The hidden costs of a large reef tank!

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6895686#post6895686 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cwegescheide
I'm sorry but to me it sure doesn't look like 300 bux to me. 90% of what I see there I could get at lowes for around 100 bux

Does not matter to me if you believe it or not, I have nothing to gain from saying I spent $300.00 on things pictured... Incase you didn't know most of those pieces are sched 80, not cheaper gray sched 40... Most of the stuff I have compared with Savko and Lowes/HD, Savko has been at least 40% cheaper... Those two biggest 2" True Union Ball Valves are like 37.00 ea, then that 1.5" TUBV is 25.00 so that is $100.00 just in 3 pieces... Those 1.5" sched 80 - 45deg are like $9.00 ea and there are 4 and then there are some 2" sched 80 BH, 25.00 ea x2... When you get into 2"+ on pipes/fittings the prices are about half as much and when you get into sched 80 its about half as much again... But I figured if I could even find 1/2 of that stuff at Lowes/HD just in sched 40 I would be paying what I paid for it from Savko in sched 80...

 

[Psyire]

I thought I was in the clear after my tank was running and all my equipment was setup. Things were good!

AND THEN...

I went to buy my 1st coral...

Yikes. lol

 

[BMitch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6894869#post6894869 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by asnatlas
That is a 3-way wye, They come in two different "designs"... The other design is like a coupler with a 45deg off the side... I can get some pics tonite when I get home if you need...

I've been looking for 3 way (120 degree) wyes on Savko's website, but haven't been able to find any.

Do they only have them in their store and not online?

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6897495#post6897495 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BMitch
I've been looking for 3 way (120 degree) wyes on Savko's website, but haven't been able to find any.

Do they only have them in their store and not online?

They don't have alot of stuff on their site that they have in store... They have pieces I have never seen before... I love being local because I can go in there and tell them what I need, maybe show a drawing and what I think would need like 6 pieces to do, they can get it done in like 2 or 3... I would give them a call to tell them what you are looking to do, or if you know what you want ask them specifically...

 

[jnfallon]

I thought I was in the clear after my tank was running and all my equipment was setup. Things were good!

Yep, 5k later and I now have a box of moving water, base rock, two damsels and a false perc, lol.

I can't afford any livestock.

Oh, and I havent gotten the first elec bill since turning on the MH, the under/over is $1000/mo on elec. I was at 800 before adding 4 x 400 mh.

 

[tstone]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6898240#post6898240 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnfallon
Oh, and I havent gotten the first elec bill since turning on the MH, the under/over is $1000/mo on elec. I was at 800 before adding 4 x 400 mh.

I say over.

 

[smtarr]

There's a recipe for 'Fenners Mash' in the book Marine Reef Inhabitants by Dr. Fenner. I modify it by adding brocolli for my tangs. I freeze it in the cube containers we all purchase our frozen fish food in and when frozen I place it in zipper freezer bags and take out just how many cubes I need. Easy and fast and I make enough for several months at a time. Sue

 

[dgasmd]

There are a lot of hidden or better said unforseen costs i a larger tank. Over time, you learn how to save some money here and there, but not before wasting a lot of it. I tend to order stuff in bulk every few months. I get some discounts at some online places and also save on the shipping too. One thing to consider is the long term effects of enormous electric and water bills. It took me a year on my current tank to break down and change the efficient 4x5800 gph sequence pumps for 8 tunze 6200. I am also running my MH for about 5 hr/day and the vho actinic for 10 hr/day. I get my salt from Petsmart with the online print out, my waste water goes into filling up my pool, etc. When I re-do some things, I will cover up my sump to minimize the amount of evaporation I have, which currently is 10-12 gpd. This may not sound like much, but why throw away $1000/month on electricity and water when you could be getting some very nice livestock with that same money.

 

[jnfallon]

but why throw away $1000/month on electricity and water when you could be getting some very nice livestock with that same money.

I hear that. I am curious to see if I save some money moving from 6 tanks to 2. Hope so, every month I get so ****ed. I actually DID look to see if my neighbor was plugger in, I just dont know where it all goes.

Also, EIGHT 6200's? Thats awesome.

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6903751#post6903751 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dgasmd
Over time, you learn how to save some money here and there, but not before wasting a lot of it. I tend to order stuff in bulk every few months. I get some discounts at some online places and also save on the shipping too.

Got to spend money to save money

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6894354#post6894354 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by asnatlas
On my 600gal I just have some basic plumbing needs and I am prob close to $600-$700+ easy... I don't have any CLs or anything special, just a 2" drain and 2x 1.5" drains and some return from the Seq Dart.

Here is a shot of what $300.00 will get you from Savko and that was just in one trip...

Never Heard of Savko, I just went to Home Depot and got what i needed. I should mention that my plumbing system is pretty simple.

 

[Roughhawk]

Hi
my total plumbing was about 650$..
Nice to have...some additional watermovement (another 1000)
Cool new Skimmer because the old one does NOT match (another 1500)..resale the old one = 300 bucks ;(
about 6lbs of frozen food a MONTH (ludicrous but TRUE) because the "few" more fishes in the tank
don't even think about electricity, salt, changing flu. tubes etcetcetc.

 

[monkeyreefer]

you can save a lot more money by going schd 40 instead of 80, 80 is not need in our set ups.

 

[hawaiianwargod]

I agree with monkeyreefer...sched 80 is not needed but nice to have because it looks better IMO. But then saving more on PVC stuff means more $$$ on corals and other livestocks.