Cost for Your FW Setup

[Markstanfill]

56 gallon column w/ stand - 240
175 metal halide lamp/ballast - 98
co2 tank/regulator/diffuser - 204
eco complete/flourite mix - 90
canister filter - 68
power head - 26
koralia nano - 38
heater - 30
uv sterilizer - 40
air pump/stone - 15
plants - 80
Cabomba Java Fern, Red Ludwigia, rotala indie, water wisteria, Java Moss, Bacopa frill, Micro sword, Duckweed, HC
fish - 70
Neon Tetras Otocinculus, Rasbora Espeis Blue tetras Amano Shrimps SAEs Nerites, Sunburst Platty, Rubberlip Pleco
npk/trace - 50
dried/frozen foods - 30
daphnia starter culture - 8
All I can think of when I put it all up. Approx $1087

 

[sarahh]

do i have to tally it up

then i will realise how much money i spent

lol, i have actually been extraordinarily lucky.

120 gallon tank w/ filter/heater setup, lights (no bulbs), and glass lids.Filter media. - $120 (this year)
homemade wooden stand $5 parts plus labor (husband did it for a backrub)
artificial plants and stones and tree root ornament $90 ish
PimaFix cos i am an idiot who thought it would be ok to QT fish in a 120 gal tank $40
rocks $10
Bulbs for the lights $40 (ebay)

Total $265 ish

55 gallon tank, metal stand $40
marineland filter with bio wheel $60 (ebay.. bargain)
plants rocks and pretty stump $60 ish
heater $25
stresscoat etc $50
quick dip 6 in one tester strips $40
ammonia test strips $40
pH test kit doesn't matter cos it was a massive waste
fish (mumbles incoherently)

All in all about $300

next tank score one for me on the fabulous new friends front..

75 gal tank, stand, lights, hood, filter, heater, rocks, sand decorations and about 10 cichlids - $150 < -- that's me SUPER excited

if i buy another tank after that, the divorce is gonna cost lost more than all of that jk

of course we're still learning about all this stuff, and I am ALWAYS open to advice there's a bunch of stuff i am starting to realise we DON'T do, perhps we should, maybe we don't need to. Anyway.. good to see i am not the only one worried abot the economy and spending more than i thought i did on the fishies

 

[DragonFish71]

11 tanks ranging from a 3g to a 120g. My brain couldn't handle trying to break them down for cost.

But the 120g is roughly as follows:

2 Fluval 405 canisters: 331.98
Tank, stand, lights: 380.00
200 lbs of sand: 100.00
plants: 100.00
3 pieces drift wood: 100.00
rocks: maybe 2.00 was 5.00 for 150lbs, didn't use them all
2 heaters: 58.79 (with shipping)
fish: probably about 100.00.

So about 1411.98 into that tank.

 

[Yolly]

40 Gal Show Tank

Tank (second hand from Bargain finder came with hood, light, heater, air pump) $400
Stand $480
Filter Rena XP3 $139
Substrate (sand) x2 bags $ 60
Co2 system $45
River rock (got them right out of the river bed) free
Malyasian wood $50
Live plants $30


Of course that does not include the cost of the inhabitans, thier food or the extra filter media I added.

 

[yenner]

Haven't read throguh all these but heres mine.

- 20g reg: FREE
- Filter: FREE
- Air Pump/Line/Stone: FREE
- Net/Cleaning Supplies/Food/Vacuum: FREE
- Custom Ohio State background: FREE (uncle is a designer and owns a sign shop.)
- Substrate (4 bags gravel): $16
- New Air Wand: $6
- Misc plastic plants: $15
- Fake hollow log: $20
- Fish bowl (for air bubble for fiddler crab): $6
- Hood w/ light: $20 on sale

TOTAL: $83

It's nice to know people. Of course, I'm not done yet.

 

[CA_BroncoFan]

250 gal fw tank (not completely finished)

Glass tank, stand, canopy, light $500
Re-enforcing cost $30
Play sand substrate $22
Rock courtesy of mother nature $0
2 heaters w/shipping $45
Various fake plants $55 so far with more to go
2 Fluval fx5's $400 (+/- 75 bucks)
LED moonlightw/dimmer $58
Maylasian DW $130
Live plants $25

So right now as it stands excluding fish I'm into it for $1265. That also doesn't include the stain I used for the stand. What have I done. Haha

 

[yenner]

So right now as it stands excluding fish I'm into it for $1265. That also doesn't include the stain I used for the stand. What have I done. Haha

Constructed one kick-a aquarium. That's what you've done. I'm still eagerly waiting to see the finished product.

 

[CA_BroncoFan]

Thanks, me too but as I've tallied the cost you can see why its still in progress. Haha

 

[yenner]

I fully understand. That's why my economical (see: free from relatives) setup is what I'm starting with.

 

[sniper]

Aha crAigslist brand ne 55gAll with hood lights filter heater air pump $100 then $60 for gravell$50 on decorAtion and fish food $10 $20 on conditioner and other chemicls so around $250 for everything

 

[treverchaos]

47 gal tall with stand, hood and light. $225.00
substrate and decorations $125.00
aquaclear 70 box filter $50.00
Fluvel 200 watt heater $38.00
Coral life 96 watt light $110.00
mix of live plants $60.00
2 electric blue rams $50.00
1 mystery snail $2.00
Stress coat and aquarium salt and test kit and filter media $60.00

Total $720.00 with more fish to come.

 

[Tarkus2112]

Here's my damage so far $523.02

I'll update this after I purchase my last few items. (filters, lights, more decorations, etc.)

View attachment 25638

 

[libbyb]

I stopped counting. My husband is freaking out but "I don't care!" Ok, I care a little. I've easily spent $600 for my 55g planted FW in the last 2 months and still more to come (or go).

 

[WhiteDevil]

Im still married so I guess 5K+ isnt enough.

 

[FishEggs]

just keep spending the money so she cant afford a divorce lawyer

 

[WhiteDevil]

Just wait till she see's what a coral operation costs, she nags till the investment(in her eyes) makes a return. She saw what a small frag can cost and saw the big picture,I'm just glad one of my kids is very interested in the hobby and her 4yo butt knows every species in every tank already and can point them out and say their trade name,in a few years she will know the latin names.

 

[FishEggs]

the beginnings of a marine biologist. lol

 

[yardjass]

40 breeder for Jack Dempsey

Tank: $40 (petco's dollar/gallon sale)
Gravel: $24 (two large bags from walmart)
Hood: $30 to $40 (online)
Light: $50 (there are many options here with a wide price range)
200 Watt heater for a 55g: $20
Stand: Free, I am lucky enough to have a nice solid desk.
Terracotta pots: $5 to $10 (Lowes)
Whisper EX70: $40
Jack: $3.99

Total is $218 unless I missed something adding. Note that a 55g starter kit sells for $200 without the gravel, pots and Jack. This is a matter of preference as a 55 may hold more water but the 40B has a larger footprint and therefore more horizontal swimming room. I noticed that my girlfriend's 20 long looks significantly larger than my 20 high for this same reason even though they are supposed to be the same size. She ended up opting for the 55 for her angel and silver dollars and I for the breeder but I think I will be the one with the last laugh

Another good piece of advice on cost. Hop on craigslist and look at used tanks and look for nice solid pieces of wood furniture from thrift stores or used furniture stores instead of buying stands. You can save a bundle! Just don't buy anything that doesn't look stronger than the wood stands at pet stores and test the strength with a weight set or a few people first using a rule of roughly 100 lbs per 10 gallons.

 

[maxst2]

Craigslist -
Got 55gal tank, stand, hoods and lights with driftwood and river rocks - 100$
Aquacave -
LED Panel - 150ish
Petco -
Fluval 305 - 168$
Substrate - 40$

Plants-
Oh... 10$ for java moss, 40$ for rest of the plants.

Soon to be-
Pressurized co2 - 400$, fully auto setup with 10lb bottle.

 

[jenatron]

Fluval Edge

Tank: $100
Stand: $20
Sand: $12
LEDs: $32
Fake plants: $27
Decorations: $21
Mag Float: $10.50
Old Biorb Heater Pack: ~$40?
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Total: ~263*1.06(sales tax)= ~279

Then obviously there's misc. like test kit, prime, food, filter pads, etc...