Lets See Who: Has the Cheapest Costing Tank Per Gallon

[Aurora D.]

I just wanted to see how cheap some people were able to get their tanks, including everything you've bought so far. Educated estimates are welcome. Include livestock and dry goods. Now, lets see who has the cheapest tank!!!

[KDDG]

Not me..LOL. I don't want to know and we aren't even fully running yet. But, I'd like to see what others have pulled off.

[DfOuUcGkE]

120g
Equipment:
2x LumenBright 250w
2x Icecap Ballast
2x Phoenix 14k
2 K3s
2 K2s
200+ lbs of LR
100lbs LS
Vertex 180 Skimmer
Quietone 6000 Return
Oceans Motion 4 way
ACJR
Tunze ATO

Including equipment and tank about $2k, maybe a little less.
Coral and fish I have less than $1k.

So I would say I am at about $3,000 or $25 a gallon

Pictures:
http://www.upitall.com/Private/u/3/232/3344

http://www.upitall.com/Private/u/3/232/3345

http://www.upitall.com/Private/u/3/232/3346

With flash:
http://www.upitall.com/Private/u/3/232/3347

[sassafrass]

Just the or livestock included?

[DfOuUcGkE]

Livestock, coral, tank, stand, canopy, and all equipment.

[SABOB]

Can't participate unless the title of the thread changes to the most expensive!!!LOL

[Aurora D.]

Great tank, DfOuUcGkE. Looks like you set a pretty good goal.

[cveverly]

I have about $1000 in my 58 gallon. That is about $17.25 per gallon.

Used Oceanic 58 gallon tank with stand and canopy. Using an old 29 gallon as a sump.

Used Euro Reef RS135 skimmer

Two New 156 watt fixtures with ATI bulbs I got on clearance. Gives me 312 watts with 8 tubes.

Sand from Frag Swap

Used live rock from someone downsizing.

45-50 coral frags from Frag Swap.

Two used heaters.

Auction site Ocean Runner return pump.

DIY top off.

7 fish

Small clean up crew.

I did not add in 2-part additive, salt or food.

[polyppetey]

Mine is

Used 56 gallon tank, stand and custom MH actinic hood 300.00
sand 90.00
LR about 50.00
2 pumps - e-bay 110.00
plumbing 20.00

total 712.00 or about 10+.00 per gallon.
No fish yet only some livestock from my old tank.

plenum for DSB 20
Misc- 20
heaters 50.00
used 20 high sump/fuge 45.
Spongebob squarepants goby house 7.00

[ande]

$2.75 a gallon!!!

I purchased a fellow reefer's remaining misc. stuff (40 gallon breeders, live rock, stand, etc) when he moved. After selling some of the items and purchasing what I needed to set up this tank, the total cost for my 40 gallon was $110.00.


40 Gallon breeder
stand which I refinished
Aquatic Life T-5 set up purchased with money I made from left over live rock
Used Millenium 3000
live rock
live sand from another tank
misc soft and hard coral frags
3 damsels
magenta dottyback
gold stripe maroon clown
G platysoma mantis (actually paid $40 for her but didn't figure it into the overall price since I bought her two years before this tank came together)

http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo191/anderoncordes/IMG_0064.jpg

Cost per gallon on our 125 gallon is a little more (about $20, and still climbing, per gallon before figuring in live stock).

[asl4me76]

Ok, so just out of giggles I'll post what I was able to get mine up for.

Brand new Tank & Stand 100 gal - $350
Overflow made by Melev - $75
Sump/Fuge - $150
Koralia 3'sx2 - $75
QuietOne 3000 - $50
Skimmer - $100
100lbs of LR - $200
80lbs of LS - $80
Hamilton 2x250w MH Mogul & 2 VHO Super Actintic with ballast (used) - $150
Random plumbing - $40

Approximately $200 in fish
approximately $200 in corals thus far ...

So, I'm looking at approximately $1600

[Shekki]

Elos mini: $1500
Vortech: $350
Dosing pump: $250
RK2: $200
ATO: $150
Heater: $30
Livestock: $100
Corals: $150

Total: $2730
CPG: $136.50

Nano tanks are really expensive!!!!!!!
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/Monkeyrobb/Aquarium/09rightcorner.jpg

[zlwags85]

Well - I have all drygoods bought basically and the tank is almost running.... no fish or coral yet.

I'm right around 6,500 I think. Which I think $21 a gallon for a 300 gallon display isn't too bad is pretty good for a large display.

[TROYREEFER]

Wow. Thats a big leather.lol

[faze07hd]

Lets see...

Used 90 Gall with stand and canopy that came with Acrylic sump and pump - 400
New Euro reef skimmer - 200
Used Magnet MH ballats & reflectors - 120
new ushio 10k MH bulbs - 80 (online special)
2x new koralia 3's - 80
Used 1/5 hp jbj arctica chiller - 250

With no live stock im at $12.55/gallon

My livestock is my passion and ive spent about $400 from other reefers and it probably retails all for $2000. Theres about 120lbs of live rock in there!!! So with the additional livestock... its about $17/gallon

[mm949]

ive got 10g's invested in my 1350gl reef......$7.50pgl
and 1g in my 750gl floor pond.....$1.43pgl

[Diatome]

That's the trick. Go big to save money. LOL I have lost track of what I spent. I have found going local is the way to go.

ande-It's nice to see another Millenium 3000. Mine has sand and live rock and I encourage nuisance algea on the overflows.

[runningstix]

this is kind of pointless thread with livestock included. I could have a 10 gallon with a pair of $3500 clowns, and 10-$250 chalices. My taste in coral and fish are hugely going to impact that price per gallon.

Cheapest tank get a 10 gallon with hob, and keep it fowlr. Winner.

[gabbagabbawill]

what is a $3500 clownfish?

[screwsloose]

900 gl system with current stocking $11.74

[runningstix]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14990976#post14990976 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gabbagabbawill
what is a $3500 clownfish?

Mccullochi Clowns, thats for a pair

[Dustint21]

^^^^^^wow lets see a pic^^^^^^

20L,stand, canopy $200
Lights $200
skimmer $200
Sump $100
fuge light $25

Total= $775 or $36.25 PG!! WOW more than I though! LOL!

[Aurora D.]

Wow, this is defintely more popular than what I thought it was going to be!! I must say, some of these costs have surprised me. I planned $1,400 for my 40g breeder, I guess I overestimated. Maybe I can get that 60 gallon cube I've been wanting!!! :bounce3:

BTW: Why don't you show us a $3,500 pair of these "clownfish." They sound more like animated diamonds. How much does a clownfish weigh, I want to see what that makes them comparable to ounce by ounce or gram by gram. Who has a guess, diamond, gold, silver, topaz?

[Stanley-Reefer]

Just in case my wife is lurking, I have about $3500 in the two tanks:eek1:

http://i42.*******.com/eqnmh5.jpg

http://i39.*******.com/2j2jiuc.jpg

In live rock/sand that is:D

[dudley moray]

ha my hawkfish has killed more than that ...
65gal with stand -200
filters +powerheads 300
lr 350
ls80
corals and live stock 1200 probably low ..very low
ouch 2130
for a grand total of 33$ per gallon
not including food and supplements

[Aurora D.]

Hawkfiah are quite agressive, aren't they.

[luther1200]

Actually its $3500 a piece $6000 for the mated pair!
http://glassbox-design.com/2009/divers-den-semi-unveils-amphiprion-mccullochi-to-north-america-at-6k/

[Rhizo]

I think fish and corals should be omitted from this. You should make a set series of Q's to aid in getting the DPG more on a constant. :)

[ddinox64]

$3500 clowns. I don't see it. But that's me

30g tank, stand and hood $50 Ebay
2x65 CFLs $40. Technically $20 because I got 2 sets for $40. Ebay
Jebo 838 $65 C.L.
Aqua C Remora $60 C.L.
Live rock with free sand $100 Ebay
Corals from the $5-$10 section $60 LFS
Fish and clean up crew $60 LFS and Ebay
So roughly $450 and at about $15 a gallon
I don't feel too bad.

Have a 90g in garage I bought with stand, hood, sand and sump for $325.
Already spenty $50 building a 30g sump/fuge.
6x54 T5 retro for $275.
ASM G1-X for $100.
Need a pump $100
More live rock $100.
That puts me at $1285 coming out again almost $15 a gallon.

I sell my 30g Tank, stand and hood with equipment for $150-$200
And again I don't feel too bad. I like getting great results(in my head) with used or less than great products.

Ande I think so far has the best deal going. Because this is about the nicer setup with the lowest cost per gallon right?

[Jflip2002]

I was pretty proud of how cheap I had my 112g Rimless cube up and running for:
Tank, stand, sump - $250
Skimmer Warner AS200 - $350
Tunzes 6080s- $300
Lighting Radium/Lumenarc/Icecap - $300
Mag 18 - $70
Live rock - $60
Corals w/ clam - $200
Fish - $80

$14.38 per gallon ;)
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m151/jflip2002/002-21.jpg