40 gallong or 55

[diztorcion]

hey so may be you read my last thread and you said that i can't keep a snowflake eel in a 30 gallon tank so im considering a 40 gallon and also a 55 gallon actually if i get a 75 ... ok .

the question
around how much money does it take to prepare each of those tanks.
no corals so no lights just fish only
you might as well not consider the live rock because that depends alot on me

thanks

[leebca]

Your question is like, "How much does a car cost?" There is a whole range of answers.

The answer to your specific question is, 'It depends.' It depends upon how much will be home made, will it all be new or used, or some used - some new, will it be a piece of furniture or bare-bones functional, and the kinds of equipment you want. You want high maintenance equipment or low maintenance equipment? High maintenance equipment may cost less at the start, but require your time for cleaning, repairs, etc.

If the 55 you have in mind is the typical 'show' aquarium, that is not dimensioned well for saltwater fishes. You want an aquarium with a large 'footprint' not one that is tall or narrow.

So your answer can be anywhere from $400 to $5,000, without livestock.

Don't forget that your water changes will cost more as the size of the aquarium increases. The cost of water treatment is added afterward. The usage of electricity and water, will go up (if you're paying for those).

[Ninong]

You may as well go for the 75-gallon tank because a 75-gal tank needs the same sort of equipment as a 40-gal tank.

You can get by with inexpensive normal output fluorescent lighting if this is going to be strictly a fish-only with live rock tank. Figure about $250 for 50-lbs of live rock. Figure another $100 or so for some nice aragonite sand. You will probably want a decent skimmer, so that's another $200 to $250 right there. Figure another $300-$350 for the tank and cheapy stand. You can get by without a sump but if you want a sump, that's at least another $200.

By the time you're finished setting up the tank, you will be out at least $1,000, probably $1,200. And that's without fish and without test kits, salt mix, etc. You might be able to set up a 40-gal tank for about $1,000 but that's not really a decent size for a snowflake.

Wait until you have the money to get all of the equipment that you will need. Start checking things out and making a list of what you want to buy and how much each item will cost.

Good luck!

[diztorcion]

i see
thanks but i thin im giving up not because of the price but i'll just have to accept the fact that i travel almost every summer for at least 2 weeks up to 2 months and also even tho i just move i might have to move again in couple of years and 3 im allready a sophomore in highschool so what ever i plan to study in collogue i need to go to either florida or california


thanks again