salt water tank general cost

Discussion in 'New To The Hobby' started by Reillysky3, Jan 29, 2013.

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  1. Reillysky3

    Reillysky3 Plankton

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    Hi, I am new to keeping saltwater tanks and I wanted to know if you guys could give me a general idea of start up costs.

    I would like to keep live corals as well as fish inside the tank. I know that reef tanks can be pretty expensive but maybe you could tell me what YOUR start up cost was(just to give me an idea).

    I am a student so I probably wont be able to buy everything outright but would like to get an idea of a good start up price.

    If it helps I would like to start with a 20-30 gallon tank.
    I have heard that smaller tanks are harder to keep so would a 20 or 30 gallon be ok or is that to small?

    Thanks so much for the help.
     
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  3. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    I suggest a 20 or 40 gallon breeder from Petsmart when they have their dollar per gallon sale.

    Lighting will be one of the most expensive aspect so you need to think about what you want to keep and if your lighting can support it.

    Next comes the skimmer.

    Both lighting and skimmer should be quality it's worth the investment long term.
     
  4. FaceOfDeceit

    FaceOfDeceit Hockey Beard

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    Get a second job, and ditch all other hobbies you have. You might be able to afford it then. It's not so much the hobby that is expensive, but the incessant need to "scratch the itch."

    ...And if you want to spend the least amount up front, start with a 350 Gallon DT with 500 Gallons of Sumps/Fuge. It would be hard to upgrade from that.

    It is a great, fun, and very educational hobby. A Fish Only tank is like marijuana...it is the gateway to dangerous things like Softies and LPS. If you're lucky, you'll kick it before the SPS bites you. Good luck, and feel free to ask as many questions as you'd like...we are here to help!
     
  5. Reillysky3

    Reillysky3 Plankton

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    The second job is a good idea but I am a full time student and I was giving over half of my pay to my parents so that is not really an option at the moment but I will just continue to save:)

    And haha yes I have heard that is is very addicting!
     
  6. nc208082

    nc208082 Zoanthid

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    Face of deceit is right on the money. I would suggest researching the different types of fish and decide your tank size on that. Because once you buy a 20-40g tank and then find out you can't put tangs or wrasses in it you will be frustrated and have the saltwater itch to upgrade.
     
  7. Jmblec2

    Jmblec2 Corkscrew Tentacle Anemone

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    Buy used stuff.
     
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  9. evolved

    evolved Wrasse Freak

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    I hate this question.

    I used to tell people "thousands". Now I'd probably have to say "10's of thousands" if I was to answer honestly. Ah the beauty of not keeping track...

    It can be done on a budget, but I can't imagine trying to do it on a college budget (having been there before).

    Unless you have a $1000 slush fund, I'd wait.
     
  10. FaceOfDeceit

    FaceOfDeceit Hockey Beard

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    Put it this way...my maintenance time just occurred last week for my tank. Meaning, I had to buy all new Test Kits, RO/DI Filters, Bulbs. Orders came out to over $300. That is just for normal maintenance. Start up, even with used equipment is a lot more. I don't want to scare you away, just trying to inform you.
     
  11. schackmel

    schackmel Giant Squid

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    if you are looking at a 20-30g tank, i would look into an all in one tank, such as the JBJ nanocube or Oceanic Biocube. That way you get the tank, lighting and filtration all in one.

    Depending on the light style you want, these tanks can run 200-500 upfront. Then you are looking at probably 50.00 in sand, 20-30 lbs of rock which can range between 3-6.00 a pound. Then the fish, corals etc will depend on what you get.

    like said, try to figure out what kind of fish and corals you want to get first, and then build around it. I started with a 30g tank and upgraded several times really quick after that. Smaller the tank is definately harder to keep. I would not go anything smaller then a 28-29g IMO.

    People can get good deals on used equipment but remember it is buyer beware. Sometimes the tanks seams are not good and the tank can blow, bulbs need to be replaced or copper was added to the system.

    The initial start up is by far the most expensive but you dont want to skimp at this step. Trust me you will regret it in the long run
     
  12. skurious

    skurious Sailfin Tang

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    The start of my 40B cost dang close to probably 2K and I already had alot of the stuff. Id reccomend either going fish only for now or just wait it out and start one up later in life.