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Just curious.....With a $600 budget ,What do you already have? Tank,heater,etc...

The nice thing about making a stand is you can make it match your room. One stand I built for a 125 cost about $50. That included all the wood trim, handels, and hinges. The trim is what cost the most, but when done it matched the walls perfectly and looked like it belonged in the room. Right now I'm building lights. My final cost on a 400watt MH is $162.95 plus shipping, and that includes the bulb. After that I'm bulding a very large counter flow skimmer, total cost on that will be about $75. I think I've actually spent more money on the wall the tanks are in then the tanks them self.



Dan

Okay first off, I've been doing my homework for about a year now. Secondly, I have went to my lfs and priced out most of this and I'm looking at around $550 for everything except the fish. Thirdly, the reef bone and play sand are completely fine. It all gets seeded and works just like the natural stuff, and at times looks better. And home made stands can and, when in the hands of a person who knows what they are doing, are better than most stands u can buy. A well made stand can cost as little as $15 if u already have screws, and a drill. I don't plan on a reef, just a nice looking tank.

The type of deals you come across depends on where you look. Call a lighting supply shop for liguts. You interested in MH lights? For 175w you need a ANSI57 ballast $49, for 250w a ANSI58 ballast $51, and for a 400w you need a ANSI59 for $58. A mogul for about $10 and a light shield for about $25. If your interested in DIY projects, I will be happy to give some advice.

Dan

you got some pretty REAL good deals and lots of them.
In "MY world" I come across a great deal every now and then and even at that I would be settling for something I didn't choose. Play sand, bone reef, and a home make stand made from 20 bucks worth of material? NO THANKS!

I wouldn't kid someone that they are going to be happy with a full running and functional SW tank scrounged up for about 500 bucks.

You get what you pay for.
I've spent a few thousand getting mine where I want it.

To each his own!

In the real world, I got a new 125 tank, top, and basic lights for $320. I built a stand for under $20, added 300 pounds of play sand for $21, 50 pounds of reef bones for about $50. Now that's just over $400. Add in some salt, $30 or so for a pail, a heater, $20 or $30, a few powerheads about $20 each. As you can see, the price does not need to be high. Now if you wish to do a reef, then the lights will be the most expensive part of your tank, but again can be made on the cheep, 400 watts of MH built for about $150. Do not belive anyone that says SW MUST cost you an arm and a leg.



Dan

Come back to the world of the living Daniel!!!!

I think you are going to need to do a lot of research before you start buying for a SW. It's going to coast a hell of a lot more than $600 bucks! How big of tank were you thinking about? I'm sure you have heard that the bigger the tank the better and safer it is for the beginner, especially with a guppy eating lionfish!

Sorry if I ruined your day but it had to be said.

Last edited by Daniel at 02-Oct-2004 08:55

I have umm the stand...

75 gallon
FOWLR
MUAHAHAHA
Okay I am going to get a RODI filter for the water I add. I am going to get a skimmer and a UV sterilizer. Live sand. Live rock added at intervals due to expensiveness (10 bucks a pound.) I need to know... I saw a digital testy thing on a SW 75 at the lfs... It told the temp ph and salinity... where can i get one of these? Also, what salinity should I go for? What can i put in it? I think I will go with CF lighting...

entire setup...

I thought you were willing to spend $600? Or was that on your entire setup?

those are just a little out of my price range for moniters of ph and salinity and such... :%) I still don't know what lights to go with and such... Is a protein skimmer all the filter I need or should I buy an extra power filter?

Take a look here, you should be able to get everything your intrested in for less than $600. They are a little cheaper than I thought.

Controllers

probes??? I am not worried about the money really... So long as I dont spend over $600...

The probes your talking about are incredibly expensive. Such a setup would probably cost you at least $400, maybe more...or less if you could find one used.

I'd check online for live rock, even with shipping you should be able to get it for less than half of what you'd pay at your LFS.

I am looking at a fuzzy dwarf lionfish... so tankmates and cleanup crew needed...