Calculated my start up cost, questioning my sanity.

[NancyFish]

My kid only wanted a Betta fish, and I thought a salt tank would be a better investment - laughs on me.. I thought the forums were exaggerating the start up cost if your not shopping on Facebook.

We have a QT with meds up and running for under $250 easy. This thought made me feel insane after doing a spreadsheet and seeing the difference. I’ll easily be over $2k by time our two little clowns pop into a measly 65g display tank & hoping they live.

When I realized just how much, I’m at the point of might as well get it right now rather than upgrade later. Maybe that way I’ll stop researching like it’s a full time job. So let’s just say $3k, so I can get a fancy low maintenance fish litterbox (reefmat). And not to mention wave makers, ato, lights.

When did you realize you should have taken a vacation instead?

 

[crazyfishmom]

My kid only wanted a Betta fish, and I thought a salt tank would be a better investment - laughs on me.. I thought the forums were exaggerating the start up cost if your not shopping on Facebook.

We have a QT with meds up and running for under $250 easy. This thought made me feel insane after doing a spreadsheet and seeing the difference. I’ll easily be over $2k by time our two little clowns pop into a measly 65g display tank & hoping they live.

When I realized just how much, I’m at the point of might as well get it right now rather than upgrade later. Maybe that way I’ll stop researching like it’s a full time job. So let’s just say $3k, so I can get a fancy low maintenance fish litterbox (reefmat). And not to mention wave makers, ato, lights.

When did you realize you should have taken a vacation instead?

About many thousands ago.

 

[Idech]

I stopped counting, it’s too depressing. I could have bought a car instead of my 3 saltwater aquariums (only one left).

 

[darrick001]

I'm not sure I would call in an investment. More like I sold my kidney, used my kids college fund , skipped the vacation , and the sports car to splurge on a 90 gallon.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

If you arent filthy rich, this isn't the hobby for remorseless spending. The old dude that got me into this hobby told me, in the late 90's, " if you can't set a $100 bill on fire and walk away like nothing happened, pick a new hobby.".

It's not that it's super expensive. There are many more expensive hobbies, guns, guitars, and cars for example. But this hobby ends poorly for a lot of people. Today's $150 frag can easily part of next week's substrate.

Regardless, stick with it. It's immensely rewarding when you get it down.

 

[NancyFish]

I stopped counting, it’s too depressing. I could have bought a car instead of my 3 saltwater aquariums (only one left).

When I hear people say multiples so often, I keep wondering how long before I start splurging again.

 

[NancyFish]

About many thousands ago.

Glad this is a safe haven, if I even told my family a 1/3 of the investment they’d think I was crazy. It already started with the - your aquarium need an aquarium (qt)?

 

[NancyFish]

I'm not sure I would call in an investment. More like I sold my kidney, used my kids college fund , skipped the vacation , and the sports car to splurge on a 90 gallon.

my kids asking what’s so funny as I read these.. oh help us lol. I’m already justifying the missed vacation by thinking it’ll make the house more enjoyable - hopefully.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Wait until you find out that automation breeds success. Wifi dosers and auto water changes are as game changing as ATO's and led's

 

[NancyFish]

Unless you are filthy rich, this isn't the hobby for remorseful spending. The old dude that got me into this hobby told me, in the late 90's, " if you can't set a $100 bill on fire and walk away like nothing happened, pick a new hobby.".

It's not that it's super expensive. There are many more expensive hobbies, guns, guitars, and cars for example. But this hobby ends poorly for a lot of people. Today's $150 frag can easily part of next week's substrate.

Regardless, stick with it. It's immensely rewarding when you get it down.

I can see it. It quickly hit me not to be cheap over a tank or other products when we’ll be buying $$$ fish that may not make it home.

Adding it all up did make me wish I shopped on Facebook though. This upfront cost is an eyesore.

 

[Gtinnel]

I have several tanks and the moment for me was when my wife mentioned that I had spent $10,000 that year, and it wasn’t a year that I even started a new tank.
I strongly advise that you don’t keep a spreadsheet. Ignorance is bliss.

 

[NancyFish]

Wait until you find out that automation breeds success. Wifi dosers and auto water changes are as game changing as ATO's and led's

It’s everything! The more I keep reading the more the more enticing everything gets - and the display isn’t even up yet. Went from thinking salt and a heater were the only essentials, to 10 different $$$ gadgets lol

 

[thebootreefer]

My kid only wanted a Betta fish, and I thought a salt tank would be a better investment - laughs on me.. I thought the forums were exaggerating the start up cost if your not shopping on Facebook.

We have a QT with meds up and running for under $250 easy. This thought made me feel insane after doing a spreadsheet and seeing the difference. I’ll easily be over $2k by time our two little clowns pop into a measly 65g display tank & hoping they live.

When I realized just how much, I’m at the point of might as well get it right now rather than upgrade later. Maybe that way I’ll stop researching like it’s a full time job. So let’s just say $3k, so I can get a fancy low maintenance fish litterbox (reefmat). And not to mention wave makers, ato, lights.

When did you realize you should have taken a vacation instead?

as a broke college student that has spent way to much in my waterbox setup. For me I cut a lot of my cost down, like not having ATO, nice simple little wavemakers ( that personally work great for me! now) ov I have a little more personal work I have to do when it comes to reef tank chores. like topping my water off with a cup once a way! ( and one cup works perfectly for me! until the next day when I wake up!) but it has just become part of the morning chores!

I do have lot of plans within the next month to upgrade lights, other things like that! but starting out I cut a lot of cost down and just slowly upgraded as I learned the next step and understood it better!

I tell people its like living art can't put a price on art!.... well you can

 

[NancyFish]

I have several tanks and the moment for me was when my wife mentioned that I had spent $10,000 that year, and it wasn’t a year that I even started a new tank.
I strongly advise that you don’t keep a spreadsheet. Ignorance is bliss.

Ignorance is bliss should be the tagline under every saltwater tank search.

I keep telling myself it won’t be so bad after this start. But I know that’s a lie too

 

[NeedAReef]

lower bloodpressure lower stress lifetime of learning for me and my kids... no regrets

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

I have several tanks and the moment for me was when my wife mentioned that I had spent $10,000 that year, and it wasn’t a year that I even started a new tank.
I strongly advise that you don’t keep a spreadsheet. Ignorance is bliss.

This thread is gonna turn into a master class on how to justify and or ignore poor spending habits. By the group of people who have to make justifications to remain sane. Following

 

[darrick001]

I'm lucky my wife doesn't care. She says he doesn't go to the bar , srip clubs, or have any bad habits. If thats the worst thig he dose I'm ok with that.

 

[19Mateo83]

" if you can't set a $100 bill on fire and walk away like nothing happened, pick a new hobby.".

I was told this in the late 2000’s when I built out my first tank. Here I am back in the hobby almost two decades later with a new mantra “ if you don’t keep track of the money spent it’s not that expensive of a hobby.”

 

[darrick001]

Wow what happened to my spelling lol

 

[darrick001]

Spending all that money allowed me to grow all that coral to pay for my new tank look how much money I saved.