How much does a saltwater tank cost to set up?

Short answer

Budget setup: $500-800 for a 30-gallon nano (tank, light, skimmer, sump, heater, salt mix, RO/DI). Mid-range: $1,500-2,500 for a 65-90 gallon mixed reef. Enthusiast: $3,500-7,000+. Ongoing costs: $50-150/month for salt mix, supplements, electricity.

In depth

Saltwater costs decompose into three buckets: tank + equipment (one-time), livestock (one-time but cumulative), and operating costs (monthly).

Equipment cost by tank size

Item	30-gal nano	65-90 gal	120+ gal
Tank + stand	$200-350	$500-1,000	$1,200-2,500
Reef-spec LED	$150-300	$400-800	$1,000-2,000
Protein skimmer	$100-200	$200-400	$400-800
Sump + return pump	$150-250	$300-500	$500-900
Powerheads	$50-100	$150-300	$300-600
Heater + controller	$30-60	$60-120	$100-200
RO/DI unit	$80-150	$150-250	$200-400
Live rock + sand	$80-150	$200-400	$400-800
Total equipment	$840-1,560	$1,960-3,770	$4,100-8,200

Livestock budget (typical mixed reef stocking)

30-gal nano: $300-600 (clownfish pair, gramma, firefish, 5-8 corals, cleanup crew)
65-90 gal: $800-1,800 (8-10 fish, 15-25 corals, full cleanup crew)
120+ gal: $2,000-5,000+ (12-15 fish, 30-50+ corals, including premium specimens)

Monthly operating cost

Salt mix: $25-60/month for water changes
Supplements (alkalinity, calcium, magnesium): $15-40/month
Food: $15-25/month
Electricity: $15-50/month depending on tank size and equipment
Carbon, GFO, filter media: $10-30/month
Total: $80-200/month