Is $2,300 reasonable?

[fish fever]

:help:
Hello everyone,
I am new to this website. There is so much good information. I am in the process of setting up a new 65g FOWLR tank. LFS quoted me these items for approx. $2,300 including tax and setup:
36x18x24 glass tank with overflow holes
30" wood stand
Standard wood canopy
Aqualite fluorescent lighting system 2x96watt
29g glass sump tank
Via-Aqua SK-200 sump protein skimmer
Sedra 9000P sump pump
Plumbing for overflow+ pump (bulkhead, clamps, tubing,etc.)
200-micron filter sock+nylon bag+carbon
800 Rio Powerhead+conversion kit
150watt submersible hearter+thermometer
Timer + 2 power strips
Net, aglae pad, water conditioner
Hydrometer
Salt mix - 50-gal bag
20 lbs live sand
70 lbs Fiji live rock
Elements for live rock: All-in-One, buffer, Sea-lab blocks
Is this a reasonable deal? Too expensive for what I am getting? I am very excited to start my tank but I don't want to be over-charged or buy equipment that is no good. I am in the Los Angeles area and if you know any good honest LFS, please let me know. All advises are needed and appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[sinner's girl]

If you have that kind of money, buy a bigger tank.

 

[farmboy]

The LFS here has a 265 gallon (7 feet long) with a canopy, stand, tops, built in overflows and a small light for $3,200. They also have a 75 gallon with stand lights and tops for $399.00. He quoted a 125 long(6 feet) with stand and tops for $625.00.
All of your dry goods are probably going to be cheaper online even with the shipping. This site has good prices on fishes and clean up crews. (Just have to have a minimum order on livestock)
Shop around.

LFSs are nice to buy tanks (and implulse livestock items

). However, prices are high on most other things.

 

[farmboy]

......and even liverock can be found cheaper than LFS(this site).

 

[pcpope]

Suport your local fish store if price is similar to what you can get online if you trust them, you will definately need them and if you decide to do corals better to buy what you see, have not had great success buying them on line. Small business needs all the help they can get to survive

 

[adamc1303]

Everyone overpays for the first tank, go for the deal you will need their help. Tell them to throw delivery and instalation too.

 

[nanocuber7]

i saw that you had water conditioner on your list don't ever use tap water no matter what. use R/O or distilled.

 

[sinner's girl]

Everyone overpays for the first tank
:notsure: No. I didn't. We didn't. bought 20long with lights from walmart.
I haven't spent that much on all my tanks, 20gl, 55gl, and 75gl.

 

[crazyzeus1]

Originally Posted by PCPope
Suport your local fish store if price is similar to what you can get online if you trust them, you will definately need them and if you decide to do corals better to buy what you see, have not had great success buying them on line. Small business needs all the help they can get to survive
I second that. We spent $4800 to set up our 100gal (custom tank, all equip, 3hrs set up/service, live rock/live sand, & $800 worth of corals).
Our first delivery of corals resulted in two dead ones (Colt & a Leather)...since we went with the LFS installation & service, they credited us for them, $180! They have been SO very helpful & I have NO regrets about probably spending a bit more & going with our LFS.
Just today, our chiller wasn't working, & the service lady at our LFS talked me through trouble shooting & I fixed it myself (ended up having to replace the pump for the chiller...all by myself!).
My point is that, being new to salt water tanks myself, I would have been LOST (and STILL would be!) if it weren't for my LFS.
Good luck!

 

[vanos]

That does seem a tad high but it includes tax and setup. If you're looking to jump right in without the hassle of buying everything separate or shopping around then do it. Do they sell saltwater there? i.e. $1/gallon. Ask if they can give you a discount on any livestock. Ask if they can give you assistance if you have questions in the future. See if they can upgrade you to a 75 G tank. That lighting fixture "2x96watt" will not support any type of coral. Ask if they can upgrade you to a more powerful light. Get rid of the hydrometer, you need a refractometer. There may be more that I'm missing. Good luck and have fun.

 

[drew2005]

I have a 46gallon bow. My whole setup cost $1,100. That was just the tank, stand, filtration, live sand, PC lighting. Im probably around $2,000 now with everything else. Maybe a lil more.

 

[bigb]

Originally Posted by Fish Fever
:help:
I am very excited to start my tank but I don't want to be over-charged or buy equipment that is no good. I am in the Los Angeles area and if you know any good honest LFS, please let me know. All advises are needed and appreciated.
Thanks.
I would start a new thread with this question. You may want to look for local sw clubs also.
I agree with sinner's girl. No, everyone doesn't overpay for their first tanks and you don't need to shop at wal-mart to avoid doing so.

 

[zman1]

That seems high. In the package deal did they break down the cost next to any of those items? Or list reg prices iitemized if not bought as a package. If they didn't, it doesn't hurt to ask for it. Have them prove it's better to buy a package than piece it together.
Then it will be easy to compare pricing to other LFS or online. If it's your first, a package deal may be better, but package deals should be cheaper than piece parts.
Or let's say, they should be able to negotiate a little easier on package deals with you.

 

[sinner's girl]

I wish I had money like that to waste, though I still wouldn't waste it like that. But hey, it's your money. So if you want to spent that, then go for it.
you don't need to shop at wal-mart to avoid doing so.
I like walmart. I'm in a small town, I don't really have much choice. The lfs here sucks. But we did get a used 75gl complete setup with fish for like way cheap from them. There is nothing wrong with getting a tank and stand at walmart if it's a good deal. I think we got the heater and some other stuff there. Most we got from a guy we know who works at fish store about 45min aways. He's cool about that. Hooked us up with filters and such. Got the 55gl and later the stand for the 55gl, from walmart. The 55gl was cheaper than at any lfs I've seen.
you don't need water conditioner. Hydrometer are evil. Be careful. Also, you don't need a skimmer or a sump and such for a FOWLR. It won't hurt, but you can do fine without it. I don't have either on my 55gl or 75gl.
Also, if you're looking to save some money you can get some lr and the rest base rock. But if you're looking for a fast setup, just write one check and you'll have everything.
If you're looking to get a good deal, I would still shop around. go to another fish store and see what they can offer. I can understand wanting to get everything at once from one place, it's simple that way.

 

[scubadoo]

SAve hundreds or thousands...buy used. Try that big auction site and look for a used system near you

 

[mike h.]

Originally Posted by Sinner's Girl
I wish I had money like that to waste, though I still wouldn't waste it like that. But hey, it's your money. So if you want to spent that, then go for it.
I like walmart. I'm in a small town, I don't really have much choice. The lfs here sucks. But we did get a used 75gl complete setup with fish for like way cheap from them. There is nothing wrong with getting a tank and stand at walmart if it's a good deal. I think we got the heater and some other stuff there. Most we got from a guy we know who works at fish store about 45min aways. He's cool about that. Hooked us up with filters and such. Got the 55gl and later the stand for the 55gl, from walmart. The 55gl was cheaper than at any lfs I've seen.
you don't need water conditioner. Hydrometer are evil. Be careful. Also, you don't need a skimmer or a sump and such for a FOWLR. It won't hurt, but you can do fine without it. I don't have either on my 55gl or 75gl.
Also, if you're looking to save some money you can get some lr and the rest base rock. But if you're looking for a fast setup, just write one check and you'll have everything.
If you're looking to get a good deal, I would still shop around. go to another fish store and see what they can offer. I can understand wanting to get everything at once from one place, it's simple that way.
It's true..... it takes a long time to establish a saltwater tank... take your time....one thing at a time...

 

[mitzel]

everything said and done I have about 1500 into my 125 , 1600$ if you count the miss adventure with a flying cali ray and banded cat. first and last atempt at a predetory tank. I just knew better then everybody that said NO SHARKS.

 

[acrylic51]

Way to high IMO......Take the time and educated yourself on how everything works and functions and goes together and do it yourself....You don't need 20lbs of live sand....Buy a couple pounds and get dry sand and seed the dry sand with the live sand and it will all be live soon.......You don't need any additives for you live rock so tell them to cross that off the list as well, and the water conditioner stuff is junk as well.....Buy water from the grocery store or go to Walmart and get water from their water machines, but your best investment would be an RO/DI unit for your water needs.....Skimmer choice is rather poor and lacking IMO, and no matter what tank style you have all tanks will benefit from a good skimmer and they could do better in that area...
Save yourself money and buy some base rock with nicer pieces for up top and it will all be covered in a little time......
Take the time again and learn how it all goes together and how the pieces fit and function and only call them in after you've tried.....It would be like having them come out and maintenance the tank when it's all setup???? Some people do that and IMO it's sad because your not truely into the hobby if you can't take the time to maintain your own tank and your entrusting your hard earned money and your friends you love to someone else's hands......Not me!!!!!!!

Have fun and set it up yourself :cheer:

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by Fish Fever
:help:
Hello everyone,
I am new to this website. There is so much good information. I am in the process of setting up a new 65g FOWLR tank. LFS quoted me these items for approx. $2,300 including tax and setup:
36x18x24 glass tank with overflow holes
30" wood stand
Standard wood canopy
Aqualite fluorescent lighting system 2x96watt
29g glass sump tank
Via-Aqua SK-200 sump protein skimmer
Sedra 9000P sump pump
Plumbing for overflow+ pump (bulkhead, clamps, tubing,etc.)
200-micron filter sock+nylon bag+carbon
800 Rio Powerhead+conversion kit
150watt submersible hearter+thermometer
Timer + 2 power strips
Net, aglae pad, water conditioner
Hydrometer
Salt mix - 50-gal bag
20 lbs live sand
70 lbs Fiji live rock
Elements for live rock: All-in-One, buffer, Sea-lab blocks
Is this a reasonable deal? Too expensive for what I am getting? I am very excited to start my tank but I don't want to be over-charged or buy equipment that is no good. I am in the Los Angeles area and if you know any good honest LFS, please let me know. All advises are needed and appreciated.
Thanks.
IMO the price sounds about right for a brand new tank from a LFS. They even set it up for you and everything. I did calculate it and it was pretty close to my calculation. But I think you can find a better deal then that. Look in your local paper and they have great deals in there all the time. By finding a better deal on your tank, you can do add ons with what ever money you have saved like buying a better lighting. For an example, I bought my 46 bow front and a 55 gallon both already set up for $450.00 For the 55, it already have a eheim canister filter that comes with it, I already spent 163.95 for a Aqua C Remora Protein Skimmer, $50 for 2 maxi jet 1200. Going to buy live rock and base rock and that would cost me around $500 It already have Live Sand so no need for that. Going to put a Orbit lighting system on it, that would cost me around $700 So I'll end up putting about $1700 on my 55. But the point is, at least you get what you needed (actually better stuff then what most would offer to you at LFS) and actually cost about the same at the end. I hope this helped....Good Luck! :happyfish

 

[farmboy]

I saw a thread on here once about "how much did you spend on your tank?". It was a real eye-opener.
YOu can spend as much as you want. The original question was "Is it a good deal?". You could save money and spend time (hey it's a hobby, right?) OR save time and spend some money(I'm also impatient

). Both sides seem to have been represented here. The main thing is . . . .whatever you do . . . . Let us know!! and take PICTURES!! :joy: