Many moons ago I kept a FOWLER tank, and after 3 or 4 false starts over the years I'm finally getting my first reef tank up and running.
I don't see too many build threads with a price / cost breakdown and since I'm a spreadsheet nerd, I thought it'd be fun to track here as well. One thing to note on the cost is that I round every total to the next dollar. For example something that costs $10.12 rounds to $11, the same as $10.99 rounds to $11. I included a column for my cost vs the true cost. I received a number of these items for Christmas from my wife, parents, and family members; thus they were free to me. The big upgrades were the AI equipment instead of the Jebao Nero knockoff and the Kessel A80 I asked for.
If you want to read more tank musings:
I'm currently just using the included filter sock while the tank is cycling, and that's largely to catch particulate from the rock (rookie mistake not rinsing it). I'll transition to adding some filter fleece in the immediate short term, and then add the filter roller once I have some actual livestock / bioload in the tank.
I may continue to play with the aquascape (building the structures was fun / addicting!), but for now this is what I've settled on. If anyone has any suggestions I'm totally open to feedback. I included a picture of the rocks showing the separate pieces so I can move / adjust things as coral grow / things change.
There's no sand currently in the images but I do have the caribsea sand, which I purchased before finding out about Tampa Bay Saltwater. In spite of not having a tank for about 10 years, I've somewhat followed the hobby on Youtube, so when Ryan from Bulk Reef Supply started Serious Reefs I subscribed there. I'm very curious to give the TBS jar package a go. I don't think I'll actually use the rock in the display, just the sand, but I'll add what I can to the rear chamber to help the biofiltration / cycle. Depending on how far the sand they send goes I'll add the Carib Sea sand as the base layer. The TBS sand wont ship until the 15th of January so I've got a few weeks.
I'm still not 100% sure on what I'll be stocking in the tank in terms of coral or livestock. My initial plan for livestock is a Yellow Watchman Goby with a pistol shrimp and a possum wrasse / pink streaked wrasse. I'd like to add a Fire Shrimp in as well, but do wonder if that's pushing it. If anyone has any other small fish suggestions to go with a fire Shrimp instead of the goby pistol combo I'm all ears.
As far as coral go, I'll see what I can find locally, but am looking at the typical beginner stuff of zoas, mushrooms, and leathers. My shortlist of specifics currently includes a Toadstool, Red Xenia, Koji Wada Pink Nepthia, and a rock flower anemone or three.
Provided I can keep the easy stuff thriving for a bit, I'll give a few LPS a try. I also saw a purple elegance coral that was incredible so finding and keeping one of those is the long term goal. The only SPS I plan on trying at some point is a Monti Cap. I can't explain why, but it's always been my favorite coral, so I'll add a red or green one at some point too.
I don't see too many build threads with a price / cost breakdown and since I'm a spreadsheet nerd, I thought it'd be fun to track here as well. One thing to note on the cost is that I round every total to the next dollar. For example something that costs $10.12 rounds to $11, the same as $10.99 rounds to $11. I included a column for my cost vs the true cost. I received a number of these items for Christmas from my wife, parents, and family members; thus they were free to me. The big upgrades were the AI equipment instead of the Jebao Nero knockoff and the Kessel A80 I asked for.
| Equipment | Product | True Cost | My Cost |
| Tank & Stand: | Hello Reef 15G with White Stand | $205 | $205 |
| Lid: | Kraken Reef Lid (w/ black friday sale) | $125 | $125 |
| Rock: | Dry Marco Rock | $98 | $98 |
| Sand: | Tampabay Saltwater | $121 | $121 |
| Caribsea Fiji Pink | $26 | $26 | |
| Return Pump: | $38 | $38 | |
| Light: | SICCE Syncra Silent NANO 110 GPH | $258 | |
| Light Mount: | AI Prime Metal Tank Mount | $59 | |
| Wavemaker/Flow: | AI Nero 3 | $185 | |
| VCA Random Flow Generator | $15 | $15 | |
| Heater: | Aquael Ultra 75 Watt | $44 | $44 |
| Heater Controler: | Inkbird ITC-306A | $36 | $36 |
| ATO: | Tunze Osmolator 3152 | $78 | $78 |
| ATO Reservoir: | Trigger Systems 5G Emerald Reservoir Blemished | $119 | $119 |
| Tank Controller: | Kasa Smart Plug Power Strip HS300 | $44 | $44 |
| Biological Filtration: | Maxspect Nano-Tech Bio Spheres | $16 | $16 |
| Mechanical Filtration: | Nature Dimensions N-Clear Nano Fleece Roller w/ Hello Reef Tank Adapter | $178 | |
| Hello Reef Included Tank Sponges | |||
| RODI: | 4 Stage Value Plus 75GPD RODI Bulk Reef Supply System | $287 | $287 |
| Brass 2-way hose splitter | $12 | $12 | |
| RODI & Saltwater Storage: | 2 Rubbermaid 10 Gallon Brute Trash Can w/ Lid - White | $75 | $75 |
| Salt: | Instant Ocean Reef Crystals 5G Bucket | $108 | $108 |
| Testing: | Brix Refractometer | $21 | $21 |
| Hanna Checker Alklinity | $81 | ||
| Hanna Checker Nitrate High Range | $81 | ||
| Hanna Checker Phosphate Low Range | $81 | ||
| Salifert Calcium | $18 | $18 | |
| Salifert Magnesium | $22 | $22 | |
| Hanna Checker Calcium | $75 | $75 | |
| Hanna Checker Magnesium | $75 | $75 | |
| Hanna Checker Temp / Salinity | $100 | $100 | |
| MISC: | |||
| Marino Coral Frag Cutter | $18 | $18 | |
| Seachem 3 in 1 Glass Scraper | $14 | $14 | |
| Fritz Fishless cycle and Fritz Enzyme 9 | $22 | $22 | |
| New Life Spectrum pellets | $21 | $21 | |
| Fish Net | $4 | $4 | |
| Sticky Thermometer | $4 | $4 | |
| Floating Glass Thermometer | $4 | $4 | |
| Livestock: | |||
| Cincy Fragswap Coral w/ admission | $285 | $285 | |
| TOTAL: | $3,053 | $2,130 |
If you want to read more tank musings:
I'm currently just using the included filter sock while the tank is cycling, and that's largely to catch particulate from the rock (rookie mistake not rinsing it). I'll transition to adding some filter fleece in the immediate short term, and then add the filter roller once I have some actual livestock / bioload in the tank.
I may continue to play with the aquascape (building the structures was fun / addicting!), but for now this is what I've settled on. If anyone has any suggestions I'm totally open to feedback. I included a picture of the rocks showing the separate pieces so I can move / adjust things as coral grow / things change.
There's no sand currently in the images but I do have the caribsea sand, which I purchased before finding out about Tampa Bay Saltwater. In spite of not having a tank for about 10 years, I've somewhat followed the hobby on Youtube, so when Ryan from Bulk Reef Supply started Serious Reefs I subscribed there. I'm very curious to give the TBS jar package a go. I don't think I'll actually use the rock in the display, just the sand, but I'll add what I can to the rear chamber to help the biofiltration / cycle. Depending on how far the sand they send goes I'll add the Carib Sea sand as the base layer. The TBS sand wont ship until the 15th of January so I've got a few weeks.
I'm still not 100% sure on what I'll be stocking in the tank in terms of coral or livestock. My initial plan for livestock is a Yellow Watchman Goby with a pistol shrimp and a possum wrasse / pink streaked wrasse. I'd like to add a Fire Shrimp in as well, but do wonder if that's pushing it. If anyone has any other small fish suggestions to go with a fire Shrimp instead of the goby pistol combo I'm all ears.
As far as coral go, I'll see what I can find locally, but am looking at the typical beginner stuff of zoas, mushrooms, and leathers. My shortlist of specifics currently includes a Toadstool, Red Xenia, Koji Wada Pink Nepthia, and a rock flower anemone or three.
Provided I can keep the easy stuff thriving for a bit, I'll give a few LPS a try. I also saw a purple elegance coral that was incredible so finding and keeping one of those is the long term goal. The only SPS I plan on trying at some point is a Monti Cap. I can't explain why, but it's always been my favorite coral, so I'll add a red or green one at some point too.
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