$$$ How Much $$$

[skeeter_ca]

So tell me about your reef tanks. How much total did it cost you to set-up completely, without live stock, rock, sand, or corals.

just to let you know mine cost about $3000.00 complete for a
75 tall AGA rr extra thick tempered bottom
3 175 MH w/ballast
custom stand and canopy
iwaki 4 pump
1/4 chiller
OM squirt
wave maker
power heads
pvc plumbing
acyrlic for custom sump
Test kits
accidentals (things i accidently forgot to list or bought and did not use)

It took me many years to slowly build or aquire the parts, but it is now complete and running.

aquadw:eek1:

 

[h2joe]

im up to around $800 and im no where near complete. so far i have bought 2 250watts MH, a skimmer, live rock, misc. equipment.

 

[JUSTIN 1234]

im at $900 and still going. I have 2 150w mh 220 skimmer 40 pounds live rock. 7 fish 5 soft coral 29 hard coral.

 

[Alexj716]

I would pass out if I knew exactly how much I've spent in total.

 

[Alaskan Reefer]

Around $4000 into my 125 at this point, although all that's really left to buy is corals.

 

[skeeter_ca]

bump

 

[Fmellish]

$8,642

I keep an itemized list of all of my expenditures. I started in November, so this is just for the first 4-5 months.

Cheers
Josh

 

[moumda]

I refuse to think about it!

 

[michaelm2431]

Can't tell you, my wife might read this.

 

[Larry Waughon]

I sat back and started to think about it. I got shocked at the amount and decided to think of what things I still want.

 

[LOTUS50GOD]

There are a couple things that we never discuss in my house... one is the cost of the reef..... .

1500.00 just for the tank (custom in wall)
1500.00 in lights (2 Geismann 250 HQIs) + PFO 400
500+ for ocean motions with revolutions
300 for UV sterilizer
500 for pumps (2 of them)
500 for SpectraPure 9000 custom RO/DI unit with auto shut off
350 for LiterMeter III
200 for various meters (PH)
700 for Tunze Calcuim Reactor
500 for GenX Ozone with RedSea controller
1000+ for skimmer Deltec + ASM G2

Not including the price of 300# of live rock or the thousands of $ in corals and fish....

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

I'm around $4500 on my 75 - the two big ones that set me back the most were two tunze 6000 and a multicontroller, and a Calcium reactor (both over $700).

 

[Jamie2337]

I am not sure how much I have spent, but I am sure my husband would be happy to tell you! :fun4:

 

[fsn77]

Don't hate me...

We're not up and running just yet, but we stand at a little over $750 (I also keep a running total)...

We bought a used set-up that included:
90 gallon tank, stand, canopy
4 bulb PC
2 bulb standard fluorescent
protein skimmer
overflow box / tubing
2 Eheim canister filters (don't plan on using them on my reef tank, but they'll be useful on my fw tanks)
return pump
heaters
sand for DSB
some base rock

Stuff bought new:
tank supplies (hydrometer, salt, buffers and the like)
refinishing supplies (refinishing the stand and canopy)
plumbing supplies -- I'm building my own sump / refugium out of a 20 g high (came with the main set-up) and a 15 g high (already had laying around).

We're about to spend a fair amount -- buying a RO/DI unit and replacing the PC bulbs, so we will very quickly be over the $1000 mark.

Before we get any animals, we'll still have to buy LR, more sand, a refugium light, and some more base rock. By the time it's up and running, I've estimated we'll have spent about $2000 (I hope that dollar amount includes a couple fish).

 

[mikeatjac]

I have amnesia when it comes to that.

 

[skeeter_ca]

This was the first time i put the total in print (i don't dare say it out loud). At $3000.00 i think if my wife saw it she would have it and me out on the curb. Luckily she doesn't read the forum. And that doesn't even include the $1500.00 for CC for DSB, live rock, live sand, and critters from Tampa Bay Saltwater.

aquadw

 

[phatstanley02]

Ive spent well over 3700 on equipment alone for my 110.

All bought used:
tank/stand/canopy
lighting (except bulbs)
skimmer
calcium reactor
sump
return pump
aquacontroller II
1" sea swirl

stuff bought new:
2x tunze 6000 with magnets and single controller
2x seio 1500
phosban reactor
refugium lighting
starboard
refractometer
test kits
etc


If I would have bought everything new I think I would have spent over 5000 for JUST equipment

 

[Bathel]

MOney ...

MOney ...

You guys pay money for your stuff ...

I just trade my blood and organs for what I need. I hope I'm almost finished buying stuff ... it took me 3 hours to type this out with my toes

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

The average hobbyist spends about $35-$50 per gallon. I've spent ~$500 total including livestock for my 29g tank. That is only a fraction of the average reefer's cost at ~$17.25 per gallon. I'm proud to be a cheap reefer.

 

[keefsama2003]

so far on my 300 with construction fees and all the diy projects im at about 10k and counting as i have a few more things to do and i still need to finish the basement