Share your best money saving tips for the reef hobby!

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Patience is free.

 

[nothing_fancy]

I think cutting down on expendables is a good thing to look into after you get comfortable in the hobby. For instance for maintaining Alk and Cal I used all for reef for a while, too long but it is a very expensive price to pay for ease of use and it doesn't allow for finite control. Switching to Randys 2 part saved me a lot of money. Working on getting your dilution and dosing schedules setup in a way that maximizes the use of the chemicals is also key in my opinion. Another thing I can think of for those that use filter floss, some filter floss is cheap but some are not. I switched to aqua mesh which can be reused and cleaned, highly recommend. And like others have said, as much DIY as possible for instance phyto, another expensive product that is super easy to make yourself, live baby Brine is also simple to culture and very cheap. The only thing I wouldn't cut corners with is any critical equipment or anything that has to do with the safety of the electrical.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I truly believe this tip would have saved many, many people so much money... research what you are buying before buying it. Don't buy something you don't know much about for any reason regardless of price. If you spend just $20 on something you don't know how to care for it will likely die and there's no getting your money back. I have a feeling even when this happens (it's probably happened to practically everyone at some point) people go right back and repeat the same mistake again. Whatever it is dies like the last one and now you've lost $40...make sure you know what you're buying, it's requirements, and that you can realistically meet those requirements.

 

[fish farmer]

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

I don't even bother with the tank vids, just YouTube "Red Sea Coral Reef" and get the real thing.

 

[Kfactor]

keep everything simple dont over think it you dont need the newest greatest thing

 

[56longroof]

I browse Marketplace ,Ebay,and the classifieds here constantly. The older technology doesn't bother me since that's what I ran back when I had a reef tank. I just recently picked up a complete 150 tall for $150. 48" metal halide/power compact light for $100. Deals are all over the place if your patient.

 

[MikeCRK]

avoid "advices" from sellers

 

[Pistondog]

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

Upfront cost of halides might be cheaper, but they require 3 times the power to drive vs leds, power cost is an issue for some of us.

 

[56longroof]

From everything I've found on the LED vs halide debate that's based more on opinion and marketing than actual facts.

 

[shermoen]

Buy equipment in opened box status from online sites and stock up on consumables when there are sales. And there are always sales!

 

[LPS Bum]

Dose kalk instead of two (or three) part. Buy your corals locally, either from a LFS with good pricing or through a coral swap. Tell your wife you want gift certificates for bdays and Christmas (for the overpriced online corals you can't find locally).

 

[X-37B]

Best tip! Have a plan before you begin. Understand how to maintain a reef tank, it could the #1 tip.
Without a plan your expenses will increase behond any said budget.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Don't buy anything on impulse; always wait and plan your purch--Oh! Look! A coral I've gotta buy!!!

 

[jmichaelh7]

There isn’t any for me. It’s an expensive hobby

 

[woodyarmadillo]

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

Hahaha that’s funny.

 

[Dryanimtt]

Buy corals from local club sellers, and not the named overpriced stuff on all these sites. Even some of the lfs around have artificially inflated prices nowadays and it's no name stuff. Smh. That's just one way to save

 

[jabberwock]

The notion of buying used equipment is a double edged sword. I don't do it.

My best advice is, get a gerbil.

 

[j.falk]

Following.

 

[FrugalReefer]

Buy an inexpensive light. They do exist and they work just as well as the Radions, AIs and Kessils. Same thing goes with Powerheads.

 

[ab-774819]

Buy an inexpensive light. They do exist and they work just as well as the Radions, AIs and Kessils. Same thing goes with Powerheads.

What light would you suggest? I'm in the market for a good light for a 60 gallon