Cost for Your SW Setup

[fishfreek]

Hm, does not sound like a q tank at all but instead an additional show tank. Since the concept of a q tank is one that is only setup when quarinteening new creatures or treating fish for disease. A q tank thats setup all the time is really just a second show tank.

 

[wookie903]

Hmm using your view of this situation it looks like I may be able to have three tanks in the house instead of two. That would be cool. We will have to see how this goes over with the wife. Thanks,

 

[clownin around]

Just found this thread. Though I am not at all sure that I like it. I find that if I think to hard about all the money that has been sunk into my aquarium habit I might break the whole thing down lol. I have 58 gal Oceanic tank. i have no idea what the break down is but so far I belive I am bordering on the 3 grand range between livestock up keep and equipment. Not to mention that I am currently getting rid of my fishies because I have to have seahorses. Which means a species specific tank. When I think about the money I will spend for tank raised seahorses I cringe, But all and all its worth it! I wouldnt trade the obsession for anything!

 

[RocketSeason]

I wish I would have seen this thread before I made the plunge into saltwater! hehe.

Anyways, It doesn't matter cause I wouldn't give it up now if I could!

I am addicted.

 

[Reefdog]

I would say that if you have a reef you are much better off not thinking about that new car you were going to get. most people have thousands invested.

 

[quarryshark]

Well my initial stand, canopy, tank, skimmer, plumbing, r/o unit, lights, sump, powerheads, heater, etc ran me $2600. Add LR and LS (rock was uncured) another $700. Add livestock to date about $600.
Then with the velvet oubreak in Jan, a 40 gallon and a 10 gallon qt set up, another $500 or so with the meds. Ad another $400 for all the salt I went through with the water changes in qt.
Thats about $4900, and thats not including food, test kits, filter pads, etc.
And I wonder why my wife is ready to kill me.
BTW, am considering turning the 40 gallon into a reef tank.
Here we go again!! 8O

 

[quarryshark]

Oh ya, and a recent skimmer upgrade cost another $350.

 

[MT79]

I have about $1300 into my 29 gal. not including the maintenance and electric. But it's worth every penny SW reef keeping is quite a rewarding hobby.

 

[mojo]

I don't even have a tank yet, and I've spent about $450 ... on books! I bought most of the ones listed on the recommended reading list. My hunger for knowledge is insatiable.

 

[SquishyFish]

I confess I just skimmed most of this since I'm coming in kinda late on it, but here is my break down.

175gal bowfront, stand and canopy--2400.00
40gal Glass sump, drilled for 2 more units, DAS filter. 400.00
Lighting 500.00
Live rock. 400 pounds at 5.99 per pound (on a good day)... 2,396.00
Sand...25.00 a bag. (up to 8 bags as of now)....200.00
Skimmer 350.00
Power heads and pumps 400.00
Wave maker----100.00
Heater--45.00
Saltwater (just to fill it...not changes) 175.00
R/o machine--200.00
------------------------------------------------------
Grand total: $7,166.00

And I dont have a top off unit, Calc reactor, or a chiller. So you could add another 500 for that down the road.

Also...Clean up crew is as much part of the equipment as they are inhabitants.

 

[MadManMac]

I have seen many people say that this is an addiction. I have a strong issue with that phrase.

In college I learned, I was a drunk NOT an alcoholic, because I did not go to meetings and as such I feel I am not addicted, just obsessed since I have yet to go to an aquarium meeting. (Not that I haven't looked!)

And now that I am so vigorously pursuing this hobby on-line, I believe I have gone from obsessed to cyber-stalking the hobby.

If this continues, I may be in more trouble than my little twisted mind can take.

Not to mention the $3,500 or so that I have plopped down since January.

And the only thing I can think after reading this thread, is that I want to go out and open my own LFS so I can take all of your money.

 

[MadManMac]

P.S.- So I can spend it on my own tanks!

 

[RocketSeason]

I think your addicted to smilies.

 

[revhtree]

Theres no such thing as addictions to smiles!



PS. Ive got about $1900.00 In 2 1/2 months......Is there a crying smilie? (that makes no sense)

 

[XXFirefighter]

1500ish as it sits.

 

[MadManMac]

Did I mention that I have a 15 nano getting ready to go up too?

PS- I do love smiles, I can only stand so much text without some kind of pictures.

 

[Nitrate]

150 gal FO, came with fluorecent lights, stand, cc, Sealife Premier 200 wetdry, and heater $1350.

I thought I was done and all I needed was fish. Roughly $2,700 later I have a great FO tank.

I would never add up the receipts though, think I might hit the bottle and have another addiction to worry about.

 

[MadManMac]

Remember, it is only an addiciton if you go to meetings otherwise it is a problem and we all have those. Denial, it is not just a state of mind, it is a way of life!

 

[Davidfrances]

I'm in the process of setting up a 120 gal AGA reef with dual overflows. So far, I have spent a total of $3,316.50 or $27.64 per gallon on equipment as detailed below:

ITEM TOTAL

Tank, Stand & Sump 1,100.00
* metal halide hood 500.00
Aqua C EV180 w/mag 395.00
* r/o unit 150.00
metal halide extra (250 watt) 150.00
inert sand 120.00
Refractometer 70.00
Metal Halide bulbs 10,000 k 175w 140.00
Supreme pumps 9.5 138.00
dosing pump 62.00
Float switch 60.00
Metal Halide bulbs 20,000 k 250w 44.00
Acrylic sheets for sump 42.00
Acrylic overflow Mount w/sock 48.00
Coralife trichromatic 40w bulbs 48" 44.00
* powerheads 180.00
Ground probe 13.50
faucet coupler 10.00
pvc plumbing 50.00

About $830 of the equipment is "legacy" (i.e. I've had it for years - items with a '*') I'm budgeting $500 for LR, and the fish/corals/inverts will be a 'work in process'. Include my electrical generator ($500), pH monitors ($150) and other test equipment, initial salt charge ($80), and I'm pushing $40/gal before I add the first fish/coral/invert. I have about $800 invested in 'nice to have' items and extras, after deducting those, I'm back to around $30/gal.

 

[CBRGuy]

My first tank I spent about 700... Found out I bought junk I just upgraded to a 90 gal. I spent 2200 for the equipment and 800 for the rock and sand and I still need more plus ro/di unit and misc items. some where aroung 3300-3500.