So they say setting up a reef tank is expensive. How expensive, you ask?

[WVNed]

By an order of magnitude, at least.

 

[toomanymatts]

The thread of poor financial decisions. I gracefully opt out of this one.

 

[Mark Goode]

I bought a red Sea Reefer 525, and most of the hardware is also Red Sea (the wife likes the colour). I did my research, and estimated the cost to be £EEK! My research was clearly wrong, because I'm well past £EEK! and fast approaching £Christ Almighty!

I actually spent £6,719.06 so far, and I haven't even put any water in it yet. I sincerely hope the wife never reads this thread...

 

[ChuckTownReefer]

I think you guys are all way off......

Helped a friend setup a FOWLR 40B.

Tank, stand, hood, $200 at petco
Sand: $30
Light - cheap shop fluorescent(its a fowlr what do we need expensive reef lights for?): $50 + $100 for bulbs
Cheap jebao PH = $100

Water: SW already mixed in 5G from petco = $15 per unit = $130

Complete setup = roughly $500 = $12.50 a gallon

Tank has been running this way for about 3 years now.

No skimmer, no reactors, no mechanical filter, no sump, no testing other then once in a great while(like maybe once a month), and weekly 5G WC(again $15 for 5g).

I would never pay $15 for 5 gallons of saltwater. That is a complete waist of money. Have you ever checked your local FB reefing group for rodi water plenty of people would probably sell you water for way Cheaper.

 

[sixty_reefer]

I have a spreadsheet... you don't want to see it...

You must be single, most married people don’t keep evidence around the house

 

[homer1475]

I would never pay $15 for 5 gallons of saltwater. That is a complete waist of money. Have you ever checked your local FB reefing group for rodi water plenty of people would probably sell you water for way Cheaper.

An a SW reef tank isn't a waste of money to begin with? With that train of thought, any type of convenience is a waste of money. Your car is a waste of money since you can walk.

LFS? Like a 2 hour drive one way. Petco is closer.

Local reefers? There are none. And I'm not on FB(despise that waste hole). I live in a town with a population of like 2k. I know just about everyone, and there are 2 people who reef near me. Me and the guy I mentored.

Ever been to petco? Imagnarium(SP?) is $15 for 5G. They also have a "premium" salt water for$24.99 for 5G. Or you could buy their home made SW for about $.50 a gallon. God knows if they use RO/DI, or what salt they even mixed in(would guess IO?).

Ever think someone doesn't have the room for mixing barrels? Ever consider someone might not want something hooked up to their sink for a few hours while you make water? Many reasons to buy water, and it's obviously more popular then most think, or they would not stock it at petco. if it doesn't sell, they stop stocking it. Very simple economics my friend.

FWIW.....

I have an RO/DI unit, and have never payed for water. The person I was helping insisted on it, instead of using my water that was free? No idea, it was his money, and I offered to give him water along with the many other equipment, and test kits, etc I gave him to get started. Myabe he thought with everything else, he was just taking advantage of me? I don't know, and I didn't press it any further. He does have an RO/DI now, as he saw the waste from buying water.

Some people prefer to pay for the convenience. Kind of like paying $5 for a cheeseburger at McDonalds, rather then cooking one yourself. You know, that convenience thing.

If it makes the hobby easier, you pay for it. Nothing new there.

 

[ChuckTownReefer]

The problem with new people getting into this hobby is they don't do the research they just jump in without reaching out to locals for advice or help picking equipment. I personally tell everyone person that want to get into the hobby is to only buy the a new tank. All other equipment buy used. Because alot of people like the idea of this hobby but do not understand how frustrating it can be and they don't last so why waist all that money on new equipment when you have no experience with reef keeping. So if they do change there mind they can sell there used equipment and only be out alot less than if they bought all new top of the line equipment.

Also if they do end up loving the hobby your going to want to set up a another tank or a frag tank and you can use all the used equipment you originally bought on the frag tank and upgrade the equipment on the main tank. We all know you can never have enough spare equipment.

Case in point I got a brand new ecotech radion XR15 G4 with tank mount for $230 shipped of R2R. People need to slowdown
And the deals are out there your local reefing groups are the best place to find deals and help.

A REEF AQUARIUM DOES NOT HAVE TO BE EXPENSIVE. THERE ARE SO MANY BUDGET OPTIONS OUT THERE NOW. DO YIUR RESEARCH AND ASK FOR HELP BEFORE YOU START BUYING.

 

[ChuckTownReefer]

An a SW reef tank isn't a waste of money to begin with? With that train of thought, any type of convenience is a waste of money. Your car is a waste of money since you can walk.

LFS? Like a 2 hour drive one way. Petco is closer.

Local reefers? There are none. And I'm not on FB(despise that waste hole). I live in a town with a population of like 2k. I know just about everyone, and there are 2 people who reef near me. Me and the guy I mentored.

Ever been to petco? Imagnarium(SP?) is $15 for 5G. They also have a "premium" salt water for$24.99 for 5G. Or you could buy their home made SW for about $.50 a gallon. God knows if they use RO/DI, or what salt they even mixed in(would guess IO?).

Ever think someone doesn't have the room for mixing barrels? Ever consider someone might not want something hooked up to their sink for a few hours while you make water? Many reasons to buy water, and it's obviously more popular then most think, or they would not stock it at petco. if it doesn't sell, they stop stocking it. Very simple economics my friend.

FWIW.....

I have an RO/DI unit, and have never payed for water. The person I was helping insisted on it, instead of using my water that was free? No idea, it was his money, and I offered to give him water along with the many other equipment, and test kits, etc I gave him to get started. Myabe he thought with everything else, he was just taking advantage of me? I don't know, and I didn't press it any further. He does have an RO/DI now, as he saw the waste from buying water.

Some people prefer to pay for the convenience. Kind of like paying $5 for a cheeseburger at McDonalds, rather then cooking one yourself. You know, that convenience thing.

If it makes the hobby easier, you pay for it. Nothing new there.

Space for a mixing barrel? A 20g brut trash can does take up alot of space I forgot.
Oh and sorry for hitting a nerve with my personal opinion you didn't have to right a book trying to explaining yourself. I truly dont care about the population and whatever else you said that is irrelevant to me. Chill out bud. You may want to get on FB just for the reefing groups you probably will learn a thing or to. But the way you responded to me just saying I wouldn't pay $15 for saltwater I'm guessing your the type of person who thinks they know everything and everyone else is wrong. Have fun typing out another book to this reply .

 

[homer1475]

Sorry I like to explain myself, and for making you read my "book".

 

[homer1475]

I actually "wrote" a book. I didn't "right" anything.

 

[Fish man]

Whenever a thread like this comes up I hope it doesn't scare people away from the hobby. I agree it's not cheap but it can be done economically. I have a 90gal mixed reef and I didn't spend near this much to get started. I'm also a diy guy which helps. I know top of the line names like Radion, Ecotech vortech, Hanna etc are the best but I don't think they're essential for a successful tank, at least not to get started. I doubt a newbie is going to go head long into a full sps dominated tank right out of the gate. I have a Chinese variable speed return pump from Jabao, I bought on Amazon for about 80 bucks. It's las lasted 5 years, still works. Also a Jabao wave maker, about 70 bucks. I have 2 good quality led strip lights with good color spectrum, sunrise/sunset modes etc, American made. $300 for both. I'm able to grow softies, lps and some easier sps. I made my sump from a 20gal from petco when they had their 1dollar a gallon sale, went to Home Depot, got some glass panes, silicone and a glass cutter. Total about 35 dollars. I got a used skimmer from my lfs for about a $100. It's old school, the brand is Aqua C. Skims like a boss. I also made my stand which saved a ton. I use API test kits and take my water in periodically to get tested, it's always good and stable. I started with some live and dry rock to get started which also saved some bucks. As I've progressed I've upgraded some equipment to higher end stuff but it kept my initial outlay down. Fish are healthy, corals show good growth and color. Again I'm not trying to discredit what's being said here, it's not a cheap hobby but by planning, shopping smart, diy stuff if you can, you can do it economically.

 

[flashsmith]

Setup is expensive no doubt. But, ongoing costs are often overlooked. Dosing as needed water changes at least bi weekly. Filter media and food for corals and fish. The cost to actually power the tank. That all can easily top a couple hundred a month. Most reefers I know eventually end up with 2 tanks more. You have ongoing equipment costs as well. Forgot to mention the bins of equipment we purchased and didn't like etc...just sitting around.lol

 

[KonradTO]

I like to think that I saved $$$ doing some diy. For example, as of now I have a 25$ ato which I trust more than any commercial ato, built with reefpi software installed on a 15$ raspberry pi zero and 5$ float switches and a tiny 5$ pump.
Also my acrylic lid is handmade and costed me something like 15$

 

[WVNed]

The point is to make it look like $100,000 when you spent much less than 1/2 that.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

This thread made me giggle. I'm a housewife, I have no "formal job" and I homeschool my 4 kids. I DO NOT track how much I've spent but I do consider my purchases carefully and try to buy budget conscious. I only have a 29 gallon so I'm not in too deep but it's still way more than I'll speak out loud.

But seriously, you guys think reef tanks are spendy? Try classic auto restorations. My husband does auto body paint, mostly insurance work, but occasionally restorations. We have one guys truck right now and he's spent 6k and barely beginning. He'll be in this restoration 15k+ and not a whimper about it. However he's in his 40's works as a lineman in the summer and cows in the winter, plus no wife. He's fine with spending on a restoration, imagine what he'd do with a reef tank, lol.

 

[Tamberav]

I don’t get it. Half the stuff you are using is optional and some of it has cheaper versions. I don’t use gfo in any of my tanks for example and only use carbon occasionally in one. Another example is an ATO is optional or Amazon had a gravity one for 12 bucks or you can get a canister off there for like 15 bucks instead of buying a name brand media reactor.

You can go cheap in this hobby or you can go expensive.

My early tanks were cheap. I had a black box led, koralia power heads, a petco tank and a dresser. Lol I bought a cheap rodi off eBay and some test kits and dry rock with a few seeder live rocks. Done.

There are different price points for every type of budget.

 

[BZOFIQ]

I wouldn't want to discourage anyone from the best hobby with my boring analytical data. But I will say that Melev was off by about $55 a gallon.

His estimates go back to like 2010, need to adjust for inflation.

 

[Homey D. Clownfish]

It can be expensive as you want it to be or cheap as you want it to be. This hobby leans towards going right the first time meaning expensive unfortunately

I agree wholeheartedly. The old saying “you get what you paid for” certainly is true most of the time in this hobby.

 

[Crustaceon]

The cost of a reef tank is contingent on five things: The size of the tank. What you want to keep. What you want others to think of the technology in your setup/how "clean" it looks, Your level of experience and how "hands on" you want to be with it. I could successfully keep a reef in a 5g bucket with rock/sand, a single hydor koralia, a heater, a cheapy par38 led "bulb" and regular water changes. No problem because I know what to look for. I probably wouldn't even test parameters because the sand and coral coloration tells me what I need to know from a nutrient perspective and since I wouldn't be dosing in a traditional sense, I could assume Alk/Cal/Mg and trace would be in line from large-ish water changes. Dinos and such would be avoided by feeding, feeding and feeding some more. Heavy import/export. Do I expect a new reefer to know this stuff? Of course not and I started the same way as anyone here, dropping thousands.