So they say setting up a reef tank is expensive. How expensive, you ask?

[Sean Clark]

Let's see it Sean!!

come on, you can’t tempt an engineer with data and not offer the goods.

Have you done the math here?

$1000/40G= $25/g

For generosity sake, lets say $800/40g = $20/g

If you are not going to invest in an RODI unit, your ONGOING cost multiplies. Not only do you need to buy salt, but also fresh RODI water for water changes AND top offs.

Again, Let us be REAL about what this costs!!!

I have been collecting equipment over a long time. Some, I purchased with the intent to upgrade so it may have been overkill on my smaller systems. The equipment on my current tank is pushing $100/gallon. I include absolutely everything outside of livestock in that number though. Total over board and not necessary. This can be done for much much less.

 

[damsels are not mean]

How expensive this hobby is depends on what size tank you get. Anything from a 10-40g can easily be done <$1000. You don't need reactors, an rodi unit doesn't need to be more than $60-120, you don't need fancy lights or powerheads, you don't need a sump, you definitely don't need a skimmer (save money and go refugium only, or hang on back refugium for sumpless tanks), you don't need rox 0.8 carbon, you don't need an auto top off, and you really don't need to be precise with test kit numbers other than phosphate and alk.

A fish only tank is very cheap. I think a lot of people forget that is an option.

Fish only with softies is easy and beautiful. Probably less maintenance than a typical planted FW tank tbh! Fast growing soft corals will sequester a lot of nutrients and fraghing them would be a great export. Water changes very sparingly will replenish whatever trace elements they need easily. Don't need much flow or light (though I think lots of softies dont really thrive and look their best without high flow and light). Feed the fish, keep the temp in the 70s, pour some fresh water out of a jug for top off and enjoy the tank. This could be done with a free Craigslist tank and some cheap Amazon gear.

 

[Sean Clark]

The fowlr tank is ideal for low entry price imo. You can have almost any fish and not have any if the headaches.

 

[Jedi1199]

I didn't say no RODI unit. What I said is that you can spend half (if not cheaper than half) as much on an RODI unit as the OP did. Also, I set up tanks as a part time job, you can definitely do it for less than $1000 for a 40g. What kind of fowler 40 gallon tank are you spending $1000 on??????

I simply quoted the numbers you yourself posted.

I even gave you the benefit of the doubt at $800 plug and play.

Can you give accurate data to represent your statement? Assuming brand new equipment and not Craigslist deals or hand me downs from your own garage?

Since the majority of newbies will buy new and not used, can you list a setup that includes ALL of the needed ESSENTIALS: Tank, stand, substrate, rocks, salt, water, heater, filter, and light, for less than the general pricepoint I posted @ $18/g?

 

[jmichaelh7]

It can be expensive as you want it to be or cheap as you want it to be. This hobby leans towards going right the first time meaning expensive unfortunately

 

[IL Reefer]

I was at about 15k+ before i even added the water lol. Yea i went crazy building this thing. I wont even mention what i spent filling up with mainly sps

 

[Spare time]

I simply quoted the numbers you yourself posted.

I even gave you the benefit of the doubt at $800 plug and play.

Can you give accurate data to represent your statement? Assuming brand new equipment and not Craigslist deals or hand me downs from your own garage?

Since the majority of newbies will buy new and not used, can you list a setup that includes ALL of the needed ESSENTIALS: Tank, stand, substrate, rocks, salt, water, heater, filter, and light, for less than the general pricepoint I posted @ $18/g?

What numbers are you saying I posted? I said you can get an rodi unit for between $60-$120 and easily do a 10-40g for less than $1000. Those are the only numbers I had listed earlier.

 

[damsels are not mean]

I simply quoted the numbers you yourself posted.

I even gave you the benefit of the doubt at $800 plug and play.

Can you give accurate data to represent your statement? Assuming brand new equipment and not Craigslist deals or hand me downs from your own garage?

Since the majority of newbies will buy new and not used, can you list a setup that includes ALL of the needed ESSENTIALS: Tank, stand, substrate, rocks, salt, water, heater, filter, and light, for less than the general pricepoint I posted @ $18/g?

40 breeder - $100 ($50 sale on petco right now actually but we'll stay at 100)

RO Buddie - $70

Hygger 36w light - $60 (more than good for fish, will grow lots of coral species)

2 pumps on either end for flow - $60

5 gallon salt bucket - $40. Assuming you do a 20% water change even every month that's a years supply after you fill the tank.

Sand - $50, you dont need it but I like it

Rocks - $90 (depends on your goal but I'm going off a 40 lb package sold on swaquarium

Heater - $25 if you need one

This is assuming brand new stuff, no hand me downs, no sales, no Craigslist, no generous local reefers, and that you're only shopping online. Comes out to $495 or $12ish a gallon. Guarantee you can build a tank cheaper out there with a little more research than I felt like doing. And this is enough to grow lots of soft corals and some fish or inverts. Just taking advantage of some deals or looking for used stuff would definitely bring this down a lot.

 

[Spare time]

40 breeder - $100 ($50 sale on petco right now actually but we'll stay at 100)

RO Buddie - $70

Hygger 36w light - $60 (more than good for fish, will grow lots of coral species)

2 pumps on either end for flow - $60

5 gallon salt bucket - $40. Assuming you do a 20% water change even every month that's a years supply after you fill the tank.

Sand - $50, you dont need it but I like it

Rocks - $90 (depends on your goal but I'm going off a 40 lb package sold on swaquarium

Heater - $25 if you need one

This is assuming brand new stuff, no hand me downs, no sales, no Craigslist, no generous local reefers, and that you're only shopping online. Comes out to $495 or $12ish a gallon. Guarantee you can build a tank cheaper out there with a little more research than I felt like doing. And this is enough to grow lots of soft corals and some fish or inverts. Just taking advantage of some deals or looking for used stuff would definitely bring this down a lot.

You can probably get the sand cheaper too. Some dry 30lb bags are only $30. If they wanted a light to grow anything, some nicrews or smart farm LEDs would easily fit into the budget. Heck, you can spend $30-$40 less for powerheads. Plus if they wanted a filter, hob filters are super cheap, and even a hob skimmer or refugium would still fit in that budget. And lets not forget that a bottle of bacteria is only a couple bucks.

 

[Spare time]

40 breeder - $100 ($50 sale on petco right now actually but we'll stay at 100)

RO Buddie - $70

Hygger 36w light - $60 (more than good for fish, will grow lots of coral species)

2 pumps on either end for flow - $60

5 gallon salt bucket - $40. Assuming you do a 20% water change even every month that's a years supply after you fill the tank.

Sand - $50, you dont need it but I like it

Rocks - $90 (depends on your goal but I'm going off a 40 lb package sold on swaquarium

Heater - $25 if you need one

This is assuming brand new stuff, no hand me downs, no sales, no Craigslist, no generous local reefers, and that you're only shopping online. Comes out to $495 or $12ish a gallon. Guarantee you can build a tank cheaper out there with a little more research than I felt like doing. And this is enough to grow lots of soft corals and some fish or inverts. Just taking advantage of some deals or looking for used stuff would definitely bring this down a lot.

You can probably get the sand cheaper too. Some dry 30lb bags are only $20 to $30. If they wanted a light to grow anything, some nicres or smart farm LEDs would easily fit into the budget. Heck, you can spend $30-$40 less for powerheads. Plus if they wanted a filter, hob filters are super cheap, and even a hob skimmer or refugium would still fit in that budget

 

[homer1475]

I think you guys are all way off......

Helped a friend setup a FOWLR 40B.

Tank, stand, hood, $200 at petco
Sand: $30
Light - cheap shop fluorescent(its a fowlr what do we need expensive reef lights for?): $50 + $100 for bulbs
Cheap jebao PH = $100

Water: SW already mixed in 5G from petco = $15 per unit = $130

Complete setup = roughly $500 = $12.50 a gallon

Tank has been running this way for about 3 years now.

No skimmer, no reactors, no mechanical filter, no sump, no testing other then once in a great while(like maybe once a month), and weekly 5G WC(again $15 for 5g).

 

[fish farmer]

I did a price estimate to replace my 29 gallon with sump last year.

Tank, lights, overflow, sump pump, powerhead, heater, skimmer, ATO = $1050

RO/DI (4 stage), test kits, plumbing, etc. =$530

Live rock, dry rock, sand, salt, carbon = $400

So it is a little south of $2000. This was all new in box prices and average gear for a mixed reef.

If I got rid of the sump and everything associated with it, that would shave off about $650.

I think my 38 gallon back in 2000 which was more DIY was less than $1500 before corals.

 

[Brucealmighty]

I was in the camp of its not too expensive but as the tank grows so do the costs, I started with a 160 litre tank with cannister filter and skimmer using the Berlin method on my first tank in 2005. I was married then and had to consider the wife's wishes with the costs of everything, now I just have me to answer to for last ten years or so the costs have ballooned, along with the size of my tank going up to a 1.5 meter wide monster (imo) then needing to upgrade everything too, but it's still so rewarding to sit and 'fire watch' in the reef tank after a long day at the office it's worth the costs.

 

[Forty-Two]

As some others have indicated it depends on your goals. If your goals are for SPS - then yes it’s going to cost a heck of a lot more. If you’re good with some softies and maybe a couple of easy to care for LPS you can get away with less.

What most people don’t take into account I think are some the ancillary equipment costs on top of all of the heavy duty equipment costs, such as hoses, piping, microscope, magnetic stirrer, phytoplankton reactors, extension cords and power bars, uv filters (I’m looking at you Dino’s), ICP tests, additional pumps and garbage cans, backup heaters, reactors, aquarium computers, etc etc - they add up fast

On top of that I would suggest your average reefer had a perfectionist streak going on - which means they will spend for the good gear when they need to to get the results they want.

 

[Dave-T]

I wouldn't want to discourage anyone from the best hobby with my boring analytical data. But I will say that Melev was off by about $55 a gallon.

I don’t know what Melev said, but I’m up to about $300/gallon and I don’t even have water in the tank yet. Nor is the stand done.

 

[Sean Clark]

I don’t know what Melev said, but I’m up to about $300/gallon and I don’t even have water in the tank yet. Nor is the stand done.

Melev as in Melevsreef claimed $45/gallon but that was several years ago. You are definitely stretching that.

 

[CoralB]

I could have bought a more expensive car with what I’ve spent through the years lol!!!

 

[bobnicaragua]

Nothing good comes out of a thread like this, someone’s spouse could read it!

 

[vetteguy53081]

A lot will depend on tank size, how you plan to stock, where you shop (prices), new or used, and liquid cash .
Many will answer with various equipment cost. On my behalf, for a 660g orphek lighting alone was $5100 !!

 

[gbroadbridge]

I guess I have gone beyond the acceptable limits of these threads.

By an order of magnitude, at least.