salt water tank general cost

I agree.

In my opinion, you can't put a price on this hobby. There are too many unforeseen things to account for.

 

Well the distilled didn't work and for a year previous I didn't have any algae problems so I'll keep using it until it proves me wrong. (knock on wood) I'm not sayin you have to do what I do, I'm just telling you a variation on how I run my tank.

 

I get that it works here and there, but DANG you're asking for a bomb in you're tank. Not mentioning the crap thats in everyday water that can crash your tank, you're 1 step away from a leak of some sort to crash it. I understand its possible, just HIGHLY unadvisable, IMO

and +1 shmackmel,

 

Hey now I shower in that water - lol

 

I think generally speaking there is no light at the end of this tunnel. I'm new to saltwater and I'm closing in on 2 grand and only have 3 corals in my tank now. I'm pretty sure if I thought too hard about how much.. I may have never started

 

LOL this is way off topic. Sorry

 

I've spent a LOT of money on my 29 gallon. I'm not sure exactly how much, but, to be quite honest, I don't really want to know I do know, however, that I could have saved a lot of that money by doing it right the first time.

 

Doing a 34 gallon reef tank on a budget on equipment/rock/lighting alone I've spent around $600. Livestock then factors on top of that

 

This hobby doesn't have to be crazy $$$.

When I had my 10 gal mixed reef, it was up for 4 years! Was an amazing lil tank with 2 clowns and different corals. In that 4 years, I'd say I spent $350 to maybe, maybe $400. Oh and I used well water!

Nano reefs can be amazing!

Now I have a 75 gallon. And I always watch how much I spend. I like to buy quality stuff, but also not go crazy.

You can find used tanks for really cheap. I bought my RR 75 gal with stand and hood, BRAND NEW from my sister in law for $1,000. I was looking for a RR 75 with stand on craigslist and in the papers and I found some for under $200 for everything. But they were always a little old or not taken care of. My sister in law never got the chance to put hers up with being in school and she needed the money, so we helped her out by buying her tank.

Then I sold a ton of stuff on ebay to buy a Tunze silence 1073.05 return pump for $217.--You don't have to get this, there are many much cheaper return pumps out there I could have gotten for $50 and up. I wanted this pump and sold off some of the other hobby stuff that I don't find fun anymore.

A reef Octopus 150 skimmer for $150 to $173...I can't remember.

2 koralias evos for around $100

All my rock I made myself for around $40

Made my own sump for under $60

I'm planning on buying the Reefbreeders 32 inch LED reef light for $450.

And that's it!


So as of now I'm $1,590 in...with the LED light I'll be $2,040 into it.

one thing to do is not go crazy with a ton of stuff. Low tech can be really nice.

Now, when it comes to coral. I buy baby coral from my LFS for cheap or go to frag swaps and buy really nice corals for super super cheap!!!

Remember, like any hobby this can get out of control and cost you a ton, or go slow and low tech and you can make it really affordable and fun.

 

haha