Mucho Dinero

[totalbolshevik]

How much does it cost to set up and maintain an average saltwater tank? I was at the lfs the other day and saw a really cute liddle mini-hex about 10 gal. with some coral and a couple clownfish in it and guess what it cost? 600 bucks! Is this price totally outrageous or is it normal?

 

[wuvmybetta]

hmmmm, my lfs has the same oceanic 10 gallon hex with hood and light for 59.99

salt is soooo expensive and THAT'S my main reason for not diving in....yet

600 bucks seems a little high because I'm pretty sure you can set something like that up for $350 or so
also I've heard hexes are terrible for salt because the light can't reach the corals, I have a 42 hex that I wanted to do salt and my lfs said it wasn't a good idea

 

[Equalizer]

wuvmybetta
Ive seen some pretty cool hex tanks that were reef. The lighting problem is solved with more powerful lights(such as metal halide) you would only need one 175 watt MH for a 42 hex.That is enough for almost all softies and some sps.

 

[Great Lakes]

If it came with the livestock, 600 dollars can happen real fast.

 

[Xenity7]

Great Lakes is right, even the cheapest marine livestock is probably more than you'd ever pay for a freshwater fish.

I wouldn't get that 10-Gallon set-up no matter what it cost (okay well, maybe if it were free) because 10 gallons is to small for a stable saltwater environment, having Fish in that tank is pushing it and corals will mostly likely die without exquisite care, All in all small saltwater tanks are not for beginners.