Honest monthly cost for maintaining reef aquarium 90 gallon +
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Azedenkae
Valuable Member
This is my expenditure for my 20 gallon aquarium, with spending that has kinda largely plateaued over the past two or so months. I think this is extrapolatable to a 90 gallon aquarium, because yeah once a tank is up and running, there is probably not too much to spend on, unless one is making a big change of some sort.
Not exactly answering your question, but figured it was somewhat relevant in this context.
fachatga
Well-Known Member
Cost me all my sanity. But it depends on what you want to spend. There are sometimes big upfront costs if you want lots of good equipment. But you can get away with more work and less equipment changing out more water every week. Get a rodi thingy which over years isn’t a huge expense when you look at it monthly. There are tons of Amazing cheap fish and corals. After initial setup it really doesn’t need to be an expensive hobby. But be prepared you might end up spending more than you thought because it is fun.
$300-400 a month .
You have to pay to play
You have to pay to play
On a month to month basis once you're up and running, you're only really spending on salt and 2 part which you won't have to buy every month if you buy in bulk. Also the cost of rodi water. Food every couple of months like 30-40$. Other additives, oh and electricity. Other than that Livestock is where you'll spend the majority of the money. Aside from that, the fixed costs aren't terrible. If money is an issue you don't need to get a 90+ gallon.
Hugh Mann
Valuable Member
Monthly expenses on my 55 gallon are next to nothing. Once a tank is set up and stocked, unless you have anything crazy fancy, recurring costs are pretty minimal. Water is a flat fee in my city, so I'm not counting that, but I've heard some places charge by the use.
4 5 gallon water changes. $8 in salt (I buy cheap IO because I don't need the fancy stuff)
Electricity is about $15 (led lights help, mostly from the heater)
Food is maybe $10. Mind you my tank is lightly stocked (four fish, urchin, 2 BTAs, 2 corals). Most of that cost is my moray.
Time, couple hours a week, mostly spent cleaning glass.
4 5 gallon water changes. $8 in salt (I buy cheap IO because I don't need the fancy stuff)
Electricity is about $15 (led lights help, mostly from the heater)
Food is maybe $10. Mind you my tank is lightly stocked (four fish, urchin, 2 BTAs, 2 corals). Most of that cost is my moray.
Time, couple hours a week, mostly spent cleaning glass.
ReefMan692
Active Member
It aint cheap but the first 6 months are most expensive and youll be wanting to buy everything.
After experience you will make better decisions and once established and stocked very little extra costs maybe if equipment fails or something like that. Maitenance costs should be less than 50-100 per month
After experience you will make better decisions and once established and stocked very little extra costs maybe if equipment fails or something like that. Maitenance costs should be less than 50-100 per month
Need to figure in the rarer recurring stuff too, like testkits+references are another 50 per year at least, easily more if you get the more expensive tests, replacement filters and membranes for rodi systems, couple bottles of superglue a year if you frag stuff, medications and dips, and you really can't ignore the recurring cost of "omg I NEED to have that coral"
The little and not so little rarer expenses definitely do add up
The little and not so little rarer expenses definitely do add up
laverda
2500 Club Member
This is my expenditure for my 20 gallon aquarium, with spending that has kinda largely plateaued over the past two or so months. I think this is extrapolatable to a 90 gallon aquarium, because yeah once a tank is up and running, there is probably not too much to spend on, unless one is making a big change of some sort.
Not exactly answering your question, but figured it was somewhat relevant in this context.
I agree it’s the initial cost but after , test kits , food, salt your looking at $40 food and $85 every other month for salt. Depends on livestock and gallon size tank as well.
with your own rodi system the water I never see the difference .
with your own rodi system the water I never see the difference .
Again though ... this hobby is never ending. You always want new corals and these live sales don’t help
boeingn747
Active Member
I think it's really going to be hard to give you a honest monthly cost. Most of the cost is up front, tank, sump, lights, rock, skimmer, water testing supplies, etc. Once you have that then it's coral and fish, and then more coral and more fish. And then it's more coral and more coral and coral coral coral. The monthly stuff would be consumables like salt, reagents, food, additives like calcium and alkalinity. I mean for someone to give you a monthly dollar amount I just think it would be to hard. For instance I have been reefing for a few years and I just spent $700 on a coral order from world wide corals, and also spent $200 at brs for things like red sea salt and gfo, and di resins. So it's just not practical to give you a monthly dollar amount. I would tell you that if you are thinking about getting into this hobby. Just know that nothing about it is cheap and buying the cheap stuff 99% of the time is counter productive and in the end you spend more because you buy twice. It is a spendy hobby. It is fun and can be very rewarding but it comes at a high cost. If money is tight I would not recommend reefing.
Well said
davidcalgary29
2500 Club Member
But jars and pico builds are very doable on a tight budget. Their small footprint also limits hardware and livestock purchases to a bare minimum.
sfin52
So many pedestrians so little time
I don't know i haven't tried to figure it out.
April it was over 300. Rock flowers, zoas and mini maxi anemones.
Salt i use reef crystals 45 every 5 months.
4 t5 bulbs 100 once a year
Diy fish food 45 every 6 months
Test kits 100 maybe 2x year.
Api calcium
Salfiert alk
Aqua forest magnesium
I try to test at least once a month
Coral I try to trade or buy from local reefers steep discounts.
Rodi water is used for everything I don't figure that in.
The expense is setting up. Maintaining is far cheaper. If costs are a hold back look at a 40 breeder. Cheaper and great starting point.
April it was over 300. Rock flowers, zoas and mini maxi anemones.
Salt i use reef crystals 45 every 5 months.
4 t5 bulbs 100 once a year
Diy fish food 45 every 6 months
Test kits 100 maybe 2x year.
Api calcium
Salfiert alk
Aqua forest magnesium
I try to test at least once a month
Coral I try to trade or buy from local reefers steep discounts.
Rodi water is used for everything I don't figure that in.
The expense is setting up. Maintaining is far cheaper. If costs are a hold back look at a 40 breeder. Cheaper and great starting point.
Last edited:
Great answer
I consider reefing something I do with disposable income. The costs vary greatly and a majority of the costs are incurred when you first start
with a 100 gallon tank I figure a 15 gallon a week water change using Tropic Marine and test kits I a looking at about 600 a year now add in things like dosing requirements and you will be at about 75-100 a month.
this does not include and fish or corals
this is not a cheap hobby by any stretch
Billldg
My Gem Tang Is Watching You
Honestly...I don't even pay attention to it. Cost can go up and down depending on the time, month, year, lunar alignment, and such. You will have the normal maintenance fund and the emergency fund.
I have a 90 gallon reef with 10 fish and about 25 corals. If you're talking about on going monthly costs, which it sounds like you are it's not that bad. I don't know about electricity but food and salt, miscellaneous stuff 30-45$. I subscribe to the k.i.s.s. method. I don't dose a lot of stuff or use additives. I do dose nopox manually but I make it myself. A quart costs about a dollar and a half and lasts over a month. A large flat pack of Hikari mysis shrimp cost $17 and lasts a couple months. I make coral/fish food from diced shrimp, clams, scallops and fish, a few bucks for a month supply. I do 15% water changes every other week, so a $60 box of IO salt lasts a 3 to 4 months. I have a RODI so I make my own water. This doesn't include any livestock purchases. If it was 3 to 400 a month I'd get rid of it and buy another car.
This is my expenditure for my 20 gallon aquarium, with spending that has kinda largely plateaued over the past two or so months. I think this is extrapolatable to a 90 gallon aquarium, because yeah once a tank is up and running, there is probably not too much to spend on, unless one is making a big change of some sort.
Not exactly answering your question, but figured it was somewhat relevant in this context.
Not to sidetrack, but this is really bothering me. Do you make a lot of equipment returns or something? I am curious how a cumulative expenditure graph has several declines?
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