# The real cost of a marine aquarium



## stratos (Apr 21, 2010)

It is articles like this one that keep me from jumping into marine fish keeping:

The Real Cost of a Saltwater Aquarium: Recreating the Ocean - Bloomberg

Though I am sure I can beat their estimated $17,000 total for a 90 gallon tank!


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

it osunds crazy , to see such a way out there figure, and while$17000 seems a bit high , if you do it right it is expensive, you CAN cut corners to save cost but it does get exp fast


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## 35angels (Aug 7, 2012)

I think I'll stick to freshwater thanks. lol


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

That article is totally bogus. They have NO clue what they are writing about. For instance, they are talking about setting up a 90g for total cost of $17,000 but the tank is not even drilled for a sump. Also, as part of their "clean up crew", they list:

$50: Red Fromia Starfish - ridiculously expensive - Should cost $15-25
$120: Red Crinoid (Feather Star) - even experts can't keep these alive, should be left in the ocean!!!

And almost all their coral prices are waaaaaay off ($150-200 range). That's for huge show colonies, which wouldn't fit together in a 90g.

This type of article is pure stupidity because it puts out false info and even if you did exactly as they say and spend this kind of money, your tank would probably be unsuccessful. Its an example of bad journalism, if it can even be called journalism. Its like they went to a store and said, "I have an unlimited budget. Please rip me off so I can write an article for Bloomberg that will exaggerate the cost of setting up a marine tank and freak people out."

If this is the type of sources you rely on to make your decisions (not just about not "jumping into marine fish keeping"), then that's really sad since there is far more accurate info out there and to set up a tank that size, but reef ready and with sumps, in-sump skimmers, etc. would realistically be a fraction of their highly exaggerated, over-inflated pricing.

Yes, no doubt that reefing is an expensive hobby/addiction, so really, there is no need to make this sort of article using inflated prices to try to blow readers' minds. If a Bloomberg reader went to a store and gave them this article and said "I want all of this stuff and I'll pay those prices", the store would be laughing all the way to the bank.

Anthony


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

For $17,000 I could set up a 300g with LED lighting, top-of-the-line skimmer & equipment, and all the works, including corals and fish and an automated water change system. 

Not this rinky-dink undrilled 90g that the Bloomberg "writer" is writing about.


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## Chewie (Jul 21, 2010)

Wow, $17,000 for a 90g saltwater tank..... My first saltwater tank was a 90g it probably cost me $750 to get up and running. Mind you I did score a deal on the complete system with all equipment, rock and sand for $350 add a few hundred for fish, cleaner crew, and then a few hundred for corals I am still under $1000. And you dont add livestock all at once so the payout is spread out for that. As for maintanence the amount is not to bad. ( mostly compensated by selling coral frags)

I think my father in law spends more on his fresh water setups.


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

yea its definately far out there. Im still new to salt and i cant believe some of those numbers. i can see how salt has costs adding up slowly, but its not really that bad if you show restraint and have patience. My biggest expense is the sand because i wanted oolite, everything else was cheap


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

yea.... 5lb co2 cylinder without regulator for $170, must have had some bling


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## spit.fire (Jan 3, 2011)

SeaHorse_Fanatic said:


> For $17,000 I could set up a 300g with LED lighting, top-of-the-line skimmer & equipment, and all the works, including corals and fish and an automated water change system.
> 
> Not this rinky-dink undrilled 90g that the Bloomberg "writer" is writing about.


I've MAYBE put 2500$ into my 300g but I don't have much for corals in it.


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## spit.fire (Jan 3, 2011)

neven said:


> yea.... 5lb co2 cylinder without regulator for $170, must have had some bling


Gold plated


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