[pandacory]

So what kind of set up would be low cost to run?

I have a good job now, but will be headed back to school. I am willing to spend the dollars to set it up now, as long as I can afford to run it through school.

What kind of lighting for performance. Led, t5, mh?
Inline vs in tank heater?
I have co2 and that is cheap, but I want to eliminate the separate powered diffuse. Inline? Reactor? Mister?
Ferts bang for the buck? Dry v liquid?
Etc.

 

[Hoppy]

You get the most light per watt with LEDs, especially a DIY LED light fixture optimized for the tank and light intensity you want. The cheapest fertilizers, by far, are the dry chemicals you can get from http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/ or other online stores. The cheapest CO2 diffuser is an external one, sometimes called a "Rex style reactor", but you need to be using a canister filter for that to be effective. I think the cheapest heating method is to use an in-tank heater with just enough wattage to avoid problems on the coldest days, but if you keep your home at a constant temperature that would be the lowest wattage that will maintain the tank temperature you want. And, overall, the cheapest tanks to run are low light tanks, which may not even need fertilizing, and don't absolutely have to use CO2.

 

[mgamer20o0]

even with what we pay for power here in so cali you are not going to notice a big spike for the most part in your power bill.

what size tank are you looking to set up?

i sell dry ferts as well please relatively close to you. you can pick them up and save on shipping if you wanted. send me a pm.