200-300 gal $$

dermer

New member
ok so within a year or so i would like to set up a 200-300 gal tank if you dont mind waht is the average cost to get this set up predrilled average equipment large rubermaid sump good lighting any thoughts and ideas on what to go with

thanks for any advise and ideas
 
reef lps and mushrooms i would like to go with mh that is what i have on my 75 and i really like there looks as well as there abilities
 
I am in the process of setting up a 330 Gallon Fowler, so not as expensive as setting up a Reef and its costing me about $13,000 thats everything Sharsk & Fish included.
 
I just set up a 500g display and have no livestock yet... I am over $17k so far and still need UV, Calcium and Kalk reactors, Chiller, Ozone, and oh yeah pretty much everything that I want to go in it.

If Cost is your main concearn be forwarned... big tanks cost big dollars.
 
I have a 210g fowlr (3 sided starphire) w/ 100g sump and I am only in a little over 2k so far. You can keep costs low if you build it really slow and purchase goods form other reefers who are breaking down their tanks.
(but only purchase used goods when it makes sense. ex. people sell used Darts for 180 and you can purchase it new for 185 shipped)
The tank is not completely finished yet as I still have to purchase a canopy and stand cover (to cover my metal stand) which will cost me another 600-800. I also will need to purchase some retrofit lighting, which will cost me a couple hundred.

tank, stand, and sump: $500
asmg4x w/ recirc and gate valve: $300
zeo reactor and media: $200
Ocean runner 6500 for return: $89
200lbs LR: $100 (purchased over time from breakdowns)
240lbs LS: $200 ( this was a bad purchase, I could have bought it a lot cheaper)
plumbing parts: $240
Dart pump : $185
RO/DI: $95 (got it as a xmas present)
misc: $200
 
I usually tell people figure anywhere from $40 to $60 per gallon. Of course this depends alot on a number of different areas (what you want to keep, equipment you might already have, your budget, how handy you are and if you might make somethings yourself ect). I would recommend purchasing good quality equipment the first time and save yourself the frustration and money from cheaper items. Of course many people do get by with less than that figure but I've been around this hobby along time and have personally paid numerous times for things that if I had done some research have saved alot of cash.
 
Well, as for doing it cheaply I would say that sometimes you get wha you pay for. I know I could have gone way cheaper on my stand and canopy; however I also know that they are the focal point along with my tank in my Livingroom. I want people to look at them and say... wow that is nice. Not hey did you build that yourself. As for plumbing... I have over probably close to $500 just in True Union Ball valves. I would strongly reccomend if you are doing a basement plumbed system that you invest in these since you will be taking some stuff apart later and without these you will have a much harder time.

There are many items you can save money on. Live rock, if you don't mind waiting you can pick this up from tear downs. I got about 200lbs in tear downs but needed much more. So I had to buy some. Live sand and macros are easily found along with the LR.

As for pumps, just buy them new. Take it from me.. I got one pump for my closed loop that wasnt new and wouldnt you know a seal broke and dumped 40 gallons out of my system. Luckily we caught a lot of it with a trash can but still I wish I had just paid the extra 20 bucks and got it new now.

Skimmers can go either way. If you want to wait for one long enough you may find a used one and save quite a bit. I just wanted the best so I went with a new GEO.

Controller is an expense you can skip all together. I have over a grand just in that; however, it is really nice to be able to control my system remotely if needed. (you may actually want to go on vacation some day)

Lighting... this is gonna cost some money... Even with retros you are going to have at least $200-$250 per light if you go used. I have over $1600 in my lighting but I bought HQI ballasts running SE bulbs. Now I saved by buying the reeflo 12k bulbs cause they have plenty of blue and I am not running T5. I bought all new here because I didn't want someone elses junk.

There are tons of things you are going to want but don't have to buy... these things can always wait if needed...

moon lights
wave maker
Calcium reactor
kalk reactor
media reactor
controller

all are pieces you are going to want in the end but can come on in stages....

I have over $3000 in plumbing alone, I had to run dedicated GFI circuts to the fish room (you will be supprised how fast a fish room will blow a 15a breaker) Reinforcing of the floor, mixing trash cans, QT, testing supplies, foods, there are a ton of little things that add up over time.

If you get a 200-300g done for $2k then that is awesome but I'd venture to say there are plenty of expenses you forgot about.
 
I just ordered locally my 375g 96x30x30 tank and cabinet/canopy for $4300. It will cost me an addtional $4k for equipments including live rocks.
 
My rule of thumb is, " buy nice or buy twice." I stopped counting on my 180 gal reef tank once I passed 5K. With utility costs and all the maintenance costs I don't even want to know how much I have spent.
 
I'm not doing a reef tank, but I just bought a 180 gallon Marineland tank with corner over flows drilled. The tank was $485, the glass tops were $35. The lights-Odyssea compact flouresents, twin 36" 192W with 3 blue LED moon lights each were $360. The Aquatic systems wet dry WDM-300 was $360. I got 2 Odyssea pumps 1000gph for $180. and a Aggressor AIS - 250 protein skimmer for $260. So far, I'm around $1700, before salt, fish or all the other stuff. I'm not sure if I got ripped of or what, but my wife wasnt too thrilled with the bill so far. ;-)

I hoped that helped with some of the prices.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8862226#post8862226 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by xinumaster
I just ordered locally my 375g 96x30x30 tank and cabinet/canopy for $4300. It will cost me an addtional $4k for equipments including live rocks.

Is this a glass tank?
 
If a large tank's in your future... And money will be an issue. Than it might be time to re think things... A full blown reef is very expensive.. Not to mention the on going cost to run... I've lost count of the money invested in my system. But I don't sleep well unless I have back up apon back up. I run a 1Hp chiller with a 1 Hp back up set 1 degree above in case something goes wrong. Same with all pumps, lights, controller, etc... I have somewhere around $10,000 in livestock and rock. And would hate to lose it on some malfuction.. So you can get by with the bare bones. Or spend the money and have a very stable system. Also I would figure out every piece of equipment I will need for the type of livestock I will keep. Buy all the equipment first. And the tank last, my last system was a year in planning. And that was just an upgrade, to a 500 gallon. As far as price per gallon. I would say around 75.00 to 100.00 per gallon. Just depends how crazy you want to go.... I've also found that people that cut corners have the most problems....

Happy Holidays....
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8860843#post8860843 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by saltyESQ
I have a 210g fowlr (3 sided starphire)

tank, stand, and sump: $500

Where the heck did you get a 3 sided starphire 210 gallon with a stand and sump for $500?? WOW
 
100_0012-2.jpg

375 reef. $20k when I stopped keeping track:)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8871216#post8871216 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dmbnpj
Where the heck did you get a 3 sided starphire 210 gallon with a stand and sump for $500?? WOW

from a guy on RC in so cal reefers. The tank included a metal stand and a 100g acrylic tank that was used as a sump.
 
I have a 560g with total over 1k total water volume as of right now. 15k for all hardware including HUGE custom skimmer, Calc Reactor, and rock and another 1500 so far in fish and corals

only thing missing is my cabinets which should be $2500. I should complete system for under 20k so $20 a gallon. I don't understand How you can do $100 a gallon. That would be 100k for my system.


http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=847516&perpage=25&pagenumber=20

Look half way down

BTW I wasted 2 much money on sch 80 fittings for no reason. I would never buy sch 80 pcs again. The only sch 80 I would buy are bulkheads. Buy regular schedule 40 true unions like the ones from lowes. Big savings there. Also troll alot of the equipment for sale forum huge savings there.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8860389#post8860389 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by uztaryn
I just set up a 500g display and have no livestock yet... I am over $17k so far and still need UV, Calcium and Kalk reactors, Chiller, Ozone, and oh yeah pretty much everything that I want to go in it.

If Cost is your main concearn be forwarned... big tanks cost big dollars.

yours seems kind of pricey, can you give more details specifications on your setup?

i have roughly 14k and that is with the tank, custom sump, 2k skimmer, lights, pump, uv, ozone, carpentry cost to build stand/cut hole in wall and apply trim, electrician labor costs to add new circuit/plugs and switches, live/base rock. the only thing left is plumbing and cost of livestock. it is a 600 gallon.
 
Back
Top