What was the initial cost for your reef?

[2Wheelsonly]

I understand the want to have brand name components but a brand does not guarantee quality or a successful reef. Understanding the components of anything and how they are made (material fabrication) or the chemistry of what is produced (alternative dosing methods, etc) will always be more important than a stamp of approval. In the early days of the space program NASA spent millions in an attempt to find a pen that could write in zero gravity, Russia used a pencil..

Understood but again, if you want proven lights with a large community of shared profiles and backing you have to go with certain brands.
You generally get what you pay for with skimmers unless you have the ability to build your own.
Apex controls the controller market and has a large community to rely on for coding.
Flow, again...name brands clearly shine here.
Aquarium plants regulators

All these above are something you simply can't beat with off-brand products. Most of us don't have the ability to make our own, I wouldn't dare DIY build a large tank after spending thousands on a basement remodel knowing it could start leaking 10 years after I have invested $15k of livestock.

 

[RyanCSGO]

only reason i ended up buying Hydra's is customer reviews as well as my LFS having them over a couple tanks that are thriving.
mp10s becuase i like the design (dry side/wet side)
spent a little extra on the tank becuase, well, if that fails I'm pretty sure the wife would politely excuse me from this hobby.

 

[AntarcticIkeelu]

How big is the tank

150 gallon

 

[Areseebee]

Understood but again, if you want proven lights with a large community of shared profiles and backing you have to go with certain brands.
You generally get what you pay for with skimmers unless you have the ability to build your own.
Apex controls the controller market and has a large community to rely on for coding.
Flow, again...name brands clearly shine here.

THE most proven lights are T5s and used T5 fixtures are darn near free. My 48" fixture cost me $50 and I grow anything you want anywhere I want without problems. You could easily spent nearly $2000 for a 48" fixture... maybe more with puck lights? Not sure what more you could achieve.

Apex, I agree go for it, spend here.

Brand name powerheads are really not necessary. If you want them, by all means but realize that it's a lot more money without much benefit.

 

[Reef2zach]

About 4k I think so far but that's cause I just added 3 radion g4 pros. Not something the average start up tank is probably gonna run. My stand was super cheap maybe 50 bucks in lumbar. Also found my tank on craigslist. Tanks also pretty young and I haven't bought all the other unnecessary stuff yet

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

My cheap as no budget tank

 

[justingraham]

I read or heard somewhere that you should multiply your tank in gallons and by 50-70. It worked out incredibly close for me.

In my case, it was 125g x 50 = $6250. I think I spent somewhere close to 6500. The lights add up, a good skimmer and so does the controller if you go that route. Those three make up almost 40% of where the cash went.

Another $700 for flow and you've got 50% of the start up cost.

dang I spent 7000 on mine and mines a 90 but all my equipment can be used when I get ur tank.

There is two ways to think get only what u need and that's it or get more then what u need for ur future upgrade
I went in it with the thought of I never want to buy something again for my next upgrade I understand things break in this hobby but I wanted the best equipment.

So tank and stand 800 after I made it my own.

Two sea swirls 400

Plumbing 160 bucks(ball valves and unions on 1 1/2 plumbing stink in price)

Two vectra m1s 700

Reef octopus regal 170 450

Two reef brite metal halide hybrid xhos 1200

Bulbs 80

Apex stuff 1000

Neptune wavs 500

Heaters 100

Sump kit exotic marine 75

Synergy overflow 150

Rodi unit and booster pump 200

Salt 75

Misc buckets and trash cans 50

Used mp10 150

Reeflink 100

Probe holder 50

Sand 120

Rock well I don't know I had it from my last tank but at least 200-300

Cleaning stuff i.e. mag float 40

Veggie clip 25

I think that's about it so $6725

Also let's say 100 for a qt tank

6825


But I wanted the best and I could have done it for cheaper but why. I love my tank it looks amazing and the wife is happy I have no regrets but at the same time @saltyfilmfolks tank is pretty cool and spent way less then me and I bet u he has no regrets either so it's what u want

Plus when I upgrade to my 180 gallon tank I will only need to buy one set of lights(600) and maby another set of wavs for flow but I don't think so.

Have fun it's nice to budget it but ur budget won't happen so do what's going to make u happy cause in the end ur the one that has to live with it

Also if u added the value of my time at 100 dollars an hour were way over the 10 k mark as I ran my own electrical rebuilt my stand and made my canopy float and I enjoyed every second of it because it is officially mine.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I bet u he has no regrets either so it's what u want

I wanted a shark and an octopus.;Stig

 

[Dirk Griffin]

For an 18" deep tank, $1000 per foot is a good starting number, when things are about done.... Assuming normal-average 'new' equipment and coral purchases. Fancier anything will get the calculator rolling along with your check book and cc's.......

 

[justingraham]

I wanted a shark and an octopus.;Stig

Haha i wanted a ten foot by 12 foot l tank from my living room into my kitchen and the wife said no when she saw me measuring it out in my head

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Haha i wanted a ten foot by 12 foot l tank from my living room into my kitchen and the wife said no when she saw me measuring it out in my head

HAHAHA. One day Ill have too many tanks in my house. I wonder what my wife's house will look like.

 

[chefjpaul]

Evidence for my wife to find eventually....I think NOT

 

[hart24601]

I understand the want to have brand name components but a brand does not guarantee quality or a successful reef. Understanding the components of anything and how they are made (material fabrication) or the chemistry of what is produced (alternative dosing methods, etc) will always be more important than a stamp of approval. In the early days of the space program NASA spent millions in an attempt to find a pen that could write in zero gravity, Russia used a pencil..

I swear I'm not picking on you, but this shows a point better than the original... That's to be wary of what you read!

NASA spent nothing developing a pen. Both USA and Russia used pencils but they were not ideal, bits break off which is not great in 0g and with graphite being conducive the dust isn't great and if the pencil material is wood being flammable that's even a bigger problem.

A private company developed pens for space use and sold them to the USA and Russians.

I like to point this out because many things get parroted in the hobby but are not always true.

 

[CastAway]

Ugh. At the next Aquarium Businessmen's Convention, if there is such a thing, this thread may be a pre-amble to ten new hobby changing product lines and twenty new business start-ups.

Sorry for the cynicism.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I like to point this out because many things get parroted in the hobby but are not always true.

+1

Like "its an expensive hobby".
Its not, compared to other hobbies and how you go about it.

 

[Karlotious]

haha fair point! I guess i never looked into the background of the story lol My point still stands though. While i agree that you cant skimp on the pumps, lighting, or skimmer I never understood why someone would spend 100's on an acrylic sump, overflow or refugium when rubbermaid containers work so well unless its equipment you really want to show off.

I will say as far as pumps or submersible lighting go if your aquarium is substantially large (requiring 4000gph+) switching to pond equipment is the way to go (assuming no metal parts of course). Things labeled "saltwater" sometimes come with a markup due to association.

 

[justingraham]

haha fair point! I guess i never looked into the background of the story lol My point still stands though. While i agree that you cant skimp on the pumps, lighting, or skimmer I never understood why someone would spend 100's on an acrylic sump, overflow or refugium when rubbermaid containers work so well unless its equipment you really want to show off.

I'm with this guy by nice equipment but a rubber made sump or an converted 40 breezed ia just as good as an acrylic sump in fact prolly better as it can hold more water but to skimp out on the stuff that is moving ur water or lighting ur corals is beyond me ur going to put thousands of dollars of livestock in the tank why put in a 13 dollar pump 13 different times because it continues to break down the money up front and it will save u in the end

I recomend finding a tank u like and mimicking there equipment in ur own way

 

[dstienmann]

Lol what ever you think its gonna be double that, and if your going big everything its a ton more! I was thinking around 5k For mine must of been looking at average sized equipment when I started this project Im in roughly 35K so far about a year in still getting it setup. Mines a 240 with a little remodel and fish room

 

[Uwharrie]

Keep a check on Craigslist. You can often pick up a great set up for pennies on the dollar. Given that I think Lights are by far the most costly part of a beginner set up

 

[Uwharrie]

I spent far more on livestock. And over the last 18 months have lost much of it due to being so new to the hobby. Start slow!