Price estimation?

[SchruttePharmer83]

Thinking about getting back into the hobby and starting to wrap my head around general cost. I’m looking to get a 75g system with a sump for essentially some clowns anemone, inverts, and soft corals. I’ve been conversing with AI and the initial list it came up with totals around $6000. Seems pretty crazy high, or maybe I’m the crazy one?

Does that seem to be in the right ballpark?

 

[KrisReef]

In the last month I saw a 75 gallon with lights and sump and a skimmer and return pump for free, but I didn't need another tank. And we're in San Diego county, not Kansas. Hope one pops up locally, I swear when people decide to exit they are willing to take much less than LFS prices, and sometimes even give their tanks away.

 

[areefer01]

Is it too much? Difficult to say as it comes down to what vendors you choose to use in the build.

On the other hand when done correctly with safety and redundancy built in a new display can run about the same cost as a kitchen remodel. It really comes down to the hobbyist goals, planning, and design. The upfront effort in design will pay off for no other reason than you will buy less crap to triage problems and apply band aids later.

 

[rtparty]

Others will likely disagree but I wouldn’t even go with a sump setup for some clowns and soft corals.

Innovative Marine has an 80g AIO with stand for like $2k. You can spend like $300-400 at most to light it. Plan a couple hundred bucks on good powerheads - Tunze AC pumps are plenty and will last forever. I’d say you can be all in for under $4k or so and this is an expensive tank option.

You could also do a 60 Breeder or 75g tank. If you’re comfortable drilling glass, adding your own sump doesn’t have to be expensive. I’d just paint the back black and use some in tank equipment instead of the sump.

Lots of options really. Ryan from BRS has his new channel - Serious Reefs - and he just built out and started a 60 Breeder for less than $3k including RO unit, mixing bins, dosing equipment, salt, rock, TBS sand, etc

 

[areefer01]

Others will likely disagree but I wouldn’t even go with a sump setup for some clowns and soft corals.

Innovative Marine has an 80g AIO with stand for like $2k. You can spend like $300-400 at most to light it. Plan a couple hundred bucks on good powerheads - Tunze AC pumps are plenty and will last forever. I’d say you can be all in for under $4k or so and this is an expensive tank option.

You could also do a 60 Breeder or 75g tank. If you’re comfortable drilling glass, adding your own sump doesn’t have to be expensive. I’d just paint the back black and use some in tank equipment instead of the sump.

Lots of options really. Ryan from BRS has his new channel - Serious Reefs - and he just built out and started a 60 Breeder for less than $3k including RO unit, mixing bins, dosing equipment, salt, rock, TBS sand, etc

Nothing wrong with a 40, 60 breeder to get started. Both offer good reef foot prints and are 50% off at PetCo a few times a year. HOB tidal/sicce filter, heater, and a pair of Nicrew lights more or less set. Dry rock mixed in with a TBS treasure chest - more than enough and below even what Ryan setup.

If the hobbyist stays in the hobby longer than 18 months plenty of time to plan a more proper setup. If they eject before, not much lost here.

 

[exnisstech]

I have sumps, 40g with a hob filter and a small AIO. I was just thinking the other evening about what I would do if I were to simplify things and only have one tank and I decided a decent AIO would be my choice. Its just simple and easy. I'm not a gear head and don't find a skimmer, reactors, roller, controllers etc to be necessary so that help keeping it simple. A tank large enough for a few cool fish and some nice coral would work for me. I would probably just do a larger version of my IM20.
No mechanical filtration other than some floss when I clean the glass or blow the rocks off. Jebao return pump, heater with an inkbird, ATO and a couple of powerheads, rock and water. EDIT: A good light also and probably the most expensive item in the tank.
I used mostly stuff I had here except the tank and light so my cost was minimal. I imagine as @rtparty said $2k would probably get a nice sized AIO. Maintenance is so simple that cleaning the glass is the hardest part. I rarely even do water changes on this tank. I pour in a little AFR in each morning and fill the ATO container once a week and spend the rest of the time fussing on the other tanks because I do like to fiddle with things.

Pic from this morning.

 

[rtparty]

I have sumps, 40g with a hob filter and a small AIO. I was just thinking the other evening about what I would do if I were to simplify things and only have one tank and I decided a decent AIO would be my choice. Its just simple and easy. I'm not a gear head and don't find a skimmer, reactors, roller, controllers etc to be necessary so that help keeping it simple. A tank large enough for a few cool fish and some nice coral would work for me. I would probably just do a larger version of my IM20.
No mechanical filtration other than some floss when I clean the glass or blow the rocks off. Jebao return pump, heater with an inkbird, ATO and a couple of powerheads, rock and water. EDIT: A good light also and probably the most expensive item in the tank.
I used mostly stuff I had here except the tank and light so my cost was minimal. I imagine as @rtparty said $2k would probably get a nice sized AIO. Maintenance is so simple that cleaning the glass is the hardest part. I rarely even do water changes on this tank. I pour in a little AFR in each morning and fill the ATO container once a week and spend the rest of the time fussing on the other tanks because I do like to fiddle with things.

Pic from this morning.

My WB 25g AIO is magnitudes easier than my NYOS 440 with a sump and all the “fancy” equipment. And guess what? The WB 25g is growing SPS just fine I don’t even need 20 minutes a week on it

In the back of my mind I have a rough draft for turning my old 250g peninsula (now the frog tank) into an AIO. All I need in the back chambers is a heater, some probes, dosing line, return pump, and maybe a filter floss holder. Worst case I find a way to put an algae turf scrubber in the back. It would be my 25g AIO just upsized to the 250. People would call me absolutely crazy but I’ve been called worse

 

[C_AWOL]

Everything listed was bought new

$1200 150g (48x30x24) rimless + starphire front and sides with external overflow
$350? Vectra m2 (cheaper pumps are fine)
$350? 2 Noopsyches
$500 DIY stand out of 2x4, 2x6, 3/4" ply + paint and sealant (to hold sump spills if needed)
~$250 plumbing (gate valves were expensive by that time)
~$700 asst hydros gear
~$200 30g acrylic tank for ato
$450 reefmat 1200
$30? Brs reactor
$50 aqueon 40br

~$4080 before water + rocks + livestock.
Granted these are 2022 prices but 6k sounds pretty reasonable if it factors rocks + livestock + salt at todays prices for a 75g all new depending on the equipment choices.

 

[higher99]

Everything listed was bought new

$1200 150g (48x30x24) rimless + starphire front and sides with external overflow
$350? Vectra m2 (cheaper pumps are fine)
$350? 2 Noopsyches
$500 DIY stand out of 2x4, 2x6, 3/4" ply + paint and sealant (to hold sump spills if needed)
~$250 plumbing (gate valves were expensive by that time)
~$700 asst hydros gear
~$200 30g acrylic tank for ato
$450 reefmat 1200
$30? Brs reactor
$50 aqueon 40br

~$4080 before water + rocks + livestock.
Granted these are 2022 prices but 6k sounds pretty reasonable if it factors rocks + livestock + salt at todays prices for a 75g all new depending on the equipment choices.

Beautiful setup!