Share your best money saving tips for the reef hobby!

[Northern Flicker]

This thread is inspired by a thread about how expensive this hobby can be.

What kinds of tips can you share about reefkeeping that have helped out your bank account.

2 that come to mind for me are:

1. If you are setting up a small tank, check facebook marketplace or kajiji for furniture rather than buying a stand. Often you can find sturdy, heavy, solid wood cabinets and dressers for $50 CAD or less, and as long as you take a minute to check on how it holds weight and how level the top is, it can save you a lot of money. The big box store stands are often mader of a covered MDF and still cost a fortune.

2. Check locally for equipment and frags. Some of my best finds were on Kajiji. When someone loses passion for the hobby, they usually want to get rid of the "wet part" (livestock, rock, coral) ASAP. The equipment is often less reasonable ($100 for a used 20g? Really).

 

[Troylee]

DIY everything! Including dosing chemicals.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Coral- Buy local or from club members
Fish- Shop around- Example- Just got a clown tang 5" shipped at $146 . . . LFS for 3" was $199
Tank/equipment- Look at used before new and closeouts
BUY THE BEST YOU CANNOT AFFORD, THEREBY BUYING IT ONCE

 

[homer1475]

DIY dosing chemicals 100%

I have enough calcium chloride to last me 10 years dosng nearly 2 gallons a month, and it only cost me $50.

 

[Rusty_L_Shackleford]

Used gear. I have picked up a lot of gear on fb marketplace for dirt cheap. EXCEPT heaters. Just buy a new one. They're cheap enough, and they are the number 1 cause of a catastrophic tank crash. I also have an inkbird wifi temp controller on each rank. Lot of peace of mind for like $60.

Also my absolute best advice for saving money long term: buy once, cry once. Don't just get a piece of equipment that will work for now, go ahead and get the right gear the first time. I know it can be hard to know what's the right gear when you're starting out, but research research research. Find a local club or a mentor on here. See if you can find it used.

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

my Advice is to not try small tanks if your are a rookie. Everything is easier in a bigger volume of water …also is skip the needle wheels and get a tall Venturi or Beckett skimmer and if You can deal with the heat halides are The cheapest lighting option by far

 

[MoshJosh]

Buy rimmed tanks on sale. If you "need" a drilled tank drill it yourself (assuming you already own a drill). Buy corals locally when at all possible. Buy used gear. Research as much as possible to find best options in your budget. Explore lighting options, T5, used, black boxes, etc. . .

 

[Jmp998]

Buy a large HDTV. Stream reef tank videos. A huge TV will be much cheaper than a small tank in the long run.

 

[DaveyB]

Steal money from your wife. Tell your child that community colleges are way under rated.

 

[RC51]

This thread is inspired by a thread about how expensive this hobby can be.

What kinds of tips can you share about reefkeeping that have helped out your bank account.

2 that come to mind for me are:

1. If you are setting up a small tank, check facebook marketplace or kajiji for furniture rather than buying a stand. Often you can find sturdy, heavy, solid wood cabinets and dressers for $50 CAD or less, and as long as you take a minute to check on how it holds weight and how level the top is, it can save you a lot of money. The big box store stands are often mader of a covered MDF and still cost a fortune.

2. Check locally for equipment and frags. Some of my best finds were on Kajiji. When someone loses passion for the hobby, they usually want to get rid of the "wet part" (livestock, rock, coral) ASAP. The equipment is often less reasonable ($100 for a used 20g? Really).

Old doesn't mean broken
I'm planning to use T5 and metal halide on my up coming build
Yes I know they have their downsides and issues
But they are cheap
And they worked in the past so why not now?

Also tanks
Sometimes it may need some scrubbing and work but you can save a bunch of money if you find the right listing
I bought a 65 gallon for $55 for pickup just a 20 min drive away

DIY where possible
I don't know about elsewhere but stands here in Japan is unreasonably expensive
No, a stand of 2x4s wont look as good
But it'll be much much cheaper (and probably stronger)

 

[Tired]

This one's relatively small, but it works in more places than just this hobby: vendors at shows and expos are often willing to negotiate prices a little, particularly if you buy multiple things. Bring cash and make an offer.

 

[19Mateo83]

I know it’s already been said but buy the best equipment that you can’t afford. Buying it only once will save you a ton of money in the long run. Also…. Go as big as you can. Small tanks usually lead to bigger tanks.

 

[happyhourhero]

Siphon out the water > scoop out the sand and rock > capture the livestock > minimally clean up the tank and equipment > list on Marketplace > ??? > profit.

 

[GarrettT]

Choose functionality over glamour.

 

[Propane]

Buy your own RODI system. Using tap water causes problems. Driving to get water is gas, time and water cost and if they get lazy with their filters it causes problems and having to go get water might make you skip water changes. More problems.

 

[Rmckoy]

This thread is inspired by a thread about how expensive this hobby can be.

What kinds of tips can you share about reefkeeping that have helped out your bank account.

2 that come to mind for me are:

1. If you are setting up a small tank, check facebook marketplace or kajiji for furniture rather than buying a stand. Often you can find sturdy, heavy, solid wood cabinets and dressers for $50 CAD or less, and as long as you take a minute to check on how it holds weight and how level the top is, it can save you a lot of money. The big box store stands are often mader of a covered MDF and still cost a fortune.

2. Check locally for equipment and frags. Some of my best finds were on Kajiji. When someone loses passion for the hobby, they usually want to get rid of the "wet part" (livestock, rock, coral) ASAP. The equipment is often less reasonable ($100 for a used 20g? Really).

When I first started this is how I ended up with close to 400lbs of live rock that I spilt up into 3 different setups .

Good luck even finding the rocks now

 

[Rmckoy]

To save money ….
Rethink getting into reefing .
Imagine the money you would save if you didn’t buy coral frags

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Get a pet rock instead.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Don't be afraid of diy. Ask for help from friends and family for tools if you don't have them. Watch lots of videos. I build my stand, had experience so not worried, did all of my own plumbing, no experience went great, drilled my own tank, no experience went fine, after spending my retirement on a sump, I did a diy for my frag tank, no issues.

 

[skimmerman]

I made my own auto top off using two gallon water container and a cheap float valve. I have to fill the resivior once a day.calcium reactor best investment no additives or expensive dosing pumps or calcium reagents.