500 Gal. Reef

[fusd71]

WOW, I went with my LFS to a customers house to service a 500 gal. reef. I learned alot and man was it gorgeous. The way he set up the LR and decorated everything was just unbelievable. I am learning so much from him and all you guys and girls as well.
I am posting this because a while ago I posted a thread about having shark in my 90. Well the owner of the 500 just had to have a shark. It "WAS" about 7 inches until the green carpet got a hold of it. My LFS told the customer it was a bad idea but she had to have it...... A learning experience. She should have listened to the LFS

 

[mmslue79]

What were the dimensions of the tank, roughly? Man I can not even imagine LR for that tank. It would be like buying a new car!

 

[fusd71]

it looked to be about 6'X3'X3'. It had 700 lbs. of LR. And the whole filtration system was out of this world.
My LFS said the customer has spent just over $50,000.00 so far.

 

[hnf2k]

had to be bigger than that im guessing. a 200 is 7 x 2 x 2. wouldnt a 500 hafta be more than twice the size?

 

[starfishjackedme]

I could see spending 10-12 grand but no more than that. Seriously, where did all that money go? I would DIY and build it in-wall, and buy all the components over the internet, not at the LFS. They must have charged her about $15000 for the skimmer itself LOL.

 

[fusd71]

The tank is a wall that separates the dining room and living room. It is completely enclosed. All the filtration is in the basement. so I guess alot of money went to the plumber and the builder to build a room for all the stuff (about 14X14). You name it, this tank has it.

 

[cwfish]

Sounds like a great tank... I have to say, I think someone is pulling your leg about the 50k though. I have a 300 gal with just about all the goodies you can think of as well as having the pumps & filtration located in a seperate room downstairs. I have probably spent 8-9k on my whole setup and there is no way she spent over 20k-25k unless you count the room where you put it in! Let see, the basement cost me X, and the room upstairs cost me Y.. Hmmm... I figure I got about 100k in my tank! HA HA.. Just kidding, although I do wonder where the 50k number came from.... I would LOVE to see a picture of it if you had it. I am sure it looks incredible.

 

[sal t. nutz]

Prolly something like 96x36x34. That is roughly 500 gal

 

[jonthefb]

yeah Fusd, i too would liek to see a pic if you can get one outta her!
good luck
jon

 

[fusd71]

If I had a camera at the time, I would have taken one but it was a spur of the moment thing that I went there. I will ask the guy at my LFS to take one and give it to me.

 

[fusd71]

I also think the one year service plan is also in the price. The lady doesn't even feed her tank. My LFS has 5 guys that service tanks and someone has to go there just to feed. That can add up I guess. The lady just wants the beauty of a tank, she doesn't want to do ANYTHING.

 

[hnf2k]

amen to her. that's all i want also. but until i win lotto, i'm not getting it.

 

[reeftanknewbie]

Think of it this way.. 700#s LR @ $3=$2100 now we know if she doesnt want anything to do with it she paid more cause she contracted the lfs to set it up and most lfs charge at least $1 a gallon for setup. glass or acrylic. she probully didnt shop around she just hired someone to do it. I mean she isn't even feeding here own fish someone probully took her for a ride on that price because of it. What do plumbers charge an hour? I don't think it was 50,000 but then again who knows.

 

[hnf2k]

3 bucks a pound? i wish. i paid a little over 4 for mine.

 

[reeftanknewbie]

I know i paid up to $10 a # for some of mine. But i was giving her a break if she bought 700# then they might have given her a good deal.