What is your secret for low budget tanks?

For those of you who have or have had a low budget. Especially kids, what is your way/ strategy on keeping and starting tanks with a low budget??? Also if you have your own special way of caring for fish please share.

This is not for me just a question to ask cuz I'm bored. im:;alien I also feel this question would be good for beginners.

 

Birthday/Christmas money buy fish/supplies that are cheaper, or convince the parents that I absolutely need it. I do all my water changes on Sundays, because I am busy all other days.

 

Amazon!

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I tell my parents I'lol pay them back and they forget and I live happily ever after good luck I hope it works for u cuz it's worked about 10 times now so good luck my friend

 

Lucky, I owe my parent $75 from my shipping costs and CPD from a while ago and my dad won't stop reminding me.

 

Use wisteria for your tank, pinch and plant. You will have a never ending supply of plants and hides.

 

King of DIY on youtube

 

Regular plastic tubs you can get from Wal-Mart make great hospital or QT tanks. They can be permanent tanks but most people like to see their fish from the sides. Petco dollar per gallon sales are also a lifesaver, along with signing up for their rewards program.

 

Buy used gear. Build as much as you can yourself. Repurpose non-aquatic things for aquatic use.

 

I'm batman.

 

No matter your age, if you are old enough to be on this forum, then you are old enough to earn money. Mow lawns, shovel snow, wash cars, wash dogs, walk dogs, do yardwork, babysit, referee youth sporting events, there are million different things to help earn money. Put up fliers in your neighborhood, use social media to advertise with friends, etc. Then you can get the pleasure of buying exactly what you want, because you are spending your own hard earned money. That new tank and setup will feel so much sweeter if you know that you didn't have to hassle your parents for it.

There is no secret to getting what you want in life, you just have to go out and earn it, which many of the youth today do not understand, sadly.

 

No matter your age, if you are old enough to be on this forum, then you are old enough to earn money. Mow lawns, shovel snow, wash cars, wash dogs, walk dogs, do yardwork, babysit, referee youth sporting events, there are million different things to help earn money. Put up fliers in your neighborhood, use social media to advertise with friends, etc. Then you can get the pleasure of buying exactly what you want, because you are spending your own hard earned money. That new tank and setup will feel so much sweeter if you know that you didn't have to hassle your parents for it.

There is no secret to getting what you want in life, you just have to go out and earn it, which many of the youth today do not understand, sadly.

Agreed, i've been working since I was 13 and mowed lawns when I wasn't, did chores took odd jobs. Then more retail, retail, retail, got sick of it, cleaned hoarders houses, then moved to an IT degree. Then an internship and finally landed a great job in a NOC with a company more stable that the government. Even if you are mowing jobs you can still get a "real" job if you explain to them that your whole life you've been working in some manner. No one is ever going to give anyone a great job with a salary, benefits and a steady paycheck if you can't work the hard jobs early in life. Everyone is willing to give someone a chance if you show initiative. I mean even my wife and I are working full time jobs plus a side business to gain extra money for fun stuff. Then we can go out and buy our super fun fishes, play flyball (an expensive dog sport) agility, modify cars and enjoy life.

In short; work, educate, work harder, learn harder, save, work harder, learn some more then play hard.

 

Dolfan, that is very true. I babysit my sisters and mow the lawn.

 

For those of you who have or have had a low budget. Especially kids, what is your way/ strategy on keeping and starting tanks with a low budget??? Also if you have your own special way of caring for fish please share.

This is not for me just a question to ask cuz I'm bored. im:;alien I also feel this question would be good for beginners.

My job funds my fish hobby

 

Budget substrate: Black Diamond Blasting Media. Black sand looks great, but what does it go for at the pet store? $1/lb? $2/lb? BDBM goes for around 16 cents/lb. I don't think you can even buy aquarium-safe gravel for that.

 

Ooo where do you get that? I've been using pool filter sand but love the look of black sand and at 16¢ that would be even cheaper.

 

Tractor supply carries black diamond. Check their website to see if it's available at your local store. It's around $8 for 50 pounds.

 

Haha I live right across from a tractor supply...I know where I'm going today

 

Check the end of the bag -- it will have grit sizes marked. I always recommend 30-60 grit, as (in my experience) it is safe for bottom feeders like loaches, cories, etc.

 

Check the end of the bag -- it will have grit sizes marked. I always recommend 30-60 grit, as (in my experience) it is safe for bottom feeders like loaches, cories, etc.

Thank you so much for this! And this works for fresh water tanks?

 

Thank you so much for this! And this works for fresh water tanks?

worked for mine

 

I work at the weekends in a creche and put €10-15, or whatever I can afford, aside into an envelope every week as fish money for if I ever need anything.

 

King of DIY on youtube

I just recently found some of his vid's & it's awesome!

 

Thank you so much for this! And this works for fresh water tanks?

Absolutely.

 

Avoid using a premade light fixture/tops for <30 gallon tanks. Instead use clip-on or standing lamps that can use regular bulbs. (Use high intensity bulbs at 6500k for a more natural sunlight) They can look nicer and be more efficient than regular tops if done right.

Medium/low light plants that don't require expensive ferts.

Don't buy decorations. Instead go out and look for nice rocks.

Playground sand can be used if cleaned well. Super cheap.

GARAGE SALES GARAGE SALES GARAGE SALES GARAGE SALES
I'm serious you can get $500+ worth of nice aquarium gear and decorations for maybe $50.

 

Look at good will. You can find decorations, tanks, and stands for 1/5 of the price

Here's a pic of the lights. Make sure you find some clear glass or plastic to go between the lights and tank or else you'll have a real hazard. 20 gallon 60w CFLs 6500k. Looks a bit strange but it works for growing plants like weeds.

 

Look at good will. You can find decorations, tanks, and stands for 1/5 of the price

This. I once paid $5 for a Fluval ChI at Goodwill -- $80 new. It was missing the (notoriously unreliable) filter/light unit, but who cares?

 

I buy tanks at thrift stores and craiglist, and ask for less than the advertised price. Most craiglist sellers are ok with that, the worst they say is no.
I look for live plants online too, sometimes people give away plant cuttings for free.

 

I breed some fish to pay for my tanks. Works great-Invest in one breeder, breed (spend time with fish), trade to LFS, buy another tank, breed (Spend more time with fish), so on and so forth.

 

Goodwill, thrift stores, garage/estate sales, aaaaand... craigslist.
Here's another: Asking for birthday/Christmas money (and spending it on your tank), then asking for whatever else you want/need (for your tank) and hope to receive it as a gift!
And of course, the old piggy bank. Mine is currently a SunSun Fund.

 

Craigs List all the way. I'm not kidding.

I got my 40 gal with everything included, filter socks, sump, a bunch of equipment, live rock that I don't need, etc. All I need for that tank is water and fish and I'm set. It was only $100.00. Would have easily paid three times that at the store, and more in time drilling the overflow for the sump and hooking up all the equipment for it.

You can also find great deals anywhere they sell used goods. I saw a complete 36gal bowfront kit at goodwill once, and I got my vintage 10 gallon at a yard sale.

 

Aside from thrifting and garage sales, I go to PetCo for mainly everything, for all of my pets, so my rewards add up! It's nice to see I have $10 when I'm only spending $15-20 on things like Prime, SafeStart, etc!

If you shop online ALWAYS Google around for online coupon codes. Some can REALLY save you some money on bigger purchases.
Along with that if your LFS has a website or email sign-up definitely join that to see when the items/fish you want go on sale. I got my Pristellas for 5/$5 and guppies for $1 each (common but not always the case for nice Fancy Guppies like Green King Cobra Guppies).

I also got my Emperor 400s on sale at my LFS and they only put those on sale once/twice a year, so it's good to have the upper hand on expensive purchases.

 

I also like That Fish Place That Pet Place...the only store is in Lancaster Pa but they have an online store and already have really good prices but have lots of sales also

 

I buy as much as I can via Amazon but also look for bulk sales (such as rock sold by pound not by the piece the way decor is) Then I use aquarium sealant or SeaChem reef glue to glue them together if necessary for stability and otherwise just rearrange everything until I like the look. It is cheaper to do this than buy the "cave" and "mountain" pieces for decor and shelters for shy fish if you are doing the natural look, and blends fairly well in other themes even if you aren't.

 

Step 1: Fund wife's shopping trips to the mall (alone time as added benefit)
Step 2: Explain how much our son will luv you for more fish stuff
Step 3: Amazon FTW
Step 5: Explain to wife you'd like her to buy from the adult section instead of buying size 6 junior clothing. (More free time)