# Cost of starting a planted tank?



## wellbiz (Aug 6, 2003)

tarantulaguy said:


> I have a 12 gallon nano reef and a 55 reef tank . I would like to try and setup a planted 75 gallon tank. Will the cost for a planted tank be more or less then a reef?


Depends.... About $10-$15 dollars a gallon is the average setup price,this including tank.... If you went low tech, low light you might squeeze by for less....


Jaosn


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## Thooshe (Dec 11, 2003)

Then figure another 2-5 bucks a gallon for plants, fish and ferts. :lol: 

My wife thinks a crack habit would be cheaper and less time consuming :roll:


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## trenac (Feb 15, 2004)

IMO, a reef is more expensive to set up than a planted tank. A lot depends on what direction you want to go in. Besides the tank & stand the biggest expense will be the lighting. Do you already have the tank? If not you may want to look around for a used one. I bought a used 55G tank with stand & lights from a co-worker for $100.


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## malkore (Nov 3, 2003)

Figure $10-$20 per gallon for a high light, pressurized setup...and that's not including plants or fish or ferts.
I can tell you I spend about $1,000 setting up my 75gallon, all new. $500 got me the tank, stand, glass tops, 4 bags of flourite, 150watt heater, thermometer, driftwood, and Rena Filstart Xp2 all from my LFS.
My CO2 setup was milwaukee all in one ($90 with shipping) $85 for a 5lb CO2 tank deposit, and $50 for a CO2 reactor.
Lighting is 220 watts using ballasts from www.hellolights.com ($160) reflectors from AHsupply.com ($60) and 4 bulbs that averaged $30 a piece. I built my own canopy from Red Oak - $80.

I also had to buy a couple more bags of flourite - $50.

Keep in mind I didn't always hunt for the best deals, but I didn't get screwed over either.


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## gnatster (Mar 12, 2004)

When I started planning for a Hi-Tech 120 PLanted tank I also thought about the possibility of setting up a reef. Some hardware is comparable: tank, stand, lighting. When you start to add on a quality protien skimmer, calcium reactor and refuguim the reef takes off in cost. Adding in Live Rock and Sand and comparable Hi-Tech systems really being to diverge in costs. When I projected costs over a year reef expenses really took off. Additives and salt expense make long term reef running costs much higher then for plants and we haven't started on livestock yet... 

IMHO cost of a reef is easily 1.5+ times the cost of a comparable planted system. 

-*-*-*-*
gnatster


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## urbanspectrum (Feb 19, 2004)

I ran a 90 gal, reef for about 5 years, I had a lot of soft and hard corals. the cost was not that bad, around $50 a mo for salt and additives, along with 35-40 dollars for electric.
What really cost the money in reef tanks is the live stock. coral starts out about 15-25 dollars, and this is for a 1 in frag. buy a head of acro and your spending at min. 50-75 dollars. mushrooms most of the time start out at 35 dollars for 5 or 6 shrooms on one rock.
live rock is about 6 dollars per pound.
now we get into fish. 25 dollars for a yellow tang. your avg. cost of fish are over 20 dollars.
now you've spent $3000-$4000 dollars and you have this great little reef in your living room, and your cat comes along and knocks out the plug to the tank. 24 hours later your 3000-4000 dolor tank is dead and your starting over.

after that you start a planted tank and you spend like a $100 dollars and you are just as happy
Salt water Vs. planted. I think the salt water is always going to cost more.
Any body need a skimmer. lol.

Enjoy

Matt


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## rumples riot (May 29, 2003)

I Have a 90 gallon in Australia where the price of equipment is so much higher. I spent $9840 that I can think of. However for that I got a tank with all the gear. Undergravel heater, Dupla CO2 system, Eheim filters, Aquastarlight future metal halides, the tank, cabinet, fish, fertilser and plants.

A good setup in Australia costs a lot of money, thats even with bargaining.

Paul


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## Urkevitz (Jan 12, 2004)

And I thought the $800 I paid for my 55 was alot :shock: 

Tank and stand $260
Coralife 260w aqualight $230
Penn Plax cannister $90
Granitic sand Free
Tahitian moon sand $20
Rena 300watt heater $25
Plants $100
Timers $20
Yeast and sugar $8
vinyl tubing $3
Fish and shrimp $40


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## Ngaio (Jul 31, 2003)

I've heard that the rule of thumb for a reef tank is $50/gallon. A planted tank at $10 to $20 is a bargin in comparison


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## ming (Dec 6, 2003)

wow, you guys are intimidating
I've gone in the cheaper end of the price scale for about $10/gallon
my 29 Gallon tank:
$30 flourite
$70 55Watt PC from Ahsupply
$50 for tank and hood
$30 filter
$20 2 pieces of driftwood
~$100 for misc plants and fish
I'm planning on adding the DIY CO2 to this as soon as I get another ladder.
I dont need a heater because I just use my central heating
oh yeah, and $5 timer


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## urbanspectrum (Feb 19, 2004)

like is said about doing a reef I spent around 3000 or 4000 dollars, when the reef crashed I still had the tank and lights ect., I went out and spent around 200 dollars setting it up to be a planted tank.... the nice thing is you dont have to spend all the money at once. on avg. I spend 30 or 40 dollars a mo. buying plants and stuff for the tank. 

I really hate to tell people how much money ive spent over the years in this hobby, I really feel that it turns some people off to the hobby. they end up seeing it as a never ending pit.
I like to explain to people that you get out what you put in.
now Ive know hobbyist that will do a bare bones tank and are just as happy as I am.

I really dont think the amount of money you spend really makes the amount of joy you can get from this hobby.
sorry I guess Im just rambling now.

enjoy
Matt


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## pixelcrayon (Mar 24, 2004)

i agree with matt. there's nothing that can replace the joy of this hobby. i just started (planted tank) and its actually a personal accomplishment to get back into the aquarium hobby in general. my life wasnt so "full" until i got my tank set up again. all the money i have spent and will spend, with all the joy plus frustrations, is worth every dime in my opinion.

but to answer your question, ive also came from a reef background, it will cost less. note that a planted tank grows a LOT faster than a reef tank. one day its bare and the next minute youre trading clippings.


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## pixelcrayon (Mar 24, 2004)

i agree with matt. there's nothing that can replace the joy of this hobby. i just started (planted tank) and its actually a personal accomplishment to get back into the aquarium hobby in general. my life wasnt so "full" until i got my tank set up again. all the money i have spent and will spend, with all the joy plus frustrations, is worth every dime in my opinion.

but to answer your question, ive also came from a reef background, it will cost less. note that a planted tank grows a LOT faster than a reef tank. one day its bare and the next minute youre trading clippings.


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