May buy a 90 gallon tank - What monthly costs can I expect (just looking ballpark)

icedtc

icedtc

Member
Hey again all,
I have made a few threads about starting my first SW tank and was originally going to buy a nano setup around 30 gallons.
We it turns out I can get a great deal on a very nice 90 gallon tank (bowed glass, and fits in a corner) and am going to take a look at it tonight! It comes with lights/skimmer/heater/stand/etc. but just want to ask the community here what I can expect to pay in upkeep on a monthly basis.
I realize that this is a hard question to answer depending on how much I spend on coral/fish once it's all cycled but am just looking for a very generic number in terms of water changes/food/electricity/etc.
After reading some nightmare stories here and people rushing in too quickly to put in too many fish or corals at the wrong time so I am going to try and be very smart about my new hobby! For the first month or so after the cycle period and live rock is all established I only plan on getting 2 clown fish once the time is right to begin.
Again, my goal is to ensure all my levels are excellent and go slow ensuring I don't waste tons of $ killing poor fish from lack of patience from my side.
Before I pull the trigger on a setup of this size, can I get a ballpark amount on monthly maintenance on upkeep I could expect?
Once again, thanks all! I can't wait to get into this but want to make sure I do my homework first and take it one step at a time!
 
xandrew245x

xandrew245x

Member
Well, it all really depends on your electric usage, how much salt you use when you change your water, how much you spend on water, various supplements and such. I am upgrading to a 75 gallon set up with a sump, and I estimated between my salt, food, electric and supplements(I produce my own ro water) I would probably spend around $50 dollars a month. It could cost you more, I would say anywhere from 50-100 bucks a month, now that is just a high estimation, really depends on a lot of things. I have heard people say they spend 500 dollars a year alone on electric, and 500 a year on everything else, but they have very large set ups. Good luck and have fun, a 90 gallon is a great sized tank, especially if you can get it for a steal. This is a great hobby to get into, this is my first saltwater tank, I have had freshwater tanks before when I was younger, and have always loved fish! You will love it to, just be patient.
 
icedtc

icedtc

Member
Andrew, Thanks for the response! My girlfriends dad used to own a petshop and for the tank/most of the hardware & live rock I can grab it for 250 bucks which seems like a great deal!
Thanks for the ballpark number. I would rather it be high just to see what i'd be looking at. Again with it being my first SW tank I plan on going slow and taking my time.
Any other tips for a newbie? I have read many threads here that have been very helpful and look forward to being a part of the community here!
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Icedtc http:///t/389904/may-buy-a-90-gallon-tank-what-monthly-costs-can-i-expect-just-looking-ballpark#post_3449093
Hey again all,
I have made a few threads about starting my first SW tank and was originally going to buy a nano setup around 30 gallons.
We it turns out I can get a great deal on a very nice 90 gallon tank (bowed glass, and fits in a corner) and am going to take a look at it tonight! It comes with lights/skimmer/heater/stand/etc. but just want to ask the community here what I can expect to pay in upkeep on a monthly basis.
I realize that this is a hard question to answer depending on how much I spend on coral/fish once it's all cycled but am just looking for a very generic number in terms of water changes/food/electricity/etc.
After reading some nightmare stories here and people rushing in too quickly to put in too many fish or corals at the wrong time so I am going to try and be very smart about my new hobby! For the first month or so after the cycle period and live rock is all established I only plan on getting 2 clown fish once the time is right to begin.
Again, my goal is to ensure all my levels are excellent and go slow ensuring I don't waste tons of $ killing poor fish from lack of patience from my side.
Before I pull the trigger on a setup of this size, can I get a ballpark amount on monthly maintenance on upkeep I could expect?
Once again, thanks all! I can't wait to get into this but want to make sure I do my homework first and take it one step at a time!
Welcome to the 90g club......Are you sure you want to talk about money??? My little granddaughter gave me some really good advice...she said "Don't look Nana, it will just upset you"
LOL...I don't count electricity....I spend about:
$30.00 a month on fish food. ...X 12 = $360.00
$200.00 a year on light bulbs for my 4 T5HO actinic and 2 MH bulbs.
$165.00 a year on salt mix
$70.00 a year on test kits
The grand total of $795.00 a year.
The set up is the big bucks, don't skimp it will cost more later if you do.
Master test kits
Lights, if you want coral will be the most expensive item.
2 to 4 depending on the type of Power heads
Besides the rock at $5.00 to $10.00 per pound ...I build my rock 1/2 way up the tank...how many pounds, I lost count.
Sand is $40.00 a bag, I think I used three to get 2 inches of live sand.
Heater cost is up to you what you select, and the same with the following.....
Some kind of plastic can or tub for water changes
A utility pump and hose to reach the bottom of the water changing can and to the top of the tank
Switch to GFCI outlets around the tank, and use a power strip to put all pumps on one line to create an emergency shut off button.
I don't know what kind of filtration you will decide on, canister... cost ? which again depends on your choice, or sump...a sump setup is another big buck item. You need an overflow or predrilled tank, a return pump, the plumbing hoses and pipes...another tank..baffles if you want different chambers...silicone to hold the baffles in.
Fish and coral.....limited only by the amount you are willing to spend to have it.
 
icedtc

icedtc

Member
Flower,
Thanks for the in depth response. Although I'm not in the club yet...I hope to be soon!
The breakdown really helps. I believe the setup I will be getting it at least 75% of what I need to begin if not more. He said it comes with all the live rock/lights/etc. but I will obviously check it all out and ensure it doesn't need some new parts. I will not skimp on the initial build up as I not only want to do it correctly but also want to ensure its best for the fish too!
I am getting more excited by the minute! I'm going to my LFS today to ask more questions and get even more excited haha.
If it all comes through I'll post some pics of the tank and see exactly what else I need before it becomes operational.
Thanks again.
 
wartooth1

wartooth1

Member
What kind of lights are coming with your tank? If you get LEDs, you will save on your electric bill and you will save on not having to buy replacement bulbs every few months.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Tons of ways to save money.....Some already mentioned. DIY is a big money saver if you have the time and patience.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
I have a 90g tank, maintenance doesn't cost much. I ran freshwater tanks for many years and the only difference in monthly cost is the saltwater mix for changes. The beginning set up is the bank breaker, and if you can purchase at a bargain...go for it. You set your own pace for critters, new fangled equipment and corals. Basic set-up consists of.... test kits, tank, sand, rock, lights, skimmer and power heads.
I use T5HO lights and the newer power heads, there is almost no electricity usage to concern yourself with...your bill MIGHT go up about $5.00 a month.
If you intend to be Johnny on the spot with monthly water changes...30g a month (1/3rd of 90) .
A box of salt mix costs about (in my town) $55.00 to make 200gs of saltwater, so 1 box will do 6 (3%) changes...(55 divided by 6 = 9.166666666667......we will say $10.00)
Critter food...about $30.00 a month
I pay Culligan to supply my RO water unit, they change the filters. This works for me because I have bad well water. $39.99 a month. That is not really a fair monthly assessment, we use the water for cooking, drinking and not only for the 90g fish tank, but the 56g Seahorse tank as well. But that is what I pay each month and never mess with filters.
$ 5.00 extra elec
$10.00 for water changes once each month
$30.00 critter food
$39.99 enough RO water for anything you want to use it for.
$84.99
 
icedtc

icedtc

Member
Thanks for the in depth breakdown flower!
I hope to have my 90gallon corner tank by this weekend or the next at the absolute latest! Then the fun begins.
I went to my LFS this weekend and talked to the owner for a good 30 minutes getting some excellent info. I ended up buying the salt (enough for 160 gallons) and a nice RO unit that makes up to 100 gallons per day.
Once I actually get the tank/stand/etc. I will have to make a list of exactly what else I will need to begin the setup. I'll definately be posting pictures and will be calling him again tonight to see if i can get my hands on everything this weekend!
 
xandrew245x

xandrew245x

Member
Make sure you learn how to take care of your Ro unit, some require filter changes every 3 months, some every 6 or more, but its very important you change them on time, or else you could produce some bad water and end up killing all your fish!
 
icedtc

icedtc

Member
Andrew,
Thanks for the advise. My LFS owner told me roughly every 6 months for the filter change but I also ordered a TDS meter to ensure it will be safe before I put it in the tank.
Do you have an RO unit yourself? Mine is the Aqua FX 100gpd unit but I haven't even taken it out of the box yet. My goal is to set it up under our kitchen sink but have little plumbing experience. Luckily my father is pretty handy with plumbing so I'll have him set it up with me and bribe him with some lunch & beer haha.
 
xandrew245x

xandrew245x

Member
Haha, I have mine setup in my basement hooked to a 29 gallon tank, going to get a float valuve for it soon, that way I can start filling my tank without having to worry about it overflowing!
 
xandrew245x

xandrew245x

Member
Yea, I had to buy a few adapters to hook it to the spigot, but other than that it was just putting in the filters, and connecting the water lines supplied, and it was easy as that, took less than a half hour to do.
 
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