rhysiboy
Fish Addict
Hi this is in reply to Steal's request so i thought id give it a shot.
There are 3 main different type of tanks , which all have the 3 diffferent styles, those being: low cost, medium cost, and high cost. The three types of marine nano i will cover will be Reef, FOWLR and FO. For each setup i will use the same gallon tank at the same price . Also let t be noted im a big supporter of skimming nanos so most lists will include a skimmer of sorts but its really your descision. Also let it be noted that you will have constant ongoing costs such as RO watrer, Food, salt and so on. Just remeber that even after youve bought all your live stock the tank will continue to need money. Right so lets get started
W'ell start with the FO
low cost: For this type of tank you will be limited due to the fact that many FO fish are usualy comfortable in 30g + but the main difference is youll be able to save money as you dont have the expense of live rock.
The first cost will obviously be the tank and im going to use the 20g long after suggestions
People say they are about £30 for the tank and £30 for the stand.
Testing equiptment:
Basic test kit, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and ph £ 18.99
float arm hydrometer, Red sea
doubles up as a thermometer so saves cost) £ 10.00 ish
Filter and Skimmer: Since this is the cheapo way no skimmer.
An internal filter £ 19.99
Salt: TMC 8kg (no specific reason for chosing this its £ 15.95
just what ive got)
Sand: Bag of aragonite sand medium to fine, 5.4kg £14.99
Lighting: Single T8 tube, with starter and freshwater spectrum £20.00
Accesories: This is anything from buckets and tubing to £20.00
RO water
Livestock:
Fish: this really depends on what your buying but id gues £ 60.00
around £30 - £60 as n a FO your not going to have
that many
All in all will probably cost about £239 give or take
FO - medium cost: This is midway so this is for if you have a comfortable ammount in your pocket. Certain hardware will
change aswell.
Tank: 20 gallon long
Testing equiptment: A decent testkit that is more accurate £ 25.00
Glass floating hydrometer, more reliable than £ 20.00
swing arm style.
Thermometer £ 2.50
Filter and Skimmer: Air powered skimmer £ 20.00
Either a bad external or good internal £ 34.99
Salt: TMC 8kg (no specific reason for chosing this its £ 15.95
just what ive got)
Sand: Bag of aragonite sand medium to fine, 5.4kg £14.99
Lighting: double T5 tube, with starter and marine spectrum £40.00
Accesories: This is anything from buckets and tubing to £20.00
RO water
Livestock - Fish: Again im estimating around £60 £ 60.00
Total: £313.43
FO - Expensive: IMO this is the only way to do a true FO because since there is no LR to filter you need a lot more
mechanical hardware this means more $$
Tank: 20 gallon long
Testing Equiptment: A complete kit with everything you could ever want to test £ 40.00
Electronic termometer £ 20.00
Refreactometer £ 40.00
Filter and Skimmer: Quality skimmer such as TMC or aqua medic £ 90.00
Eheim or fluval canister (the DB hardware) £ 60.00 ish
Salt: TMC 8kg (no specific reason for chosing this its £ 15.95
just what ive got)
Sand: Bag of aragonite sand medium to fine, 5.4kg £14.99
Lighting: Double PC lighting, in 10k and 14k £60.00
Accesories: This is anything from buckets and tubing to £20.00
RO water
Livestock - Fish: Again im estimating around £60 £ 60.00
Total : £480.94
Right now lets get started on the price list for a FOWLR (fish only with live rock) I will use the same tank. The major difference in price that will occur with FOWLR will be live rock and a cleanup crew. This is how many people start only to find later they want to try corals although this doesnt really require much effort to change, more lighting is required and a skimmer can be beneficial (corals like low nutrient water... i think
)
The Poor mans way
Tank : 20 gallon long + stand £60
Testing equiptment: Basic test kit, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and ph £ 18.99
Instant ocean hydrometer £ 15.00
Glass thermometer £1.50
Filter and Skimmer : (the major difference) Live Rock 6kg (slightly under what is suggested and prices are very depndent on area per kg) £66- £70
powerheads.. 1 maxijet 900 £24.95
1 maxijet 600 £20.95
Salt: TMC 8kg (no specific reason for chosing this its £ 15.95
just what ive got)
Sand: Bag of aragonite sand medium to fine, 5.4kg £14.99
Lighting: single T5 tube, in 10k (most things on live rock are used to marine spectrum so its not really that good to use freshie bulbs) £30
Livestock : Okay this is rough estimate for the bread and butter tank i.e 2 clownfish, a goby and a wrasse / firefish. £50 - £60 (price depends on species)
Now since youv got live rock youll want things to maintain so youll need a clean up crew. This means snails, crabs, and shrimp things £40
Total : £362.33
The Moderate way
This is pretty similar to the poor mans way as not much really is different except from maybe a bit more live rock, anyway without further ado
Tank : you no the drill £60
Filter and Skimmer : 8 kg of live rock £85 - £90
2 powerheads getting flow rate of 15 - 20x circulation £46.90
Cheapy skimmer ( is always usefull despite if it doesnt do much) £30
Salt: TMC 8kg (no specific reason for chosing this its £ 15.95
just what ive got)
Sand: Bag of aragonite sand medium to fine, 5.4kg £14.99
Lighting: Duel T5 in 50/50 spectrum £60
Livestock : Bread and butter fish i.e 2 clownfish, a goby and a wrasse / firefish. £50 - £60 (price depends on species)
Now since youv got live rock youll want things to maintain so youll need a clean up crew. This means snails, crabs, and shrimp things £40
Total: £407.84
There are 3 main different type of tanks , which all have the 3 diffferent styles, those being: low cost, medium cost, and high cost. The three types of marine nano i will cover will be Reef, FOWLR and FO. For each setup i will use the same gallon tank at the same price . Also let t be noted im a big supporter of skimming nanos so most lists will include a skimmer of sorts but its really your descision. Also let it be noted that you will have constant ongoing costs such as RO watrer, Food, salt and so on. Just remeber that even after youve bought all your live stock the tank will continue to need money. Right so lets get started
W'ell start with the FO
low cost: For this type of tank you will be limited due to the fact that many FO fish are usualy comfortable in 30g + but the main difference is youll be able to save money as you dont have the expense of live rock.
The first cost will obviously be the tank and im going to use the 20g long after suggestions
People say they are about £30 for the tank and £30 for the stand.Testing equiptment:
Basic test kit, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and ph £ 18.99
float arm hydrometer, Red sea
doubles up as a thermometer so saves cost) £ 10.00 ish
Filter and Skimmer: Since this is the cheapo way no skimmer.
An internal filter £ 19.99
Salt: TMC 8kg (no specific reason for chosing this its £ 15.95
just what ive got)
Sand: Bag of aragonite sand medium to fine, 5.4kg £14.99
Lighting: Single T8 tube, with starter and freshwater spectrum £20.00
Accesories: This is anything from buckets and tubing to £20.00
RO water
Livestock:
Fish: this really depends on what your buying but id gues £ 60.00
around £30 - £60 as n a FO your not going to have
that many
All in all will probably cost about £239 give or take
FO - medium cost: This is midway so this is for if you have a comfortable ammount in your pocket. Certain hardware will
change aswell.
Tank: 20 gallon long
Testing equiptment: A decent testkit that is more accurate £ 25.00
Glass floating hydrometer, more reliable than £ 20.00
swing arm style.
Thermometer £ 2.50
Filter and Skimmer: Air powered skimmer £ 20.00
Either a bad external or good internal £ 34.99
Salt: TMC 8kg (no specific reason for chosing this its £ 15.95
just what ive got)
Sand: Bag of aragonite sand medium to fine, 5.4kg £14.99
Lighting: double T5 tube, with starter and marine spectrum £40.00
Accesories: This is anything from buckets and tubing to £20.00
RO water
Livestock - Fish: Again im estimating around £60 £ 60.00
Total: £313.43
FO - Expensive: IMO this is the only way to do a true FO because since there is no LR to filter you need a lot more
mechanical hardware this means more $$
Tank: 20 gallon long
Testing Equiptment: A complete kit with everything you could ever want to test £ 40.00
Electronic termometer £ 20.00
Refreactometer £ 40.00
Filter and Skimmer: Quality skimmer such as TMC or aqua medic £ 90.00
Eheim or fluval canister (the DB hardware) £ 60.00 ish
Salt: TMC 8kg (no specific reason for chosing this its £ 15.95
just what ive got)
Sand: Bag of aragonite sand medium to fine, 5.4kg £14.99
Lighting: Double PC lighting, in 10k and 14k £60.00
Accesories: This is anything from buckets and tubing to £20.00
RO water
Livestock - Fish: Again im estimating around £60 £ 60.00
Total : £480.94
Right now lets get started on the price list for a FOWLR (fish only with live rock) I will use the same tank. The major difference in price that will occur with FOWLR will be live rock and a cleanup crew. This is how many people start only to find later they want to try corals although this doesnt really require much effort to change, more lighting is required and a skimmer can be beneficial (corals like low nutrient water... i think
)The Poor mans way
Tank : 20 gallon long + stand £60
Testing equiptment: Basic test kit, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and ph £ 18.99
Instant ocean hydrometer £ 15.00
Glass thermometer £1.50
Filter and Skimmer : (the major difference) Live Rock 6kg (slightly under what is suggested and prices are very depndent on area per kg) £66- £70
powerheads.. 1 maxijet 900 £24.95
1 maxijet 600 £20.95
Salt: TMC 8kg (no specific reason for chosing this its £ 15.95
just what ive got)
Sand: Bag of aragonite sand medium to fine, 5.4kg £14.99
Lighting: single T5 tube, in 10k (most things on live rock are used to marine spectrum so its not really that good to use freshie bulbs) £30
Livestock : Okay this is rough estimate for the bread and butter tank i.e 2 clownfish, a goby and a wrasse / firefish. £50 - £60 (price depends on species)
Now since youv got live rock youll want things to maintain so youll need a clean up crew. This means snails, crabs, and shrimp things £40
Total : £362.33
The Moderate way
This is pretty similar to the poor mans way as not much really is different except from maybe a bit more live rock, anyway without further ado
Tank : you no the drill £60
Filter and Skimmer : 8 kg of live rock £85 - £90
2 powerheads getting flow rate of 15 - 20x circulation £46.90
Cheapy skimmer ( is always usefull despite if it doesnt do much) £30
Salt: TMC 8kg (no specific reason for chosing this its £ 15.95
just what ive got)
Sand: Bag of aragonite sand medium to fine, 5.4kg £14.99
Lighting: Duel T5 in 50/50 spectrum £60
Livestock : Bread and butter fish i.e 2 clownfish, a goby and a wrasse / firefish. £50 - £60 (price depends on species)
Now since youv got live rock youll want things to maintain so youll need a clean up crew. This means snails, crabs, and shrimp things £40
Total: £407.84
If you'd like Stealhealr I can write a US one up based on what I've bought and learned similar to the UK one then PM it to you so you can edit it to save you some time? Let me know
