Scorpius
Stick Head
Vacations strike fear in me. :lol:
how much you spent on this hobby??
- Thread starter reefmedown
- Start date
Vacations strike fear in me. :lol:
madreefer2013
New member
so far 10k
Tell me about it. I was on vacation for 3 weeks this past summer. 5 countries and NYC. Constantly had to find internet access, check my Apex 10 times a day even in the middle of the night, and on the phone everyday with the caretakers.
Not a real vacation, IMO.
sde1500
Active member
I don't keep a tab, the figure doesn't matter to me, as long as I am enjoying it really. Matters a little more to the wife, but she likes the tank a lot more than she sometimes lets on. Ruins the fun if you track what you are spending on it like a hawk, though I do understand budgeting of course, just don't need to do it for the tank.
Greybeard
New member
It's a hobby. The definition of a 'hobby' should probably include 'something you can sink all of your available time and money into'. This hobby isn't any more, or less, expensive that many others.
Ask a serious fisherman what he's got tied up in gear... don't forget the bass boat
Ask a serious golfer what he's got in his bag, club memberships, etc.
My other hobby is competitive and recreational shooting... I guarantee the value of the contents of my gun safe far exceed that of my aquarium!
Go talk to someone who's hobby involves classic cars, racing of just about any type, or (shudder) light sport aircraft
You can set up a successful marine aquarium for under a grand, or you can spend your kid's inheritance. You're choice
Ask a serious fisherman what he's got tied up in gear... don't forget the bass boat
Ask a serious golfer what he's got in his bag, club memberships, etc.
My other hobby is competitive and recreational shooting... I guarantee the value of the contents of my gun safe far exceed that of my aquarium!
Go talk to someone who's hobby involves classic cars, racing of just about any type, or (shudder) light sport aircraft
You can set up a successful marine aquarium for under a grand, or you can spend your kid's inheritance. You're choice
RedStangGA
New member
The value of either friends who reef or club members you can trust. Unfortunately we just moved away from a fried who kept a reef as well. We were our go to backups for vacations! Gotta find someone new now.
I noticed a guy in our new neighborhood always has a bluish tint coming out of his windows that looks very familiar. Keep waiting to see him outside and ask.
burton14e7
New member
The project plan I have for my Reefer 250 is up to $4300 before adding water but does include things like the first bucket of salt, test kits and even zip ties.
I learned my lesson in the past lol. I got a steal on my last and current setup. 150 Gallon set up with rock, sand, some corals, some livestock, and most of the equipment I need and I am about $1500 in currently. Will spend about $500 to $800 more on livestock over the next year and about another $1000 on upgrading equipment over the next year as well. I went with a mixed reef tank leaning heavy on softies this time. Less money and more forgiving. I had a SPS tank crash and I just can not bring myself to spend that kind of money again. I am thrifty reefing this time around.
I'm not giving a dollar amount, but I will say this... I set a budget and saved the money for it, spend over three times that budget, and then stopped keeping tabs. For me, the largest investment was made two to three years ago in new equipment I intended to run for a long time. Now I just enjoy adding a piece of coral or fish every month or so as I continue to slowly build it up.
And I am the wife whose husband is not involved in the aquarium-keeping. He is somewhat interested and enjoys watching it, but not to the point of getting involved. He has his own involved and expensive hobbies, so we have an agreement that each of us can spend whatever we want on our own hobbies as long as it doesn't change the other's lifestyle
And I am the wife whose husband is not involved in the aquarium-keeping. He is somewhat interested and enjoys watching it, but not to the point of getting involved. He has his own involved and expensive hobbies, so we have an agreement that each of us can spend whatever we want on our own hobbies as long as it doesn't change the other's lifestyle
rogeragrimes
New member
I stopped counting at $12,000. That's in one year, after a free 120-gal tank with everything was given to me. I've replaced everything, but the stand now. Even the tank. It had a small crack. New lights, new sump, new everything. I've probably spent over $15K now. And I live on an ocean-fed canal in Key Largo so my water changes are easy and free. Lots of great fish and corals. Not everything has survived, but most things have. Even had some babies born.
We bought a sun conure bird recently. It seems so low maintenance and easy compared to the tank. I think having a marine aquarium will make me thing all other pets and hobbies are lower maintenance and cheaper.
We bought a sun conure bird recently. It seems so low maintenance and easy compared to the tank. I think having a marine aquarium will make me thing all other pets and hobbies are lower maintenance and cheaper.
GimpyFin
Active member
It's a hobby. The definition of a 'hobby' should probably include 'something you can sink all of your available time and money into'. This hobby isn't any more, or less, expensive that many others.
Ask a serious fisherman what he's got tied up in gear... don't forget the bass boat
Ask a serious golfer what he's got in his bag, club memberships, etc.
My other hobby is competitive and recreational shooting... I guarantee the value of the contents of my gun safe far exceed that of my aquarium!
Go talk to someone who's hobby involves classic cars, racing of just about any type, or (shudder) light sport aircraft
You can set up a successful marine aquarium for under a grand, or you can spend your kid's inheritance. You're choice
Well said.
gone fishin
New member
When we moved here five years ago, my neighbors 10 year old daughter was always asking me questions about my tank. After talking with her dad I broke open the closet of stuff and put together a 29g for her. She is still at it and is my vacation tank sitter now, a pretty good trade in my book.
RedStangGA
New member
That's awesome!
whiteshark
New member
It's a hobby. The definition of a 'hobby' should probably include 'something you can sink all of your available time and money into'. This hobby isn't any more, or less, expensive that many others.
Ask a serious fisherman what he's got tied up in gear... don't forget the bass boat
Ask a serious golfer what he's got in his bag, club memberships, etc.
My other hobby is competitive and recreational shooting... I guarantee the value of the contents of my gun safe far exceed that of my aquarium!
Go talk to someone who's hobby involves classic cars, racing of just about any type, or (shudder) light sport aircraft
You can set up a successful marine aquarium for under a grand, or you can spend your kid's inheritance. You're choice
Ugh, those are my other two favorite hobbies... So much money, so so much money...
You can't take it with you!
kmbyrnes
New member
Far LESS than I expected when I started 3 years ago.
The big cost has been lost livestock while learning.
Initial research, using Red Sea Reefer as a baseline, gave me an initial budget over 3k just to get started. Thanks to Reef Central and CL, I have less than for all 3 tanks combined ( not counting inhabitants ).
But if you care about the $$, you need a new hobby.
I stopped caring when my first tank became successful!
The big cost has been lost livestock while learning.
Initial research, using Red Sea Reefer as a baseline, gave me an initial budget over 3k just to get started. Thanks to Reef Central and CL, I have less than for all 3 tanks combined ( not counting inhabitants ).
But if you care about the $$, you need a new hobby.
I stopped caring when my first tank became successful!
lionfish300
New member
I try not to remember or count, so whenever asked I just said " I don't know" special the wife
jmm
New member
Started in the early 1970's. Went big-510 gallons. Bought expensive fish and expensive equipment. In the early 90's I was already over 125,000. And that was yesterday's dollars. Upgrade to today and add the expensive hobby since then (another fifteen years) and I would say at least a quarter million. I'm fascinated by the technology and I buy expensive fish.
GoVols
Cobb Webb - 1989
Where in the world did you get a 510 in the early 70's?
It had to have that old stainless steal corner bracing with the black putty to hold it water tight.
Seems like I saw a silicone tank for the first time about 1975 and they were small but I was amazed with the nice silicone edges over the steal corners.
