Switch to SW cost?

$200 to $250 for the essentials. From there the sky is the limit.

Any other equipmement? Spare pumps or powerheads?

My equipment suggestions would be
2 decent powerheads $25-30ea
1 cheap powerhead for mixing salt $15
refractometer $30-40
API Master SW test kit $20
50lbs of dry rock $110
aragonite sand $30-40
150g salt mix $40-50

I think that covers the basics to get you going. You could go with less rock if you wanted I'd try to atleast keep it at 1lb per gallon though.

no tap water you WILL have algae problems. buy your water and you should be ok. you could probably do without the powerheads depending on how you scape,try to keep an open scape to minimize deadspots.

I wouldn't skimp on the powerheads. With no sump or skimmer, he will want those. Also needed to suspend detritus. The AC 50s are fairly small so they won't do a lot of good flow wise. Best to keep those clean and run a little floss (replace often), carbon and GFO.

I can tell you what it has cost me so far to switch. It's been a bit steeper than I thought it would be.

30 lbs Aragonite sand - $30
5g bucket of sea salt - $40
Refractometer - $30
SW test kit - $20
Powerhead - $20

I've yet to purchase LR /Base rock combo, but I'm guestimating about $120 for me. Then live stock on top of that. It's a bit steeper than I expected. I may add a protein skimmer in the future which is about another $80-100 from what I see around here. I had a HOB and heater already. My powerhead was busted.

Branden_Pearson said:

What about a HOB skimmer would that help? Would I still have to run carbon and GFO with a hob skimmer? How often would I have to do water changes?


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Skimmer would help. If your buying RODI you can probably get away without carbon and gfo, I run purigen in my hob, and have run gfo off and on.. Weekly water change.