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?

 

[pwfess]

Are they really that good Pwfess? I'm still waiting on the new testing release from Hydros (maven.) But I'm about to have to order new test kits : have one set from API and the LFS, and my uhh I don't believe this result set backup tests Tropic Marin Pro kits..

I saw that hyrdros thing! it looks sooooo convenient and nice. Idk the reliability and validity though. Seems Apex NP and Trident has been a joke. I think ill stick with manual testing for quite a while. And yeah I've had excellent reliability and validity with Hanna checker Alk, PO4 ULR and NO3. Like I say, theyre almost always spot on with ICP testing. And I use salifert for Calcium and this is within 10 points of ICP usually

 

[JayM]

I don’t have a budget. If I need something, I spend money. If I don’t need something, I don’t spend money.

 

[pwfess]

I don’t have a budget. If I need something, I spend money. If I don’t need something, I don’t spend money.

Well spoken truth!

 

[BAMatter]

Wait…

 

[Jasonak]

Its varys sometime nothing at all and sometimes ALLOT ! This is allot month for me Ive spent about 1500.00 which is allot for me!

 

[pwfess]

Its varys sometime nothing at all and sometimes ALLOT ! This is allot month for me Ive spent about 1500.00 which is allot for me!

Yup... A lot month for me too. Around $1600 this month!

 

[Reeferbadness]

I have 2 x 200g tanks. So with 10-15% weekly water changes that's around $120 a month just in salt. Add reagents (2 x tridents + spot checking Phos, Nitrates and making sure Trident is accurate) + 2 Part dosing, water bill for RO/DI etc..... it's a lot. Electric is ok as i have Solar with Power Wall (also great for back up). All in, probably around $400 before any livestock purchases. But i love the hobby and it helps keep me calm and chill with 2 young kids running around.

 

[exnisstech]

I don't have an actual budget and I really don't keep track of how much I spend on my tanks. But my situation is different that many. I was able to retire 100% debt free and we live a modest lifestyle in a small house in a rural area. Just my SS income alone is enough to pay all of our monthly bills food etc and leave a little extra. I have IRAs I collect some dividends from monthly and use that when I want something for one of the tanks. Some months I spend a lot some I spend nothing. I do have an extra $50 a month to spend now since I'm saving that much in electric after removing my reeflo barracuda AC pump

 

[pwfess]

I have 2 x 200g tanks. So with 10-15% weekly water changes that's around $120 a month just in salt. Add reagents (2 x tridents + spot checking Phos, Nitrates and making sure Trident is accurate) + 2 Part dosing, water bill for RO/DI etc..... it's a lot. Electric is ok as i have Solar with Power Wall (also great for back up). All in, probably around $400 before any livestock purchases. But i love the hobby and it helps keep me calm and chill with 2 young kids running around.

Sounds about right. Keeps me calm the children too. .Got a almost 4 year old and a 3 month old newborn. Finding maintenance time is almost impossible sometimes lol. That a lot in salt! check out reef moonshining with monthly ICP and trace element dosing. I havent bought salt in 6 months. Haven't done a water change since March

 

[Jasonak]

I don't have an actual budget and I really don't keep track of how much I spend on my tanks. But my situation is different that many. I was able to retire 100% debt free and we live a modest lifestyle in a small house in a rural area. Just my SS income alone is enough to pay all of our monthly bills food etc and leave a little extra. I have IRAs I collect some dividends from monthly and use that when I want something for one of the tanks. Some months I spend a lot some I spend nothing. I do have an extra $50 a month to spend now since I'm saving that much in electric after removing my reeflo barracuda AC pump

Move to the keys or hawaii you can save money on reef tank and just go snorkel

 

[pwfess]

I don't have an actual budget and I really don't keep track of how much I spend on my tanks. But my situation is different that many. I was able to retire 100% debt free and we live a modest lifestyle in a small house in a rural area. Just my SS income alone is enough to pay all of our monthly bills food etc and leave a little extra. I have IRAs I collect some dividends from monthly and use that when I want something for one of the tanks. Some months I spend a lot some I spend nothing. I do have an extra $50 a month to spend now since I'm saving that much in electric after removing my reeflo barracuda AC pump

Congrats on the hard work and debt free retirement! Thats my goal (although reefing is hindering it right now and 2 daycare bills lol). But we only have the house mortgage debt right now

 

[pwfess]

Move to the keys or hawaii you can save money on reef tank and just go snorkel

Wife wont have a go at that haha. Were in upstate NY. Tons of family and friends here.

 

[Jasonak]

Wife wont have a go at that haha. Were in upstate NY. Tons of family and friends here.

Thats even more of a reason to move! LOL Just teasing . I have all my family here and my wifes also. Living here my whole im well connected which will be tuff to leave. But all my friends we grew up together and most of them are on the same page move out when retirement age hits. We are actually going down to Florida next month to vacation and actually scout it out for retirement (we still got 9 years to go) we want to retire in Hawaii but its pretty pricey unless your on the big island and again its similar to here your kind of stuck there unless you fly out. I dont know where we will end up but I dont want to scrap ice from my windows anymore. Want a warm place with a beach near by.

 

[Reeferbadness]

Sounds about right. Keeps me calm the children too. .Got a almost 4 year old and a 3 month old newborn. Finding maintenance time is almost impossible sometimes lol. That a lot in salt! check out reef moonshining with monthly ICP and trace element dosing. I havent bought salt in 6 months. Haven't done a water change since March

Ha. Yes, I have a 3 year old and a 5 year old and the tanks are also 5 and 3. Finding time for maintenance is a good excuse to break away from daddy duty LOL. Ya, it's a lot of salt but i don't want to spend that much time calculating and dosing trace elements - IMHO it's easier to just do water changes. I have 2 x 50g barrels - 1 for RODI and a mixing barrel and can pump water directly into the tanks - so a water change only takes about 10 mins max per tank.

 

[pwfess]

Thats even more of a reason to move! LOL Just teasing . I have all my family here and my wifes also. Living here my whole im well connected which will be tuff to leave. But all my friends we grew up together and most of them are on the same page move out when retirement age hits. We are actually going down to Florida next month to vacation and actually scout it out for retirement (we still got 9 years to go) we want to retire in Hawaii but its pretty pricey unless your on the big island and again its similar to here your kind of stuck there unless you fly out. I dont know where we will end up but I dont want to scrap ice from my windows anymore. Want a warm place with a beach near by.

Totally agree! My in laws live here in the summer and Punta Gorda Isles in the winter. We visit in April every year. I wouldnt mind retiring in the Florida Keys at all

 

[Jasonak]

Ha. Yes, I have a 3 year old and a 5 year old and the tanks are also 5 and 3. Finding time for maintenance is a good excuse to break away from daddy duty LOL. Ya, it's a lot of salt but i don't want to spend that much time calculating and dosing trace elements - IMHO it's easier to just do water changes. I have 2 x 50g barrels - 1 for RODI and a mixing barrel and can pump water directly into the tanks - so a water change only takes about 10 mins max per tank.

Thats awesome !!! Got me thinking about redoing my water change mine takes about 1.5 hours to do 70 gallon.

 

[pwfess]

Ha. Yes, I have a 3 year old and a 5 year old and the tanks are also 5 and 3. Finding time for maintenance is a good excuse to break away from daddy duty LOL. Ya, it's a lot of salt but i don't want to spend that much time calculating and dosing trace elements - IMHO it's easier to just do water changes. I have 2 x 50g barrels - 1 for RODI and a mixing barrel and can pump water directly into the tanks - so a water change only takes about 10 mins max per tank.

Having that pump probably makes all the difference! I can def see just doing water changes as being easier with a pump. I finally hooked up my RODI from basement, through my wall to my 1st floor. So now I turn my basement facuet on, RODI dumps into my ATO and poof I got my reservoir re filled . Hated carrying 5 gallon buckets.

 

[exnisstech]

Move to the keys or hawaii you can save money on reef tank and just go snorkel

I have to live modestly to remain debt free or I'll be broke and /or in debt. Also I don't swim I sink

Congrats on the hard work and debt free retirement! Thats my goal (although reefing is hindering it right now and 2 daycare bills lol). But we only have the house mortgage debt right now

Thanks. With just a mortgage your on the right path. I set a goal to have our home paid for by age 59. I paid it off when was 58.
Day care is so expensive these days. I was fortunate with my Gals flexible schedule and the help of my parents we never had to pay for child care.

 

[Jasonak]

Ha. Yes, I have a 3 year old and a 5 year old and the tanks are also 5 and 3. Finding time for maintenance is a good excuse to break away from daddy duty LOL. Ya, it's a lot of salt but i don't want to spend that much time calculating and dosing trace elements - IMHO it's easier to just do water changes. I have 2 x 50g barrels - 1 for RODI and a mixing barrel and can pump water directly into the tanks - so a water change only takes about 10 mins max per tank.

How do you drain your tank so quick ??

 

[JoJosReef]

Ok, Mr. Private Eye-contracted-by-wife. My tank is self-sustainable, maybe $20/mo. Totally feasible and not even enough to merit an accounts audit.