Cost of our Hobby

[archie1709]

Wow...Chase credit card actually has this year-end statement that they send yearly in order to show your spending habits, charts of where spendings come from, etc.

Well, I just found out that, without buying anything drastic, I spent $3800 in 2006 for this hobby. Wow!

Those are costs that include salts for water change, filter bags, filtration accessories, corals (Ebay and LFS), and...well that's it. I guess it does add up.

In the end, I would like to know how much people who have sumps and fuges, kalk reactors, CA reactors, etc, spend every year. I think $3800 would've brought me a superb skimmer, sump, fuge, reactors, etc...just weighing things here since this was an eye opener for me. Thank you all

[davocean]

You didn't even figure in electricity!
Tank; I got for free.
Upgrades in equipment/livestock...a few thousand...
Absoulute enjoyment i get out of this...priceless!

[IPowderBlueTang]

It's only money the more you make the more you spend! Remember you ain't going take it with ya when ya go!

[Dubbin1]

Originally posted by IPowderBlueTang
Remember you ain't going take it with ya when ya go!

Wanna bet

[McCrary]

This is an incredibly expensive hobby, I can't think of very many hobbies that require such a constant outpouring of money. The worst part is that there is absolutely no limit to the spending and the second you think your tank is perfect, you want to upgrade.

[IPowderBlueTang]

I keep a file on what I spent in the last 3 years and I can't believe how much it cost for my 3 tanks, but I just don't show the wife!!!!!!!!!!! When she ask I always say " It was only $20 "

[JmLee]

Im tired of spending money..

[sabodish]

reefs are money pits, the sooner you accept this fact the better off you will be. everyone has their vices, some guys like to sit in the titty bar, some like to gamble...for us, we like to fill large glass (or acrylic) boxes with expensive "rocks" and fish...im sure my wife would much rather have me at home playing with the tank than at the bar drinking away our money.

that being said...my old 360 gallon had somewhere in the range of 15-17k in it when it was taken down. my new 170 cube hit the 4k mark when water was first introduced..

"the more you make, the more you spend"...this is SO true.

[evilelvis]

Man if only I knew what I know now, I would have spent maybe <$1000 and most of that would have been on a custom pimp cube tank! Damn!

[mikeshook]

I justify the cost of fish this way: How much would it cost me to fly to the South Pacific, Rent a Hotel, Dive all day to catch that PBT, then ship it to California, then to my house in NC. All that and guaranting that it will live at my home for 24 hours. Makes a $6 Damsel sound dirt cheap.

If we're counting how much money we've dropped....we should give up the hobby.

[The Saltwater Kid]

This hobby is outrageously expensive. I guess if you want to you can justify it by saying at least you aren't at the bar drinking your money away or buying drugs but let's face it, for you reefers that are married how many of your spouses would put up with you drinking or drugging your money away any way??? If you're single and have a good job then it isn't so bad, this hobby could keep you out of trouble but if you're married and your significant other is anything like my wife who get's very fed up with how expensive this hobby is...especially with the super low budget we have currently...well, you have to pick your battles. I could point out that she spends money on shoes and clothes but honestly that's a shallow example as rarely do does her spending on clothing outdo mine on corals etc. and let's face it, her clothing won't just up and die a week later for no apparent reason :-). All in all it is a very fun, frustrating, beautiful, ugly, addictive hobby that knows no monetary bounds or limitations and will bleed you dry if you're foolish enough to let it. Alway's remember that it's a HOBBY and that the real important stuff like a house/land, mortgage, utility bills, insurance...family...planning for your future etc. (you can't live in your reef tank) come FIRST and you'll be all right!!!

[Sepeku]

Woo be to the person who buys a big tank, and does not even estimate equipment costs...

[InLimbo87]

I try not to even think about it, and I have a 30g. Can't imagine what having a bigger tank is like expense wise...

[turbo2oh]

[turbo2oh]

Originally posted by TurboSnail8898
This is an incredibly expensive hobby, I can't think of very many hobbies that require such a constant outpouring of money. The worst part is that there is absolutely no limit to the spending and the second you think your tank is perfect, you want to upgrade.

Cars! After losing interest in my car my bank acct. thanks me

[ricks]

This is a very expensive hobby... heck my monthly costs run around 400.00 to 600.00... I don't even know how much I have in my system... And if I told you, you might tell my wife... It's only money, needs to be spent somewhere.....

[darrencon]

hey guys, at least you dont have to pay in South African Rands!!!!!

[archie1709]

I've always had this mantra to keep things simple in order to save money. So my setup right now only involves hang on the back filtration, powerheads with in-tank filter cylinders, etc.

Yeah, it's cheap now...but the pads for those bad boys hurt!

So I guess the real question here is this: Has anyone got away with HOB filters and spent less money than folks who went all out on equipment to begin with?

In other words, how much do folks having Ca reactors, Kalkwassers, sumps, and fuges, auto top offs, etc, spend money every year on upkeep? Does those setup pay itself in a span of a year or two?

BTW, thank you all for sharing your sentiment on the cost of our hobby. It is very amusing and relaxing...but the year-end statement from chase credit card really sobered me up a bit about the cost of upkeep!

[Craig Lambert]

I know a bunch of people that spend this kind of money or more on golf. New clubs every couple of years, weekend junkets to Phoenix, Las Vegas, Charity tournaments etc. $80 green fees, 19th hole festivities.....We're not alone.

[jscarlata]

Originally posted by IPowderBlueTang
I keep a file on what I spent in the last 3 years and I can't believe how much it cost for my 3 tanks, but I just don't show the wife!!!!!!!!!!! When she ask I always say " It was only $20 "

LOL, i'm right there with you on this one...my other hobby is very expensive too, Gas powered RC boats are not cheap, and the faster you want to go the more $$$ you have to spend, and the less hands on you are, again, the more $$ you need to spend. Just to put a little perspective, a fully ready to run boat to race in the 60mph range will cost over $3000; the prices drop if you do some of the building yourself, and even more if you can machine your own parts. If you go into the larger scale baots with exotic imported motors, you can spend many times that number; i've read about guys in germany dropping 10k on turboshaft motors for scale catamarans! I never keep any written docs about my expenditures on hobbies, and like you i just tell my wife it cost $50!
As i'm embarking on a new tank i know all too well what expenses are heading my way, but i've been quite the researcher these days and have come up with a few great deals on used hardware. One of my best ideas so far was to contact a local company that sets up and maintains aquariums for businesses to ask them if they had used HW for sale; i hit the motherlode of used gear, got some great deals on a tank, sump and a high end skimmer....

[InvaderJim]

I pretty much work to play with my fish tank. A lot of my money goes into it, but I'm not complaining the least bit. I love every minute of it.

Can't wait to upgrade either.

[rickh]

When you really think about it--this is a stupid hobby. Trying to maintain a fragile marine environment in your living room--we are just asking for trouble. Sooner of later, maybe for reasons beyond your control, Murphy's Law will happen and your tank will crash. The power will fail, your generator won't start, the tank sitter has a car accident, your father dies---something will happen. I try to keep this in mind and choose my purchased carefully. No $200 fish for this boy. R

[cowbell]

I found that when I met a few great people where I live and started just trading corals and not charging for them that the hobby got much cheaper. Now I buy one large coral and frag it and the other 10 people do the same. I just wish I would have started this much sooner.

[brandonst878]

I'm just coming off a tank spending binge myself. I justified it as building a solid foundation. You cant build a house on sand. But I guess you could put the cost of a house on sand now that I think about it.

[Slphappy]

Originally posted by rickh
When you really think about it--this is a stupid hobby. Trying to maintain a fragile marine environment in your living room--we are just asking for trouble. Sooner of later, maybe for reasons beyond your control, Murphy's Law will happen and your tank will crash. The power will fail, your generator won't start, the tank sitter has a car accident, your father dies---something will happen. I try to keep this in mind and choose my purchased carefully. No $200 fish for this boy. R

Actually when you think about it... Most hobbies are stupid...

And yes, this is an expensive hobby... But there are other hobbies that are just as expensive (if not more so). For instance, I had a N scale model railroad for a few years (and will probably have one again someday). I bet I had $3000 - $5000 into it total when I had to tear it all down so we could move. And a lot of model railroaders have a lot more stuff that I did.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, If this hobby is your passion, then don't worry about the cost so much. Stay within your means of course, but this hobby costs what it costs. I seriously don't have tons of money to throw at this or any other hobby. I save up to buy what I need or want. If cost is too big an issue... get out now and cut your losses...

Don't take this as a flame... It's just my feeling on this and all hobbies. IF it's something you really enjoy then the cost is worth it.

Cheers and enjoy what you got.