20 gallon reef... CO$T layout!

[jimboslice]

This is just the beginner 20 gallon reef tank(nano) setup. Nothing fancy, just your basic medium grade items packed into a cheep glass tank. I would like to say its a complete setup, but I'm sure there is something missing. Never the less, it's fully functional and I have high hopes for the tank. I often lie to myself when adding up the total cost of the tank. This gives a good Idea of what it really cost to get something like this going. This is one month in with a small mushroom frag and single paly hitch hiker.

Still much more $$$ will be spent on corals, so you get the idea.

 

[Tangweed]

Nice set up! Don't forget to add a skimmer... another $200.00 plus for one that will work.

 

[jimboslice]

yah yah.. skimmers coming. I'm gonna run it canister style for as long as I can first. I clean it weekly, so I'll be good till I get lazy. When I do get a skimmer. I will keep the canister so I can run carbon and other things if I feel the need hehe.

Every time I clean the canister filter. I completely clean it and change the gallon of water or so that the canister does hold. So I get a good gallon of water change ever time I clean it, on top of my regular water changes.

 

[Tangweed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13876983#post13876983 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jimboslice
yah yah.. skimmers coming. I'm gonna run it canister style for as long as I can first. I clean it weekly, so I'll be good till I get lazy. When I do get a skimmer. I will keep the canister so I can run carbon and other things if I feel the need hehe.

Every time I clean the canister filter. I completely clean it and change the gallon of water or so that the canister does hold. So I get a good gallon of water change ever time I clean it, on top of my regular water changes.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Tangweed]

Is this your build thread? If so keep a total dollar count at the bottom of your post... I would like to see how much you spend over time :lol: I'm going to subscribe to your thread

 

[jimboslice]

Yah, this is my setup and thread. I'll Keep up to date with how much things all cost as it goes.

 

[Tangweed]

Cool!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jenglish]

wait wait wait! You can't let people know what they are getting into ahead of time!

I try to never tabulate costs. If I did I would hafta lie when my gf asks what I spend on my tank :strooper:

 

[sk8rreefgeek]

Looks good. $80 seems good for the stand.

Enjoy the clean tank because the initial Cycle made my tank look like *&% for about 6 weeks.
Don't worry though, it will pass.

Good choice on the YWG

for the record, I ran my tank with a Fluval 305 succesfully for over a year with no problems. I also still use it for carbon, filtration, and flow, even after I hooked up my skimmer.

 

[widmer]

Hey that's a really cool layout you've done.

Looks like you got a GREAT price on the watchman

However, $40 for the two hermits picture, not such a good deal....(jk lol)

 

[jimboslice]

hehe.:rollface: My main concern was not discouraging people to start up. Its worse though if you get half way and realize you cant afford it, but you already have water in the tank.

If you are all the way in with both feet and don't want to know what your spending, then your just tricking yourself. Like I do sometimes hehe.:rollface:

 

[ccampo]

Looks like you're good to go.
With time you'll want to upgrade, that's for sure, so take that into account if you're buying a skimmer, buy a good one.

 

[PaulieWalnuts]

nice.....i try not to think about how much i have spent....but its very hard to forget those prices lol...as tangweed said just wait and watch that 800 turn into 1200 to 1400 to 1800 very fast....nice tank again!

 

[calvertbill]

You want something to not think about! Try your calculations on my 450! Chiller, UV tubes, the skimmer alone was 8 something, but the biggest expence came after my first Calvert County power failure...after baby sitting the tanks until the return of power, I went out and spent $9,500 on a back-up generator.

 

[crvz]

Your not supposed to keep a budget on your tank! Yikes, that terrifies me in a lot of ways.

 

[goodtimes]

It looks like you will have fun with your build. Maybe consider buying some things used. A few years ago I bought a 125 gallon with tank, stand, canopy, skimmer, sump, fish, corals, ect.... for $700.00.

 

[twelvejewelz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13877209#post13877209 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jenglish
wait wait wait! You can't let people know what they are getting into ahead of time!

I try to never tabulate costs. If I did I would hafta lie when my gf asks what I spend on my tank :strooper:

i just bought a 700$ 10 gallon setup and told my gf it was only 100$ shhh

 

[Mishri]

You know whats funny? I paid a little less for my 75g complete setup.. (ofcourse I got a lot of things for free from friends/family) so far my cost is around $600..

 

[jimboslice]

Its been 3 months and 1 week, and my total cost is $1500 counting everything. There is no more room for new stuff, so cost will slide downward drastically.

 

[VacavilleFC3S]

you could have done without the canister filter, it's absolutely no needed