That's really reasonable...

I think to have a system so reasonably priced, you needed to do a lot of DIY stuff though, correct?

where'd you get everything from?

If I had to set up a 50 gal (assuming 36" width) lps reef on the cheap (without being ghetto) this is what I would start with:

- 50 gal tank with no center brace and stand
- single 150-250 watt MH pendant, fluorescents ok but dont look as good IMO
- heater
- 2 MJ 600's or 900's
- 25-50 lbs live rock
- thermometer
- timer
- hydrometer (personally, I would get a refractometer)
- salt
- calcium and carbonate test kits
- calcium and carbonate additives (turbo calcium, reef builder, kalkwasser or bulk equivalents)

Go bare bottom tank. Save up or tell friends/family that you want aquarium gift certificates for BDay/Xmas and get a good hang on skimmer down the road. I might be missing some incidentals but that's about what I would consider minimum.

:surprise:! Now that is a steal of a deal!

Well, i didnt include the price of the tank, which was a little costly since i had to have the glass cut. But tanks of normal sizes are quite easy to find cheap.

Its basicly a glass box with live rock in it. Thats all you need really.
But i guess if you start adding other things like salt, refractometer and the various other little thing, it would add up a bit more.

For a more expensive but still rather cheap my 235g tank cost about $3000, thats, a 200g starfire front tank
3x400mh set ups with bulbs
reeflo dart
ocean motions 4way
2 vortechs
marinetech calc reactor
33g refugium
coralife skimmer(but i do want a new more expensive one)
plumbing parts