Cost analysis...

BudgetReefer007 · Oct 22, 2019

ok long winded here.. curious if anyone has or knows of a cost analysis comparing the different methods of reef keeping....? a lot of chasing numbers and equipment talk but it almost seems taboo to talk cost when keeping higher end tanks.. I keep a low end tank with a fewer nice pieces and am just adding a dosing pump. as im doing this i cant help but wonder which method of maintaining this is most cost effective. in my mind i see a 2 part dose and schedule of water changes, i see a 3 part dose and no water changes and then i see a daily water change. considering these 3 options, looking at alk, ca, part 3, and the cost of salt.. also the rate of usage.. does anyone have any thoughts on what is most cost effective? (and then we can talk about results and/or issues if you like as well, lol)

Thanks in advance for any input ya'll, seems like i should have already done this work but 2 part starts this wk for me! lol (but might try the daily water change if i can break down the cost of dose vs salt..)

S.Pepper · Oct 22, 2019

BudgetReefer007 said:
ok long winded here.. curious if anyone has or knows of a cost analysis comparing the different methods of reef keeping....? a lot of chasing numbers and equipment talk but it almost seems taboo to talk cost when keeping higher end tanks.. I keep a low end tank with a fewer nice pieces and am just adding a dosing pump. as im doing this i cant help but wonder which method of maintaining this is most cost effective. in my mind i see a 2 part dose and schedule of water changes, i see a 3 part dose and no water changes and then i see a daily water change. considering these 3 options, looking at alk, ca, part 3, and the cost of salt.. also the rate of usage.. does anyone have any thoughts on what is most cost effective? (and then we can talk about results and/or issues if you like as well, lol)

Thanks in advance for any input ya'll, seems like i should have already done this work but 2 part starts this wk for me! lol (but might try the daily water change if i can break down the cost of dose vs salt..)

My tank is just starting up, but when I get it going and I need to dose I think I am going to Tropic Marin's All-for-Reef. It seems like a very simple system. And I like simple. GL

EmdeReef · Oct 22, 2019

Brs did a few good videos on this:

BudgetReefer007 · Oct 22, 2019

S.Pepper said:
My tank is just starting up, but when I get it going and I need to dose I think I am going to Tropic Marin's All-for-Reef. It seems like a very simple system. And I like simple. GL

I love simple! but I like cheap too, lol. my only concern for the all in one is the fact that you cant dial it in. i run a lot of sps and it seems to really drain my alk moreso than ca.. (the 2 im really watchin..). i worry like with wasser i might not keep up on one and have to add another dose later.. *i am using reef crystals which makes ca really high.. thought about goin cheaper again to battle that but then ill add more alk to keep up.. it feels like you jus gota pick ur poison! lol

BudgetReefer007 · Oct 23, 2019

EmdeReef said:
Brs did a few good videos on this:

PERFECT!!! That was an amazing video of exactly what I was looking for! Thank you!

*I currently have a bucket of kalkwasser and the ESV buckets.. (i got order happy) but it looks like the BRS 2 part and part C of balling is the cheapest at 4/month though will require an additional pump, while the Dry Carbo Calcium is in at 6/month and only require 1 pump.. when considering how often pumps go out and the easy of use I may consider switching to the Dry Carbo Calcium (and have a few buckets of stuff to sell.... lol)

C. Eymann · Oct 23, 2019

BudgetReefer007 said:
PERFECT!!! That was an amazing video of exactly what I was looking for! Thank you!

*I currently have a bucket of kalkwasser and the ESV buckets.. (i got order happy) but it looks like the BRS 2 part and part C of balling is the cheapest at 4/month though will require an additional pump, while the Dry Carbo Calcium is in at 6/month and only require 1 pump.. when considering how often pumps go out and the easy of use I may consider switching to the Dry Carbo Calcium (and have a few buckets of stuff to sell.... lol)

In the long run you wont beat a calcium reactors cost effectiveness. If using bottled two
/three part ($$), ~ 40$ per month, in 10 months or less a calcium reactor would have paid for itself. Also if you decide to get out of the hobby for a while. you can sell the reactor for about half of your investment in it.

Bramzor · Oct 23, 2019

Daily AWC + DIY algae scrubber and I would guess that you can keep a reef without a huge kost. Actually you could do a lot of DIY which is most of the time good enough to keep a nice reef running. Auto water changes lowers the cost because it helps you to keep everything more stable (especially when someone does something wrong which happens) and in the end it will save a lot of corals from dying so that alone lowers the cost a lot.

I lost 100s of euros on corals because I didn't want to do water changes and didn't want to use GFO but used carbon dosing and a cheaper system instead... If I didn't do that an did more my best to make things stable, I probably wouldn't have lost all those corals...

Softhammer · Oct 23, 2019

You can try and skimp all you want but it’s not wise. All too often we hear complaints about costs of a new small tank and then whining about how their $500 home wrecker frag died. I’d venture a guess that most nano reefs publicized on this site have more money in stupid high end frags than my whole reef system costs. (180 with a calcium reactor). Spend wisely up front because you’re just going to have to re-buy the cheap crap later.

MrWheelock · Oct 23, 2019

You know I thought and debated this immensely. With the amout of water I use it puts me in a higher bracket for my water bill if I do several larger water changes a month. That coupled with the cost of dosing pumps, the extra power ect, I decided to pull the trigger and get a calcium reactor. I plan on running 2 part for a month or two to bring levels up and keep them steady then swap over to the calcium reactor. Im not really a fan of dosing trace elements that I havent tested for so that takes that extra cost out as well.

Bob Weigant · Oct 23, 2019

I’ve been on the kiss method ( keep it simple stupid ) . Also I will say what has worked for me may not work for you. I only run a protein skimmer and I do weekly water. With good lighting , good flow and stability I have a successful tank. Right now my only cost ( besides electricity) is water , food , additives

Devaji · Oct 23, 2019

I have contemplated this as well for the new tank.
If i was going full Sps i woumd find a ca rx
But u am a fan of Lps so I think I can get by with out.

ca1ore · Oct 23, 2019

With a smaller system, using the BRS three part kits end up being quite economical. $100 bucks and makes 6 gallons of the two main solutions. How long will that last? A year, six months. CaRx will pay for itself on larger systems.