ITEM w/APPROX. COST
All the items here are needed for a successful reef tank
Note: these are approx retail prices,your cost may vary.
- Deionizer or reverse osmosis water purifier $ 270
- Resin for above, to replace every 6 months: 1 gal. $ 60
- Bulbs: 48″ actinic blue & actinic white, 4 @ $25 $100
- 30″ protein skimmer (Venturi)* $300
- Pressure pump for skimmer, 500 to 600 GPH $90
- Carbon pre filters for tap water: 1 @ $60, 1 @ $25 $85
- Cartridges for above: 2 @ $12, 1 @ $5 $29
- Sump box (for prefilter)* $150
- Material, 6 packages floss prefilter $50
- Main pump 500 to 600 GPH $90
- Tank: 55 gallons* $70
- Tank stand* $75
- Light canopy to house four 48″ bulbs (with VHO ballast)* $300
- Salt mix: 1 for setup for 55 gallon tank $18
- Salt mix for water changes $18
- Phosphate test kit $20
- Test kit for ammonia, pH, nitrite, nitrate $45
- Test kit for K.H. $12, calcium $12 $24
- Specific gravity meter $12
- Misc. (books, power strips, Kalkwasser, trace elements, etc.) $100
TOTAL: $1,906
* These items can easily be made by the hobbyists to save money, my book shows you how! Plus! other items not on the list. . .
What else do I need?
There are a couple of items I left out, such as a wave maker or surge buckets, timers for the lights, electronic pH testers, a generator in the event of a power outage, etc. I omitted these from the startup figure because they are not absolutely essential at the very beginning. They are important, beneficial components, but they can be added to the system later on if you prefer.
Simplified Reefkeeping
