How much did your Tank Setup Cost??

[Dave-T]

Did you get that new Rolex protein skimmer?
Maserati turbos for return pumps?!?

Skimmer $981
Return pump $3003

 

[Hairyteeth]

Next category should be cost per gallon

 

[ripcord]

A lot less than my other hobbies! The wife says, as long as it keeps me busy and out of her hair, it’s worth every penny. We’ll see how she feels about that, with the new 1000 gallon system in the new house!

 

[rusgum]

My new system and hardware cost me $20,000

 

[Roatan Reef]

My new system and hardware cost me $20,000

Set up and size???

 

[rusgum]

Set up and size???

My thread has all the description. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/heavenly-aquarium.884802/

 

[kirinreef]

Almost 9k initial setup, and around 160 every month, in CAD

 

[Susan Edwards]

I have a spread sheet of all tank costs since 2016 when I got my first saltwater tank. It is staggering.... I could almost buy a Tesla! My new tank, the RS 3xl900 is about what I owe on my honda civic car. Well over 20k less than 30K lols. Pick a number... Hitting 4k for this year. More new stuff like clear view lids and livestock and just maintenance and additives etc.

I went with better rock, red sea equipment and higher end than my previous tanks. Even did 2 mp40's. I did not stint. I also went with Apex gear. Also did a water change station in garage and hubby put in an audurino fail safe system. I also put in 2 dedicated 20 amp breakers and 2 outlets of 4 plugs each in my office. More power in this room than in entire house almost lol's. This includes the amts of additives I needed and salt and all manner of things needed.

In my opinion it has paid off. Flow is great, rocks are good, no marco dust (don't count the algae I'm fighting). Compared to my last set up, this has been worth it and I should have bitten the bullet with the last tank.

 

[fish farmer]

It cost about the same as driving to Florida for a couple of weeks, staying in nice hotels and eating seafood every night.

 

[MYosh88]

Last December I replaced my 17 year old Oceanic 58 gal when it started to leak (R.I.P.). I bought a Red Sea Max E-260 AIO (56 gal display volume) from Aquatic Art for $2,824, plus some other goodies. When he sold it to me, Cris Capp said something sympathetic to the effect that it's always more than you think

In going through my records, I found this price list for the Oceanic, written by the kind folks at Sherman Tank (yup, they had a figure of a WWII tank in their signage).

The setup included stand, lights (PC compact!), and sump. In 2021 dollars, the cost would be $1858.56. I don't have the price I paid for my first skimmer, a Urchin Pro, but I saw a modern listing where it was going for $265, taking the total to $2123.56.

So ... you could conclude that for a "comparable" setup, things have gotten more expensive over time. NOW, you could argue that today's equipment is far more capable, which for sure is true. You could also say this about cars. According to cheapism.com, the inflation adjusted average price of a car in 2004 was $34,411, in 2021 $25,045.

Do I think this hobby has gotten more expensive? Yes (especially considering all the additional "stuff" like controllers that can be bought). Do I still enjoy it? Yes

 

[JoJosReef]

I don't know. I have a 13.5g Fluval Evo that I tried to go all budget on and wasted a ton of money upgrading bad parts. Maybe 1K in just setup? Then made an IM Nuvo 10g office tank with good stuff--all I remember (self-induced amnesia) is my wife's "you bought a plane ticket for rocks!??".

Lately, I've been getting the feeling that I want a gem tang...

 

[dedragon]

i dont think you wud get the answer from me even with a gun to my head lol

 

[dedragon]

jk but i am building a nuvo ext 50 right now so tank 1300, ultra reef akula skimmer $580, and orphek icon compact $585 the rest was a tank transfer so idk, still building and moving right now

 

[dedragon]

...my 55" oled that i bought today cost less than just my tank, lol

 

[Viking_Reefing]

Well, I calculate the equipment costs here but I don’t want to calculate the full cost including livestock and stuff haha

 

[c0kefree]

For my Reefer Nano, i stopped being curious at $3,000.

however this includes the $800 i spent for my biocube 16 setup that came with the light, ato, wavemaker, heaters, inkbird, rock, clownfish, and coral. (Using all the equiptment from that on my Reefer)

bought the reefer used for $500 which came with two return pumps, an aquamaxx skimmer and some other goodies.
but needed a new stand for $400 (im ultra paranoid with stands, after a tank failure in my past)

i’ve bought a reactor, redsea top, tons of chemicals, supplies, dc return pump, corals and fish now ontop.

without going used, probably 5k or so in just stuff.

 

[Karen00]

What did it cost? You mean the initial cost, how much I went over budget or the ongoing cost?

+1 to over budget. That happened the first day I went shopping for my stuff. LOL

 

[Karen00]

I should keep track but have stopped. I knew I was in trouble when I went way over budget the first day of shopping for this tank (my first) and the endless supply of ancillary stuff that goes with it. LOL Just when you think you're finished something new and cool comes out or some "must have" is released and so the cycle of life continues.

 

[hart24601]

“About a car”

let the person interpret that however they want!

 

[ekandler]

I’d say close to $8,000 for equipment to get it going, then god knows how much in fish and coral.

reefer 350: $2,000
2x XR30s and RMS: $2,000
7 stage RODI: $600
ATO: $200
Eshopps S-120 skimmer: $300
Pumps, fuge light and reactor: $300
2x Ai Nero 5s: $300
Rock and sand: $300
Heater and controller: $150
Apex, trident, DOS: $1,800