MTS Pointers

We have several members here with MTS so I thought this would be a good thread for all of us to share pointers on finding good deals on tanks, places to find hard to find species, ways to save money with setup, and safety when buying from individuals. Let's face it-whether someone is still in school or retired, everyone is on a budget. If we weren't, we'd have aquariums for rooms or walls.

I have 19 tanks running, a saltwater waiting to be "restarted", and at least 10 tanks in my garage. At one time I had 42 tanks all running.

I've only paid full price for my 5 gallon betta/shrimp tanks and one of my 20 gallon tanks. The others were all Craigslist or friends.

Any online classifieds is a great place to find tanks and sometimes you can get really good deals on fish. Around here, there's no reason to pay more than $1/gallon including filter, heater, stand, etc. Obviously, that changes depending on the area you're in. Regardless if you're an ex-marine or a teenager, it's never a bad idea to bring someone with you if you're not meeting in a public area. No fish or tank is worth your safety, imo.

Sand (I prefer pool filter) is inexpensive and can be found at most hardware or DIY stores. Makes a great substrate, easy to clean (make sure it stays sifted so air pockets don't build), and makes planting a breeze for live plants.

Many Petco's do $1/gallon sales a few times a year. This works out well when needing an emergency tank (for those leaks or tank issues that appear at the worst possible time).

When buying online, most places will do free shipping a few times a year.

Local aquarium clubs are an excellent source for hard to find species and they usually will go for a steal.

What has everyone else learned about pursuing our passion without breaking the bank?

 

I've looked on Craigslist and sometimes someone will get the gallons on a tank wrong and then you go to measure it and they posted 20 gallons when it's really 30 gallons. It really helps trust me.

 

Yard sales especially in the spring when people are wanting stuff cleared out.
(Helpful hint: Write down dimensions of common tank sizes and take a tape measure with you)

 

a good trick is to buy tanks in the summer when people don't want to take care of them any more even big brand stores will have tank sales and reduced priced to get rid of tanks. if you want to sell a tank do it in the fall or winter when people are looking to get back in the hobby again than use that money to buy a bigger tank in the summer because prices are raised in the winter.

 

a good trick is to buy tanks in the summer when people don't want to take care of them any more even big brand stores will have tank sales and reduced priced to get rid of tanks. if you want to sell a tank do it in the fall or winter when people are looking to get back in the hobby again than use that money to buy a bigger tank in the summer because prices are raised in the winter.

Really? That's interesting.

I've never thought to pay attention to that. I will now to see if it holds true in my area.

 

yep. I found it very interesting my self and it does hold true for me