A quick query

[FoxyRiver9]

I was wondering about the setup cost for a standard 20g marine tank.

[floral9]

how long is a piece of string? It all comes down to what you're trying to achieve and how deep you're willing to dive into the world of marine tanks.

Mine's a 43-gallon main tank, paired with a nearly 25-gallon sump, and I've already sunk nearly £2000 into it - and that's not even counting the cost of my 12g nano.

[berrymunch]

I'd say the cost of setting up an average marine tank is all over the place. It really depends on your goals and the type of setup you want. I've got a 43-gallon main tank and a nearly 25-gallon sump, and I've spent nearly £2000 so far. That's not even counting my 12-gallon nano.

[floral9]

yeah thought about it and edited

[berrymunch]

how long is a piece of string? It all comes down to what you're trying to achieve and how deep you're willing to dive into the world of marine tanks.

Mine's a 43-gallon main tank, paired with a nearly 25-gallon sump, and I've already sunk nearly £2000 into it - and that's not even counting the cost of my 12g nano.

Cheers for the edit floral9, your response is a bit more helpful now.

[floral9]

So what's the plan, then? Got a vision of what you want in this tank? What's your budget looking like?

[rusticore]

really does depend on your vision and budget... mine's a 20 gallon, but it's loaded with high-end kit like tunze skimmers and tunze ATO, plus a 150 watt MH light - guess you could say i'm a sucker for the expensive stuff.

[zenoxa]

It's definitely possible to save some money when setting up a marine tank. Consider buying second-hand equipment, a smaller amount of live rock, and a counter-current skimmer - these have always worked well for me. I managed to get my 175-watt halide, complete with ballast and a slightly used bulb, for under $60. My new skimmer cost around $30, plus another $20 for the air pump. The sand was $30, and I paid a total of $80 for the powerheads. I actually took the rock from my old 55-gallon tank when I broke it down, so that didn't cost me anything - but I'd estimate it would've been around $400 if I'd bought it new.

As for livestock, I got a lot of my corals for free as small frags. I've spent around $150 on the rest of my livestock. So, it really does depend on your choices and a bit of luck can go a long way.

[FoxyRiver9]

I'm actually running a 20g freshwater tank at the moment but I have to admit, I've always been drawn to saltwater. Thinking of making the switch for my next project but the thing is, I'm a complete newbie to marine. I'm guessing it's gonna be a steep learning curve. Was hoping to get an idea of the costs involved in converting my 20g to saltwater.

[rusticore]

Look, it really does depend on what you want to achieve. There are heaps of variables to consider. I'd say, do your research - read through this forum, other forums, websites, stickies, books, and even LRC. Get a feel for what's involved, then come back to us when you've got a better idea of what you're after.