how much did your nano cost?

[BustytheSnowMaam]

24G aquapod: ~$1200

Stress relief and recreation: priceless

 

You just said it all.

 

Tasha

[Harry]

Great thread for us newbies.

Sometimes when I think of the cost involved, I consider staying freshwater only. But then I read a few more pages of Bornemans book or visit this forum.

[NotGumbelWV]

Over $600 so far and I've not yet added fish (check out link in my sig for a breakdown of costs)

 

However, that said ... I consider it money very well spent. And I'm delaying or perhaps even reconsidering the eventual addition of fish.

[calvin]

best tip: find your local reef club. if you don't have one, start one. I got LR, sand, and 80% of my frags for my nano this way and saved a TON of money. there's no way to do this hobby cheap, but if you network, have some limited DIY skills and ingenuity you can wind up spending A LOT less than most people in this thread.

[geekreef_05]

$1700 CAN for my 15H nano. Actually cost less to setup my 60 gallon FOWLR. I used expensive lr rock and equipment though (the tank is as automated as it can get).

 

Id budget $1500 at LEAST for a nano if this is your first attempt in this hobby. There are lots of little things to buy.

[nano-paul]

The good thing about this hobby is you dont have to do everything all at once. Tank, LR/LS, refractometer, heater, supplements, test kits and upgrade pump (if a NC or AP). After that if your paitent you can wait for a while to start corals and inverts and fish. Thats what I did.

 

AP 24 $139.99

B-Inoic calcium & alk. $16.99

30 lbs. LS & 30lbs. LR $150.00

Refractometer $45.00

Test kits $50.00

Heater $30.00

Ugraded pump (Rio 1400) $40.00

Salt mix $30.00

bucket for mixing salt and other things $7.00

Gravel vaccum $15.00

Carbon & media bag $15.00

 

 

GRAND TOTAL $538.98

 

Did I miss anything?

[fewskillz]

20h aga - $40

ac110 - $40

ac powerhead - $18

heater - $20

LR/LS - $100

lights - $50

timer - $20

Acrylic/Eggcrate/epoxy/silicon - $30

Clown pair - $65

Cleaner Shrimp/CUC - $50

first coral frags - $30

 

All maint. supplies/salt/test kits etc I already had because of my FOWLR

 

So...that's $500 pretty much, I didn't list absolutely everything (fuge lights, aquarium stand, magfloat, I just keep remembering stuff).

 

I know I've spent well over $3000 (probably pushing 4 or 5k) on all of the tanks listed in my sig, and I'm setting up a new planted FW tank this weekend!

 

My name is Chris, and I am an addict.

[Argent]

my three tanks are still costing me money -- probably sunk close to $1000 between the 5 tanks I've had since Feb.

[fewskillz]

best tip: find your local reef club. if you don't have one, start one. I got LR, sand, and 80% of my frags for my nano this way and saved a TON of money. there's no way to do this hobby cheap, but if you network, have some limited DIY skills and ingenuity you can wind up spending A LOT less than most people in this thread.

 

Yes, very good advice! Even if it's not a club, just find a friend. Travisurfer and I met through our local surfing forum and have helped eachother a few times already. It's also nice to have someone to trade/split stuff with locally. DIY on everything that you can.

[el_santo]

wow, i've not really thought about the total cost when i've spent say $20 here and $25 there.. i think a rough estimate is that i'm about $400 into it and looking to spend probably another $300 on lighting upgrades, skimmer, and more corals..

[bigbabich]

I have two tanks now.

A 24 pod and a 29g.

My 24 is probably around $1200 as well.

The 29 was second and has been cheaper per gallon as I now know lots more, like where to buy good/cheap LR, etc.

Also I now know what sucks and what not to buy.

Plus all my test kits now do double duty, my zoas and shrooms are breeding enough to swap over and I know what powerheads suck which ones will keep on pumping.

[proraptor2]

I dont have a nano but I have probably $2000 into my setup and about the same in corals

[nano-paul]

Let me sum it up for you.

 

 

One box of saltwater = beanie weenies and ramen noodles for you

[ADough]

I think there is a man law about discussing the cost of tank setup.

This thread should be closed

[jshev]

I just started a IM 10 gallon fusion. I am at 380, and don't have any living organisms in it yet . I gave myself a budget of 500 for this tank and thats about where I will be (a little over for those nice corals ).

[Reef Hollister]

just woundering what you guys think the average cost is to set up a 10-15 gallon nano aquarium, with everything done right.

"Done right" is too relative of a term. What do you want to keep in it? That will make a big difference in the lights. 10-15 gallons for soft corals....>$500 if you get help from here (through advice) and don't listen to a salesperson at Petco.

[Dylan.N]

"Done right" is too relative of a term. What do you want to keep in it? That will make a big difference in the lights. 10-15 gallons for soft corals....>$500 if you get help from here (through advice) and don't listen to a salesperson at Petco.

This thread is from 2006

[Reef Hollister]

This thread is from 2006

I didn't look at that. Someone brought it back up today and it shows up as a recent thread on my screen. I wonder how he came out 10 years ago since we are on it?

[Dylan.N]

I didn't look at that. Someone brought it back up today and it shows up as a recent thread on my screen. I wonder how he came out 10 years ago since we are on it?

Time to do an inflation experiment.

[Dylan.N]

I didn't look at that. Someone brought it back up today and it shows up as a recent thread on my screen. I wonder how he came out 10 years ago since we are on it?

Looks like we won't be hearing from OP, though. Profile says he hasn't been active since 2009.

[ReefWeeds]

I don't wanna know what my tanks cost me

 

Well, the 12 gallon macro tank is the least expensive with coral compulsion macro bulbs, a heater, a hydor Koralia, ATO, a AIO kit, one fish, a few inverts and some macros. That one I wouldn't mind tallying. The others - no way. I might fall over.

[squamptonbc]

Holy old thread, but since it's here I'll add a rough estimate.

 

Tank & stand (M40) was 200 or 250 new from a going out of business sale.

 

Replaced stock light with AI Prime which ran me 227 dollars on amazon ca

 

Replaced stock skimmer with a used but excellent condition Aqua C remora, which is no longer sold locally new, 120 or about 1/2 the cost of buying a new one from the US after exchange rate and shipping.

 

Dry rock ran about 20 dollars, live rock from another reefer $20

 

pair of clown and some mushroom corals from another reefer $60

 

Some sort of soft coral, name is escaping me at the moment $20

 

Mushroom coral on a rock, green fuzzy $15

 

CUC $15

 

Test kits probably about $100

 

2 bags of salt far $40

 

Bag of sand $30

 

All prices in Canadian dollars, reduce prices about 25-30% for US$ pricing.

[Elizabeth94]

Reef tanks will be as expensive as you will let them be. I am scared to say I have over a grand invested for my new build, but about $500 of that was for an ATI unit.

 

I have a bad habit of falling in love with expensive equipment. Ugh.

[basser1]

Can't tell ya.... The wife would kill me!

[fishfreak0114]

I've never actually worked it out because I think I'd faint, but I'm guessing I've spent over $2000 at this point!