# Total Cost



## Sincere (Aug 18, 2005)

OK now that I have my 30gal pretty much in line, I'm hooked and want another tank...How much money do you think it would cost to get a 55 gallon or perhaps something larger? Remember I am starting totally from scratch. The reason I ask is being a college student, my paycheck is hit or miss most of the time. I'm either rich by college student means or poor. Mostly poor. :|


----------



## mlefev (Apr 19, 2005)

I'm going to jump out on a limb here and say about $300 for equipment and fish, plus basic chemicals. It depends on how much you're paying for the tank.

My 10 gal setup was about $200 with fish, food, heater, hood, light, filter, filter media, and 7 fish. I also bought a full test kit and a couple of medications plus biozyme cycling product.

I was looking at a 55 until I realized I had nowhere to put it. It seemed that it was about $35-40 more for the tank, and about $5-10 more each for the larger accessories that would have been necessary. Chemicals are chemicals, and if you buy larger bottles you pay less in the long run. I don't know how much your fish store charges for basic items, since they all vary quite a lot from place to place. If they have a 10 gal starter kit, do you know the price? I might be able to make a good guess if I know how much you've been paying for things for your current tank.


----------



## Sincere (Aug 18, 2005)

Well one thing to consider is my local fish store for everything but fish is Wal-Mart.


----------



## mlefev (Apr 19, 2005)

Hmm well the largest tanks and tank supplies I've ever seen wal-mart offer is for a 30 gal tank. yours may have larger sizes, so i can't say for sure.


----------



## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

my walmart offers 55 gallons, and i believe its for $150. Dont get the iron stands they offer, they dont distibute the weight evenly. I know some walmarts offer you the wooden stands. Price also depends on how you decortate it, wether its rock and caves or plants and such. If you go to a lfs and get the "setup" with all the chemicals and such, you may end up paying more in the long run


----------



## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

You could spend as much as $500 or as little as $300.00 buying everything new. 55 Gallon tanks are cheaper (relatively speaking) than a 29 gallon or 20 gallon. Its a very common size and thus they mass produce more making each unit cheaper. (You've probably seen 5 gallon tanks cost as much as a 10 gallon for this reason). Check your local paper for yard sales and see what you cand find. You can find great deals that way.


----------



## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

The 55gallon walmart setup comes with a filter, hood, lights, thermometer, small net, and sometimes a small packet of dechlorinator for the the first fill up. You could then run to a garden center or "home depot" for the gravel or decorative stone. For a tank backround there are plenty of options too - wraping paper, pre-printed aquarium backing, old sheet, or even a old term paper


----------



## IloveCichlids (Jul 11, 2005)

I used FRP board and used Krylon Fusion to paint it black, pretty cheap background.


----------



## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

A black or white trash bag taped on works very well, and looks good too.


----------



## Meeocky (Sep 7, 2005)

I bought the black powder coated wooden stand from Wal-Mart ($80) last weekend and I like it a lot. Now I’m getting the same 55gal kit ($160) this weekend. Prices my be different in your Wal-Mart.


----------



## Meeocky (Sep 7, 2005)

The 55 kit comes with an "Aqua-Tech 30-60" filter. Will this be good enough for the 55 gallon tank or we should get another filter?


----------



## fishn00b (Jun 10, 2005)

I think the filter should be fine. I bought their 29 Gallon Setup and I think the filter that came with it was the "Aqua - Tech 20 - 30" It does its job so far, and I really like it. If you find later on that you need another one, I'm sure you can always just attach another one, or replace it. But I don't think that will happen.


----------



## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

IloveCichlids said:


> I used FRP board and used Krylon Fusion to paint it black, pretty cheap background.


Whats FRP board?


----------



## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

i agree with fish n00b. or if you want to, just for the heck of it as well as more filtration, go for it. it shouldn't hurt anything


----------



## cucci67 (Aug 3, 2005)

Go to walmart or petsmart, and you can get a 55 gallon tank kit for $160. That comes with tank, hood, lights, filter, heater, thermometer, ans some extra goodies. Walmart has teh best stand deal, its $75 for the 55 gallon stand. Its an all black stand, made of particle board, but the top was a powder finish so it can withstand water. Yhen you need a good bit of gravel, I did 25 pounds of gravel,a dnthat was plents for my 1.5-2" layer of gravel. In total you will be at about $250 excluding fish and sales tax.


----------



## Sincere (Aug 18, 2005)

Thank you guys so much...I've pretty much got my mind set on buying the 55 gallon kit and stand from wal-mart as soon as I can afford..So be on the look-out, or watch out for many more questions from myself sometime in the near future. :lol:


----------



## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

Well, that's what we're here for, so don't hesitate! :-D


----------

