Cost of setting up a 135?

[Goofball310]

From what you've laid out it sounds like you're not really gonna be spending too much money to get the tank running. Extra sand and building a stand will only run you a few hundred dollars.

Now what you do after that is a whole other story.

[lrg]

Make a budget, and then figure on spending double.

I bought a used tank and stand on a running system...figured around $600 the whole thing would be back up and running....I had another thank to steal from for goodnessakes! .....4 Months later....$1700 gone and still not finished (although getting closer!).

Costs run up as you realize that it makes sense to buy decent equipment first time around rather than buy things twice.

[corruption]

Make a budget, and then figure on spending double.

I bought a used tank and stand on a running system...figured around $600 the whole thing would be back up and running....I had another thank to steal from for goodnessakes! .....4 Months later....$1700 gone and still not finished (although getting closer!).

Costs run up as you realize that it makes sense to buy decent equipment first time around rather than buy things twice.

+1 -- bought a 75 here on MAAST to upgrade my 40 gallon... $2000 later, I'm where I want to be Original expectations: about 500 more than I paid for the tank.

-Justin

[Europhyllia]

I wish I would have been a MAAST member when I started.
When you buy new and decide something doesn't work well for you you pretty much lose 50% of you investment right there. If you buy something used and then decide it doesn't match your plan you can usually resell it for the same used price without any loss.
I bought a used tank and mostly new equipment. A few months down the line I have different stocking ideas and much of the original equipment has been resold.
I wish I had just started out with more used stuff. Could have saved a lot of money...

[Bill S]

Costs run up as you realize that it makes sense to buy decent equipment first time around rather than buy things twice.

Could not have said it better. But, I'll try...

The costs in this hobby are when you go from basic FOWLR (fish only) thru the progression to SPS. For my 55, I bought lighting 4 times!

The other issue, to me on my 215 was to make it as bulletproof as I could - and pretty much managed to do that - so that disasters could be averted.

[ReefCube]

$10,000

[lrg]

$10,000

lol exactly!

[msmith619]

I have a used 75 gallon reef set-up and a used 125 gallon. For each they came with a tank, stand and sump. One came with a light fixture- that will be your biggest expense if you want a reef system. I bought sand, live rock, pumps, lights, protein skimmers (and of course, livestock). Used if available and of good quality, new if not.
Both of my tanks ended up costing between $3000-4000 to get where I wanted them. That is a good estimate for a nice system with good lighting and equipment. You can save a bundle if you make your own retro-fit lighting.