Looking for ways to save money on an aquarium

[blip10]

Hey everyone,
Recently, I came to realize that fishkeeping is a pretty expensive deal. I've spent over $400 on my aquarium - the general setup.
I plan to buy a new aquarium for my kids, and I wonder what could be efficient ways to save money on that. I want the tank to look good and look professional, although money is a big deal for me. Any tips?

 

[Jan Cavalieri]

That sounds about right to me for about a 29 or 50 gallon aquarium - is that what you bought? Is that what you plan to buy? If you haven't already - check Amazon for cheaper prices, a bigger selection and lot of reviews so you can see if it's a wise puchase - I have bought less than a dozen (mostly decorative items) from stores - the rest was all purchased through amazon. I spent closer to $800 because I buy mostly acrylic tanks (they are lighter and much stronger than class and much clearer but they scratch easy. I also buy most of my fish online and that is NOT a way to save money - overnight shipping alone is arount $40 so hopefully your kids want some of those glo-fish (I love them) because you can find them anywhere. Avoid goldfish - they grow huge and poop huge. I buy my own lights (full-spectrum) for about $48 a strip, Heater for $30-50. (I like to get heater/thermometer combos and they cost more. I buy Auqaclear filters for about$35-$40 because I've was told it was the best filter - it probably is but I think it may be the most difficult filter to work with - somethings always breaking or getting plugged up, so not a great filter for kids. You know you now will have 2 tanks to clean Oh Petco sometimes has their glass tanks on sale so that they are $10 for a 10 gallon tank $20 for a 20 gallon tank etc - but they come with nothing else but the tank. Some of the kits come with lights and a filter (rarely a heater) but the lights are usually sub-par but the filters look ok. Or buy them each a 5 gallon tank with a single betta in it. My betta has become my best fish buddy- he seems to like his fins straightened out.

 

[kwi]

2nd hand, best way to save, tanks are easy to clean, just be sure to see them filled before parting with any cash.

 

[Fishmanic]

Look for used ones on craigslist. They often come complete with lights, heater, filter etc. If you find one, negotiate the price with the seller for a better deal.

If you have a Walmart near you, you can pick up a 5 gallon full setup (except heater) for $30 and a 10 gallon full setup ( no heater) for $33. You can't beat that price for new.

A 5 gallon tank would be fine for a single Betta. The 10 gallon might work for some neon tetras or harlequin rasboras...2 nice fish. Don't over stock your tank...get suggestions from members here before you buy fish.

 

[ClownLurch]

Is there a US or Canadian Freecycle.org type website?
Stuff literally given away for nothing as long as you’re prepared to collect it from the givers home. It may actually have originated in North America for all I know?
If there isn’t then the suggestion still stands for UK or Aussie or Kiwi owt for nowt types.

edit: It actually originated in the US. Well done you lot. Saving the planet one tank at a time.

 

[madmark285]

Become a craigslist warrior, check everynight/morning for any deals. The great deals such as people giving away stuff or moving/estate sales go quick. Four days ago, someone put a 30 gallon tank/hood on the curb for free. I doubt it is still there.

Many of the aquariums I see listed locally are overpriced. Just wait 30 days and they may be willing to deal. The ones I would avoid, people who buy high end equipment such as Bluetooth enabled lights and are looking to recover cost.

 

[TheTenthDoctor]

I am Ebenezer Scrooge on crack, at least thats what I always say. Here are the ways I save money
Use garden soil as substrate
Use sand from walmart (washed and dried)
Find plants in local water ways (Just make sure you check them and monitor them before adding fish)
Oak leaves for tanins
Look on craigslist for supplies
Find things in the trash
Breed your own fish
Make your own drift wood (there are hundreds of tutorials on youtube)
Use clamp shop lights instead of high tech expensive ones
Wait for the $ per gallon sale
Look for clearance and sales
If you can make it, make it don't buy it
Use coupons
Collect rocks from outside
Use gravel (washed and dried) from outside
Find floating plants in lakes
Check craigslist continually

These are things I do to cut back on the expense of the hobby.

 

[madmark285]

Any tips?

If buying new..

Substrate, buy play sand at Home Depot/Lowes. All of the rocks I have used in aquariums was collected locally for free. I have an old unused hot tub filled with dead wood I collected locally, it's been soaking for 4 weeks. I estimate this will save me ~$300 for my tanks I am setting up.

Aquarium stands, look for beat up/scratch furniture like small dressers. It is amazing what a can of spray paint will do. You can rub on polyurethane with a rag to remove scratches on old stuff, not a perfect finish but good enough.

Call all the local fish store (LFS) for tank prices. One store near me was selling 75 gallon tanks for $250, another store was $100.

For larger tanks, watch the DIY videos on youtube for building your own sump filtering system with materials you may already have. You can take a 5 gallon bucket filled with Plastic Dish Scrubbers, add a return pump for a basic filter which will work very well. This could be a Canister filter or a sump type filter using a DIY PVC aquarium overflow

 

[madmark285]

Find plants in local water ways (Just make sure you check them and monitor them before adding fish)

A local stream near me, now dry with the lack of rain in my area (western NY), has a carpet of small plants growing which would be perfect for my tank. I just assume this would not work in my planned tiger barb tank but who knows. I might dig some up and see what how well they do submersed in a container.

Thanks for the idea.

 

[Shiverz]

For a tank you can always look at second hand, they can go for decent prices most of the time, though if you want the price to drop tremendously you can always look for tanks were the seals have gone. You'll notice the tanks lose ALOT of value when their seal is knackered. Get some silicon and and little bit of work and you can find yourself saving quite a fair chunk of money. Or just look for a nice deal on FB marketplace or craigslist. My tank is only a 65L, but it came with a standard light, a marine light, a sprayer filter, an air stone and pump, gravel and some fake plants for £25,the gravel and fake plants I have stored somewhere and didn't use. I could've started straight away with what I had, so it is possible.

With the substrate you can always collect it yourself, soil from your garden, gravel, sand. As long as it's washed thoroughly and properly there aren't many things you can't use (within reason of course). The same goes for rocks and plants. Ensure they're clean, quarantine them and make sure there's no hitchhikers/dieseases, then introduce them. Though with rocks you do have to make sure they are not calcareous by dropping vinegar on it to ensure no fizzing, the hardest part is cleaning them, alot of people bake them, but I don't like the idea of a rock exploding in my oven. I boiled mine in a pan outside on a portable camping stove, took them all out and left them to cool outside. Those very stones are in my tank now.

 

[AbbeysDad]

Saving money and a tank for kids... either the dollar per gallon sale or buy a used aquarium and reseal it. Either sponge filter/air pump or HOB filter (I like the Aquaclear), a heater, and a hood/light/timer. For substrate, use sand (not $pet store sand$) - (I like pool filter sand)- better than gravel as nothing gets down under and no gravel vacuuming required. A few plastic plants.

 

[blip10]

Some really cool advice here! Would love to hear more ideas!

 

[Fishmanic]

Ways to get a new tank setup:
Call your rich Uncle and ask him if he'll buy you one.
Ask your grandparents if they would like to make your kids happy by buying them a tank and supplies..
Send a letter to Santa Claus and tell him what you and your kids really want for Christmas.
Tell anyone who gives you or the kids birthday gifts what you and the kids really want for your birthdays.

 

[seangee]

Use real plants - you only need a few, as all you need to do is trim regularly and plant the cuttings. Play sand is a great option for substarte. Ebay and facebook groups are good for used tanks. A lot of people buy tanks for their kids and believe the stores when they say cycle for 2 days and add fish. Once they lose their third or fourth tank load they decide keeping fish is too hard .These are easily identified because the adds will state that they include a (large) box of various medications.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Use real plants - you only need a few, as all you need to do is trim regularly and plant the cuttings. Play sand is a great option for substarte. Ebay and facebook groups are good for used tanks. A lot of people buy tanks for their kids and believe the stores when they say cycle for 2 days and add fish. Once they lose their third or fourth tank load they decide keeping fish is too hard .These are easily identified because the adds will state that they include a (large) box of various medications.

And a barely used tub of fish food. "tank only used for three months!" Those ads make me sad, it's so obvious what happened