Looking to make the jump to salt...

[Bodhisattva]

I've done fresh water aquariums in the past and have finally decided to make the step up to salt.

Recently I've been helping a friend who has been doing marine aquariums for years convert one of our schools (Hendrix College) aquariums into a marine reef aquarium. Its a 125 gal. with a 15 gal. sump. Its had LR for about a month and we have just tonight added two fish, a blennie and something else.

That finally pushed me over the top and I've decided to start up a small tank in my room.

The friend of mine works at the LFS so I can get things at wholesale price, also I can burrow some of his smaller things that are not used on a day to day basis.

Anyway I plan on keeping this on one of my two desks, which are both 2' x 3'.

In the long run I would like this to end up like his room tank which is a coral tank with a few show fish. I'm not worried about starting on something that difficult because I have a veteran who is going to be helping every step of the way.

My initial concern being a generic poor college student is just how much am I going to need at the start?

Thanks in advance.

 

[TippyToeX]

Some people say that if it's a reef tank think about $100 per gallon. It could be a lot more or a lot less, depending on the equipment you are going to be using. So much can be bought second hand or be DIY projects.

Make a list of all that you want to use on the tank and start crunching numbers. Lots of poeple here can help you penny pinch when they know what you are looking for.

 

[TippyToeX]

BTW..

Bodhisattva
[welcome]

 

[sunfish11]

Welcome.

In your case I would seriously consider a JBJ nano cube or perhaps and aquapod. Decent price and pretty much a self contained unit. 6, 12, or 24 gallon units are available. I would look for someone who is selling out and getting out of the hobby. That is usually the cheapest route to live rock and equipment.

Good Luck!

 

[tkeracer619]

check the paper or your local club forum. people getting out of the hobby and people upgrading are great for saving money and making friends in reefing. Reef buddies are critical! You never know when you need to find 15 fish a home for the night.

 

[staman]

I just started on the journey and heres my math:

75 gallon tank 90.00
stand 80.00
heater 45.00
skimmer 150.00
2 powerheads 60.00
Ro/DI unit 100.00
salt 65.00
test kits 70.00
lights 300.00

My total is around 1100.00 and im just about to buy the live rock.

 

[jimbo045]

Temp should fall 75-79 most times. Specific Gravity 1.026 is good. JD

 

[Wryknow]

Shop around for a used set-up if money is a concern. Check to see if there is a local reef club or scour e-bay for a local listing. Lots of people sell smaller systems because they wat to upgrade to bigger tanks or are getting out of the hobby.

A relatively inexpensive set-up is possible in the beginning as long as you are willing to put in time and have reasonable expectations about what you can keep. The nano-cubes are nice because everything is incorporated into a nice, neat package but you can probably do better putting together a system yourself in terms of cost and quality. My first 30 gallon tank cost $1000 to set-up though and I was pretty frugal and did a ton of price shopping.

 

[gibbswagon]

good luck! happy reefing!

 

[Ocicat]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6744432#post6744432 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TippyToeX
Some people say that if it's a reef tank think about $100 per gallon. It could be a lot more or a lot less, depending on the equipment you are going to be using.

LOL, just to get it up and running with some beginning livestock? That is a bit outrageous. That would be $18,000 for my 180.

 

[fservillon]

55 gallon acrylic flat back hex w/ canopy and stand = $220 (used)
2 x 96W PC lights = $100 (used)
2 x MJ1200 = $50 (new)
Won Brothers 300G Skimmer $60 (new)
Seio 1500 = $30 (used)
Seio 1100 = $25 (used)
Mag 12 Return Pump $70 (new)
Plumbing = $75 (new)
Test Kits = $40 (new)
Salt = $30 (new)
Heater = $12 (new)
Total= ~$712
Watching your tank mature, fish getting big and fat and corals thriving.........PRICELESS.
That's just to setup the tank.
Figure maybe $2-$3 per pound of live rock from someone getting out of the hobby.
Wait till you start buying livestock..lol...
Enjoy the hobby.

 

[piranhaking]

My advice is buy it a little bit at a time and throw away all your reciepts . I already followed that idea and a worker at a lfs just reciently suggested it to me also. Great idea.

 

[Shoestring Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6752089#post6752089 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by piranhaking
My advice is buy it a little bit at a time and throw away all your reciepts .

Honestly, I think that's about the best advice if you're really on a budget. Start out with a tank, a lotta base rock and a little live rock, sand if you want, some powerheads, heater, test kits. That's all you really need to get started. Worry about lights and skimmers later, when a good deal pops up on used equipment. If you're like lots of us reefers, you'll be satisfied just watching worms and pods for a month or so.

 

[old salty]

Steely Dan fan, I see.

Anyways, scan the for sale forums here and other internet forums.