What are some of your ways to save money in the hobby?
- Thread starter TheReefer
- Start date
The way I have saved monies:
- Look at equipment you like. Study it, watch videos and see how people are modifying them. Then look for parts in hardware stores and build your own. Your first few will leak or not work exactly as planned but you soon get the knack of it. No matter your skill level it will work, it's just how it looks that will vary.
- Plant shops, garden hardscape suppliers, construction supply stores are you best friend and most tank hardscape can be found for a fraction of the price.
- Want wood. Get outside and go looking. After long dry spells followed by rain, after prolonged heavy rains are always good times to prowl water ways for newly washed down wood. Dry areas with hardwood trees that die and have insects eat them are gold spots.
BUT BE CAREFUL IN ALL THESE AREAS - you're outside and must abide by nature's rules.
- Ask fish shops if they are getting rid of anything. Sometimes you taking an old tank you could use as a sump off their hands is often removing a hassle for them as well and they will cut you a good deal. I picked up my 3 largest tanks this way - 1 was 168gal with cabinet and sump for US$100 DELIVERED.
- look in junk mail/online for people trying to sell complete tanks. Offer them something for the fish only if you like some of the stock as many people looking for a cheap tank have a stocklist in mind and don't want to have to deal with other fish. The fish you don't want, swap, auction at clubs or sell.
- Learn to silicone, use PVC cement, expanding foam, and styrofoam. A lot can be done with those.
- Make friends with someone who can help with electrics/plumbing. Barter if you have to. Saves a lot of time and hassle. I have a friend who checks electrical wires and motors for me. I help him move a couple things from his workshop to the dump or paint an outside wall once or twice a year in exchange.
- Learn to spray paint a bit. Many cheap looking things or pipes, equipment, etc can be hidden or made to look more expensive with a good coat of black paint. Also a great way to hide flaws.
- Be prepared to get dirty. Clean things cost money because someone did the dirty work. An old tank or filter can be bought relatively chaeply. Given some time and enough elbow grease, those things can look brand new.
- Look at equipment you like. Study it, watch videos and see how people are modifying them. Then look for parts in hardware stores and build your own. Your first few will leak or not work exactly as planned but you soon get the knack of it. No matter your skill level it will work, it's just how it looks that will vary.
- Plant shops, garden hardscape suppliers, construction supply stores are you best friend and most tank hardscape can be found for a fraction of the price.
- Want wood. Get outside and go looking. After long dry spells followed by rain, after prolonged heavy rains are always good times to prowl water ways for newly washed down wood. Dry areas with hardwood trees that die and have insects eat them are gold spots.
BUT BE CAREFUL IN ALL THESE AREAS - you're outside and must abide by nature's rules.
- Ask fish shops if they are getting rid of anything. Sometimes you taking an old tank you could use as a sump off their hands is often removing a hassle for them as well and they will cut you a good deal. I picked up my 3 largest tanks this way - 1 was 168gal with cabinet and sump for US$100 DELIVERED.
- look in junk mail/online for people trying to sell complete tanks. Offer them something for the fish only if you like some of the stock as many people looking for a cheap tank have a stocklist in mind and don't want to have to deal with other fish. The fish you don't want, swap, auction at clubs or sell.
- Learn to silicone, use PVC cement, expanding foam, and styrofoam. A lot can be done with those.
- Make friends with someone who can help with electrics/plumbing. Barter if you have to. Saves a lot of time and hassle. I have a friend who checks electrical wires and motors for me. I help him move a couple things from his workshop to the dump or paint an outside wall once or twice a year in exchange.
- Learn to spray paint a bit. Many cheap looking things or pipes, equipment, etc can be hidden or made to look more expensive with a good coat of black paint. Also a great way to hide flaws.
- Be prepared to get dirty. Clean things cost money because someone did the dirty work. An old tank or filter can be bought relatively chaeply. Given some time and enough elbow grease, those things can look brand new.
This is a big one. I have also found if you make changes in the tank to decor, change filter position or anything that makes fish act differently, it's as good as adding new fish.
my biggest money saver was using BDBS as substrate. If the rule is correct (1 pound of substrate per gallon), 150 pounds of name brand sand/substrate would've drained all my money. I spent probably 40 bucks on BDBS; although the labor on cleaning it was probably more strenuous than the name brand stuff. The stuff looks pretty damn good too. Haven't had a smell or any complications with fish; I did have a slight film but that went away with a few water changes.
