Beginning 90g reef build... need help trimming down costs...

[Sitarangi]

While im at college, I left my dad in charge of taking care of my 29g nano, and hes fallen in love with the hobby and wants to build a much, much bigger tank. One of the local LFS sent him a pretty hefty estimate and the retailer spared no expense adding a euro skimmer and T5 lights. I want to cut off at least $1000-1500. The tank will be mainly soft corals and probably have a pretty hefty stocklist.

Price
Custom 90 gallon “Glass Tank� 48"x18"x24" (Lx Wx Ht) Black Back and Black Silicon $ 489.99
with 1-1/2" Tank Adapter in Trapezoid Overflow Box, Floation Bottom

Trapezoid Overflow Box Built into Tank $ 135.00

Stand - Custom 40� height – Dark Oak Recessed Top of Stand and $ 649.99
Flush Wide Doors Style

Canopy - Custom Rise for Lighting Clearance - to be supplied by owner

Warner Euro CSP-6-2 Plus Stack Protein Fractionator with Pump $ 529.99

Gen X 1200 Pump 21' Head Pressure $ 159.99

Harness (hoses, fittings, valves etc.) from Sump to Tank
$ 69.51

Harness (hoses, fittings, valves etc.) for Main Pumps(3 extra Outlets) $ 188.84

Nitrogen Reduction Sand Bed, (3) Dry and (1) Live Sand Bags
$ 199.99

Custom Berlin Sump Filtration System for Euro Skimmer
$ 449.99

Sweeping Water Actuator Large (Squid) Movement (1) w/ adapters $ 99.99

Marine Inviro.Salts, Top End (4 qty) 24.99 ea
$ 99.96

Complete Lighting System, Complete T-5 Hood System w/Fans
and w/Bulbs $ 699.99

Korelia 2 Massive Water Movement -Low Energy -No Heat! $ 79.98

Heater 300 Watt $ 42.99

Digital Termo. $ 19.99

High Output LED Simmering Lights $ 79.99

Subtotal $ 3,996.18
Plus Tax

Option #1: Temper bottom of tank - Stronger add $170.00

Option #2: Euro Style (no moulding -super strong) tank is appx.$ 700 Extra

Option #3 German Cacium Reactor with CO2 Bottle and Reactor add $927.97

[Amoore311]

Warner Euro CSP-6-2 Plus Stack Protein Fractionator with Pump $ 529.99

Switch to a MSX 200 for $279.00 They are monsters! And can handle probably twice your tank size.
www.marinesolutions.com

Nitrogen Reduction Sand Bed, (3) Dry and (1) Live Sand Bags

Just do a shallow sand bed... 2 Bags of Caribsea are probably like $50 (whatever grain size you choose)

Gen X 1200 Pump 21' Head Pressure $ 159.99

If the sump is under the tank look into a mag 9.5. Should be around $100 brand new.

Custom Berlin Sump Filtration System for Euro Skimmer

Build your own.... probably cost around $100 this way. 30 Gallon Breeder and Glass from Lowes.

Sweeping Water Actuator Large (Squid) Movement (1) w/ adapters $ 99.99

Don't bother..... Just use Koralias or Modded Maxijets. Modded maxi1200 or some Korlia #4's and your good to go.

[Sitarangi]

Great thanks.... losing that skimmer was obviously a given, I was gonna go with a coralife 220... Are their any alternatives to the T5? What about the bulbs...? $700 seems pretty absurd even with the bulbs...

[wakesetter]

don't do a coralife. Piece of dump. don't spend all that money and then get a budget skimmer. You could definately do better on the lights. Where is your dad located>?

[Sitarangi]

Allright MSX 200 it is.... he lives in San Diego btw

[wakesetter]

which lfs did he go to? I went to UCSD and worked at Pet Kingdom when I was living there.

[Sitarangi]

He went to aquatic depot... who have a nasty habit of high prices when I go. I love pet kingdom's selection but i've had several nasty experiences with mysteriously dying livestock from there.

Personally I buy from Octopus's garden over on convoy, while the selection isn't extravagant, the owner will usually order you anything you want and their livestock is always incredibly healthy.

[wakesetter]

I was going to suggest going and talking to Ron at Octopus' Gardern. I worked with him at Pet Kingdom before he opened his shop and he is (or at least was 10 years ago) a pretty good guy.

[murph3699]

Check w/Local Reef clubs as well. I was able to get a 90G w/40G sump, ER Skimmer, a six stage RODI, 520w PC lights and Koralia 4's for under $500.

[Sitarangi]

Yea, hes a great guy, and has taught me a lot about the hobby. What kind of lighting would you reccomend for a 90g mixed reef?

[plateboy3293]

I bought my mh fixture on ebay for 25.00 dollars and has 350 watts. I would try their to get a fixture. Also if you want to buy brand new look at drsfosterandsmith.com and find a price on the fixture you want then go to bigalsonline and see if this price is more if it is do the price match guarantee and take 5% off the price but you have to call in the order. You could do this for most of the stuff you are planning to buy.

[plateboy3293]

I use this sand ( http://www.petco.com/product/7534/Na...ubstrates.aspx )in my 90 gallon when I started up it looks good. You could buy like 10 bags for 80.00 plus shipping. That would cut down about 120.00 without the live sand you want to buy.

[wakesetter]

Originally posted by plateboy3293
I bought my mh fixture on ebay for 25.00 dollars and has 350 watts. I would try their to get a fixture. Also if you want to buy brand new look at drsfosterandsmith.com and find a price on the fixture you want then go to bigalsonline and see if this price is more if it is do the price match guarantee and take 5% off the price but you have to call in the order. You could do this for most of the stuff you are planning to buy.

no offense, but screw that approach. Shop local. Get a good price locally and support the local vendor. Why send your money across the country? If Ron has given you good advice in the past, reward it by spending some money in his shop. If everyone did this, there would be no lfs for you to go into to pick their brains. You would have to ship all animals and the hobby would be unafordable. Bigalsonline is the WalyMart of fish shops. Saving a buck is great, but support your local shops too.

[wakesetter]

Originally posted by Sitarangi
Yea, hes a great guy, and has taught me a lot about the hobby. What kind of lighting would you reccomend for a 90g mixed reef?

You said its going to be mostly a softy tank. I would use either 4x110 watt vho (probably will have to use AquaUV 46.5" bulbs to fit in canopy) or 4x80 watt T5 (overdrive on an icecap if you want, but not essential). No need for halides. Vho's can get hot so the T5's might be the best be. I would stay away from PC's. Too much breakage and heat with them.

[plateboy3293]

He said he needed to save money remember.

[E.intheC]

Also.. I think the $489 for a 'custom' tank is way too much money.. I bought a 75 gallon on CL for $60 (yes, I realize it was a great deal).. but you really should be able to buy a 90 gallon for less than $200..

[LobsterOfJustice]

I only got to the first two items before I had to post. I paid $150 for my 90g tank and stand used. No need to get a custom tank in a standard size. Go with a standard 90 reef ready or get it not reef ready and drill it yourself (the bits and plumbing are less than the price upgrade to a reef ready, and it looks better IMO). Also, it's super easy to build a stand and you could even pick one up at petsmart for cheaper than that.

[LobsterOfJustice]

Oh man you are getting hosed with these guys.

Not sure what the "harness " includes but if you've ever looked at the plumbing seciton of home depot, plumbing fittings are literally like 43 cents so I dont know what going to cost $188 or $70. And the "nitrate reducing bed"... just get two bags of aragamax select, should cost like $50.

"custom sump" way overpriced. Buy a tank... something like a 29g (should be like $40?) and go to a local glass shop and get panes of glass cut as dividers... the glass plus cutting will cost about $15, then get a tube of GE-1 silicone from home depot and put the dividers in. voila, sump. I dont know what the sweeping actuator is but forget about it. It says 4 "salts" i assume boxes/bags/buckets, but how much does each of these make? Your better off ordering a few buckets of Instant Ocean from Drs. Foster and Smith online, its like $30ish for a 160g bucket.

need more information on the lighting to make a judgement... and forget about LED moonlights at that price.

In addition to everthing else I just mentioned... you are going to be able to get just about everything cheaper online that you will need (like those koralia powerheads, return pump, lighting)

[wakesetter]

Take the quote to Ron. Tell him the kind folks on RC say you are getting hosed and see what he can do for you. Let us know what he does.

[Zegg]

dont get hosed!!!!

[Sitarangi]

Well I came up with my own list for well under $2000 and I kept the custom tank as well as the stand and a regular retail sump. I guess my dad asked for an estimate stating the 'dream system' just so he could get a rough idea. He asked for quotes from octopus's garden and pet kingdom but they have yet to get back to him

[weluvfish54]

imo, i would highly look into buying a used setup or at least a MAJORITY of equipment used. i found a 180g with stand/canopy for $200. those quotes are WAY too high. that much for the tank? my 120g drilled with overflow box was $300 from lfs brand new. also definitely build your own sump. any that will fit below is great and i dont bother with baffles. good luck. theres plenty of good lfs around you that will help out.

[Zegg]

Im more curios of why they would offer a tempered glass option on a "reef-ready" tank which the bottom will be drilled. Did i miss something?

[bsagecko]

build your own skimmer, build your own sump, build your own stand

that should save you atleast $700 right there

[Amoore311]

The price on that T5 Fixture isn't that overpriced if it includes bulbs. It depends on how many lights the fixture holds though.

You can get an 8 Bulb Tek Light w/ Bulbs from Reef Geek for $529 though. I've always used Tek Lights and have never been dissapointed.

The 8 Bulb would be for a SPS Tank though. I run a 6 Bulb on my 90 and keep everything no problem. I keep Crocea and Maxima Clams on the very bottom or the tank and have had no problems at all. Lighting requirement wise those clams are almost identical to SPS.