What's the average reefers monthly budget?

[pwfess]

The average new car payment is $734 a month!!! Family and friends will look at me like I'm nuts when I drop hundreds, or even 1k+, on a nice coral. But these same people will pay well over $500 dollars a month for transportation. Personally, I decide not to have a car payment and I work a little extra in order to cover my hobby expensive. So I ask everyone if they have a monthly budget for the reef tank?

 

[Maho.B]

This will vary greatly from person to person, but I would say around $150ish a month for my 110 gallon. That doesn't account for any fun additions like coral or fish but more of the regular "maintenance" items like testing reagents, food, salt, water, replacement items like reef mat rolls, etc. That also doesn't include things like electricity to run it or the fuel to go to the LFS all the time

 

[Fenral]

Umm, Budget? 35 dollars a month - Food. (I have a year's worth of salt, additives, and other supplies)
After cost overruns, unplanned upgrades, and impulse buys ... carry the 3, cross-check with NASA... about 3 grand.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Depends for me. Some months I’m going by spend next to nothing. While other months it could be an equipment upgrade or new livestock and it can be $100+. Just depends on the month!

 

[pwfess]

This will vary greatly from person to person, but I would say around $150ish a month for my 110 gallon. That doesn't account for any fun additions like coral or fish but more of the regular "maintenance" items like testing reagents, food, salt, water, replacement items like reef mat rolls, etc. That also doesn't include things like electricity to run it or the fuel to go to the LFS all the time

I didn't even answer my own question lol. I'm around $500 month. I def go over though when I'm adding new corals which is too often lol. I dont even look at electricity because with LED lights and low wattage equipment...I may be only adding 20 bucks a month for my 60 gallon display and 30 sump

 

[pwfess]

Umm, Budget? 35 dollars a month - Food. (I have a year's worth of salt, additives, and other supplies)
After cost overruns, unplanned upgrades, and impulse buys ... carry the 3, cross-check with NASA... about 3 grand.

Yeah the impulsivity gets me

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Budget?? What's a budget??

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Budget?? What's a budget??

 

[Fenral]

I didn't even answer my own question lol. I'm around $500 month. I def go over though when I'm adding new corals which is too often lol. I dont even look at electricity because with LED lights and low wattage equipment...I may be only adding 20 bucks a month for my 60 gallon display and 30 sump

How can you not look at electricity? Are you in the north country or far upstate? Electricity here around NYC is insanely priced...

 

[SpSDrew]

I buy in bulk when there is a sale so I normally keep 6-12 months worth of reefing supplies on hand. I started this during Covid when certain items were hard to find. This allows me to spend a lot a few times a year but not feel the impact every single month.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

In all seriousness, is this question about budget for maintaining? Or how much we spend in general? I ask because I wouldn't usually include new additions in my budgeted hobby expenses since those aren't required to maintain the life that I've taken under my care and are more discretionary expenses than things I have to include in a monthly budget.

 

[Reefer Matt]

About $350-400 usd for maintenance and running costs of five tanks, utilities included. Not counting livestock purchases.

 

[Fenral]

In all seriousness, is this question about budget for maintaining? Or how much we spend in general? I ask because I wouldn't usually include new additions in my budgeted hobby expenses since those aren't required to maintain the life that I've taken under my care and are more discretionary expenses than things I have to include in a monthly budget.

In all seriousness, my nasa consultation was barely a joke.
Budget:
Food: $35 a month
Testing supplies and Reagents: $20
Salt (I have enough to make a year's worth of water changes according to my schedule): $35
Additives: Esv 2 part: $15, Mag, nitrate, phosphate, etc. ~ Variable, call it $5, Phyto - Homegrown...
Electricity (Tank really is solar-powered, but the weather doesn't always let such things work so well): $25 a month.
Estimated non-upgrade monthly operational costs: $135 or about $1.50 a gallon of system water.

 

[pwfess]

In all seriousness, is this question about budget for maintaining? Or how much we spend in general? I ask because I wouldn't usually include new additions in my budgeted hobby expenses since those aren't required to maintain the life that I've taken under my care and are more discretionary expenses than things I have to include in a monthly budget.

Thats fair. My question was including new additions and corals and fish and such

 

[pwfess]

How can you not look at electricity? Are you in the north country or far upstate? Electricity here around NYC is insanely priced...

Im in upstate NY. I just meant I dont take it into account with my aquarium budget because its very low. I spend around 150-180 a month May-Septmber for gas and electric. In winter around 280

 

[pwfess]

This should of been a question of budget a month for upgrades and corals/livestock additions not maintenance lol sorry!
Ya know some of the more fun stuff

 

[pwfess]

About $350-400 usd for maintenance and running costs of five tanks, utilities included. Not counting livestock purchases.

Budget?? What's a budget??

This is how I roll most of the time lol

 

[pwfess]

I buy in bulk when there is a sale so I normally keep 6-12 months worth of reefing supplies on hand. I started this during Covid when certain items were hard to find. This allows me to spend a lot a few times a year but not feel the impact every single month.

Thats real smart. I try to do that with testing equipment on BRS

 

[WvAquatics]

Id say budget is around 150$-200$. That's just the running electricity, water, food, and salt. I added 300$ of corals for first time in 4 years o that's been a 0$ for years. Imo the running of the tank is the budget. If I cannot pay electricity, water, salt, and food bill then I'm over budget. Now over the next year I expect livestock to start costing about 150-200$ more a month. Once I start adding fish to the new tank.

 

[pwfess]

Id say budget is around 150$-200$. That's just the running electricity, water, food, and salt. I added 300$ of corals for first time in 4 years o that's been a 0$ for years. Imo the running of the tank is the budget. If I cannot pay electricity, water, salt, and food bill then I'm over budget. Now over the next year I expect livestock to start costing about 150-200$ more a month. Once I start adding fish to the new tank.

Tanking things slow...very smart!