mandy111
Active Member
Thank go for your comment. I thought I was going crazy. Lol. I spend a bomb but have something I am really proud to have. Thank you
you ever think about just getting out of it?
- Thread starter seecrabrun
- Start date
mandy111
Active Member
Ok. Well I run a 400g change I change 250lts each change every 3 weeks.
seecrabrun
Active Member
She's in Australia
flower
Well-Known Member
Now I understand... where you live makes all the difference doesn't it. On a 400g tank I bet it does get off the roof high in costs. LOL Mandy...Your only solution...come to America!
silverado61
Well-Known Member
You'd think that living by the "Great Barrier Reef" it wouldn't cost that much.
flower
Well-Known Member
I imagine if was allowed to be harvested by people with saltwater tanks, there wouldn't be a Great Barrier Reef for long.
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
I guess it's a matter of what you consider $$$$$$ LOL.
First of all my FW planted tanks have ran for up to 9 years with no mechanical filtration/circulation, no water changes, straight untreated tap water, and with descendants of the original cycle fish.
So to me what is important is to simply establish a balanced stable eco system as the very first thing.
So I start the tank with macro algae (or an algae turf scrubber which I haven't used) as the very first thing. then add fish slowly and limit feeding. the prevents the ammonia->nitrite spikes and provides a low co2 high oxygen environment. So the fish feel absolutely no stress and if fact are subjected to a healthy stable environment.
Then I do no water changes (just topoff evaporative losses) so that saves on salt costs plus the tank conditions are balanced and stable as a result.
For equipment, my sumps were inexpensive plastic storage containers. The overflow was made from $20 of pvc. So the main costs of the sump was the return motor.
The best thing I did (although not attractive to Bang LOL) was just partition the tank to form an in tank refugium. Nitrates dropped to unmeasureble in 3 weeks and phosphates followed a few months later.
To maintain calcium/alk./mag I did the improved diy two part system where $60 worth of chemicals provided literally 10+ years of dosing.
I did use, on one tank, a diy wet dry made from a wastebasket and used crushed oyster shells as the filter media.
I also had "easy" type corals and some fish were spawning as well.
I'm sure the skimmers and other system work and produce excellent tanks especially for more delicate sys type corals. So if that's your thing go for it.
I'm also sure that almost everything we have in a saltwater/reef tank can be maintained without a lot of the expense most reef tanks consume.
Edit: also no live rock no live sand as well. Got ~200 pound of limestone rock from a quarry here. $20/ton and they didn't charge for such a small amount. Sand was just common play sand 50 pound bag for $3 or so. LOL
end edit
my .02
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silverado61
Well-Known Member
A lot of companies over seas are being regulated on what, how, and how much they harvest. Some companies are even more stringent with their harvesting protocols than their country is.
mandy111
Active Member
hi at @beaslbob
couple of examples
Red gone $220.00 Clam $240 Cheeapest elegence coral $79.00 Live rock $19.99 per kilo These 3 coral alone $540.00. Obviously cant survive without water changes so must be done frequently and then alk cal mag depletes as well, so although water changes done every 21 days, dosing big 3 is required every single day.
Hope this helps you understand just a little more on the cost here in australia.
couple of examples
Red gone $220.00 Clam $240 Cheeapest elegence coral $79.00 Live rock $19.99 per kilo These 3 coral alone $540.00. Obviously cant survive without water changes so must be done frequently and then alk cal mag depletes as well, so although water changes done every 21 days, dosing big 3 is required every single day.
Hope this helps you understand just a little more on the cost here in australia.
bang guy
Moderator
$420 US
seecrabrun
Active Member
Oh is our dollar stronger now? Last time I checked we were one for one.
mandy111
Active Member
Yup. It is. So we crash Tank we are talking thousands & thousands. That's why I say tank is the cheap part maintenance , Corals , fish the very expensive part
mandy111
Active Member
That is a question a lot of Aussies are asking. Why are we paying so much. ? No idea. Certainly not transport.
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
mandy111
Water changes at levels hobbiest use will never maintain anything that is changing. Sure if you constantly circulate perfect water so the tank receives 2-3 complete water changes per day then that would work.
What happens is the changes build up to where they are removed by the water change. So if you to a 10% water change each day the tank winds up at 10 times the change between water changes. 20% 5 times, 5% 20 times and so on.
Which is why we have to dose calcium alk mag even with water changes.
what is important is to reduce the rate of change in the tank.
my .02
Water changes at levels hobbiest use will never maintain anything that is changing. Sure if you constantly circulate perfect water so the tank receives 2-3 complete water changes per day then that would work.
What happens is the changes build up to where they are removed by the water change. So if you to a 10% water change each day the tank winds up at 10 times the change between water changes. 20% 5 times, 5% 20 times and so on.
Which is why we have to dose calcium alk mag even with water changes.
what is important is to reduce the rate of change in the tank.
my .02
mandy111
Active Member
I just don't understand how you can keep a healthy system without regular changes. There are so many elements in the water we don't/ can't test for. I know my tanks inhabitants corals. & fish love a change I actually think it's cruel to NOT do changes. Would love to see the picture of this healthy tank you speak of. I can't image being a happy thriving fish in a tank with 6 month old water.