Any Salt Water Aquarium Peeps in here?

stussy5555

stussy5555

HNIC
Dec 12, 2007
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I'm in the process of looking at houses, and one of the first things I will be having installed is a large salt water aquarium. I know it's expensive, upkeep, etc. I am thinking of a 500 gallon custom built-in aquarium, Fish with live rock (not reef), what should I expect to spend? Anyone have pics of theirs?
 


$?0,000...


Plus upkeep, if you don't know the answers to these questions, you probably shouldn't get a 500 gallon tank.
 
Money is not an issue, I was just asking to get a ball park idea. Thanks for your insightful response.
 
500 gallons can cost you up to the 30-40 grand range depending on what you want to add in it.

there are a lot of factors to consider, glass or acrylic for one, the type of fish you are going to add in there. etc
 
loyolabenson said:
500 gallons can cost you up to the 30-40 grand range depending on what you want to add in it.

there are a lot of factors to consider, glass or acrylic for one, the type of fish you are going to add in there. etc
Click to expand...

I was thinking acrylic but would obviously speak to a professional first, the installers and have them mock everything up for me. I was thinking it would be around $30K. Thanks
 
loyolabenson said:
500 gallons can cost you up to the 30-40 grand range depending on what you want to add in it.

there are a lot of factors to consider, glass or acrylic for one, the type of fish you are going to add in there. etc
Click to expand...

Lol it's not 30-40k. After stocking, maybe 15.
 
mgtarheels said:
Nah. You can get custom acrylic tanks like that for less than $10k installed. Let's go with $9k. $4k for equipment, $2k fish. Can't throw in $2k worth of fish anyway (edit: all at the same time), it'd be a shitstorm.
Click to expand...


I did say up to the 30 k - 40 range. Everything I bolded may be the most price effective options, but they are not the only option. What if Stussy wants a Flathead Perch, or something else that's crazy? He said money is not an option so I threw in my 2 cents.
 
If you are going fish only you will save a ton of money ... The money in a salt tank is really in the lights and filtration but those are only really expensive if you are going to be doing a reef tank.

I have had a reef tank for 3 years now and it is my favorite hobby every but it can get very pricey.

For a fish only tank this size I would say you can do it in the 10-15k range pretty easily. For a reef tank this size you would prolly be in the 30-40 range depending on how high end you go with the equipment.

The tank will likely be one of the cheapest parts of the setup when it is all said and done.
 
If you're balling get this one...
aquarium-home11.jpg


If you're really balling, get this one...
index2_big.jpg
 
I did a 95 Gallon reef tank years ago and it was an ungodly moneypit of unholy purportions. I wasn't balling at all back then, still working as a tech support slave for the man, and I spent a years salary on it over a few short years. ;(

Sure, you COULD spend as little as $15 on a big 500 Gallon setup, but it's the unforseen expenses that get you. I thought I'd be spending $1200 max on my setup at first plus some fish food. (Which stinks up your whole house, BTW.)

After the hundredth trip to the aquarium shop to buy something like snails or alkaline booster I realized that this would be impossible to sustain longterm without getting a freaking second mortgage.

tl;dr: Planning for a $15k tank will cost you $50 before long. Buying a new BMW is a far better investment.

Good luck, brah!


avatar33 said:
If you're really balling, get this one...
index2_big.jpg
Click to expand...
Good luck buying that one from the Atlantis Resort... It's kinda big and hard to move...
 
I setup a badass 40g with halides and all for less than $700 ... just because you wasted a shit ton of money doesnt mean everyone has to.
 
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