece of filter floss (but I'll be upgrading to a magnet cleaner today).

Step 15: First water change! Follow the water mixing procedures from above. Then, drain out 90% of the water from your tank and refll it back to your "full" line with the new fresh water.

Step 16: Wait a few days, then get your water tested again. If it's all good...

Step 17: Add corals. This setup doesn't really allow for hard-to-keep corals (unless I upgraded the light...), so try to go for easy, low-light ones that aren't particularly aggressive. You can get them from your lfs, from frag trading groups or online at larger retailers.

Step 18: Wait about a month. By now, you'll see some die off and some growth on your corals. That's great!!

Step 19: Stay on top of your monthly water changes. Remember: the more livestock you add, the less time you'll be able to get away with between water changes.

So far, that's what I've got. I want to add some chaeto or other saltwater plants to liven up the space some more. Might get a yellow clown goby or more frags, then I think I'll call it all good.

I change my water once a month and scrub my glass when the algae starts to be too much. The tank is constantly growing and changing. I'm new to the hobby but I'll be happy to answer any questions you have!

I also started my first saltwater tank a few weeks ago and I'm 14. Now I went for a nano and it went just fine. First you need to learn about cycling. This is probably the most important thing. Ammonia and nitrite are extremely toxic to fish. There are bacteria colonies that make these into nitrates, the nitrates are only harmful in large quantities. Fish waster produces ammonia, which is transformed into nitrites by bacteria which is transformed into nitrates by bacteria. When you setup your tank, you need to throw a deli shrimp inside to produce ammonia. Then, with testkit you will test the water until you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitirites and less then 20 ppm of nitrates. Nitrates are removed through water changes. You will need ocean salt, RO/DI water, a heater, a hydrometer, a test kit, sand, live rock, a powerhead, and a filter. First you clean up the tank. Then you add sand that has been rinsed. Mix your saltwater and fill the tank about halfway. For a 20 gallon, I would purchase around 30 pounds of live rock. Place the rock in the position you like. The live rock is probably the most important thing in the tank. It houses the bacteria that keeps your fish from dying. This should be done within 2 hours. When satisfied with the placement, fill the tank up. Let it run for a day with the heater, filter and powerhead on. Check for leaks. Also, when making saltwater test it with the hydrometer do the specific gravity is between 1.021 and 1.026. Most fish prefer 1.024. The next day drop in the shrimp ad start testing. It will take around 3 weeks until your tank is ready for fish sometimes longer. The cycling process cannot be rushed. Any fish placed in earlier will DIE. Now, you wait. Also pH can be an issue. Use a marine buffer to take care of this. Algae is a bitch in saltwater and you will need a good cleanup crew. Go to reefcleaners.org and look at their recommendations and go from there. What do you plan on stocking? Use aqadvisor.com to see if you will be okay. Don't buy any products that claim to provide bacteria and shorten the cycle. They don't work and result in dead fish. When you get your fish, use the drip acclimation method for 2 hours before placing them in your tank.
Here's some supplies you will need
http://amzn.com/B000260FUW
Inside the filter, remove the carbon and add this,
http://amzn.com/B0002A5VK2
Also, put pieces of live rock inside the filter.
http://amzn.com/B000256EUS
Use saltwater when doing a water change and use reverse osmosis or distilled water to replace water that has evaporated every 2-3 days. Draw a small line at where the water should be so you know how much to add.
http://amzn.com/B00019JOSO
When measuring salinity, hold the hydrometer and tap it a few times to get rid of bubbles which can affect the results. A refractometer is more accurate but more expensive.
http://amzn.com/B0002A5W9M
This is a pretty good buffer.
You will need around 25-30 pounds of Sand which you can get at your local fish store as well as the live rock.
These are some good heaters
http://www.petmountain.com/product/aquarium-heaters/11442-526438/viaaqua-quartz-heaters.html
http://amzn.com/B001VMSK0I

Order a few of these for accurate temp measurement
http://amzn.com/B008SJ1H7A

This is a good high quality fish food and there is a lot of it for a good price
http://amzn.com/B0002E7ITK

For a background I like all black backgrounds so I got this for my tank
http://amzn.com/B002DWVIBI

I wouldn't suggest doing corals because they are pretty hard and sensitive.

As for lighting, this is pretty good http://amzn.com/B008K37X7C
But I don't know your tank dimensions. Someone else could probably offer better advice on lighting and what powerhead to get. Powerheads are also necessary.

Try to get a glass canopy for your tank. They are pretty useful.

Here's some pictures of my tank, I also did a planted 30 gallon last year when I was 13.

http://imgur.com/WTMuqma

http://imgur.com/AhfkVu2

http://imgur.com/8X69aA1

http://imgur.com/meI9XCH

http://imgur.com/UFGoJYU

http://imgur.com/AN3juZa

My freshwater tank

http://imgur.com/Uvw0iM

http://imgur.com/wbWgKPY

http://imgur.com/jIJs0x5

http://imgur.com/HnkVhau

I looked up the humidity % for West Lafayette. You do indeed live in a pretty humid area - ranging from 71-88% in the next two days. By contrast, Vancouver (where in my experience slugs cannot survive indoors - including a basement apartments), the humidity is currently at 62-82%.

You can buy a cheap hygrometer for $5-10 in the reptile section of any pet store (example here or more fancy one). I use both of these types to monitor humidity levels in my slug terrariums. I would like to see you buy one of those and then post back what the readings are in your room.

In my tanks I like to see my humidity level in the 85-95% range, that's where I'm going to see the highest activity level from my slugs. Around the 80% level their activity level will be reduced. Around 60-70% you start to see defensive hibernation and clumping of slugs to preserve body moisture. Below 50% is not conducive to slug life. That should be your goal for your room. You can get there by running a dehumidifier, air conditioner, maybe just opening your windows and getting more circulation (alternatively, if it's more humid outside than in your bedroom, try keeping the windows always closed).

Slugs are nocturnal, so yeah, past midnight is when you're going to see them. They're not wandering around outside during the day, they're sleeping. If there's no food in your room, they might just be coming in because other slugs have been coming in. Slugs excrete pheromones in their slime trails, communicating sexual readiness ... other slugs wishing to reproduce will follow a potential mate's slime trail for quite some time. In other words, your bedroom might be some kind of destination spot for slug orgies. They also have memories which, according to studies last at least 4 months or longer, so even if your bedroom doesn't have food, if it used to have food four months ago by the previous tenant, that might be worth a trip to an adventurous slug. Then once the slug with the memory goes in, other slugs may follow the trail hoping to find food, romance or both.

I'm also curious about what the slug population is like outside your place, in the grass and any gardens outside. Take a flashlight (your phone flashlight is fine) at around 11pm, the day after it's rained if possible, and just shine a light along the grass and any vegetation. I bet there's loads of slugs out there.

https://www.amazon.com/Refractometer-Fishkeeping-Automatic-Temperature-Compensation/dp/B018LRO1SU/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=DU8CTA68Q2PZ&keywords=refractometer+salinity&qid=1550690064&s=gateway&sprefix=refrac&sr=8-3

I highly recommend getting this ... it can be crucial for nanos to get the exact salinity since a little change is more drastic due to low water volume .. I have a 10 gal nano and my success comes from weekly water change and spot on salinity

• $5 funf
  
  
• $4 vier
  
  
• $3 drei
  
  
• $2 zwei
  
  *$1 eins
  
  Thanks for the contest!

you could put a glass full of water in there to try to help.

If you think its that bad, go down to the pet store and pick up a hydrometer, for reptile cages. It should only be a few bucks. It won't be 100% accurate, but should give you a good idea of where you are at.

http://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-PT2466-Hygrometer/dp/B00026053Y/ref=zg_bs_3048857011_3

From my reading, it looks like any analog dial style reptile or cigar humidor hygrometer should work a treat. I ordered one from amazon but still waiting for it to show up.
Exo Terra Hygrometer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00026053Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2M-KBbTK1JW4P

I have bought both this one that is not available anymore and this one with no problems with either. Until I get one that comes defective 2-3 times in a row, I am sticking with the cheap amazon regulators.