What was the initial cost for your reef?

[JoshH]

Currently in the middle of my first build and looking at around the same, largest expense being my sump oddly enough lol when all is said and done Ill be around $5000 CDN for my Red Sea C130. small tank for the cost but all my equipment was and is being purchased with a larger project in mind down the road so the only expense there will be the tank itself.

 

[Luke Schnabel]

I'll just narrow it down to my 125g display tank.
$750.00 Tank
$700.00 Lights
$350.00 Return pump
$800.00 Wave Makers
$550.00 Apex
$350.00 Skimmer
$120.00 Heaters
$150.00 All test kits
$300.00 3 channel Doser
$150.00 QT Tank System

I may be missing something, But I would guess $4,000-$5,000 on everything for a 125g system. If your going to drop $4,000 on a 55g you can have top of the line products and a really nice tank.

 

[Maacc]

I choose not to try to add it up, currently have a 45 JBJ which I have $2,500.00 into not counting livestock, an evo 13.5 which is probably at about $800.00 and then my new build which is a 180ish reef that I just picked up this weekend for 2k, with probably another 3k-4k before I get it up and running. Not to mention I hunt and have a boat lol I should probably just skip the middle man and set my wallet on fire.

 

[Bj’s Reef]

My advice to you is. Skip the 55 gallon tank. If you are thinking a standard 55 gallon tank. They are to narrow, to do a nice display. Start with a least a ninety gallon tank. In the sceme of things you want remember the price difference. You will however get more enjoyment out of the new tank. The lighting is where you will spend a nice portion of money. The larger wider tank will give you more options. That's just my two cents. Four grand should get you a nice system if you do your home work and shop smart.

 

[MNDavid]

I am getting back in as well after about eight years. I picked up a 90 gallon glass over-flow already installed. Stand and canopy were included for $450, vs using my old 55 gallon. I picked up a thirty gallon tank to build my sump. hardware to plum it, silicone for sump walls, etc... another hundred. New $65 Marine DC DSC-3000 for the return. using an old Oceanic Plus Series 6 protien skimmer to get back in. I have 50# of live rock that is dormant. once my levels are in acceptable range; I will add live stock. so it will cost about $1000. you have options to keep cost down. I am going cheaper on lights and before I add live stock I will upgrade to good LED's. then will upgrade my protein skimmer. you can do it all at once or do it slow. just don't add live stock until it's all dialed in.

 

[alyee5]

Let's See
1) DSA 105 Rimless with Stand and Eshopps R-200 sump (2nd Gen) $1,350
2) 2 Kessil a360w's with goose neck and 90 degree adapter and a Bubble Magus Curve 7 skimmer $1,250
3) APEX Gold $720
4) 2 Vortech MP40's $790
4) Finnex titanium heater 2x300W and controller $150
5) Waveline DC10000ii pump $250
6) Tunze 3155 ATO $150
8) BRS 6 stage RO/DI + tubing + fittings $400
9) Pulkani Dry rock $275
10) Caribsea Special Grade Sand (3 bags) $125

Ouch, I never added up the cost before now...
And this doesn't include test kits, setting up a saltwater mixing station, PVC plumping, setting up a QT) and dozens of trips to Home Depot!

 

[Areseebee]

For my 180 (60 x 27 x 27) I did:

used Tank/stand/sump/plumbing - $800
used 48" 6x54w T5 fixture w/ new bulbs - $50
used Jebao 12000 return pump - $60
2x new PP20s - $120
2x new 300w heaters - $64
used RO 3000int skimmer - $300
new Apex junior - $200
new screen top kit - $50
used RO/DI - $100

All together: $1740 or so.

I was pretty pleased with how cheap I ended up being able to go for a setup that grows basically any coral. I have a topoff which is just a 20 gallon tupaware attached to a float in the sump which is basically free in comparison. In hindsight I do see places I could have saved a lot of money. I think the tank/stand deal wasn't that good and I've been seeing a ton of my skimmer for sale recently for that price or cheaper. Then again, I got rather lucky with the fixture (although I've seen 8 bulbs for $100-150 since which would have been great too).

Of course this doesn't include consumables and livestock/liverock.

 

[Centerline]

Man I would consider hitting craigslist. I just took a look and found three different, fairly nice setups for less than $1000. Save that money for when you get a feel for the hobby and really know what type of tank and lighting you want based on the type of coral you are keeping. The only things that will really screw you up starting off is a wimpy skimmer, wimpy flow, sometimes used rock and over complicating things.

 

[Karlotious]

Im looking at a final cost of $4000 for my 1600 gallon soooo you are spending wayyyy too much! Nothing wrong with shopping around!

 

[happyhourhero]

Tank $100
Stand Supplies $100
Sump Came with original Craigslist takeover that was $200 for all
Skimmer $180
Lights $300
Rock included in $200 above
Skin and Cabinets $150
RO Unit $120
Powerheads $150
Corals, Fish , Test Kits LOL

Thats $1300 there for a little over 2 years of a 65

A craigslist take over is the way to go though. Got me back in the hobby for $200

 

[hart24601]

It seems with more responses your budget is a sound one. There are some cheaper and some more expensive posts so overall good job picking a decent number. Costs seems to add up a lot especially if you track every single receipt. Thought I do think you might be better with a 75 for it being a wider and not much more $$ equipment wise.

One thing some people forget is used equipment varies drastically depending on where you are located. In Iowa you do not see used reef equipment frequently. The Des Moines metro has around 650,000 people and this was the CL listings today for reef aquarium (reef tank, coral all had fewer hits):

 

[679x]

I'm in Ontario and have occasionally looked at Kijiji for used tanks (did it yesterday), and yes they are much cheaper, but I haven't really found one that I 100% would like to purchase. I won't be setting up this tank yet anyway so I still have time to look. If the right one comes along, maybe I'll get it.

My advice to you is. Skip the 55 gallon tank. If you are thinking a standard 55 gallon tank. They are to narrow, to do a nice display. Start with a least a ninety gallon tank. In the sceme of things you want remember the price difference. You will however get more enjoyment out of the new tank. The lighting is where you will spend a nice portion of money. The larger wider tank will give you more options. That's just my two cents. Four grand should get you a nice system if you do your home work and shop smart.

Since I'm a kid living with his parents, I have to (of course) consider their opinions on another fish tank in the house. They're fine with it, fine with the price unless they're not telling me that they aren't, and fine with the size -- provided I don't go bigger. This is because the physical size in the room it's going to be in (which is the main deal), the larger equipment cost, and also somewhat because of the fact that it will take more $$$ to fill this tank with coral, thus increasing the cost even more. Because of that, I'm looking at a tank that is 'only' 3 feet long. At first I was going to get a 4-foot tank that would've been somewhere from 75-90 gallons, but my parents thought it was too big. I'd have to do some convincing in order to score a larger tank, but since I don't have a job, it's not all my own money so I don't think it would be fair to my parents to go against the very few rules that they have in place for this tank.

The price is something that I've always felt guilty about ever since I first got my freshwater tanks, which didn't cost nearly as much as this saltwater one is going to cost. I'm trying to get very good quality equipment, and that's why it costs so much.

At first, I wanted to get a cheap tank and construct my own sump but it was, in fact, my parents who told me I didn't have to do that. Maybe they were just worried about leaks if I didn't build the sump correctly, lol.

In the end I wish it didn't cost so much, but since I don't have any of the equipment purchased yet, I still have time to give my plan a good thought. And I still believe that I'd rather get good equipment and be content right from the start, rather than wanting to keep more delicate corals and not being able to until I upgrade my equipment, or having equipment fail on me, or something like that.

 

[679x]

Also I just realized I forgot to say my budget of $4000 is in CANADIAN dollars, which equates to $3000 American. Still a lot, but that at least makes it seem less crazy haha.

 

[Richard60]

My 55 cost to setup at 500

 

[2Wheelsonly]

Tank $4000
Lights and mounts $4700
Sump $500
Vortechs $1700
Gyre $300
Return $400
Skimmer $750
Calc reactor/tank/regulator $1000
Mixing station $750
Heaters $130
Apex system includes feeders, wxm, dos $1600
Media reactors $300
Fish room construction $2500
In-wall construction/custom stand $4000
Rodi $300
Ato $200
Don't know how much I spent on all the plumbing

$23,150 for setup not including salt/rock/sand/fish/corals/supplements

At first I thought this hobby was sick expensive but then I realize that doesn't equal the cost of my motorcycle.

Hobbies in general are expensive because we are willing to tick money away on them!

 

[Reef_Tank_Fan_SC]

I have a 54 gallon corner tank that I am building now and I have got about 1200 in it already. Keep in mind that my tank wasn't reef ready so I have had to buy extra stuff and customize a good bit but that is what makes it fun. Right now I have the tank, stand, live dry rocks, protein skimmer, sump tank, return pump, overflow box and everything I need to plumb the tank. (Bean Animal of course) I still have a couple hundred more to spend on it before I even get to livestock. Not to mention I haven't bought lights yet

 

[TherealplexiG]

I'm currently building a 60 cube. It would cost me a fair amount of money, but not a fortune. It's too early to mention the amount. But I like to build things.
I'll list the things that would be made by me.
Tank rimless like ADA, stand, custom acrylic overflow ghost type, lighting leds 9 channels, skimmer with mazzei venturi based on mtc, ats based on Turbo, acrylic sump my design, acrylic gravity fed dual ato my design. No real live rocks, Scape would be diy rocks. Salt I'm not gonna risk to make, I'll go with red sea... Haha...
So my expense would be pretty minimal..

 

[cjd]

I'm not disclosing what I have spent on my latest build ( wife may see this!!)......It is still an ongoing process 1 year in . Couple of different lighting choice changes , I like this skimmer better . ooo this return pump is better . man this sump would have more room ...... I enjoy building the aquariums almost more than filling them with coral!!!!

 

[Reef_Tank_Fan_SC]

I'm not disclosing what I have spent on my latest build ( wife may see this!!)......It is still an ongoing process 1 year in . Couple of different lighting choice changes , I like this skimmer better . ooo this return pump is better . man this sump would have more room ...... I enjoy building the aquariums almost more than filling them with coral!!!!

I wish I could like this post so many more times, I am the exact same way. I just like building stuff up from nothing and seeing it become something

 

[Areseebee]

I'm in Ontario and have occasionally looked at Kijiji for used tanks (did it yesterday), and yes they are much cheaper, but I haven't really found one that I 100% would like to purchase. I won't be setting up this tank yet anyway so I still have time to look. If the right one comes along, maybe I'll get it.


Since I'm a kid living with his parents, I have to (of course) consider their opinions on another fish tank in the house. They're fine with it, fine with the price unless they're not telling me that they aren't, and fine with the size -- provided I don't go bigger. This is because the physical size in the room it's going to be in (which is the main deal), the larger equipment cost, and also somewhat because of the fact that it will take more $$$ to fill this tank with coral, thus increasing the cost even more. Because of that, I'm looking at a tank that is 'only' 3 feet long. At first I was going to get a 4-foot tank that would've been somewhere from 75-90 gallons, but my parents thought it was too big. I'd have to do some convincing in order to score a larger tank, but since I don't have a job, it's not all my own money so I don't think it would be fair to my parents to go against the very few rules that they have in place for this tank.

The price is something that I've always felt guilty about ever since I first got my freshwater tanks, which didn't cost nearly as much as this saltwater one is going to cost. I'm trying to get very good quality equipment, and that's why it costs so much.

At first, I wanted to get a cheap tank and construct my own sump but it was, in fact, my parents who told me I didn't have to do that. Maybe they were just worried about leaks if I didn't build the sump correctly, lol.

In the end I wish it didn't cost so much, but since I don't have any of the equipment purchased yet, I still have time to give my plan a good thought. And I still believe that I'd rather get good equipment and be content right from the start, rather than wanting to keep more delicate corals and not being able to until I upgrade my equipment, or having equipment fail on me, or something like that.

Honestly if you have nothing and are willing to drive, you'll probably find a really nice complete setup at some point in the next couple months. These are often REALLY cheap and the seller is often very incentivized to sell. In addition they'll throw in all those nick nacks that add up but have little to no value alone.

In general if you are going to assemble something I would say just be careful with lights and pumps. That's the place I see people pay 10-50 times extra with little to no gain.