So here I am, Senor Cheapo, with many many tanks. The question of affordability raises its head. Here are some tricks to consider.
1. Air driven filtration works, although it helps if you can hide the sponge or box filter with rocks or plants. One quality pump will run many tanks for years. One cheap pump will imitate the engine sounds of a WW1 aircraft and blow out in a year.
2. Plants (like fish) must be researched. Would you go into a car dealership and tell them to pick you a car? I hope not. Buy plants for your lighting.
3.Functional lighting for low light tanks can be found in hardware and salvage stores. Aquarium lights, like aquarium salt, are just lights. "Aquarium" is an adjective. "Aquarium safe" is an important phrase though, for anything that comes into contact with water. If you can happily set the lights up over your tank, go for it. One of my prettiest planted tanks ran off IKEA pendant lamps. You'll still probably want a good plant light ramp in time, but you can save up.
4. There are a million online recipes for quality homemade frozen foods tailored for the species you keep. Use google for your hobby.
5. If there is an actual, physically meeting aquarium club in your area, get off your duff and go.
6. Never buy a fish without researching its maximum adult length. You don't plan to kill it, and if it will outgrow your tank, that will be very expensive or very cruel.
7. Find out where your fish are from. Research the water temperatures there. With a little creativity, it can be done. You will probably find you are keeping them at their maximum summer temps. The hobby seems to suggest very warm temps, and that costs to maintain. I saw a beautiful species I had a tank for a couple of weeks ago, but when I researched it (on my phone), its baseline temperature was higher than my room temperature, and I avoid heaters. I have a room I heat, with a closed door, for my many tanks. So I didn't get the fish. Simple.
8. Never cut corners on water changing, food quality or tank size. Dead fish, constantly replaced are not the goal.
9. Glass can be cut, and quality tops can be made for a reasonable cost. You can learn to cut glass yourself, too.
10. Remember that paying up front, while it hurts a cheapskate like me, can get you better equipment that lasts forever. I'm running a linear piston air pump that can power 30 filters. I paid $200 for it (ouch) but I paid that in 2006, and it's been running 24/7 since, with no stopping. I was once given a box of 10 new diaphragm pumps that retailed for about $30 each, and not one made 5 years, or could be effectively repaired. And a power filter that doesn't give you 15 years in a rip off.
11. If you ever write a post like this, read the suggestions other people add to the thread.
1. Air driven filtration works, although it helps if you can hide the sponge or box filter with rocks or plants. One quality pump will run many tanks for years. One cheap pump will imitate the engine sounds of a WW1 aircraft and blow out in a year.
2. Plants (like fish) must be researched. Would you go into a car dealership and tell them to pick you a car? I hope not. Buy plants for your lighting.
3.Functional lighting for low light tanks can be found in hardware and salvage stores. Aquarium lights, like aquarium salt, are just lights. "Aquarium" is an adjective. "Aquarium safe" is an important phrase though, for anything that comes into contact with water. If you can happily set the lights up over your tank, go for it. One of my prettiest planted tanks ran off IKEA pendant lamps. You'll still probably want a good plant light ramp in time, but you can save up.
4. There are a million online recipes for quality homemade frozen foods tailored for the species you keep. Use google for your hobby.
5. If there is an actual, physically meeting aquarium club in your area, get off your duff and go.
6. Never buy a fish without researching its maximum adult length. You don't plan to kill it, and if it will outgrow your tank, that will be very expensive or very cruel.
7. Find out where your fish are from. Research the water temperatures there. With a little creativity, it can be done. You will probably find you are keeping them at their maximum summer temps. The hobby seems to suggest very warm temps, and that costs to maintain. I saw a beautiful species I had a tank for a couple of weeks ago, but when I researched it (on my phone), its baseline temperature was higher than my room temperature, and I avoid heaters. I have a room I heat, with a closed door, for my many tanks. So I didn't get the fish. Simple.
8. Never cut corners on water changing, food quality or tank size. Dead fish, constantly replaced are not the goal.
9. Glass can be cut, and quality tops can be made for a reasonable cost. You can learn to cut glass yourself, too.
10. Remember that paying up front, while it hurts a cheapskate like me, can get you better equipment that lasts forever. I'm running a linear piston air pump that can power 30 filters. I paid $200 for it (ouch) but I paid that in 2006, and it's been running 24/7 since, with no stopping. I was once given a box of 10 new diaphragm pumps that retailed for about $30 each, and not one made 5 years, or could be effectively repaired. And a power filter that doesn't give you 15 years in a rip off.
11. If you ever write a post like this, read the suggestions other people add to the thread.
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