Tanks built on a budget.

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Man! I love this thread! So many times, we hear "this hobby is expensive" and it can be, but it doesn't have to be (of course "expensive" is a relative term). My first 75g reef was about $200 for tank, stand, sump, and equipment. It was ALL used and none of it was "high end" stuff, but it was great! I picked up basically all of it from people selling off their equipment and live stock on Craigslist.

 

[BrettMallette]

55g tank and stand=free
Skimmer=80
Jebao PP8=80
Jebao SW2 =60
Marco Rocks=100
Rock from 30g=free
Total so far 350 then i spent 550 on a Hydra 26HD that cost more than the rest of my tank gear combined.

 

[BrettMallette]

 

[Paul B]

I don't remember what it cost to set up my tank because I did it in 1971, but I know it was practically free.
I did buy the tank but besides that, I collected the water in the sea for free. I collected the rocks for free on my many trips to the tropics. I just put them on my lap on the plane. Now that is illegal and if you bring it on the plane, they will shoot you.
Over the years I traded or gave away all those rocks and built most of the rock I have now as it looks better and is hollow. Also practically free.
I built all my lighting systems out of used equipment of which I have had 7 or 8 over the years. Now I have a water cooled LED system which cost about $25.00
I also built my 5' skimmer for probably $8.00 and got the 2 pumps for it very cheap when LFSs went out of business.
My first Ozonizer I built but it tended to dim the lights in the neighborhood so someone getting out of the hobby sold me one very cheap. I have had 4 or 5 of those so far.
I built the stand for free and many of the fish I get from stores that are covered in parasites and receiving last rites so I got them for free or almost free and I cured them.
Corals I pay for but they tend to grow. My tank has 8 or 9 vintage bottles in it that I collected while SCUBA diving in New York.
If I had to put a cost factor on my tank now it would be about $100.00 not counting the tank itself and livestock.
I have no quarantine or hospital tank, no controllers, no medications, no reactors, additives, pellets, Rowaphos, GAC etc. Just water.

 

[BrettMallette]

I don't remember what it cost to set up my tank because I did it in 1971, but I know it was practically free.
I did buy the tank but besides that, I collected the water in the sea for free. I collected the rocks for free on my many trips to the tropics. I just put them on my lap on the plane. Now that is illegal and if you bring it on the plane, they will shoot you.
Over the years I traded or gave away all those rocks and built most of the rock I have now as it looks better and is hollow. Also practically free.
I built all my lighting systems out of used equipment of which I have had 7 or 8 over the years. Now I have a water cooled LED system which cost about $25.00
I also built my 5' skimmer for probably $8.00 and got the 2 pumps for it very cheap when LFSs went out of business.
My first Ozonizer I built but it tended to dim the lights in the neighborhood so someone getting out of the hobby sold me one very cheap. I have had 4 or 5 of those so far.
I built the stand for free and many of the fish I get from stores that are covered in parasites and receiving last rites so I got them for free or almost free and I cured them.
Corals I pay for but they tend to grow. My tank has 8 or 9 vintage bottles in it that I collected while SCUBA diving in New York.
If I had to put a cost factor on my tank now it would be about $100.00 not counting the tank itself and livestock.
I have no quarantine or hospital tank, no controllers, no medications, no reactors, additives, pellets, Rowaphos, GAC etc. Just water.

I wish i still had all my gear from the 90s let alone was alive in the 70s lol. Your tank always impresses me Paul! I must admit im a little envious of being able to collect your own water. Closest ocean to me is thousands of miles in every direction and the closest being the arctic ocean or hudsons bay.

 

[Paul B]

If you collect in the Artic, filter out any Orca's as they are not exactly filter feeders. ;Cyclops

 

[R_C]

Tank is 125gal with DIY everything (that I can make).

All the $ are estimates causes I have piece this whole setup from other setups that I have bought and sold what I did not use.
Tank- $200
Stand- DIY $100
Sump- DIY $70
Return pump.- New $89
3 Lights (black box LED fully WIFI programmable)- New $350
Rock- Pieced together from other setups
ATO- $40 Used
Skimmer BM NAC9 - Used $200
3 reactors= Used $40
RODI- Used $80
Sand- from old and other setups (rinsed thoroughly)
Powerheads= $120

Total system cost = About $1300. Give or take

 

[Hentz]

My budget build was one of my favorites.

75 Gallon Oceanic Tank/Stand = $200
DIY Sump = $100
Reef Octopus 110 = $100
Mag 7 = $50
Reef Breeder Photons 24" x2 = $300
MP20 = $20
MP10 = $100
WP40 = $40
WP10 = $0

TOTAL = $910

 

[Patis55]

Here is mine so far!
40B $50. Petco
10g equipment sump $10 Petco
2 used EVO 165W LED lights (reefbreeder V1 copy) $120 R2R sale forum. free shipping.
DIY stand $40 HomeDepot
RO/DI. 5 stg EBay $100. Free shipping
2 SunSun circulation pumps. $20. Free shipping
SCA-301 Skimmer EBay $88. Free shipping
Overflow 700GPH $56 Ebay. Free shipping
JBJ Duo 2 pump controller. $45 Ebay Free shipping
Sump return pump 700GPH $30 Ebay Free shipping

125Gal Tank, Stand, Light.
2, 300W AllGlass heaters, 7 Power heads all Rio and some Rio+, Eheim canister filter, 140W UV sterilizer.
Bought as a package for $100.
Sold Tank, Stand, Light $200 keeping all other equipment.

So far i have $425 into what i have so far but i still need more stuff!

55Gal water storage tank. Used from friend $20
RO/DI booster pump $70ish?
Plumbing $50ish?
Different basic test kits $150ish?
Salt Refractometer $25ish
+ whatever else im not thinking of right now maybe $200 or less.
Not going to count Sandbed or Live Rock.

Some equipment will be replaced soon though at its cheap to just get up and running

.