The Cost of Reefing

[sharuq1]

It always costs much more than you originally thought it would....

[Aquattro]

My last large tank (155g) cost me about 10k total to get it where it was, including all stocking, equipment and associated costs. I then broke down the annual costs of all maintenance items (salt, bulbs, RO membranes, etc) with a cost of $137/mo to run.

So ya, these things can get pricey!!

[Parker]

Please, PLEASE don't make me add it all up!

With my 265 I'm pushing $14,000 and there isn't a drop of water in it. But most of the costs are tied up in cabinetry that goes along with the tank for astetic purposes but wasn't nessacary. I have no idea what the final number will be and I don't wan't to think about it, but I have been thrifty when if comes to equipment, buying used when I can etc.

[Haloreef]

I'm not telling... my wife may read this!

[VFX]

Here's the set up cost of my 60g mixed reef with approx UK prices in CAD.

• Deltec Micro Reef - $9000
• Tunze 6080 x 2 - $250
• Tunze Controller - $320
• Upgrade lights to 2 x 150 MH with T5 actinics - $1200

Over $10k for a 60g set up before you even got it wet!

Cost me at least another $6k on top of that once it was stocked & all the 'miscellaneous' items were bought.

Reefers have it good in Canada in terms of bang for buck.

My current Solana 34g set up owes me around $1300 so far not including live stock & corals...

• Tank, Stand & Light - $800
• Sand & Live Rock - $140
• 2 x Korallia 1 - $60
• 3 x Heaters - $60
• Power bars & cables - $60
• Thermometer - $20
• Miscellaneous - $150

A relative bargain in comparison!

VFX.

.

[mark]

Cost me a new house (wife got the house, I got the tank to go in it).

[Chowder]

It all depends on what your adding up. I have had my 65 Gallon for about 2 1/2 years now. If I add up all it took to get where I am now it would easily be over $10,000. This is mostly because I like to change my mind on what I like to keep. The tank itself has gone from no overflow to new tank with overflow, Softie to SPS, have had a hugh zoo collection that I got ride of about 8 months ago for 1/3 of what it cost me. Alot of the equipment has been upgraded as well.

[christyf5]

I bought mostly used stuff and think I got away well under what it would have cost new thats for sure. Plus I ended up doing various upgrades (tanks, skimmers mostly) so I didn't feel the pinch all at once, it was over many years. The last few years I've added some more pricey items to my system (chiller, aquatronica, wavebox) but I'd hate to add it up. I used to speak of it in "trips to mexico". I don't do that anymore

[Jason McK]

I don't even like to think about it. Thanks!

[Tom R]

Lets put it this way:

I could have retired a few years ago.

or

What my wife doesn't know will not hurt here.

Have you ever noticed that people new to the hobby pay with VISA, however once into the hobby they pay with CASH. No record of the use of cash.

Tom R