Jared Posted September 17, 2006 Share Posted September 17, 2006 just woundering what you guys think the average cost is to set up a 10-15 gallon nano aquarium, with everything done right. Link to comment
shaggydoo541 Posted September 17, 2006 Share Posted September 17, 2006 Depends on what you want to keep. SPS obviously would require a more expensive setup than a softy setup. Could be anywhere from couple hundred bucks to 10x that Link to comment
er1c_the_reefer Posted September 17, 2006 Share Posted September 17, 2006 mine came out to around $450 give or take $100. after a while i just stopped keeping track. Link to comment
reefpeace Posted September 17, 2006 Share Posted September 17, 2006 I'm in for about $1000 CDN on an NC12DX with no mods other than a surface skimmer and a pump upgrade. That includes corals, inverts, rock and fish. Link to comment
fluidimagery Posted September 17, 2006 Share Posted September 17, 2006 I'm at about 3500 on a 25g with 20g sump. Link to comment
reefone Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 im about 1 grand deep into my ap24 2months old and aint close to being finished Link to comment
irishtexan Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 I have spent $300 on my 5.5G w/ only a few corals, my 2.5G has only costed me $40 so far not including the livestock. texx Link to comment
aquakevem Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 just woundering what you guys think the average cost is to set up a 10-15 gallon nano aquarium, with everything done right. i really dont think there is a average cost for a 10-15g. mostly depends on what you want for your tank as far as livestock and dry goods. you can be really cheap on buying stuff or spend money on the big and better things. i have spent $700+ for my 15g + 15g tanks and equipment. an thats without anything live in the tank yet Link to comment
RayWhisperer Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 I will not speak of the cost of "the Evil Nano Cube of Death", before it is finnished! When it is finished, and I post it, you will be able to guess what the cost may have been. Link to comment
Grandfinale03 Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 I found in this hobby, theres no minimum or maximum. You can get some things for steals, but if you want a certain piece of livestock bad enough, sky's the limit to what you will spend to keep it. I recommend $1000 to comfortably shoot for 10-15 gallons. Link to comment
distantfire Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 The cost of the tank set up also very's alot depending on where you live and where you shop. If your buying everything from online venders and shoping the classifieds you will save more money. Than a person who is stuck having to buy everything from there local fish store. Just to setup a 10gal cost me 1000 dollars without any fish or corals. After the tank is up and running than it becomes a money pit. Because your alway's buying salt, new corals, new fish, more inverts, better lights, bigger tank's etc etc. Link to comment
jeremai Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 My new 29 only cost $29, cause I just moved everything from my 40 - but I spent close to $1500 on that, so there you go. I think you could set up a 10 for $300 or less, livestock included - just be frugal. Link to comment
henry22 Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 Around 800 hundred for my 15, and its still not where I want it, livestock wise. Link to comment
Reef Casa Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 1200 for my 10g and its nothing special Link to comment
BustytheSnowMaam Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 I don't remember how much my substrate cost. However, the 20 lbs of LR in my home tank were @$150 and the lights were $150, add another @$400 for corals, inverts, and fish (this includes shipping)- yikes! Then there's bulbs, HOB filter, fish food, heater...wow, never realized it cost $800 or so before (I have a 10). I have a pretty simple set-up too. Tasha Link to comment
yomamaphat Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 I have saved every receipt, invoice, etc... and put them into a spreadsheet, so my total is accurate to the cent. Including my recent live stock order from Sea-life florida, which I will get on Thurs., I have spent $512.50. This is for everything, food, timers, water tests, pump upgrade, ghetto refugium light, shipping, taxes, etc... It ended up a nice rounded number $512.50 by chance, this is the real down to the cent costs so far incurred. I plan on spending a bit more, but probably won't pass the $600 mark for a while (unless I decide to do my custom Luxeon K2 LED light). My tank will be full. But what did I want to spend? I was hoping for under $400, typically taking the most frugal route. Generally I feel I got pretty good deals all around. I never had to buy salt, the LFS gives me free saltwater. My total on livestock is only ~$100, and its not much. All in all: I think you'd have a hard time spending less than $500 unless you cut some corners, and even at $500 you've probably cut some corners. Also depends on what you really want in your tank. I was totally entertained just watching weird/alien creatures crawl out my my live rock when I first set up my tank. If I'd stopped there I'd have saved alot of money But I had to have a fish and some cheap corals It has been as much fun for me at setting up my tank and all the preliminary stuff than it has been just watching it. So if you're a cheap easily entertained person like me, you might get away with $500, but I see most people replying have spent quite a bit more... Just set a budget, a plan, and try to work with it!!!! Good luck! Link to comment
PhatSOB Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 I am probably in about $1500 cdn on my 10g. It would be alot less if I wasn't stuck shipping everything in from out of province. For basic setup w/LR, the old saying $100/g isn't too far off. Link to comment
Neal Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 Just don't keep track. You'll feel a lot better about it in the end! That way, when your wife/SO asks you, you can honestly say you don't know. That's my strategy! Neal Link to comment
InLimbo87 Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 Yeah i'm not participating in this thread or else I'll be kicking myself on how much I've spent. lol Link to comment
yomamaphat Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 But it was worth it!! Blennies are just adorable! Yeah i'm not participating in this thread or else I'll be kicking myself on how much I've spent. lol Link to comment
Jared Posted September 18, 2006 Author Share Posted September 18, 2006 wow this thread makes me feel better, i have spent $500 SO FAR, but i havent put anthing i want in it yet, i thought i was paying way too much for my setup but it looks like im right on track Link to comment
junkitu Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 24G aquapod: ~$1200 Stress relief and recreation: priceless Link to comment
jemram Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 Mine looks like it's going to cost about £800 ($1500 US) just to get it to the point I can cycle the LR. The corals, inverts and fish are going to be extra. Link to comment
non-photosynt Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 Depends on what it will house (sorry, list in CND, 1.3 of USD): Tank- $10 Stand - ?, could be strong desk. Styrofoam for leveling - $10 Background or paint - $10 Salt mix- $20 floating glass hydrometer to measure salinity - $10, if refractometer -$45 AP test kits: NH3, NO2, NO3, Ca, kH, PO4, pH - $10x6=$60 Water dechlorinator - $10 If additives, like trace elements, amino-acids, alkalinity and calcium - $16x4 = $64 HOB filter $30, replacement media - may be $7 a month, good heater $30, thermometer, digital - $16 another source of flow - $27 light - AH supply 2x36W, US$97 with bulbs, replace every 6 months - another $34, live rock - if sale, $5 x 15 lb= $75 couple of small fish - no problem, $30-60 food for them - $4-8 (blended grocery mix or Prime Reef or Formula One pellets) plactic tool for picking things under water - $16 gravel cleaner or vinyl hose - $10 glass scruber $12 snails or hermits - $30 Now corals: it depends if SPS - add halide lighting, at least Viper JBJ - ~US200, plus replacement lamps ~80; protein skimmer for them $200 if softies - more carbon and (not neccessary) protein skimmer - $26+$100 if LPS - no problem, water changes only, if non-photosynthetic corals - whatever LPS or softies - I wouldn't do that, too much troubles, as with predatory fish. SeaSquirtTM $20 and big refugium ($40+) at least. Less expences on light. Food for them: if small-mouthed - $20x3kinds=$60, large-mouthed - $7 frozen cubes, $10 Cyclop-eezy, $4 grocery mix. By source of corals: full-grown colonies from LFS $50x20= 1000 +tx frags online - $14x20= 280 By design: 5-6 big bright colonies, strategically placed in the tank - less 50 SPS, tightly packed in a small volume - more SuperGlue gel $3 3g, to glue frags zip ties or epoxy $20 Power back-up $200, or without heating - battery operated air pump -$25 Improperly working equipment, cute puffer or lion or tassel, requiring not nano tank with big equipment in several months - arm and leg. Multiple tanks - multiply. Link to comment
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