ESTIMATE TOTAL COST OF YOUR REEF TANK!

[gray808]

One of the drawbacks to bein semi-fanatical about using spreadsheets to plan everything is I can tell you, to the penny, how much it was. This is rocks wet, but no livestock, CUC, or paying the electrician to clean up the horrifying and unsafe outlet box, and drop a GFCI outlet into it.

In the year since, I've probably dropped $500 on fish, $600 on coral, and $150 on CUC/inverts/sand-with-goo, and call it $1000 on stuff like a cabinet to build in all the electronics, "better" Brute containers, a ShopVac (yeah, used for lots of other things, but being able to slurp out my sump was why I pulled the trigger), and various crap like the cute Fish rug that sits in front of the stand.... oh yeah... $280 for an Octo Aquatics acrylic cover (worth every penny) a couple months ago, and I literally just dropped a but over $200 to replace my Tunze ATO with a Apex ATK2.

Item	Amt	Cost Each	Subtotal
Waterbox Aquariums Marine 70.3 tank & stand	1	$1,931.45	$1,931.45
Freight shipping	1	$150.00	$150.00
Rubbermaid Brute Square 28g Bin	1	$42.00	$42.00
Rubbermaid Brute Square Bin Lid	1	$14.55	$14.55
HOMZ Tough Durabilt Tote Box, 27gal (x2)	1	$33.10	$33.10
2 Pack 800GPH Pumphead for mixing	1	$16.22	$16.22
Red Sea - Reef Marine Care Test Kit (NH3/NH4,NO3,NO2,pH,Alkalinity)	1	$54.99	$54.99
BRS 5 Stage Premium RO/DI - 75g/day	1	$199.99	$199.99
MacroRocks - Large Foundation Reef Saver Dry Rock	1	$49.99	$49.99
MacroRocks - Medium Foundation Reef Saver Dry Rocks	2	$29.99	$59.98
MacroRocks - Reef Saver Shelf Dry Rocks	10	$6.99	$69.90
MacroRocks - Reef Saver Dry rocks	30	$2.99	$89.70
Leak Detector	2	$11.98	$23.96
Penn-Plax Silent Air B11	1	$15.03	$15.03
Finnex Temperature Controller & Heater	2	$71.38	$142.76
ADJ AC Power Strip	1	$51.50	$51.50
Adhesive velcro strips (5)	5	$3.78	$18.90
RO Octo VarioS-2 Controllable	1	$214.99	$214.99
Icecap 2K Gyre w/WIFI controller	1	$209.99	$209.99
Brightwell Aquatics Media Plate	1	$37.69	$37.69
Sicce Synchra Silent Return pump (backup)	1	$87.96	$87.96
RO Octo Pulse 2 Wave Pump	1	$229.99	$229.99
Filter cups	4	$36.99	$147.96
Super Glue Gel 10oz	1	$29.99	$29.99
RO/DI booster pump	1	$149.99	$149.99
Risepro Digital Aquarium Thermometer, 2 pack	1	$8.90	$8.90
Mr Clean Magic Eraser, 6pk	1	$4.94	$4.94
Coralife Aqua Gloves	1	$24.21	$24.21
Hygger Carbon Fiber 6-in-1 aquarium cleaning tool	1	$25.99	$25.99
Aqueon Aquarium Algae Cleaning Magnet, Medium	1	$10.08	$10.08
Turkey Baster	1	$3.95	$3.95
Toothbrush 12 pack	1	$6.99	$6.99
Pen Plax Infra-Reds Invisible net 6"	1	$5.26	$5.26
Bottle brushes	1	$9.99	$9.99
Titan 2 piece multi-purpose min razor scraper	1	$9.51	$9.51
Razor Blades	1	$9.33	$9.33
Bio Active - Pink Reef Sand 20#	3	$45.99	$137.97
Nature's Ocean Samoa Pink Sand #0... dry - 10#	1	$21.99	$21.99
Florida Keys Crushed Coral 10#	1	$36.99	$36.99
Python Pro Clean - XL	1	$17.34	$17.34
GFI Outlet	1	$14.88
Red Sea - Reef Mature Pro Kit (Cycling)	2	$28.71	$57.42
Tunze 3155 Osmolator ATO	1	$199.99	$199.99
Curve 5 Elite Protein Skimmer	1	$199.94	$199.94
Kessil Tuna Blue A80 LED w/Gooseneck	1	$154.00	$154.00
Kalkwasser	1	$25.48	$25.48
			$5,042.85

 

[Arthacker87]

Which tank? Cuz my wife think I have 2 grand in ally tanks lol
260g
2x 65g
2x 50g frags
1 29g biocube
And one brand new 35g waterbox cube

 

[Arthacker87]

Wife thinks I have 2 grand in all my tanks*

 

[fuelman]

I have a 240g,180g,110g,80g & I don't want to ever add it all up. I try not to waste money on a name that I don't feel has the quality to back up the price. but I don't really have a budget for my reef hobby & I don't want to, so not gonna add it up, not ever.

 

[Waynerock]

Only 500.00 right honey? She nodded her head so that’s truth you all saw it!!

 

[Acros]

Started reefing in June 2020. Current tank IM25 - $1681.88 (no fish yet), previous tanks + learning curve + rehomed livestock- $2701.61.

Total - $4383.49. I have about $500 in store credit that I am planning to stock my new tank with.

 

[squidarcher]

Super budget 75 that has 3 fish and about 6 frags. Probably $1.5 k. I went extremely low cost. Once more fish and acros come though...

 

[omar jawad]

I have an Audi in my tank. And the Audi keeps getting nicer.

 

[omar jawad]

If I knew, I’d probably be sick to my stomach.

 

[phillybean]

I try to be as thrifty as possible and buy a lot of used gear and live stock. Also try to DIY as much as I can, but I'm average at best on the handiness scale.

I think I'm into my 220 gallon (including the inwall construction) for $7500, including live stock & including the equipment I had running on my 90 gallon. (also counting what I sold from the 90, not counting what I am still trying to sell)

 

[flounder]

I struggle with how to answer...how is worth defined? I see 3 ways.
1. What i paid. (Certainly not the best way, my 57 chev i paid $2,751 but that was back in 1957...no one would suggest its worth only 2751 today. Or maybe when i bought xxxx, i got ripped off and the guy took me to the cleaners cause i didnt do my research) {probably the most emotional way to define worth}

2. Worth, what would it cost me to buy the exact set up that i have now if i lost it all tomorrow? Do they even sell what i have? (Hawaiian fish, xxl sps colonies...) {how insurance companies value objects}

3. What could i sell it for? Do i live in a heavy saturated community? Do i have a reef tank where not many people have the same interest? Alaska?

My answers
1. 35-50k
2. 25-35k
3. 10k.

 

[Young@Heart]

Off the top of my head: I would say 7,500 for my 180 Gallon Peninsula. As for my 2 Tank (55 Gallon) I would say about 775.00. I have had previous tanks. I am in the process of breaking down my 55 Gallon - will rehome my live stock to the 180.

 

[Young@Heart]

180 Gallon Peninsula over 3+ years: approx 7,500.00. I have had previous Salt and Fresh Water Tanks so more. - I agree with flounder though - how are we defining worth. Also in the end - the question becomes what is your aquarium worth to you. For instance my wife bought me a Blue Hippo Tang - and that is worth more to me than what she paid.

 

[mich2599]

10k or so on my Nuvo 75. Started with a 55 gal marineland then transferred all so all of the cost are for both.

 

[Screwgunner]

Tank sump pumps test kits heater reactor lights live rock fish coral RO system for a 125 gallon with 30 gallon sump 4 thousand and not done with coral yet. That is on a budget.

 

[N1Husker]

120 mixed reef. Probably 15-18K.

 

[jeffrey holloway]

150g & 75g mixed. 6 yrs. running. I stop counting around12K a few yrs. ago. I am 62 and twice retired so money is not a issue. I have maintained fish since grade school. Built a Koi Pond in yard last year. Nice Koi can run thousands. I have about 5k in fish alone in that pond. If you are concerned about the price of the hobby you will never be happy in it. My wife spend more on her dogs. Just saying.

 

[mainereefer]

About $500 24g biocube

 

[Reefvision]

Being conservative- 20k

 

[Sqwertyl]

I think I'm probably just under 10k all inclusive in my 150, and everything I bought this go around was budget friendly lol.