Lets see this is after about 6 months...

20g tank : Free
Substrate: $15.00
Live Sand: $15.00
Live Rock: $100.00
PC Lighting: $250.00
DIY Hood $30.00 (including all supplies to make it)
heater : $15.00
powerheads: $40.00 (3)
filter: $90.00
livestock: $220.00
Protein Skimmer: $35.00
Power Bar: $10.00
Oh and a big bucket of salt: $55.00

Not including test kits... and other minor things.. its about $875.00
About $43.75 per gallon.

Far below what I think a large setup would cost.

Chad

Correct. I recall I posted a while ago that it costs me about $130-$140/mo for operating costs.

I don't even want to know what the total cost is, but retail replacement at this time would approach 8 or 9 grand, I'm sure. (maybe more)

Just for fun, I am going to try to match Chad in nano costs. This is for the way my current nano is set up.

15 gallon tank - $15.00
Glass cover - $15.00
Aqualight - $75.00
Shipping - $14.00
Powerhead - $30.00?
AC 200 - $27.00?
Chemipure $10.00?
CPR Refugium - $160.00
Refugium light - $40.00?
Electronic Thermometer - $25.00
Powerbars & timer - $30.00?
Liverock - free
substrate - 0
Livestock - $200.00+
Stand - Free

That comes to a grand total of approximately $641.00. Some costs are shared with my main system, and are not factored in. Some items are just luxury, and the high cost of livestock is the $200.00 worth of zoos I bought recently.
:eek:

Even with some luxury, and unnecesary items, the cost is but a fraction of a large system. :mrgreen:

Alright alright I am still in the lead... woohooo :mrgreen: .. I could prolly add another couple hundred for test kits and such...

I'm curious now to see other Nano costs...

Chad..

Your big cost is the lighting. Would it be rude to ask what the lighting is :question: :question:

hmmmmm............................... no.. :biggrin:

110watt PC 10K.. with reflectors and all that jazz.. I was including the bulb price as well..

Chad

Nice to have found you folks :)

I was going to go with a 30 g reef, but I like the 45 g dimensions better: 36 x 12 x 24 (the tank-to-be can't be longer than 36" as I'm running out of room in this little house).

I was surprised to see the price difference between a 30 g long (~ $65) and the 45 g (~ $215) at the same store. Unless I can find a less expensive supplier, I may have to go with my original plan for a 30 g...

I'm a reef newbie and still in the slow process of accumulating supplies - hope to be able to start the tank cycling by Christmas (Santa, are ya listening?)

Here's what I have so far:
175 MH/E-ballast/Spider reflector (no bulb) - $127.00 (eBay)
Base rock - $0.00 (made it)
Substrate - $10.00
Oyster shell - $6.00
Powerhead (AC 802) - $41.99
AC 500 - $59.99 (PetsnPonds)
Hagen glo-mat e-ballast (2x40W) - $47.99
30W Phillips actinic - $13.69
30W Powerglo lamp - $17.19
Kent sea salt - $79.00
Stand (built own) - $50.00

Spent so far: $452.85

And here's what I still need:
Aquarium - $200.00?
175W MH bulb - $80.00?
Electronic Thermometer - $25.00?
Powerbars & timer - $30.00?
Heater - $35.00?
8# Live sand (seed) - $32.00?
8# Live rock (seed) - $48.00?
Salifert tests - ~ $100.00
Canopy (build own) - $25.00
RO/DI water (local store) $0.40/gal - $20.00

Still need to spend: ~ $595.00
Sheesh, that 's about $1050 all totalled and and *no* animals accounted for! :eek:
I plan on only having 1 or 2 fish and prob won't add them until the tank has been established for 3-4 months. Hopefully I'll be ready for a few shrooms and zoo's by springtime.

oops - didn't mean to be so long winded with my first post...
Cheers!
~Tamara

Tamara, welcome to Canreef. Glad you found us. I think the price for the 45g is way high. I'm pretty sure I can get it here for less than $100!!

Thanks Brad, I thought so too!
I'll just have to keep looking...
~Tamara

But, at $42.73/gallon that is comparatively very high. I'm sure you could start a larger system for less (per gallon) which I think is what the original poster meant. :question:

Also, speaking from experience, the beginning reefer, setting up a nano, normally wouldn't have access to the advantageous pricing (ie, cheap/free rock, tanks, etc) that you, more knowledgable, reefers have.