Why so complicated or expensive?

[Paul B]

It's your money and time and you can certainly spend it on whatever you like but for some Noobs, this hobby must look very complicated and expensive. It doesn't have to be.
My tank is certainly "not" the best or nicest tank on here but it is pretty good and quite old. I spend very little money on it and hardly any time.
Yes, there are things we all need to do like clean the glass, feed the animals and possably dose something but we don't really "need" all these expensive pieces of equipment to have a nice and healthy set up. We also don't have to change the water every week or even month as it is not usually necessary.
Many of us are tech geeks and like controllers, dosers, regulators, etc. and that is fine, I myself use an ozonizer that I probably don't need and I have automated everything but that is not needed, just fun to build.
It is always said that this hobby is expensive and it is, but not as expensive as some hobbies. It costs a lot to set up a decent tank with the tank, rock, pumps etc. but after it gets going, it doesn't have to cost a fortune.
There are so many people that leave the hobby that most equipment can be gotten used, even frags sold by other hobbiests should be much cheaper than in a store.
As for dosing, this is where people spend quite a bit and it is not warranted unless that is your thing.
Corals need calcium continousely. If you change the water, that should be enough but most of us like to add additional calcium. I use Dow Flake Ice Melter for about 5 bucks a year. For alk I use baking soda. This stuff is practically free. For food I use clams that I buy for my own dinner. fifty cents buys me a chowder clam that lasts me a month. I also buy mysis and live blackworms, thats almost all the food I use. I hatch brine shrimp but I have quite a few small fish.
I calculated that it costs me a little more than $900.00 a year including electricity, to run my 100 gallon tank. (not counting livestock)
That isn't much for a hobby.
:beer:

 

[sponger0]

I agree you dont have to spend a fortune to have a nice tank with low maintanence. But a few thing I would definately recommend and one of them is an ATO. They can make your life extremely easy.

Also baking soda has also worked great for me. How can you argue $1 for a box that lasts for months?

 

[barjam]

I started out low tech using kalk and a home made ato. I eventually moved to 2 part on doser pumps attached to the cheapest apex they have. I am a computer programmer/nerd so a controller was a natural for me. More of a nerd toy than a reef toy I suppose. I have a computer server in the same area as my tank so for an extra 40 dollars I was able to add cameras to monitor the tank/sump. This combo of technology is nice when I go on vacation. I can keep an eye on things remotely and turn stuff off if needed.

That being said none of that helps the tank look any better than other methods. A few months back I decided to isolate my montiporia to get rid of nudibranchs once and for all. I bought a 10 gallon tank from Walmart and the 100 dollar light kit from rapid LEDs. I scraped together enough parts for an ato that I put a little kalk in. No skimmer or anything like that and no water changes. The 10 gallon is growing sps coral ever bit as good as the main tank.

 

[johnike]

My biggest cost is a bag of Mrs. Wages once in a while

 

[cody6766]

It can definitely be done on the cheap, but newbies need to be sure they buy quality for a good price, not cheap. I, as are most reading this, am guilty of buying lower quality stuff to just replace it with high end down the road. Part of it is the normal upgrade process, but cheaping out will cost more in the end.

Paul, you touched on 2 really important money savers. I buy used and DIY when I can and I save A LOT of money over the years. I have a couple of small tanks and they really only dent my wallet when I invent a project for them. The need budget is small, the want budget is the one I have to watch.

 

[Electrobes]

We hear about this exact same topic all the time and it always makes me feel somewhat good as the benefits of that methodology is secondary to this one (For me that is): Having a simpler system is less of a headache, especially when something goes wrong.

 

[Electrobes]

I think the best advice, is that some things can be done cheaply, but there are certain things that just shouldn't be skimped out on. Distinguishing between the two is that hard part for newbies, IMO.

 

[sponger0]

Another thing that you can save alot on is sumps. People go out and spend $300 on these premade sumps, which are usually small and have no space for the quality equipment when you can make a sump for less than half that cost.

 

[Paul B]

but there are certain things that just shouldn't be skimped out on. Distinguishing between the two is that hard part for newbies, IMO.

This is true but there are not to many really cheaper alternatives when buying equipment.
Powerheads are all about the same. I bought most of mine maybe 20 years ago and I think I only had to replace 2 of them so if I figure the cost over that time period, they were almost free. My LED lights I built but even if I didn't build them, they would be the cheapest lighting available in the long run. There are all sorts of threads as to which lighting is the best and I can say for a fact that the cheapest system is the best.
Lights are lights weather you like MH, LEDs or whale oil. You just need to figure what lumins you want because there are very few companies that manufacture LEDs themselves or MH bulbs. If A led fixture cost you $400.00 to buy, the thing should last at least 15 years so that is $26.00 a year. If you buy a $400.00 MH fixture, that may also last you 15 years (probably not) but you would have to spend maybe $200.00 a year on lamps so they are not much of a bargain. Of course if you really like the look of MH, then that is what you have to get but not because they grow SPS better, they do not, but I don't want to get into that here. I have had regular bulbs, regular flourescent, VHO, power compact, quartz, MH and LEDs and except for the regular bulbs, I have always been able to keep SPS corals.
Yes we can get into the colors and all sorts of other stuff but this thread is if you really "need" certain things.
Of course there are variables such as the depth of your tank. If it is 3, 4 or 6' deep, you need MH as LEDs don't focus the light and would not be good for a deep tank, but most Noobs don't have such deep tanks.
Corals are expensive and frags are much cheaper. A store near me sells tiny frags for $6.00. Yes they take a while to grow but if your tank is healthy enough, they will grow and part of the facination of this hobby is watching stuff grow. If you are setting up a tank in a mall, you need it great looking from the start and will have to buy large, expensive corals.
Fish are also expensive and really expensive if you have to replace them but if you feed correctly and do a few other things, the fish we normally keep should last at least ten years but many of them live past 20 years.
If you are replacing fish every two years, there is something wrong with your practices and it is your fault, not the fish or the LFS.
This is not rocket science but due to the internet, the vast majority of information is incorrect and comes from rumor, conjecture, or just bad information that keeps replicating itself. I could write a book on just the information that is wrong. (not that everything I do is right)
I was lucky to have started way before the internet so there was no wrong information. There was no right information either so I had to figure it out by myself which I feel was better. I did something, the fish died, I tried something else the next time.
I realize that now we all have to use the net, but before we listen to any advice we should see where that information came from, how much experience does the person have, what does their tank look like and how many of that individual fish did the person have that is reporting on something.
A person in the hobby for 6 months that had one moorish Idol is not is a great position to say if something works or not although his reporting is important and it adds to the information of that particular fish, it should not be taken as gospel.:fish2:

This little $12.00 frag that my urchin is kind enough to carry for me grew into a 10" piece in a couple of years.

This is the same coral in the center of this picture taken a couple of years ago.

This acropora also started as a tiny $12.00 frag and grew to 10" across in a few years and now if fraged all over my tank. You don't need to spend a fortune on this stuff. And if you do buy a tiny frag and it dies, it is better to find out with a $12.00 piece than a $200.00 piece.

This giant mushroom also started out as a cheap 2" little guy, but if you feed them, they take over the tank in a year or two. To buy it at this size would be much more than I want to spend.

 

[Paul B]

Another thing that you can save alot on is sumps. People go out and spend $300 on these premade sumps, which are usually small and have no space for the quality equipment when you can make a sump for less than half that cost.

I don't even have a sump

 

[Terrance]

I agree 100% about the expenses in this hobby. It took a lot of research by myself to figure out what I need and don't need. Of course there are things that I want, but none of those are things that I need and I will probably never buy them unless I feel like it becomes a requirement. I'm happy to say that I have not spent very much in this hobby (compared to many others). I'd rather take my wife out on a date night rather than buying stuff that I want for my tank.

 

[Paul B]

I'd rather take my wife out on a date night rather than buying stuff that I want for my tank.

I am sure your wife appreciates that as mine does. This year will be our 40th anniversary and if I spent what many people spend on this hobby, I would be a single fish Geek.

 

[Aston Gal]

Hi all. New here, but have been "lurking" for quite some time soaking up all the info on RC. I think one of the biggest hurdles to overcome is the "magic bullet" thinking that (some) aspects of this hobby (and many others) seem to be perpetuated on. For example, I used to work in saltwater retail, and I had many, MANY customers wanting to buy the "magic" product to cure their woes (many time regardless of cost). It seems that sometimes it's easier (or preferential) to think that if you spend X amount of dollars on Y product is should fix your problem(s), when often the least expensive option is knowledge and/or good, old-fashioned, elbow grease. Simple and successful systems are certainly possible!

 

[gone fishin]

Great post Paul, My 180 is setup fairly basic and I have a really good time taking care of it. what would drive me crazy is all these gadgets that I see posted that connect to the web or computer.There always seems to be a post this program is not working right or it won't do this. doesn't sound like enjoyment to me. But I suppose thats what makes this forum great all the different aspects.

 

[sponger0]

I would be a single fish Geek.

You make it sound like a bad thing lol. I am...in a way....somewhat...kinda....long story hahaa

 

[Jovandfigueroa]

My girl understands the craze. You have to balance your tank purchases with date nights to keep her happy!

 

[wenwillwego]

That's what I love so much about my 5g (previously 3g), is how simple it is. The only hardware I've got is the lights, heater, and an AC 50 modified fuge. I don't dose anything and don't have any fish, so things go pretty smoothly for my critters. I will also say that this is my first saltwater tank, running since May, and it is no more work than my 3g freshwater planted.
Having done extensive forum reading before starting the tank, it being simple and smooth-running was certainly not how I expected it to go!

I certainly understand why people say saltwater is difficult and expensive, since that is how a lot of people seem to like to do it. I actually just went to my first frag swap last weekend, and saw that dudes talking hardware was a huge part of the social activity going on.

 

[Paul B]

Aston Gal, welcome here. I am honored that you made your first post on my thread.
And you are correct about the "Magic Product"
There ain't none. :fish2:

 

[sponger0]

Aston Gal, welcome here. I am honored that you made your first post on my thread.
And you are correct about the "Magic Product"
There ain't none. :fish2:

Youd be surprised how many people believe there is and try to convince you otherwise. 2 local groups to me got into it about how the magic in a bottle works. I didnt believe a word.

 

[gone fishin]

What there is no such thing as magic pixie dust for reefs. I am totally devastated. :lol2: