# What is the estimated cost per month for a 55 gallon aquarium



## gsantarpia (Jan 1, 2016)

I am thinking about starting a 55 gallon saltwater aquarium and was wondering how much it would cost per month. I am planning to have a lawnmower blenny, scooter blenny, firefish, hector's goby, yellow clown goby, falco hawkfish, diamond goby, royal grammar basslet, and pajama cardinalfish. I was also getting a hang on bio wheel filter, regular fine grained sand, and a stick heater. I don't need electricity cost but I want the food and maintenance cost.


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

There is many things to factor in to the costs of a salt water aquarium. Also right off the bat if you are going to go with a coral reef tank lighting can get expensive. In fact I would say on a successful reef tank the lighting is the most costly piece of the equipment next to the protein skimmer.

There are also additives such as Alkalinity boosters, calcium, magnesium, and carbon dosing. These all add up along with the salt for whatever water change regiment you go with.

Now if you don't go with corals you will simply have to worry about water changes with a good marine salt and chemicals for testing water. You may want to increase the flow amount in the tank to make the rock and filter more efficient and add a skimmer, so a few more pumps in the electrical department.

On foods sometimes the scooter blennies don't eat pelleted foods and even when they do you want to vary their diet so I would recommend a couple fortified frozen food products such as omega\spiralina enriched brine shrimp, mysis, and coral gumbo.

All of these prices can vary depending on vendor or shipping, even the wattage of pumps and lighting vary tremendously. If you buy bulk salt it will drastically decrease the cost so these are all just ideas to factor in.


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## Pasfur (Mar 29, 2008)

Just answering the question without adding any other input, you're talking $10-$20 per month at most. The monthly cost will be minimal.

If you've never kept saltwater before, you're bigger question should be how to reduce the risk of fish loss, which will be by far you're biggest financial risk.


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