# How much have you spent setting up a tank???



## Bitis gabonica (Feb 13, 2009)

Though I would see who has spent the most setting up their marine tank...... 
From scratch to fully completed including livestock. Also intrested in how much people have spent setting up cold/tropical freshwater tanks.
See how it goes, ill go first (excuse the spelling lol)

I have a 200 litre marine tank beech effect including cuboard.
20 kg LS
20 kg LR
10 coral anenomes (might be a bit wrong on the name)
405 fluval filter
205 fluval filter
prizm protein skimmer
fluval 300 watt heater
uvc stereliser
marine blue/white flurosent bulbs
my 8 fish (to add to the tank in the very near future)
1200 jetmax powerhead
add on water, salt test kit, thermometer, hydrometer etc
ive spent £365 wooooo lol

??? anyone else???


----------



## suzie h (Jul 20, 2009)

Grrrr bit of a sore point in this house - but ......... We have had two 6ft marine tanks - each holding approx 1000 litres (including sumps) for almost two years. One is a reef tank, so tangs, rabbit fish, clowns, corals etc and other is a predator tank, puffer fish and triggers. So far mmmmmmmm almost 12 grand!!! I have to say they are stunning and Katie (the puffer fish) can be hand fed, not lost any fingers yet either! 

I'm happy with my dog and geckos!


----------



## Bitis gabonica (Feb 13, 2009)

12 grand wow!! bet they are impressive tanks tho



suzie h said:


> Grrrr bit of a sore point in this house - but ......... We have had two 6ft marine tanks - each holding approx 1000 litres (including sumps) for almost two years. One is a reef tank, so tangs, rabbit fish, clowns, corals etc and other is a predator tank, puffer fish and triggers. So far mmmmmmmm almost 12 grand!!! I have to say they are stunning and Katie (the puffer fish) can be hand fed, not lost any fingers yet either!
> 
> I'm happy with my dog and geckos!


----------



## suzie h (Jul 20, 2009)

We like them! The bulk of that cost has been for tanks, skimmers, pumps, co2 reactors, lights and live rock. The fish are the cheapest items ! - well some of them !


----------



## Bitis gabonica (Feb 13, 2009)

lol any pics?



suzie h said:


> We like them! The bulk of that cost has been for tanks, skimmers, pumps, co2 reactors, lights and live rock. The fish are the cheapest items ! - well some of them !


----------



## mariekni (Apr 8, 2009)

we have a 5 and a half ft x 2ft x 2 and a half ft tank with 2x 6500 ocean runners, 1000 lph power head, 2x 300watt heaters, 5ft metal halide with 3x 250watt halide tubes and 4x moon blue actimics, 4ft sump, 2500 lph skimmer. all in all it cost us £50. great what can come free!:2thumb::2thumb:


----------



## Cold blooded but prime (May 22, 2009)

Bargain! 



mariekni said:


> we have a 5 and a half ft x 2ft x 2 and a half ft tank with 2x 6500 ocean runners, 1000 lph power head, 2x 300watt heaters, 5ft metal halide with 3x 250watt halide tubes and 4x moon blue actimics, 4ft sump, 2500 lph skimmer. All in all it cost us £50. Great what can come free!:2thumb::2thumb:


----------



## mariekni (Apr 8, 2009)

yeah did a straight swap. we had a eheim mp 3 and a half ft x20in x 2ft tank and like i say did a straight swap for the tank we've got lol. definately a bargain :lol2: all we had to buy was the heaters and some new piping for the in let and out let to the sump.


----------



## Bitis gabonica (Feb 13, 2009)

The only reason I got my tank soo cheap was alot of it was free. The bloke was gonna take it to the TIP! so i snatched it.



mariekni said:


> yeah did a straight swap. we had a eheim mp 3 and a half ft x20in x 2ft tank and like i say did a straight swap for the tank we've got lol. definately a bargain :lol2: all we had to buy was the heaters and some new piping for the in let and out let to the sump.


----------



## The Chillinator (Jun 26, 2008)

My first tank was a fish-only system, it wasn't anything fancy or technical and I already had most of the gear. By the time I'd finished it totalled out at around £200.


----------



## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

Excluding fish my tank cost me -£10!

i got a 48x15x18 complete with stand off freecycle and then bought a 48x15x22 (tank only) off eBay for £57 that also include an Eheim external filter. I stuck the 48x15x18 (tank only) on eBay and got £67 for it.


----------



## Melonhelmet (Nov 11, 2008)

About $1500 on my 46 gallon tank, it houses a pictus cat, a pleco, and an Oscar. It has a 75 gallon canister filter, and a extra 25 gallon HOB.


----------



## geodaryl (Jan 17, 2009)

Bought my 48 x 15 x 20 from ebay with custom built wooden lid, lighting, heater etc... for £10.50
and a eheim external filter for £10 from friday ad!

bought a 24 x 12 x15 for £20 off ebay too.... tank, hood, light, filters x2, heater, loadsa food, automatic feeder, tester kit, medicine treatment x4, gravel cleaner, magnet cleaner, fry net plus more.... sole the auto feeder, one pump, food, medicine and so actually made money from it and still have a full setup....
so all in all don't think my tanks cost me anything for 2 full setups...


----------



## Bitis gabonica (Feb 13, 2009)

I thought my setup was a bargain lol you kinda just out done me, I shall have to keep an eye out for such bargains in the future, sure i be setting up another tank sometime. Was thinking of setting up a FWT. never heard of freecylce before (mite have to check that out)


----------



## K.J.Geckos (Sep 7, 2006)

wish mine was off freecycle.my 3ft marine has cost me about 3.500 with live rock an halides.woule love to upgrade soon to a 5ft but i need convince my hubby first!


----------



## Bitis gabonica (Feb 13, 2009)

wow! how much u spend on the LR I got 20kg grade a indo for £165???
id love a 5ft but havent got space lol




K.J.Geckos said:


> wish mine was off freecycle.my 3ft marine has cost me about 3.500 with live rock an halides.woule love to upgrade soon to a 5ft but i need convince my hubby first!


----------



## Adam98150 (Jan 12, 2009)

3,500? I spent 300 - 400 max on my 3ft marine tank. The Halide was 80 brand new, and 20 KG of live rock cost me 100. : victory:


----------



## The Chillinator (Jun 26, 2008)

Meko said:


> Excluding fish my tank cost me -£10!
> 
> i got a 48x15x18 complete with stand off freecycle and then bought a 48x15x22 (tank only) off eBay for £57 that also include an Eheim external filter. I stuck the 48x15x18 (tank only) on eBay and got £67 for it.


I've been conned...


----------



## Bitis gabonica (Feb 13, 2009)

where you buy your live rock mate? I thought £165 was a bargain, they sell it up the road from me for £215-20kg.


----------



## quailpower (Jul 30, 2009)

My tank, cost me

£30 for 3 x 1 tank with filter and ornments included.
£15 for the heater
£10 for the gravel.

So it cost us almost nothing to set up. We already had half of the fish and shrimp, and some plants which were upgraded to a nicer tank.

Probably spent about £40 on actual fish so not that much really. Less than 100


----------



## Adam98150 (Jan 12, 2009)

Bitis gabonica said:


> where you buy your live rock mate? I thought £165 was a bargain, they sell it up the road from me for £215-20kg.


Are you talking to me? :lol2:

Anyway, I got mine from Aquarist-classifieds. Someone lived pretty close and they were selling it for £5 a kilo. It was great stuff too, full of mushrooms and sponges.

You can sometimes get it for £3.50 a kilo if you're lucky. : victory:


----------



## Bitis gabonica (Feb 13, 2009)

yea i was lol, 
bargain i feel ripped off now! 



Adam98150 said:


> Are you talking to me? :lol2:
> 
> Anyway, I got mine from Aquarist-classifieds. Someone lived pretty close and they were selling it for £5 a kilo. It was great stuff too, full of mushrooms and sponges.
> 
> You can sometimes get it for £3.50 a kilo if you're lucky. : victory:


----------



## mike mc (Nov 27, 2006)

so far in my 4ft marine tank its near a grand with everything,and i still need to add more corals


----------



## R0b_2oo8 (Nov 8, 2008)

setting up 4ft marine tank as we speak

bare tank 50
cupaboard for it 100
strnegthening braces for cupboard 50ish
luminiare 4x54w t5 140
ex1200 70
rest of equpiment 350 odd
LR ??
fish ??

hoping to make it aroun d 600 mark (got about 2 grand i could sepnd on it though, but need some savings!~)

selling snaks and rep things so far has got me about 200, so hopefuly only spend about -300


----------



## Bitis gabonica (Feb 13, 2009)

handy if the tank has a cupboard made for it lol, i remember when i set up a freshwater tank., got the tank from a bootsale but had to spend a while finding the rite cupboard lol Had a similar prob with the skimmer got one was no good, got another it leeked, finally got one that worked and has now stopped! just doesnt seem to be skimming anything? although nothing has changed, maybe since the ammonia is 0ppm ther isnt as much to take out? incomparisson to when i had liverock in there. 



R0b_2oo8 said:


> setting up 4ft marine tank as we speak
> 
> bare tank 50
> cupaboard for it 100
> ...


----------



## ChloEllie (Jul 18, 2009)

prob about 3-4k

i just keep getting more tanks and more fish and then deciding i dont like the way that tank is set up.

i just keep fresh.


----------



## Bitis gabonica (Feb 13, 2009)

lol I got my first 2 fish for my new marine tank today woooo
2 tb common clown fish there lovley! I know im gonna get a beat in for this but ive called them coral and marylin lol (orginal)


----------



## Tarn~Totty (May 4, 2009)

Jewel Vision 450 £350 (after having 2 smaller tanks at £40 and £100..upgraded to a bigger one)

External Rena Filstar filter - £25

Spare Rena parts - £30

extra long air tubing - £10

4 port air pump - £20

plants - at least £100 and still on-going cause my fish keep eating them all!!

Fish £40 - £50 bought as babies and grown on

Medication - £100 (mainly due to getting fish from a certain well know pet store that had diseases and me not quarantining them :bash

other bits and pieces ( gravel (tons of it), heaters etc etc) about £100

So 12 fancy goldfish later...still keep buying and replacing things. Dont think I will ever be happy :lol2:


----------



## Bitis gabonica (Feb 13, 2009)

what fancy goldfish u got mate, i use to keep black moore, not sure if they count lol



Tarn~Totty said:


> Jewel Vision 450 £350 (after having 2 smaller tanks at £40 and £100..upgraded to a bigger one)
> 
> External Rena Filstar filter - £25
> 
> ...


----------



## Tarn~Totty (May 4, 2009)

hiya hun...Ive got oranda's (a couple of blue, chocolate, a mix of colours lol and a red-cap) lionhead, a big blackmoor, and 3 fantails of some sort. And yes...your blackmoor counts :2thumb:

Would really have loved a marine set-up...but I know I couldnt have kept up with how much care and attention marine fish and corals etc need...so got fancies instead lol : victory:

Will try and get some pics up, gave them a big clean out and remodel at the weekend...better get pics while its all still in one piece and looking tidy before they destroy it all :gasp: :lol2:


----------



## Love_snakes (Aug 12, 2007)

I buy used but in good condition. Then you can get everything for less than half price and if people are in a rush sometimes real bargins. I got a 4'x2'x2', wooden stand, hood, t5 lights and starter, external filter, heaters, and loads of extras, everything almost new, for £60 because the person was in a rush to get rid. You could barely get an external filter for that. T'was a bargin.


----------



## Bitis gabonica (Feb 13, 2009)

heya, sounds kool. Yea i started out with just 2 goldfish comets then went into freshwater tropicals and then koi and now going in to marine its great the new things you learn from it lol I shall have to get some pics up 2.



Tarn~Totty said:


> hiya hun...Ive got oranda's (a couple of blue, chocolate, a mix of colours lol and a red-cap) lionhead, a big blackmoor, and 3 fantails of some sort. And yes...your blackmoor counts :2thumb:
> 
> Would really have loved a marine set-up...but I know I couldnt have kept up with how much care and attention marine fish and corals etc need...so got fancies instead lol : victory:
> 
> Will try and get some pics up, gave them a big clean out and remodel at the weekend...better get pics while its all still in one piece and looking tidy before they destroy it all :gasp: :lol2:


----------



## Tarn~Totty (May 4, 2009)

Just gunna post my pics up in the picture section...theyre not much good Im afraid as Im crap with a camera :lol2:


----------



## Bitis gabonica (Feb 13, 2009)

Im just adding some pics of my marine tank too!!! My albums


----------



## dan51 (Sep 26, 2008)

i have spent nearly £600 on my nano, but im upgrading now lol so its going to be alot more expensive, but well worth it


----------



## Bitis gabonica (Feb 13, 2009)

What you going for mate? tank size? any new fish?



dan51 said:


> i have spent nearly £600 on my nano, but im upgrading now lol so its going to be alot more expensive, but well worth it


----------



## xweeqtx (Aug 18, 2009)

Heh, well I've got numerous tanks but I'll name the three "display" tanks.

Freshwater 200l(Cichlid tank!)

Excluding fish, plants, wood, substrate..

Tank & Stand(inc. Heater): £120
Light Unit - £73
T5 Bulbs - 2 x £30 each
External Filter - £105
=£353 Total

Nano Reef, 10 gallon.

Just set up, no fish or CUC yet. 

Tank & Stand, Lights: £50
Skimmer: £20
Filter: £15.50
Tunze Nanostream: £20
Live Sand: £20
Live Rock: £83
Moonlights: £20
= £228.50 total

Indoor Male Betta Tank, 20 gallons, split into 3

Tank, Lighting, Filter: £25
Heater: £10
Dividers: £5
Decor, etc not included

£40

:gasp:


----------



## MJ75 (Feb 5, 2009)

dan51 said:


> i have spent nearly £600 on my nano, but im upgrading now lol so its going to be alot more expensive, but well worth it


 
Lay off the Irnbru Dan for a few weeks and you'll have more than enough for a big reef tank. Or start selling day tickets on your lake! haha 

JC


----------



## Robbie1000uk (Aug 2, 2009)

I'm getting a bit jealous of how little everyone seems to have spent!
We have a 250 litre tropical setup (4'x1'x2.5'). The whole thing must be getting on for £900.


----------



## Marine (Jun 6, 2008)

Last I dared to think about it I think i worked out around 2k including live stock but thats over a year or 2 of stocking up.


----------



## MJ75 (Feb 5, 2009)

Over the last 20 years I'd say more than your average brand new mercedes car. I have offset most of it by breeding fish though. 

My attempts at breeding different marine shrimp species have racked up some serious bills. Still I've really enjoyed doing it and so it's worth every penny.


----------



## Boothy (Feb 26, 2008)

I have spent about £300 on my tropical tank.

I will be soon setting up a marine tank, and a friends friend has offered me a 4ft tank with a stand and hood for £50, so I'm off to have a look at that :2thumb: will keep you all up to date with how things go. Not sure on if it's going to be a fish only or not yet though.


----------



## DaveM (Oct 18, 2006)

well I'm setting up my first marine tank soon, and have everything worked out at £110, yay for employee discount!


----------



## Boothy (Feb 26, 2008)

DaveM said:


> well I'm setting up my first marine tank soon, and have everything worked out at £110, yay for employee discount!


Is that all brand new? You must get a massive employee discount. Does that include everything you need and livestock? What size set-up?


----------



## Bitis gabonica (Feb 13, 2009)

same question lol sounds like a bargain if it is. Maybe just the tank? only use to get 10% discount on our stock.


----------



## Boothy (Feb 26, 2008)

Bitis gabonica said:


> same question lol sounds like a bargain if it is. Maybe just the tank? only use to get 10% discount on our stock.


same here...only 10% :lol2:


----------

