125 gal set up costs

creep · #1 03/08/2006, 04:21 PM

I am in the planning stages of a 125. Just so i know about how much i need to start it up properly. Approximately how much did everyone spend to set up their 125 for a reef. My estimates have me around $3000 for everything excluding livestock. Does this sound about right?

Wryknow · #2 03/08/2006, 04:43 PM

$30 per gallon seems to be about the lowest I can do when planning out a reef tank with good quality components. Just remember to factor in some money for things that you may not have budgeted for. For example, plumbing can be expensive and is something that many people do not adequately plan for. If you post a list of what you think that you'll be needing we can make suggestions and perhaps point out any oversights (if you made any like I did :-)

rudeanduncouth · #3 03/08/2006, 04:46 PM

I am setting up a 125 right now. I spent about $1500 on lights (3x400w MH, 2x80w VHO), and about $350 on a EV-180, $100 on building my stand, $200 on a couple of return pumps (I am using a manifold). I got the tank for free. I have spent another $100 on sand, only about 100lb though. So far I guess I have spent about $2300. I still need to get LR, and stock it so. $3000 is probably a fair estimate depending on what direction you go in for lights.

MCary · #4 03/08/2006, 04:55 PM

I set up a 150 for around $5000.

Lemme see:

Tank & Stand $500
150 lbs live rock $500
Sand $100
DIY Overflow $60
Sump $285
Lights $640
Fish $300
Coral $400
Clean-up crew $100
40 gallon acrylic for refuge $213
Return Pump $145
Skimmer pump $75
Skimmer $390
Pump for refugium $62
Heater $30
Power heads for circulation $300
Ca Reactor $461
UV Sterilyzer $200
RO/DI $200
CO2 bottle $120
Regulator $60
Neptune Jr controllerw/ direct connect 8 $375
Tunze osmolator $175
Refractometer, food, additives, test kits Misc. $350

What's that? $6041

Dam, that's more than I thought! What am I, some kind of moron!

Mike

creep · #5 03/08/2006, 05:05 PM

here is a list of what i was thinking i would need. I already have test kits, a ro/di unit, and some rock and sand.

125 gallon reef ready tank $350.00
stand $200.00 (most likely built myself)
lights $1,000.00 (combination of MH's and VHO's)
sump $50.00 (i already have most of the stuff for this)
protein skimmer $300.00
200 lbs live rock $800.00
200 lbs live/dead sand $150.00
power heads $150.00
heaters $100.00

One thing i didn't factor in was all the plumbing. I'm not sure exactly what i will need yet. I haven't finalized the tank or the complete setup.

what else will i need? I had a 40 gallon FOWLR tank set up for a couple of years untill my heater malfunctioned and boiled my tank. I am going to be setting up a 10 gal nano reef while i save for the 125.

MCary · #6 03/08/2006, 05:16 PM

I forgot plumbing supplies and salt and I didn't bother with figuring shipping charges..

Salt $100
Plumbing <$50

Your going to need some pumps. Probably around $200. Mag9's are $75. I use a little giant 4 $145.

You'll want some top-off system. Can be DIY cheap or Osmolator expensive.

YoungReefer06 · #7 03/08/2006, 05:38 PM

I set up my 125g with all the goodies (protein skimmer, lights, poerheads, fuges, UV, etc) and all the livestock, (my fish are noted below in "Current Tanks"). Also 180 pounds of liverock and 250 pounds of sand, as well as all the other stuff such as an RODI unit ith trash can and poerheads for mixing, and all the different chemicals and dosing pumps and all that good stuff for around $8,000. Keep in mind though I probally have bought alot of stuff you don't ABSOLUTLY NEED to have, but then again, I love my tank.

To keep it simple $8,000.

-Kyle

Wryknow · #8 03/08/2006, 05:46 PM

It sounds like a reasonable budget to me, but now I would want to start specifying specific equipment and costs, i.e. instead of heaters - $100, two Jager 200W heaters - $78 (Marinedepot) etc.... :-) Just MHO.

MCary · #9 03/08/2006, 05:46 PM

If you really want the best for the least out of pocket costs, do what I did and win a couple online poker tournaments.

creep · #10 03/08/2006, 05:51 PM

I play online poker all the time. but only the cheap tourny's. i am thinking of convincing a LFS to let me work there for store credit. Hopefully i can buy stuff at cost if i do that. I will most likely be a year or so before i can set this up. I just started putting my list together a couple of weeks ago. But definately the next step is to make some sketches, and figure out the specific products i want. and exactly how much they will cost. Does anyone know of a LFS in the Long Beach, Ca area that would let me work for store credit?

dwsindy · #11 03/08/2006, 06:02 PM

I recently set up a 125 with all new items no DIY. That includes pumps,sump,tank,stand,lights.ASM skimmer,sand,liverock,tunze pumps & controller, and plumbing. I would hate to add everything up but a good guess would be around $3,000 to $3,500. Worth every penny though!!

Alaskan Reefer · #12 03/08/2006, 06:54 PM

Here's my 125 gallon tally, keep in mind it all includes freight to AK. I didn't include the electrician bill for the dedicated circuits...

Tank -- AGA 125 RR plus freight to AK -- $400
Stand -- free from a friend
Sump -- AGA Megaflow sump #4 -- $400
Plumbing -- AGA Megaflow kits (2), 5/8 flexible tubing -- $100
Lighting -- 432W SLS T5 array (had it left over from 75), new bulbs, Reef Optix 150W HQI pendant -- $900
Hood / Light Stand -- DIY, about $75
Skimmer -- Euroreef CS-180 / gate valve mod -- $675
Pumps-- Eheim 1262, Tunze 6060 streams (2) -- $400
Refugium -- AquaFuge HOB 25", Jebo lighting -- $200
Topoff -- Litermeter III, 44 gallon Brute -- $400
Other -- eggcrate covers, Tunze algae magnets, Salifert test kits, kalkwasser mix, 2 part additive, etc. -- $200

So, equipment total is around $3750 without livestock, and including LR and corals I already owned, somewhere around $1500 for that. Just over $5000 at this point, with about another $1000 worth of corals still left to be bought.

old salty · #13 03/08/2006, 08:00 PM

Creep,

You forgot one important ingredient.....SALT!!

You should look into a nice RO/DI unit as well. You will be making lots of water and evaporating over 2 gallons a day.

I would also suggest you look into getting some base rock in place of the live rock. www.reeferrocks.com is a really good place to look.

Add in light timers, a few surge protectors (adds additional outlets), GFCI unit, mixing containers, refractometer, test kits, thermometer, buckets, etc.... and this stuff really begins to add up!!

Jamie2337 · #14 03/08/2006, 08:37 PM

One way to save a lot of cost is to hang out on the sale forums. There is a lot of great stuff at good prices. But stuff goes fast. I found my 125 gallon, stand, canopy, 2 400W metal halides, live rock, corals, fish, bucket of salt, sump, RO/DI, ASM G3 skimmer all for $700. Can't beat that! Good luck!

Glove · #15 03/08/2006, 08:56 PM

Speaking of saving costs...I thought I would join in. I wanted a 125 and I found one used. This would be a good example of the money you CAN save if you look around and dont get into a hurry.

$600 for...
tank, stand, canopy, sump, (2) 250 MH SE w/ 2 icecap ballasts, a mag 12, small seo, plumbing, about 40lbs of sand, lots of cheato, an urchin, and pods
$550 for....
Geo protien skimmer (36" tall w/sedra 900gph pump)
Geo CA reactor with pump and power head, Pinpoint PH controller, CO2 tank, regulator, and selinoid.
Typhoon III RO/DI system from AirWaterIce- using it now and it makes my water go from 470-500 down to 4-7.
small powerhead
(2) 100 watt heaters

I need some rock (400-800)and more sand.
I think I want an external pump (150+)
Salt
I need to change the top trim of the tank (has a center brace in the center)
makes it hard to use 3 lamps without a shadow
(something to know when you look at your 125)

so take you time and watch the boards.

steve the plumb · #16 03/08/2006, 09:25 PM

You will save a ton of money if you buy used.This is ONE HELL OF AN EXPENSIVE HOBBY.Don't forget to think about losses.Yes there is always something that might die fish coral clams.Due to stupidity misfortune or a mistake.Some fish or corals die for reasons unknown.The corals are what will cost you a smalll fortune.If you can buy frags.Small and cheap.They will grow and you will enjoy watching them grow.If you can find someone who has given up on the hobby its one way to get stuff cheap.I find its addictive and the spending never ends.Bigger and better is always nice.I have a 150 and now I am thinking of a 300gal.

UnderwaterExotic · #17 03/08/2006, 09:27 PM

$50.00/gallon

hopper · #18 03/09/2006, 12:46 AM

Just wanted to add in here for you to be careful about how much light you plan on producing for your tank. One guy on here said he had 3-400 watt MH's on his 125. That's fine if you have a chiller. But then you need to add several more of the 100 dollar bills to the equation for the chiller. If you don't plan on keeping clams or anything else that needs the stadium lights, you can get by with 2-250's or maybe even 2-175's. Just throw in a few fans for when the halides on turned on and your temps will stay where you need them to be.

mg426 · #19 03/09/2006, 01:46 AM

I have figured out a way to make a small fortune running a reef tank. Start with a large fortune !! Aint it great though

creep · #20 03/09/2006, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by old salty
Creep,

You forgot one important ingredient.....SALT!!

You should look into a nice RO/DI unit as well. You will be making lots of water and evaporating over 2 gallons a day.

I would also suggest you look into getting some base rock in place of the live rock. www.reeferrocks.com is a really good place to look.

Add in light timers, a few surge protectors (adds additional outlets), GFCI unit, mixing containers, refractometer, test kits, thermometer, buckets, etc.... and this stuff really begins to add up!!

I already have a RO/DI unit, test kits, refractometer, buckets, and all of that stuff. But When the time comes for me to actually purchase all of this stuff, i will definately search the sale forums. Thanks for everyone who is giving their input. Please keep doing so. Its forums like this that really help improve the overall experience for keeping an aquarium.

Mouse · #21 03/09/2006, 03:24 AM

Im also setting up a 125, but slowly =/
I have found it easier to not keep track of what I have spent

Im14abeer · #22 03/09/2006, 07:05 AM

Quote:

You will save a ton of money if you buy used.This is ONE HELL OF AN EXPENSIVE HOBBY.Don't forget to think about losses.Yes there is always something that might die fish coral clams.Due to stupidity misfortune or a mistake.Some fish or corals die for reasons unknown.The corals are what will cost you a smalll fortune.If you can buy frags.Small and cheap.They will grow and you will enjoy watching them grow.If you can find someone who has given up on the hobby its one way to get stuff cheap.I find its addictive and the spending never ends.Bigger and better is always nice.I have a 150 and now I am thinking of a 300gal.

Great plumbers think alike

If you watch ebay and the seller's forums for a setup, it'll probably be less than half price, including renting a trailer. Even if some components are less than optimal, or crap out, you'll still be ahead. (Really still behind, but that's the nature of the hobby!) And if you want to make some modifications, which you surely will, there will still be money left if you use your original, new setup budget.

Good luck!
>jamie