Cost for a 40 gallon setup?

[derekwade]

hi, i would like too know a price estimate for a 40 gallon salt water setup. I have the tank, stand and lighting already.

 

[kpogue]

I have a 30 - I too had the tank,stand lighting. When it was all said and done w/corals and lives stock it was/is $1083.62.

 

[newreefers]

It truly depends on what you put in the tank. reef tank or fish only tank. I have a 37 reef tank and have well over $2000.00 into it. I think your biggest expense will be lighting & skimmers. lighting can run from 300 - 500 and a good skimmer 200 -300. You may be able to get a more acurate answere if you post what you want in the tank.

 

[killyah]

as said it depends on what ur ganna be putting in it. my 29 gal reef cost me over $800.oo ....... reef tank will cost more then fish only tanks! one more thing to think about.. it's the lighting that hurts the most IMO.

 

[jakob4001]

you can still do a low end reef tank & have it not really cost too much more than FO; as you keep seeing, it depends what you will put in it...the size & type of lighting & of course your budget will limit you...
being you have the stand & tank & probably some type of NO lighting...if you went w/ a reef type tank, you're most expensive upfront item would most likely be Live Rock and the substrate...
IF you kept your bioload down & could deal w/ having only 2 or 3 fish depending on what they are and purchased mushroom coral, button polyps, zoanthids; mostly softies in other words, you should have a presentable looking tank at medium range cost than if you were looking at trying to have various sorts of corals & as many fish that you could put in...
online purchase of your LR is usually cheaper w/ the S&H in bulk than trying to buy most of your LR locally depending on where you live...
some online retailers even offer "pool" orders where S&H fees are split up in some manner that are sent to whoever has set up the pool order...

 

[brooklyn johnny]

One important conversion... when all is said and done and you find out what you THINK you will spend... multiply that by between two and three to get a more accurate answer... Can anybody honestly state that when they first got into this hobby they thought they would have spent LESS than they actually did?

 

[gliderpt]

Just started a reef tank a little ove a month ago and have spent a little over $1,300. In the next month or so I'll be spending another $600.

 

[bneal]

I have a 55 gal fish only. Bought the tank from a friend for $75, and I put it together buy it off ----.
10gal sump(Fish tank already have)
2.5 gal bio that sits in the sump and over flow made by the Mfg
that makes Kent marine stuff New (----) $80
Large Four campartment canister new in box (----) $69
Amiricle Protine Skimmer like new(----) $28
VHO Light New(----) $80
New Bulbs (LFS) $70
80lbs Dead Rock (----) $80
600 Gph Sump pump New(----) $15
520 Gph Pump for skimmer New(----) $12
You get the Idea.

 

[bneal]

Did not include fish and inverts. That varies with dealer and what you want.
I have about $150 in critters
Coral Angel
Cinnimon Clown
YT Damsel
Cleaner shrimp
CB shrimp
Arrow crab
6 emerald crabs
1 florida condi
Had a Maroon clown to small something attacked him
and a royal gramma who would not eat.
I miss them both

 

[ivanfj]

I live in Canada and my 33 gallons tank costs me less than $200 cdn with everything done.

 

[ekclark]

The rule of thumb is 10-15 dollars per gallon. I converted an old fw tank to a reef...I already had the tank, stand, canopy, and a few other things and managed to spend $2000 in the the first three months. I guess it is all in what you want, but for me the 100# of lr and the stronger lights are what killed me. Sweet suicide

 

[slothy]

i got about 1400-1500, and just spent another 350 on new lights... 40 gallon tall

 

[krishj39]

Yup, its always more expensive than you think. I spent 300$ on a fairly complete 90 gallon setup. I didn't think I'd put more than 200$ more into it to get it "finished." It's been a month and I have spent at LEAST 600$ beyond the 300$ the original setup cost. I still have to buy live rock, corals, and better lighting too

 

[tracklighter]

I just spent about 1200.00 for my new 29 gallon. I plan on spending a few more hundred also. It isn't cheap.

 

[steve40]

IT WONT AND NEVER WILL COME CHEAP

 

[legion]

I'll bet I've put more than 2000 in my 40 breeder.

 

[eight2178]

ive just put together a 40 gal set up on a "starving college student with a girlfriend with no job and 2 dogs budget...." so far ive spent:
tank: priceless (gift)
LR:50lbs x 3.99lb=$199.50
CC:$12.00
Powerheads (3 402's):$45.00
Skimmer (cpr bakpak 2r, used on ----...) $100 shipped
so far thats about $360, add on some misc. stuff (magnet cleaner thingies, net, siphon, stuff like that ~ $45.00) so we'l say $400 before livestock...thank god for ---- and the classifieds....its good if you have friends in this hobby, cause you can share stuff with them too...i havent had to buy test kits or salt...it's shared amongst a group of about 3 of us...as for lighting, im working on that...for now im using some 24" fluorescent housings my girlfriends mom used in her classroom...just changed the bulbs out...this'll do until i save up for some real lighting stuff....as far as a way to save money, do like jakob4001 said and buy all your live rock at once if you can afford the upfront costs...i know it seems like a lot of money, but its cheaper in the long run...i wish i did....

 

[josh]

All I can say is PLAN, PLAN and then have someone look at your plans. If you think you will go with a full blown reef someday then start to get the equipment now and take your time, but have an idea of the end product.
If you are going reef, STOP NOW AND GET THE TANK DRILLED!!!! It will save you a lot of headaches. Are you going with a reef? That would really help you to get the right equipment, and as with anything you get what you pay for.