Setting up an aquarium is such a blissful and rewarding adventure that is experienced by thousands of people worldwide. Not only is an aquarium a joy to watch, but it is therapeutic and quite a proficient stress reliever.
But, maintaining a healthy and thriving aquarium is not a walk in the park, by any means.
A new fishkeeping hobbyist might think that a small aquarium is low maintenance, inexpensive and does not require a lot of time.
Sure, you can still operate a fish tank under these assumptions, but it likely will turn out to be a successful foray.
Your fish might die prematurely, and you will not enjoy the joy and thrill of fish keeping as you would if you did it the right way.
As a newbie, you might be tempted to buy that $100 aquarium starter kit at Walmart that includes “all the equipment you need”. Even so, you must be aware that there are tons more expenses required as well as a great deal of commitment and time needed on your end.
To me, you should not buy an aquarium just because it makes a stunning and fabulous decorative piece in your indoor space.
While euphoric fish in flourishing environments are exceptional decorations, it should not be your primary goal and should be a mere bonus of keeping fish.
A fish tank should not be deemed as an indoor decoration, but as an ecosystem that provides a safe and thriving refuge for the aquatic creatures that live there.
And, here is the thing. The primary purpose of this guide is not to scare or discourage you from setting up a new aquarium.
Instead, this article was created to make new and aspiring aquarium enthusiasts aware of the commitment and cost needed in running a successful fish tank.
Like most dedicated fish pet owners, one of my goals and pursuits is to make sure that every domesticated finned creature gets humane and proper care.
In this blog post, you will find out just how much a standard fish tank costs. Plus, you will get a preview of an aquarium’s ongoing maintenance and how much time you need to spend on cleaning your aquarium.
Contents
How Much Does an Aquarium Cost (Freshwater)?
So, how much does the aquarium cost these days? Here is a quick budget breakdown of a new and complete freshwater aquarium setup.
Fish Tank Equipment:
- 30-gallon aquarium: $100 to 150
- Bucket (5 gallons): $5
- Aquarium vacuum cleaner/siphon: $8 to 20
- Algae scraper: $5 to 6
- Fish net: $5 to 6
- Aquarium filter media: $40 to 50
- Aquarium filter: $50 to 70
- Thermometer: $2 to 5
- Aquarium heater: $25 to 50
- Aquarium LED lighting with hood: $35 to 50
- Aquarium stand: $45 to $200
Total: $320 to 612
Aquarium Decorations:
- Rock or driftwood: $40 to 50
- Plastic plants: $30 to 40
- Fish food: $10 to 20
- 30-pound gravel: $50
Total: $130 to 160
Aquarium Water Treatments:
- Aquarium test kits: $60
- Water conditioners: $5 to 20
Total: $65 to 80
Optional Aquarium Additions:
- Plant fertilizers
- Live plants
- Light timer and outlet
Total cost of a new and complete freshwater aquarium setup: $515 to 852 (excluding fish)
Setting up an aquarium, as you can see, is not cheap.
Aside from the initial expenses, you will also have to consider the electricity costs to operate all of the aquarium’s powered equipment.
Yearly Maintenance Costs of a Freshwater Fish Tank
In addition to the costs on an aquarium setup, you will have to factor in the annual maintenance expenses.
Below is a list of the typical expenses of maintaining a freshwater fish tank.
- Replacement bulbs for your aquarium lights: $20
- Medication: $20
- Testing and water chemicals: $80
- Filter parts and cartridges: $50
- Replacement aquatic plants: $50
- Basic fish food: $50
- Specialist fish food: $250
- Utilities: $200 to 1,000 depending on the tank size and equipment
Total costs: $720 to 1,520
How About Saltwater Fish Tanks?
You definitely need an aquarium big enough for the size of the saltwater fish that you want to keep. Keep in mind that some saltwater fish can grow pretty big quickly.
And, most of these sea creatures like to have a great deal of space to move around or hide.
Additionally, some of them prefer to be a little solitary.
Saltwater, in essence, has less oxygen compared to freshwater. And, that means you will need a bigger aquarium than you usually would have with freshwater fish.
Of course, you will need a sturdy stand that is strong enough to uphold the saltwater aquarium and all of its water.
Anyway, here is a list of the things you need when setting up a saltwater fish tank.
- Chemicals to make suitable and healthy water for the aquarium
- Aquarium water test kits
- Lighting
- Jet flow or powerhead to create aquarium water movement
- Aquarium water filter
- Live rocks
- Saltwater mix – you cannot just apply your typical table salt to your aquarium water
- Sand for the aquarium base
- Aquarium stand
- Fish tank
If you are planning to have more than one saltwater fish in your tank, then you must also purchase a smaller tank.
This tank will serve as your quarantine or hospital fish tank. Any newly bought fish should stay inside this extra aquarium for a while before it is introduced to the rest of your tank community.
As for its cost, it will depend on how big your aquarium is.
Nano reef aquariums are more affordable and smaller. But, they can be a bit more challenging to maintain due to its low water volume.
Check out this cool video about maintaining a saltwater fish tank!
Costs of Setting up a Saltwater Fish Tank
Thinking of keeping saltwater fish instead of their freshwater fish? Check out this rough cost breakdown of setting up a saltwater fish tank.
- Aquarium: $100 (15 gallons) to $200 (30 gallons)
- Fish tank stand: $85 to 200
- Hydrometer and salt mix: $60
- Quarantine aquarium setup: $250
- Protein skimmer: $100
- Aquarium water testing kits: $25
- Heater, light and water filter: $350
- Decor, live rock, and a substrate: $250
- Other equipment, like a siphon, thermometer, scraper, and net: $50
Estimated total costs: $1,270 to 1,485
Maintenance Costs of Saltwater Tanks Per Year
- Replacement tubes or bulbs: $20
- Medication: $20
- Testing and water chemicals: $80
- Cartridges for filter: $20
- Saltwater mixtures for changing water: $100
- Basic fish food: $50
- Specialist fish food: $200
- Utilities: $200 to 1,000 depending on the tank size and equipment
Total costs: $690 to 1,490
What is the Cost of Electricity to Run an Aquarium?
Wondering how maintaining an aquarium affects your annual electric bills? Then, make sure to check out these estimated figures.
Although these figures are not 100% accurate, they can be an excellent indicator for aspiring fish owners.
The tariff rate – cents for every kWh – may vary, and having off-peak and peak tariff structures may immensely help as well.
All in all, the electric consumption of your aquarium is heavily dependent on these factors:
- Heating – How long you have used your aquarium heater, what aquarium temperature you get and whether they are freshwater, saltwater or tropical fish
- Lighting – What kind of lights you use, the number of light bulbs, and how long they are turned on
- Extra equipment – Additions like plantlife, UV filters as well as air and water pumps do not consume much individually, but they can add up to a few cents and dollars together
How Much Time do You Need to Keep Fish
In fishkeeping, there are a lot of extras and crucial things that will not show up in your electricity or credit card bills. And, one of them is time.
To maintain a healthy and thriving aquarium, you need to spend hundreds of hours doing a variety of fishkeeping tasks.
Here is a short list of things and fishkeeping tasks that will need time and commitment from you.
- Doing some research about your fish
- Setting up the fish tank
- Checking the fish tank equipment
- Replacing the aquarium water
- Testing the aquarium water
- Maintenance
- Requirements for feeding time
- Cycling the aquarium
If you do not have enough time to clean your aquarium, hire a local aquarium maintenance service provider to drop by and handle all the dirty work.
Check out this informative guide about fishkeeping.
How to Save Money on Your Aquarium
Everyone loves tricks and tips that will save us a ton of money. That is why I have put together some tricks and techniques to help you save some cash when keeping domesticated fish.
Inexpensive Decorations
Tank decorations do not have to be expensive. Rocks, terra cotta flower pots, PVC pipe pieces, and wood found outside surely make terrific additions to your aquarium without breaking the bank.
A lot of aquarium decorations, especially the natural ones, can be discovered quickly by doing a little search in the woods or around a nearby pond, lake or river.
When it comes to rocks and wood, though, it is essential to thoroughly dry them. Afterward, you may boil them to get rid of any parasites that might be hiding.
Be a Chef for Your Fish
You can actually create food for many species of aquarium fish. After all, Mother Nature offers some nutritious and free ingredients for their food, including dandelion leaves, clover leaves, and stinging nettles.
Some fish also eat Daphnia (home-grown) and earthworms (just wash them thoroughly, though).
Alternatively, you may hit the nearest supermarket to buy tomatoes, sweet potato, courgette, lettuce, and peppers. Plus, you may opt for cheap seafood mixes for some protein.
And, do not forget to include garlic for a health boost.
Use Resealable Containers
New and functional resealable containers, like Tupperware, are genuinely exceptional additions to your fish tank hobby. You can always use these containers for storing food for your fish, or for pouring water in your aquarium.
Just make sure that you are not using soap in any kind of container that is specifically designed for aquarium and fish use.
Use LED Lights
Even though they are somewhat more expensive than other fixtures, aquarium LED lights can actually help you save money in the long run. Take note that they significantly consume less power compared to ordinary light bulbs, meaning it will keep your electric bills down.
Since fish tanks use plenty of power, using energy-efficient LED lights will make a huge difference.
And did I mention that it is more environmentally friendly?
Opt for High-Quality Aquarium Equipment
Cheap equipment and tools are cheap for a reason. If you want to save money on your aquarium hobby, invest only in high-quality products.
Sure, the initial costs of a premium quality heater, aquarium, and filter may be a little higher. But, in the long run, these expensive items will save you a whole lot of money and prevent headaches.
An inferior quality aquarium filter that keeps on breaking, for instance, means you have to buy a new one as well as deal with continuous issues of your fish tank’s cycle.
Even worse, it may even lead to sick and stressed fish.
How to Score Inexpensive Fish for Your Aquarium
Look for local fish breeders who offer young finned pets at budget-friendly rates. Normally, they offer bargains for their fish so that they can make some space in their aquariums.
Additionally, fish clubs often organize pet auctions for aquarium enthusiasts, meaning you might find excellent bargains there.
There are online stores that sell affordable fish, so you might want to consider this option too.
Another viable option would be to adopt fish. Since reselling these finned pets is close to impossible, owners allow others to adopt their fish for free.
This option is mostly applicable to bettas and goldfish.
Inexpensive Substrate
The substrate is another aspect of fishkeeping, where expenses can be significantly trimmed. There are plenty of affordable and exceptional options when it comes to aquarium substrates.
Sand is quite a popular choice, and a short visit to a local hardware shop can give you everything that you practically need.
Blasting sand, pool filter sand, and kid’s play sand all wonderfully work for aquariums. Just do not forget to thoroughly rinse them before using them.
You will love the tips shared in this video tutorial!
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