This is an Expensive hobby...lol

[arpy]

I'm 3 days and $950.75 into this hobby... 75g, Tom Rapids Pro PS3 filtration, extra powerhead/filter, live coral sand and the first 15lbs of live rock.

The first critter I found after adding the lr was a small Nerite snail. I was thrilled!

Then I found a tiny feather duster and 2... well, I haven't identified them yet (a friend has one, but I don't know what they are)... purple tube-like with tentacles at the top that sway in the current, each is about 1/8" long. I think the one my friend has is around 3" now...

I'll be breaking the $1,000 mark on my next purchase of lr next weekend! :headbang2:

 

[BrkD]

hehe ive probably spent over $2000 usd on my tanks. dont really keep count anymore. 55g 10g freshwater and now 45g saltwater.

 

[NikkO]

I feel sorry for you guys where LR/LS is expensive. Socal is an awesome place to live if you keep marine tanks. LFS's can sell semi-cured rock from $3-4/lb and if youre lucky $2/lb during a sale. I was able to score a good 150-200lbs of LR and 200+lbs of LS for only 300 bucks from a fellow reefer that was breaking down a 450gal. Thanks to his generosity I was able to get my PFO 400w for 150 a piece, including a dual 400w HQI ballast, mogul pendants and 20k ushio bulbs...one being a few weeks old while the other a few months.

I still plan on buying a custom skimmer @ around $800-1200... which is a steal compared to similarly rated Bubblekings and Deltecs. The transfer from FW to SW only costed $50 not counting the water used. I'm guessing once I'm done getting all the equipment I should be at a good $2500-3200.

As for livestock spending...I have no idea. Mostly I'm just starting off from small SPS frags for $5-15/piece, then a few large SPS colonies to make the tank seem more established.

 

[chickenhawk]

You can definitely get into the hobby w/out breaking your bank; you just have to keep an eye out for deals!

75 glass Oceanic tank, stand, and lighting, filtration system, syphon tubes, skimmer boxes, 2 power heads, outside hanging pre-filter boxes, sump; heater; large pieces of dead coral; salt mix; crushed coral sand, and 2 tomato clowns - $350

Around 40 lbs LR - $200

1 large dottyback for $4, 2 squirrel fish for $3 each, a lunare wrasse for $4, 1 arrow crab for $3, cleanup crew for around $35 (around 15 snails and 15 hermits so far), 4 assorted damsels for $8 - $60 total

New pump for an old skimmer I had: $25

More instant salt - $20

Total: $655

Not too shabby, I'd say! However, this is only a FOWLR tank and I'm not even going to go into how much I spent on my 12 gallon reef failure :angryfire: .

 

[Mgamer20o0]

one of the reasons i stick with fw. i keep track of all the money i spend on my fish stuff.

 

[joander123]

heh im up to about 600 for my 110 gallon tank so far, and that only includes

-Stand
-Tank
-Powerheads/filters (flow stuffs)
-Lighting (still not as high as i need it only 2.7 wpg atm)
-Heater
-Thermometer
-Hood


it is expensive, i still need a skimmer, all my LR all my Substrate.... more lighting and the makings for a sump as well.

JEESH!

-jay