cichlidlover

I know this is a broad subject but I was just wanting to ask: how much money would the entire setup of a 60 gallon saltwater community tank cost? I plan on getting a power filter and a protein skimmer. I also found several 60 gallon tanks (with hood and stand) on ebay for $150 or less. This is my first saltwater tank, so I need every thing. I am going to set up a hospital tank, but I know the price of that. All I want is the price of the main tank with all the acesseries.




THANK YOU!!!!!

Tumbleweed

This is a very broad question. First off what are your plans for the tank? Fish only, FOWLR, or reef tank? Different equipment will be need depending on which way you want to go. For a fish only tank you could be looking around $500-600 with tank and stand. If you wanted to go with a reef tank, there is no limit to the amount you can spend on equipment. You can spend $3000 in lighting alone.
The best thing you can do is first decide what your ultimate goal is for the tank. Once you know that look around on this site and others to see what people are doing for there setups. In most cases you will need a tank, stand, heater, power heads, protein skimmer, sump, return pump, overflow box, "unless tank is reef ready", sand "live of not", live rock, and lights. Plus a lot of misc tubing and electrical connections. The big differences between the types of tanks are the amount of flow you have and the type of lights you have. Reef tanks will need more flow and higher output lights, where as a fish only tank will not little flow and less lighting.
You can get away with buying inexpensive things, or a lot of items off of ebay or craigslist, but just remember. In this hobby you get what you pay for. A $50 protein skimmer will not work as well as a $400 protein skimmer.
Hope this will get you started or at least give you an idea on where to start.
Brian

cichlidlover

well, I found a used tank on ebay with hood and stand for $150. Everything else will be new. I want a fish only tank. My ultimate goal for the total price is: under $700



Here's my price estimates: Tank hood and stand- $150-$200 Power filter and protein skimmer-$100
Air pump and other airation acceseries-$30
Thermometer/hydrometer-$25
Gravel-20$
Artificial salt/test kits-$50
Heater-$30
Random decorations-$40


Hospital tank prices( I already have 10 gallon tank)
Power filter-$20
Air pump and acceseries-$15
Heater/thermometer-$20
Other decorations-$20

Fish-$100


Do you think it is acurate

PS:I can't afford anything over $450( besides stand hood and tank) so what you said about the $400 protein skimmer will not work

Tumbleweed

You do not need and filter and a protein skimmer. You also don't need and air pump. If it is going to just be a fish only tank you can just use a HOB filter and be ok, but if you think that there is the slightest chance you will want to add live rock and any type of coral do not get the filter and spend the money on a skimmer. Your price calculation is a little off for the salt and test kits. An API salt water master test kit is around $20 and a bucket of sand is going to be around $30. The rest of your prices look close.

cichlidlover

so I could only get a skimmer for a fish only tank or with coral and be OK?

Tumbleweed

Yes. With a fish only tank a HOB Skimmer will be just fine. If you later wan to get coral, you will need to get a sump, and a refugium to help, but with a fish only tank the skimmer will be just fine. I also recommend getting a skimmer that is rated for a tank larger then what you have. ie. you have a 60gal tank get a skimmer rated for an 85-100gal tank. You really can't get too big of a skimmer.

cichlidlover

Ok!!! I plan on getting just a fish only tank to start, but maybe in a year or two I will add coral.