Is this how much an aquarium truely costs?

[Steve Tobias]

Generally speaking, I think a tank can cost anywhere between 20-100+ per gallon. Buying used helps a lot.

I love that! I never considered pricing per gallon, but anywhere between $20 and $100 is a pretty big canyon. Has anyone ever done the math on that?

 

[thirst]

When one considers the fact that you can buy a bk return pump for 750 or a used eheim for 50, could make a huge diff. I can set up a 100 gallon for perhaps as little as 700 bucks (used everything), or spend 10,000 buying top of the line everything. I think 3000 or so is a good budget for a 100 gallon, to be able to keep sps, dosing, etc

 

[Steve Tobias]

Seadragon I think we have nailed it down for you... It will take somewhere between $975 and ONE MILLION DOLLARS!!!!

 

[Untamedrose]

Well no one tell my hubby ...what i spent this year setting up this tank. Just looking at my ebay/amazon histories as thats where most of it came from. Please note I dont buy the really expensive options....consider myself a budget reefer here. (ok typed that BEFORE I dug through my accounts 0o)

Equipment:
Already had the 65 gal tank and 40 gal sump was free.....
Stand 65 gallon 65.00
plastic baffles for sump and glue 20.00, craft baffle for simi DIY algae grower. 2.00
Rio Plus 2100 return pump 53.00
36"4 bulb t5 and LED combo light 150.00
36" LED lighting 82.00
over flow 61.00
over flow tubing 20.00
return tubing free
extra large black background used on both tanks 9.00
small suction frag rack 9.00
utube return 8.00
black diamond sand 50 pounds 9.00
Honeycomb Dry Rock 30 pounds 70.00
Premium Coralline Rock 130.00
40 pounds LS Aragamax for sump 20.00
XL gravel cleaner 13.00
Refractometer 30.00
marine pure block 31.00
emergancy battery operated air bubbler for when the power goes out 15.00
polyfilter 10.00
flipper tank glass cleaner 40.00
two sunsun wavemaker pumps 13.00
skimmer had but would be around 150 to purchase it new
two heaters 40.00
Thermometer 3.00
rodi system 150.00 (plus another like 40 at lowes trying to install the bloody thing)
So there is 1203.00

Also have a 20Q tank and a medium canister filter on it but I had those already(ya parents attic left here 8 years ago lol)

All the random bottles, jars n boxs:
kent reef salt 150gals(what it will make) 40.00
instant ocean bucket 30.00
Kalkwasser 500gram 13.00
Copper safe ich(just in case) 9.00
Chemi-Clean (for the red outbreak i had) 15.00
MetroPlex & Focus(cherb angel came in with an internal parasite) 25.00
two fishes two part 26.00
vita chems 10.00
New Life Spectrum small pellets 7.00
seedweed clips 6.00
garlic extreme 10.00
Coral Frenzy 16.00
chemi bags 5.00
reef dip 15.00
API master test kit 25.00(not a waste waste still using but do over...id skip this set and get one of better quality)
aquastik 10.00
phosgaurd 10.00
marine snow 18.00
coral feeder(silly its just a turkey baster thingy could have found for cheaper) 10.00
filter pad 7.00
extra suction cup things 3.00
5n1 test strips(used for cycling the tank only) 12.00
Fish Acclimation Kit x3 8.00
another 366.00

My that was stupid... just a waste of money...and pretty much had to upgrade away from
Base rock 30 pounds 55.00 (its solid bloody ROCK no holes :/ replaced with the honeycomb)
Marc Weiss Reef Bugs 21.00 (junk dont trust it after further reseach)
purpleup 19.00 (pointless noob mistake)
Fluval Pre-Filter Media 7.00 (eh...but I like the marinepure that i replaced it with so much better)
really cheap butt gravel cleaner....was just junk in the trash 5.00
80gph water pump....IDK what i was thinking at all LOL 8.00
Joe`s Juice Aiptasia 10.00 (kalk paste works better)
Brine Shrimp kit 10.00 should have just bought the eggs and skip the kit thing expensive peice of plastic.

Not to mention livestock, corals, macro algeas, clean up crew......plus stuff I picked up at petsmart(mostly just frozen foods brine shrimp)

 

[Seadragon1]

thanks everyone this was very helpful

 

[Mimmrfr]

I've been invested in this hobby for over 20 years. The greatest thing about this hobby is that it is affordable to anyone who wants to get involved and is willing to stay within the parameters of a budget. I am zealous about the hobby and remind myself daily that a hobby is for my own personal pleasure, is something that should take up slots of my time on a regular basis, and is something that satisfies as it progresses. It's not always a "get what you pay for" model in reef keeping. It's more about the time, efforts to learn, and desire to share and receive knowledge that progresses this hobby. I consider myself the cheapest hobbyist in the reef keepers world, yet my tank pleases me, is extremely healthy, and happens to look great to anyone who sees it. I just finished a DIY hanger for my lights. Two plant hangers and an old mop handle painted black did the trick. It was also free as I had the items in my garage for years unused.

 

[Seadragon1]

Wow...I could do all diy stuff. I did study electronics for awhile and it sounds fun!!! Then the only cost is the fish and corals (because I have the tank).

 

[Mimmrfr]

Back in "the day" people made their own protein skimmers. That was a time when they were newly on the market and considered unaffordable by the average "joe". I often watch YouTube videos of what many people are doing with plastic buckets and even building tanks with plywood and rubber sealant. Makes one appreciate the love and determination for the hobby.

 

[Seadragon1]

Do you remember what you used to make a protein skimmer? All the YouTube videos are made out of stuff I have no knowledge about. Do you recommend any particular videos?

 

[Mimmrfr]

Oh my! The DIY skimmers were made of the same or similar plastic tubing that are factory made now with airline tubing running air stones for bubbles, but initially you saw a lot of the step processes in the hobby magazines as the Internet was just breaking into the home scenario. Now skimmers are made quite affordable and convenient. I'd buy one if I needed one today. ( I bet libraries might still have access through micro "fish"!! This sure dates me!) I have no particular videos in mind. I know that last few I got a kick out of were of a young man building a sump out of a large rubber made bucket. Of course it was going to work!! Amazing stuff! I just put DIY and the item I'm interested in to search. There are all kinds of plumbing, sumps, drilling glass, building aqua scape, water flow, etc. videos. You name it, it's out there.

 

[Seadragon1]

okay

 

[SirMilo]

My wife and I purchased a running setup at the beginning of this year with some very nice equipment for a really good deal.
I thought this might save me some money...... nope. In the last 7 months, we've spent several thousand more on upgrades to work for our long term goals, not including livestock. We sold most of the hardware we replaced but have spent way more to get where we wanted to be.

Bottom line, as others have said, it can cost as much as you are willing to spend. The best piece of advice I can offer is to think about where you see yourself (and your tank) in a few years and buy accordingly.

 

[Mimmrfr]

okay

You seem to be taking your time with this. That's a good thing. You have somewhat of a vision of what you want, take your time and you'll get there. The budget you choose will determine how fast you move. You have some basic equipment. You now just need to decide how you want your plumbing and filtration set up to look like.