ESTIMATE TOTAL COST OF YOUR REEF TANK!

[McPuff]

Oh man, these threads just lead to bad things... like introspection! :0)

I have no idea what I've spent over the past 30 years except that it's a lot. I would guess that to replace everything on my current system would cost me well over $20k and I tell my wife the same thing. The only reason she is "ok" with it is because I didn't spend that much and probably not even close.

If I need/want new lights, I'll buy an entire system that has the lights I want, then sell everything else, make profit, and have my lights for "free." The same is true for almost every piece of equipment I currently own though I'm really tired of "tank flipping" so occasionally I have to shell out for new equipment.

I get corals from swaps, trading with friends, or buying unknowns from the LFS.

Fish are the one thing that I have actually spent money on. Even though I don't have anything super expensive, I'd say my 26-30 (?) fish would be worth about $2k. The most expensive one is the Tahiti gold hawkfish ($235 wholesale) and that is the most expensive fish I have ever purchased. Several were over $100 but I rationalize by saying that coral sales pay for them. :0)

 

[shred5]

 

[Ricksreeefs]

Nice 20g 6mos old alot of coral and a few fish I've definitely spent over 7k......

Wait for coral only or for everthing?

 

[a4edwin]

Impolite conversation! Only because I really don’t want to remind myself how much I’ve spent on equipment.

 

[Jcascioli]

Of course!!

UV install

Before install of UV

F me in the a... that is Redic!!! So jealous! What size is your display??

 

[Sdot]

F me in the a... that is Redic!!! So jealous! What size is your display??

I wasnt ready for that... I think i spit all of my water on my monitor! ROFL. Display is 240 total system is 305 Gallons.

 

[Jcascioli]

I wasnt ready for that... I think i spit all of my water on my monitor! ROFL. Display is 240 total system is 305 Gallons.

That system is BEAUTIFUL!!! Congrats on your amazing system! You really have something to be proud of! I now have something to aspire to!

 

[Sdot]

That system is BEAUTIFUL!!! Congrats on your amazing system! You really have something to be proud of! I now have something to aspire to!

Wow bud TYVM! I still got a ways to go... system isnt even remotely close to where it needs to be.

 

[Tclason1]

Why do I feel like this is a trap set by my wife.....

 

[Tidal Gardens]

Oh god, let's not go there! hahaha

 

[-XENOMORPH-]

Current Waterbox x90 tank just started filling with water, $2500 so far. Obviously no livestock yet. Hahahaha

 

[Kris 2020]

Shame on you! We don’t talk like that here mister...we don’t discuss these things. We don’t even want to think about them. I won’t go there, I won’t!

 

[Billdogg]

NO!

 

[mccune]

 

[X-37B]

120 startup $4k-ish.
That includes tank, stand, sump,
Carx, skimmer, lights- MH and T5, ato, powerheads, testing equipment, stand alone cabinets, live rock.
So new skimmer, BM filter roller, is another $1k a month ago.
Live stock another $1k easy.
Salt, and various chems, bulbs, when I ran T5's, or3 light bar another $1k.
At least another $1k on things I forgot.
So $8k-ish over 2 years and that does not include my 45 frag system, lol.

Pricing out my upgrade at 72x36x20. Alot of my equipment will be transferable to the new system.
Just need the tank and stand which is going to be another $4k.

Not a cheap hobby to get started but once its up and running cost is minimal, imo.

Almost 2 years and I still have no magnetic doors on my system, lol.
Just another couple of $'s.

 

[reefinatl]

I have the "frugal but quality" idea in my head when it comes to this hobby. I'm about to get my butt kicked with coral and fish, but I'm not letting that get to me preventing me from having a beautiful tank

for me knowing that I really have zero desire to spend time taking and playing with macro images and posting on here, insta, or anywhere else has been helpful on the frugal front. I've been focused on buying corals for their overall color. I did happen across a really good deal on a lemon lime favia, certainly happy I didn't drop the WWC tax for it. It is really just a normal green and brown favia unless hammered with actinic and stared at with orange glasses. It's growing fast though so that is nice.

That's awesome. And yea I've just now starting fragging/ trading with hobbyists saves a ton!

I cheated a little bit because that doesn't include the tank/sump/stand i've had for years or the hundred bucks building a new canopy, but it's a pretty low budget build. Still had an RO system from years ago, been using it for drinking water hooked to the refrigerator for a long time now. $175 halides, $180 for two jebao wavemakers, $130 for live rock $130 in dry rock.

Corals have probably averaged under $20 each between freebies and spending on some others. I've pretty much purchased them all with some cash from selling of stuff I had laying around so that cash count is pretty accurate and comes in under $600 for green trachy, favia, 3 frags of frogspawn with 5 heads total (2 were sold has hammers, well they are frammers at best once you see them under actual light you can see the other tips on the stalks), green digitata, seasons greetings monti cap, 5 zoa types including a frag of AOI that has 15heads and counting for $40, alien eye chalice, birds of paradise, purple nana acro, green slimer, joes rainbow, green & teal blasto, rainbow acan, forest fire digitata ($10 for a big frag that was totally bleached out bone white with orange polyps, guy was blasting it with radions 4" under the water and is coloring up and growing now), krypto candycanes, teal candycanes, pink lemonade birdsnest, toxic green pocillipora, green pocillipora, white tip torch, GSP, huge starry night acro mini colony (4" and probably 10 branches), 2x Superman Shrooms, 3 green & blue ricordea, and 4 heads of duncan.Need a purple digitata, rbta, spongodes, setosa, and an encruster monti or two and should be done adding corals.

Fish list was more expensive than necessary because I'm trying to go all CB fish and Aquacultured coral. $175 biota tang, another $250-$275 or so for remaining fish consisting of CB clowns, azure damsel, and yellow watchman gobies. Had no choice but to go WC to get a lemon merengue wrasse and tomini tang.

 

[Jenntell]

Only 6 months into the hobby, 180 & 40 gal. Apex on both and full of coral babies. Definitely could have bought car by now!
Why is this so addicting!!!!

 

[reefinatl]

Only 6 months into the hobby, 180 & 40 gal. Apex on both and full of coral babies. Definitely could have bought car by now!
Why is this so addicting!!!!

An apex simply to monitor some critical items is on my to do list. I'm super paranoid about what is going to happen on my first vacation with a reef again come this summer.

 

[Paleozoic_reefer]

Hmmmm...I see my wife made a secret R2R account.

 

[Coralcitos]

6 months into the hobby

60 gallon Water box with all systems $3,000
Rock $500
Corals $ 5,200 every live sale is min of 300
Fishes $ 800 a tang of $169
water, amazon.. I think I reach 10K easily even more . I dont regret every cent spent or my card maxed out .. Previously , That money was a shopping spree at the mall including a "bcs I work" Tiffany piece of Jewerly