lauderdalestunner
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Your mistake was keeping the receipts. Ignorance is bliss
How much did your reef cost
- Thread starter ZachsZoo
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Your mistake was keeping the receipts. Ignorance is bliss
boozeman27
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I've been planing my 525xl for a couple months now. Remodeling my basement and will be done with that next month and then I'll start making actual purchases. But my list of equipment is at $9K+ without any livestock! Hoping to have it up by July or August! I am, however, building a " Broadfield Special" lol!
ReeferDave01
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I have 250 main tank 60 seahorse 80 sump all plumbed together. After all equipment.. Chiller, heaters, pumps, lights led & ho t5, apex, skimmer, reactors, salt, inserts, test kits, media, chemicals... I stopped counting after $8k lol I bought everything new. That doesn't include livestock. My main tank with stand cost me $1k. It's everything else that adds up. My suggestion is buy best equipment you can buy cause failures can be expensive. We have FedEx coming to door almost daily. One time we had FedEx & ups show up at same time. My gf was joking that we'll have to get drivers Xmas presents. Hobby is addictive.
lauderdalestunner
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15k[emoji51] but I can see it... over the years with live stock, additives, water, equipment.... again I don't keep count for a reason
germs101
Well-Known Member
What I would do differently is set up fish quarantine and invert/coral quarantine. Yes, we all have a chunk invested in the initial set up. What really adds up over time (and can be devastating also) is losing fish, coral, to diseases and pests. Medication also adds up, but treating a 20 gallon QT everyday is a lot easier than multiplying the dose for a 300 gallon tank.
Something I porbably should have added is that I live next to 3 great aquarium stores that sell used tanks very cheap and have very well priced equipment and constant sales on livestock, so I am able to get some pretty good deals on certain pieces of livestock and equipment.
Never hurts to get used just be sure they are still in good shape. I would have never gotten into the hobby if I had to pay retail for a system, i happened to get my whole set up for free from a family member. I did end up getting some new equipment like a skimmer and pumps
fabutahoun
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A lot 
, imagine how much a 180 gallons filled with sps and radion leds and sro skimmer and apex cost ? and double the price for shipping everything from USA to Saudi Arabia
, imagine how much a 180 gallons filled with sps and radion leds and sro skimmer and apex cost ? and double the price for shipping everything from USA to Saudi Arabia
40B Knasty
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Petco has their dollar a gallon deal every so often. I picked up my 40B for $40. They do up to 75g. Last time they did a 50% off for 40g-75g, but $1 a gallon for all others. Just a heads up. Wider is better vs taller. Easer for cleaning and aquascaping! I will say get a GREAT stand. 1 gallon of water is 8.2lbs. Last thing you want is a wobbly tank stand with hundreds possibly thousands of pounds. Say you have a child or pet that bumps it and it comes down. You are talking a mini Tsunami in your home with glass & rocks in the mix.
My tank, stand, lights, T5 bulbs, HOB skimmer, powerheads, live rock, sand, and 2 HOB filters $1,350. 6 fish & inverts $500. Corals $400.
My tank, stand, lights, T5 bulbs, HOB skimmer, powerheads, live rock, sand, and 2 HOB filters $1,350. 6 fish & inverts $500. Corals $400.
desi_reefer
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One thing I regret was to go brand new on everything. Later when I'm full on in the hobby I see how cheap people lay off their tanks and equipment for.
terri_ann
Well-Known Member
Know what you need and want before you ever start! This requires knowledge and research. Everyone has an opinion so research and then ask questions to get others input. A reef can be cheap or as expensive as you want depending your liking, patience, etc For example, when you safe reef, do mean fish only, FOWLR, or a mixed reef, softie dominated, sps dominated, etc? Lastly, go with tried and true equipment unless you are positive the equipment will meet the reef demands, your demands or upgrades. Expensive and cheap are just words, they don't tell you what you should or should not do. Good luck!
Hemlawk
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I'm new into the hobby. (2 months max)
Ive spent atleast $2000. so far, maybe more for my 20 gallon nano. I kinda wish I went bigger and maybe a more affordable brand, but no worries. Maybe a JBJ or SCA tank....
$900 Red Sea Max Nano (20g tank, includes stand, light, skimmer, ato)
$230 MP10 powerhead
$160 battery backup (i refuse to let a power outage crah my tank)
$100 heater (I bought 2 because I didnt like the first one)
$150 RO/DI system
$100 sand and rocks
$100 for test kits
$200+ for misc stuff (salt, nets, pipetts, etc)
$100 for fish
$300+ on coral
Good luck
Ive spent atleast $2000. so far, maybe more for my 20 gallon nano. I kinda wish I went bigger and maybe a more affordable brand, but no worries. Maybe a JBJ or SCA tank....
$900 Red Sea Max Nano (20g tank, includes stand, light, skimmer, ato)
$230 MP10 powerhead
$160 battery backup (i refuse to let a power outage crah my tank)
$100 heater (I bought 2 because I didnt like the first one)
$150 RO/DI system
$100 sand and rocks
$100 for test kits
$200+ for misc stuff (salt, nets, pipetts, etc)
$100 for fish
$300+ on coral
Good luck
If you really want a reef tank, cheap, buy quality LEDs, skimmer, heater. Try to stay away from anything that will heat up your tank. Go with the biggest tank possible, you will be glad you did. Keeping corals isn't cheap, period.
But, if you really want cheap, go local.
My local fish/invert tank is as cheap as you can go!
60 gal. Tank - $1.00/ gal on sale at PetSmart or Petco
Filtration- 2 Marineland filters, regular 75 gal. /, and a 90 gal. W/ bio- wheel
- each have 2 filter pads, I change every 4 months, but never at the same time
Lights - cheap fresh water
Heater - none
Skimmer - none
Air pump w/air stone
R/O - none
Salt - none, get local water, 20 gal. WC every 3 weeks, more if you over-feed
Livestock - collect your own
* Everything I do in this tank is totally against everything your NOT supposed to do!
My livestock include a Seahorse, 2 Grouper, Black Drum, Gobies, Bickelfish, Spearing, Killiefish, Grass shrimp, Scallops, Quahogs, Crown conchs, Black-tip stone crab, Blue claw crab, and a Horseshoe crab.
It's a eat or get eaten environment, but re-stocking is fun, and you never know what you will collect.
But, if you really want cheap, go local.
My local fish/invert tank is as cheap as you can go!
60 gal. Tank - $1.00/ gal on sale at PetSmart or Petco
Filtration- 2 Marineland filters, regular 75 gal. /, and a 90 gal. W/ bio- wheel
- each have 2 filter pads, I change every 4 months, but never at the same time
Lights - cheap fresh water
Heater - none
Skimmer - none
Air pump w/air stone
R/O - none
Salt - none, get local water, 20 gal. WC every 3 weeks, more if you over-feed
Livestock - collect your own
* Everything I do in this tank is totally against everything your NOT supposed to do!
My livestock include a Seahorse, 2 Grouper, Black Drum, Gobies, Bickelfish, Spearing, Killiefish, Grass shrimp, Scallops, Quahogs, Crown conchs, Black-tip stone crab, Blue claw crab, and a Horseshoe crab.
It's a eat or get eaten environment, but re-stocking is fun, and you never know what you will collect.
jwshiver
Active Member
First, don't pursue this hobby with the the mindset of "cheap". You are operating under a budget that works for you. Always buy the best equipment that fits into your budget, and remember "expensive" is a relative term. Do a lot of research on equipment first to make sure you will get the most bang for your buck. If you need to go a little out of your budget and you have a significant other, "It is easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission."
