Cost of My Reef Aquarium Setup (my small coral farm)

[@InappropriateReefer]

Always interesting to see other reefer's setup (esp knowing the cost!), the frag tank has come a loooong way!! Thanks for the shout out btw!!

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

Always an honor when you stop by! Thanks for the love.

[@QuIcKeNdZ]

@@BahamaLlamaCoral always an honor! love both you guys!

[@craftaquatic6472]

I applaud your effort to remember how much you've spent this system. My frag tank was cobbled together with gear I've collected and used on past system over the last 10 years, so I wouldn't even know where to begin.

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

This system started about 2 years ago so everything is relatively fresh in my memory. Kudos for having a 10 year frag tank! Thats awesome!

[@rockfella27]

😂👍 I'm sure it's very satisfying just looking at it whole evening.

[@FPSFox]

I purchased my Evo 13.5 tank used (The one mentioned in this vid) for 70.00 and thought I was going to get into this hobby for cheap... Then I started purchasing upgrades, and things rose quickly. Here is my full list as I've been keeping track. (Tank is currently cycling as we speak, actually. You will also notice I purchased things for a small quarantine tank which rose the price a bit. Cost Tank 70.00 Micro Skimmer 48.69 ATO 75.76 Stax Rocks 32.21 Salinity Tester 60.60 RODI System 156.40 PH & TDS 21.64 Media Basket 54.11 Salt 108.12 Carbon 24.74 Bio Media 18.39 Marine Buffer 7.35 Formalin 24.51 Prime V Alert V Cupramine 37.94 Acu-Drip 11.90 Bio Ball Plas 3.01 Stability 9.44 Sand Vaccum 10.81 Topoff Contain 13.14 Power Heads 15.32 QT Pump QT Hose QT Sponge 28.20 QT Tank QT Lid Sand 103.87 Media Bags 9.73 Egg Crete 11.90 Flipper Scrub 32.56 AI Hydra 26 Used 265.00 Thermostat 14.06 Hanna Copper 54.07 Copper Tests 37.07 QT Heater 16.23 New Pump 49.78 Epoxy 12.94 Carbon Rod 7.32 Hanna Checkers 253.80 Lid Clips 14.06 Faucet Divert 12.98 5 Gallon Jug 17.14 2 Fish Nets 3.82 Pump Tube 7.63 Mixing Bucket 5.00 Total 1,751.66 May have missed some things here and there, but yea, for anybody just starting out, hopefully this list gives you an idea of what to expect. Obviously there are some things here that aren't ABSOLUTELY NEEDED, but after you hit the 1k mark, you figure "Hell, if I'm going to do this, may as well do it right". At least that's how I saw it. Thanks for the great videos, Bahama Llama

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

What a great reference!! The tank is usually the cheapest part of the hobby, lol! Thank you for sharing.

[@ncmtb7248]

I have a ten gallon tank with some lps and softies and I'm about $200 in. The tanks been setup for about a year now.

[@ordinaryguy6736]

Did you end up upgrading?

[@FPSFox]

@@ordinaryguy6736 Sadly no. At the time of this comment I was living in TX and we had that massive power outage that took out most of the state during that week long snow storm. Killed all my fish and coral. I moved shortly after that and haven't picked up the hobby again.

[@ordinaryguy6736]

@@FPSFox Ah hate to see it. I had about the same cost into my EVO and had to leave. Unfortunately, I left it to a friend and he wasn't a fish keeper. I believe a turbo snail died and nuked my tank :( Haven't been able to restart yet as I've been moving a lot, but excited to get back into it! Hope you find the passion again, friend.

[@ManiacalMangoes]

Curious - what makes you like frags so much vs. a full blown reef tank? Is it like cultivating a garden and you just love to watch the growth even if in a more artificial layout (plugs and PVC) vs. something more natural looking?

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

Kinda! This tank was out of necessity. We had just moved so I needed somewhere to house all of my coral in one tank. I'm actually starting a legit reef tank soon!

[@boolets_9787]

I have an IM 10 gallon and my equipment and fish are around 1,040 dollars! 💵 and that's not including all of my coral and past/old equipment that's no longer on the tank or live stock that has passed Great video Bahama Llama keep up the great work!! Also I asked you for suggestions on my stocking and you said zoas and rock flower nems and today and went out a got a nice rock flower nem so great idea!

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

That's fantastic!! I hope they grow and flourish for you. You may become a rock flower addict...there's so many different variations!

[@ImCools]

I loved this video great job brother 🤙🏼

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

Thanks man! See you at Aquashella!

[@nicholashagstrom5550]

Awesome video! I have a 29 gallon biocube that has been running for a year and a half now. Total all in cost (livestock, equipment and salt) $2803.76.

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

Expensive hobby! But then again, any hobby one becomes addicted to will get expensive.

[@TheHappySmileyFace12]

How I have a 29 gal and I’m maybe 400$ in

[@nicholashagstrom5550]

@@TheHappySmileyFace12 tank itself has been running since 2012, was a FOWLR system back then. Last year rebooted it and started making it a mixed reef.

[@yixionglin4160]

Very inspiring video👍

[@SAVAGEREEFER]

Awesome!

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

Thanks for watching!

[@yixionglin4160]

Hello, I wonder if you have a chiller for this frag tank or not. Also, for the reactors in this tank, only phosphate reactor is enough? How often do you do WC?😅

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

No chiller needed here in the midwest. Weekly water changes usually.

[@phish5213]

i wanna make a frag tank, can i use an AIO or do i need a sump, and if i have mostly softies and some LPS do i need to dose??

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

You can use anything for a frag tank really! You'll only need to dose when the demand for elements exceeds what you can replace with water changes. OR you go longer than a couple weeks in between water changes. The best way to know is to test a your water regularly.

[@money13240]

Do you have any Rastas or little shops?

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

Yep! Getting a replacement LSOH soon. I miss my OG colony. 😞

[@austinheikkila]

Fire video! - QR

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

Thanks for watching Austin!

[@rockfella27]

Yes saltwater is a different game.

[@jeffsreeftank]

Not a poor mans hobby. But I love it👍🏾👍🏾

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

You got that right! Passion outweighs cost for sure!

[@brianculater6444]

I’m in the ballpark of $4000.00 on my 70.3 Waterbox reef with only 5 frags and one Coral beauty. Note the tank is only 5 months old. I’ve been reefing for 20+ years. In 2010 I lost my house so I tore down my 150 gallon reef tank so I decided to just start over again. What I wouldn’t give to have my old reef tank back because I had 40to50 pieces of coral in that reef tank worth thousands of dollars today!

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

It's amazing how fast it all adds up! I've got average lighting too. If you get into the Radion/Orphek game that's when it starts to get pricey. The good thing about coral is that most of the time it pays for itself.

[@brianculater6444]

Bahama Llama Coral I have the exact same lighting as you, I just don’t have the long lighting you have, unable to remember the lighting you said you had but yeah I want that lighting you have, plus I’m rebuilding my sump. The sump that came with the Waterbox isn’t so great so I bought a 40g breeder, building a sump/fuge 👍👍 Anyway I’m done rambling LOL this was a cool video 👍

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

Thank you! The long lights are two 24' T5 bulbs. I run blue plus for supplementation.

[@brianculater6444]

Bahama Llama Coral cool I’ll check em out 👍 thanks again.

[@djray77]

oh man I don't think I wanna add it all up lol! Waterbox 7226, 5x XR15G4's, 4x Mp40's, Full apex system w/trident yea the list goes on and on lol.

[@CalcioFan4Ever]

I think i spent...... 1500$ setting up my 45g tank. Lfs had a great combo deal going on for tank, stand, sump, and all the other equipmemt in 1. Only thing ive upgraded is the heater

[@Steve-514]

The only things I bought new were a bigger sicce 2.0 return pump and a nano for the reactor, test kits and Rodi system everything else was used and spent 1770$ and took a few months to get everything or it would cost me well over 5000$ if bought new and yes my wife knows about every purchase I do. You'd be surprised what you can find used and still in perfect condition just because ppl want the latest equipment... Red Sea 170 AI prime X2 with arms, Nero 3, nanostream 6020, coral box skimmer, phosban reactor, Milwaukee refractometer ect....

[@albinorhino6487]

If my wife ever found out oh my God!

[@WastedTalent26]

Lool

[@AnArmedLunatic]

Useful: D

[@Ellery-USA]

My coworker recently asked me if my house burned down how much would it cost to replace everything. Well I just did a high level estimate on just the hardware on my 450 gallon (6 tank +2 sump) system it came out to be about $75K but then again the emphasis is that I accumulated all this stuff over 23 years.

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

WOOOO WEEE!!! I bet the tank is beautiful!

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

Sorry, tank(s)...

[@salemclemens6148]

What are the bright orange branching sps?

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

That's setosa - It's SO BRIGHT!

[@salemclemens6148]

@@BahamaLlamaCoral SO SAD my setosa has just been encursting for around 2 months - I keep seeing ones like in your vid and I always thought it was a digita of some kind

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

@@salemclemens6148 This one has been growing in a weird shape for me, lol!

[@fanficfan8599]

What NOT to get used?

[@CarsonsAquatics]

You live in St. Louis? I do too! Also just subbed back to you, nice video

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

Yeah man! Thanks for the sub!

[@yfs.gaming3012]

Just built my 2000l reef not gonna post the total breakdown of equipment but a rough figure is north of $11,000

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

I can imagine! Nice setup!

[@yfs.gaming3012]

@@BahamaLlamaCoral haha thank you love the channel and content keep it up

[@alorrick7546]

About $1,316USD with a super bad to the bone colorful and ready for bigger starter Evo 13.5 that is a really good starter tank paired with an AI prime HD Not including any salts, tests, food, fish, coral, rock, sand, or disposables.

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

Evo was my first tank!! Sooo, when you going bigger?

[@gabesreef]

That was a VERY conservative total. I'm likely in the +8,000s 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

Gabes Reef Tampa I should do another video calculating all my frags 😳

[@gabesreef]

@@BahamaLlamaCoral idk that's pretty scarry. Unless you started before the bans and you wanna brag. I'm indifferent

[@scotquintel2729]

$135 total...keeping it low yo! 13.5 fluval stock setup.

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

$135 for now...😃 I started with that tank and it quickly jumped to $1k really fast with lights and add-ons. I miss that tank.

[@scotquintel2729]

@@BahamaLlamaCoral I'm (trying) to use the tank size as a limiting factor so I don't get in too deep! LOL. Probably already have over $600 worth of corals in it.

[@fanficfan8599]

@@BahamaLlamaCoral are the stock lights no good?

[@randomwhiteguy8608]

Now that we know what you paid for the setup you should estimate how much you could possibly get if you sold all your frags and compare

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

I'm selling a lot of it in a frag swap next weekend so I'll have a better idea! Making a video series on the swap process right now. 😬

[@randomwhiteguy8608]

Awesome can’t wait for the video to come out

[@rashidmahmood24]

is there any hobby out there that is cheap. if you think about it. it only gets more expensive as you move up to the more demanding corals. a nice softy tank wont cost that much more than a fresh water planted tank.

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

If you're hobby is couponing it's probably not that expensive, lol. 😆 Totally understand what you're saying though! Thanks for watching!

[@chrismoniz5898]

I think I'm about 10.000 in my 180

[@BahamaLlamaCoral]

For a 180 that seems about right on. What kinda lights you running?

[@chrismoniz5898]

@@BahamaLlamaCoral t5 led mix