Why is $2500 just not enough :(

russell13 · May 15, 2019

I’m the king of low budget builds. Luckily I live in Southern California where this hobby is very popular. I buy almost everything I can from other reefers who are upgrading or getting out of the hobby. If you take your time and do some searching around in the dry goods sale threads you can find all Kind of deals.

FlyPenFly · May 15, 2019

Super solid option that I think is far more reliable and better built than SCA tanks (as a previous owner).

http://www.dfwaquarium.com/Products/Planet-Combos/

W1ngz · May 15, 2019

Do people still buy single-drain "reef ready" (but not suitable - imo) tanks? You'd think with all the better options by now, manufacturers would stop making the least reliable designs.

FlyPenFly said:
Super solid option that I think is far more reliable and better built than SCA tanks (as a previous owner).

http://www.dfwaquarium.com/Products/Planet-Combos/

russell13 · May 15, 2019

This system was a 60 gallon cube about 90% of the items were purchased used. Including livestock my total investment was under $1500

Scooter90254 · May 15, 2019

W1ngz said:
Do people still buy single-drain "reef ready" (but not suitable - imo) tanks? You'd think with all the better options by now, manufacturers would stop making the least reliable designs.

I don't know red sea doubled down on this concept and has the best selling tanks in the industry.

W1ngz · May 15, 2019

Scooter90254 said:
I don't know red sea doubled down on this concept and has the best selling tanks in the industry.

The Red Sea systems at least have an emergency drain unless I'm mistaken (don't own one). The link I commented on above has a typical single drain durso. No emergency, open channel secondary or anything.

Vahanyos · May 15, 2019

EMeyer · May 15, 2019

To save money:
only make or buy DIY stands, storebought stands are absurdly overpriced
only buy black boxes for lights
only make or buy DIY sumps, again, storebought ones are silly prices.
buy used tanks if at all possible

Follow those rules and I have a hard time imagining you'll break 1k let alone 2k.

cmcoker · May 15, 2019

See someone recommended a CADlights tank. I would never recommend this company, just do a couple searches for reviews before you go down that road.

Planet aquarium I think has added a white stand to their options, I was choosing between them and the reefer 250 after my CADlights disaster. I ended up with the Red Sea, but have had a 120g planet aquarium aquarium I was happy with (only took it down due to medical issues and needing to down size)

McPuff · May 16, 2019

I agree with what most people are saying. Buy some used stuff and get a heck of a deal. You'd be amazed at the 300 setup I got for $1500 a couple years ago. Easily over $7k in retail. If you are going to buy new, just get what fits in your budget for now and upgrade as you are able. Then you'll have a fully operational battle station, I mean reef, and there won't be any real hurry to pay more for equipment. This tactic has worked very well for me over the years. I'm finally getting to the point where I have nice equipment on my reef. Next thing to upgrade is the lights... yeesh.

Vahanyos · May 16, 2019

cmcoker said:
See someone recommended a CADlights tank. I would never recommend this company, just do a couple searches for reviews before you go down that road.

Planet aquarium I think has added a white stand to their options, I was choosing between them and the reefer 250 after my CADlights disaster. I ended up with the Red Sea, but have had a 120g planet aquarium aquarium I was happy with (only took it down due to medical issues and needing to down size)

I’m curious about happened.... couldn’t find a thread on it.

Tautog · May 16, 2019

Wow, I understand your frustration! I had estimates up to $10,000.00, and could have purchased used stuff for half. I visited every LFS on LI, and most in NYC, but I couldn’t get delivery, pick up only. I did purchase a 180 gal with everything, delivery, and set up for $4,000.00. Delivery and set up were no charge. Brooklyn Zoo Pet Store, Brooklyn, NY, ask for Peter
If you want to go cheap, under $300.00, it’s very easy, and without any expensive equipment, but no corals yet.
60 gal tank—————————- on sale...........$60.00
Lighting............................Basic T-5..................$100.00
Filter..............................Aquaeon 75................$60.00
Extras, maintenance stuff, food, test kits.........$60.00
No heat, no skimmer, no power heads, no dosing, no expensive salts, no RO, and no fancy anything.
Just need access to saltwater. My yearly costs are $60.00 ( filter pads ) + electric + gas to collect.

jtl · May 16, 2019

I have a Cadlights tank. I was a little disapointed that there were a few very small bubbles in the paint on the back glass and the pre drilled holes were metric and could have up sized a little but other than that is is solid tank. The seams are perfect and it has low iron glass on 3 sides. Price was fair.

Ferrell · May 16, 2019

Medic58 said:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fs-reefer-250-white-system-pu-jeffersonville-in.598811/

Man that is such a deal!

MSB123 · May 16, 2019

@Rscott
Cart?

Nathan Milender · May 16, 2019

Rscott said:
I have been lurking for about 2 years
Made many posts and learned a bunch
Almost pulled the trigger so many times I lost count
Every time I build a shopping cart on BRS or marine depot I can’t stay under $4k

Grrrr
Any ideas on a $2500 setup?
Looking for a 50-60 gallon tank
Has to have a white stand option

All I ever put in the shopping cart is a reefer 250 and by the time I get done with lights sand rock power heads and a skimmer with salt and a few test kits it’s over $4k

Thoughts appreciated on possible equipment selection?
Thanks all

Shop used. I got back into it for 2500. 125 gallon with 40 sump, Vectra L1, reef octo 200, powerheads, 2 maxspects and more live rock then I could fit in the display for 600 plus a day to go get it and haul it in. That would have run everything. I of course had to change some things and add some things. Got a used BRS RO 100, works great, picked up 2 WAV used 100. Bought Apex El (which you don't need but runs the wav) I think that was 500, tunze ATO 200 (could do without it but ATO is really nice), 40 buck for a RO ATO ressevoir, python 30 bucks on sale on some site, QT came with the tank. I did not like the maxspects so I sprang for T5 hybrid with AI, that was another 1100 but unnecessary. Testing equipment was another 2-300, I like the hanna for Kh and phos, and I prefer red sea pro for others (don't buy used test kits).

It can be done. You've done the research on what you want. Now think about what you need and be selective with what you purchase used. Be careful with pumps. Pay attention to how each high end electronic fails and consider those purchases very carefully. Most other things just need to not leak. Modifying tanks and sumps when dry is not hard. If you are not in a hurry you can find deals. When someone wants to get rid of an entire system it often comes with a lot of extras and they want it gone fast. Be patient.

jsvand5 · May 16, 2019

$2500 is more than enough to set up a tank the size you are looking for. I have this tank.
http://www.scaquariums.com/product-p/sca-90ggpnp.htm
The skimmer is decent enough. Mine has been working well for 2 years. I have SB Reef lights that are fine for any corals you want to keep. Aside from that you just need something for water movement, and that can be found on a budget as well (https://www.reefbreeders.com/shop/coralbox-qp-16-plus/). You could easily get that 90g set up and ready for livestock for under $2500.

Also a lot of good deals can be found on FB marketplace.

ReefWithCare · May 16, 2019

A solid equipment setup will be around $40 a gallon so this all sounds about right.

If you want to trim down costs getting a used setup will save you a ton of money. The range you are looking for is pretty affordable when Petco and PetSmart have their dollar per gallon sales as they will discount 75Gs during that period just not at $1 a gallon.

This will be on the higher end, but SCA is a good value tank to start with:

https://www.amazon.com/Starfire-Aqu...la-571589751038&ref=&adgrpid=61575954397&th=1

You can slap on an Ocean Revive for the light and you are good to go.

You can also choose to go sumpless or do DIY a sump setup.

If I was in your shoes, I would consider moving down to a 40B stacked setup. When budget becomes a major issue I tell ppl to cut their tank size in half and go from there. You end up getting a better setup tank and you have enough for livestock or QT (if you go that route).

You can easily do a white stand DIY with Kluz paint + sander.

To give you a reference, my 40B with a 20G sump with a high end skimmer, ATO, containers, and quality light was about $1400 or about $35 a gallon. It would have shot up beyond $40 if I counted my RODI which I already had.

I would also buy your skimmer later not now if you are going the dry rock route —- your tank is going to be too clean to start and you shouldnt need to add it until you start getting nutrient levels.

Vahanyos · May 16, 2019

I'll be honest.... I Wasn't too happy with their sump or plumbing. But just because I wasn't happy with it, doesn't mean the sump isn't sufficient to run the system. I am just used to having a different sump setup, so I purchased a different sump. I am using the plumbing they provided, but it's not US sizes so I couldn't find PVC that fit it for any alterations, etc... But it's so cheap to buy new plumbing nowadays for a 60g setup.

The tank itself is nice. the seams are siliconed in well, and the glass is very nice. I like the build quality of it and still would recommend it for the price.

Steve Erekson · May 16, 2019

Not that it's directly related to this discussion, but I was pondering some of the reef tank costs and in a lot of ways there is a small economy of scale in terms of tank startup. There are some types of equipment that don't care how big or how small your tank is.

RODI units, auto topoffs, dosing pumps, and controllers are all basically the same price whether for a 180g or a 40g. Some pieces you pay only a small amount more for the piece of equipment appropriate for your size tank. Skimmers are sometimes like this, costing $300 for a larger unit and $200 for the smaller unit, netting a much more efficient cost per gallon of tank. Your powerheads can give this as well. A larger reactor setup is a small amount more than a small reactor setup, again more efficient in terms of cost per gallon of tank. Even the smallest things like your plumbing bits and your magfloat and your siphon hose and your salt mixing equipment can all be far more efficient for a larger tank than a smaller one.

Obviously some things you buy for startup aren't like this. Your rock, sand, tank, stand, and lights can all scale pretty evenly for larger tanks as opposed to smaller ones. But if you are trying to do something in that 40-75 area with all the bells and whistles you are unfortunately stuck in a pretty bad spot in terms of efficiency for gallons of tank per dollar spent to startup just because of how a lot of items scale. That scale evens out a bit as the tank ages because larger tanks need more salt, more water, more additives, more food, more corals, more fish etc but in terms of pure startup cost you'd probably get more tank for your money by jumping straight to a 120.