# Wow, expensive hobby!!!



## jbrianchamberlin (Aug 31, 2009)

So I had tanks as a kid, nothing major but a 10 gal here, a 20 gal there. So recently at 40 years old I decided on a 75 gal tank and $1300 later... I'm wondering what the hell did I just do? I know some of it is my fault (lack of looking for better deals etc.) but damn this hobby can get expensive. Why didn't you sob's warn me? =) $500 for tank, glass canopy and stand. Another $500 for filter, heater, pump, gravel, drift wood etc... and then at least $300 in plants, fish, lighting system I just spent another $90 on a cool moonlight system that I haven't gotten yet. I hate you people. You should have warned me. LOL!


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## MediaHound (Jul 19, 2006)

lol... it can get worse. Much worse. 
My light fixture cost more than your entire setup. Thanks for the reminder  
*r2


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## thumbless (Sep 7, 2009)

Obviousely with Plants and Drift wood you are not into then Marines.

Then you would have to start selling some of your organs on e-bay.

What else would you do.

Davey.

*n1*o2*#3


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## IMIGHT (Jun 30, 2009)

Just wait, It gets better. Soon you'll have to buy a med tank. Then all of a sudden you gots fry *n1, now you have to buy a grow out tank. When the fry grow out of it you might as well stock the grow out tank *w3 more fish. Before you know it you've got 5 tanks set up and 3 in the garage like me *J/D*...I love this hobby.


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

I am in the market for a single fish right now that will cost me upwards of $150 and then some more probably. The one that I had was less but unfortunately died yesterday and in the last 3+ years the price of everything has gone up so I feel for you but as was mentioned, it only gets worse, much worse. 
LOL consider yourself warned now.... hmmmm?

Rose


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Yep much worse, I recently spent $2500 just for tank, stand and canopy. Still have to get my lights, co2 unit and more plants.


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## Oldman (May 25, 2009)

I must be the only person here that gets tanks from Craigslist. I have a nice 55 that cost me $100 including the stand that I replaced, a filter, some gravel, decorations that are definitely not to my taste, a heater and a hood. I spent another $30 to build my own stand and $20 to replace the lights with a T-8 fixture from my local home improvement center. I needed a tank for my mollies to grow out so they went in there along with some pickups from a local club auction. The total was around $25. I had a surplus of plants in other tanks so I put them to good use. I figure the whole mess including the new stand cost me less than $200. Of course with over 20 tanks up and running, it still can add up to a lot of total money but at least I didn't need to cash in my 401K to get it done.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Oldman, most of my tanks were either free or bought through the club. I had just wanted a big new tank for once and decided that when I had the money it was time to do it. Sand and gravel for all of the tanks maybe $100, lights for all maybe 200. but haven't bought the lights I want for the big tank yet. Plants all came from auctions or from the planted tank. Very few fish bought from lfs.

The cost for the 90 was 150. sand will be pool filter sand 2/5.50, rockwork, not sure but it will take quite a bit. Lights from HD.

Next project will be a 40 gal breeder that is going to be sw. rocks and sand for that will be expensive. Already have a light for it that I traded a piece of driftwood for from a club member.


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## Oldman (May 25, 2009)

If you go over to the dark side you will go broke Susan. Those folks think nothing of paying a very good price for "live sand". They pay for a pound what I would pay for a 50 pound bag.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Yep, I know, but it helps when I have an lfs that gives me 15% off because of being a club member. Plus several club members can help out. If I was able to get to Macalister I could have gotten the live rock and sand for free, from a 350 gal reef tank that was being broke down.


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## cichlidkeeper (Jul 13, 2009)

there was a 125g on craigslist the other day for free! i was too late though :*-(


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## obscbyclouds (Apr 6, 2009)

You speak the truth. But then, nobody ever warned me!!! You think it's cheap to start, but then you want to build beautiful tanks......and it begins.....

Good deals can be found on craigslist. This spring I got a 55 gal tank & stand with canister filter, hood/lights, 2 powerheads, and hob filter for $150. It was a bargain. Still haven't set it up though, just because the tank I'd want to make would either be SW minireef or High tech planted, and I just can't afford it.


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## Shotgun (Mar 1, 2009)

It really is an expensive hobby, but craigslist has great deals. Since your in the Baltimore area, (I am too,) I recommend you try to go to Exotic Aquatics in Parkeville. Thats were I get ALL of my stuff. Livestock, tanks, chemicals, food, etc. I bought a brand new 55g tank, stand, and hood, for about $250. You couldnt beat it. The prices on their tanks are great. They got a wide vareity of plants, and tanks of livestock a mile long. Its a great place. They're not like Petco or Petsmart people; the people working there know what they are talking about, and do it because it is their passion. Its called Exotic Aquatics and its in Parkeville, MD. Let me know if you ever go there!


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## tongwk (Jun 13, 2009)

time for you to start selling them off on ebay


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Oldman said:


> If you go over to the dark side you will go broke Susan. Those folks think nothing of paying a very good price for "live sand". They pay for a pound what I would pay for a 50 pound bag.


Hahaha, can't go broke when you already stay that way.


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## Kristen (Sep 19, 2009)

I have found a huge money saver: DIY. If you make stuff yourself, you save money and get it the way you want


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## Oldman (May 25, 2009)

Right you are Kirsten. This weekend I spent almost a day designing a pair of tank stands and creating a lumber list to hold a total of 7 tanks including a 55 gallon. When I got all done, I looked at the lumber list and expect my total bill to come to about $45. That is for 7 1x6 boards, 2 1x4 boards and a piece of 1/2 inch plywood. I have some left over paint from the last build so I can even get a good color match with using the same paint. Screws and such I will need to check on as I may need to buy a pound of screws for another couple of bucks. This next week I will be doing the raw build of both stands and then paint next weekend if I feel like it. Sometimes I lose interest when it comes to painting, it is one of those things that I hate to actually do although it really sets off the finished product nicely.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

jbrianchamberlin said:


> So I had tanks as a kid, nothing major but a 10 gal here, a 20 gal there. So recently at 40 years old I decided on a 75 gal tank and $1300 later... I'm wondering what the hell did I just do? I know some of it is my fault (lack of looking for better deals etc.) but damn this hobby can get expensive. Why didn't you sob's warn me? =) $500 for tank, glass canopy and stand. Another $500 for filter, heater, pump, gravel, drift wood etc... and then at least $300 in plants, fish, lighting system I just spent another $90 on a cool moonlight system that I haven't gotten yet. I hate you people. You should have warned me. LOL!


you should have asked. 

The hobby is expensive especially when you take the high tech approach.
I avoid most of that be remaining low tech.

Besides I would have trouble understanding all that "extra" stuff. 

my .02


ps I have heard of reef guys spending $10,000 or more. So you could consider yourself lucky.


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## spawn (Sep 21, 2009)

I am 17 years into this hobby.Now from last 8 years I just concentrate about discus keeping. Now you may say that I am a discus keeper. I have 2 4 feet aquarium at present. That tank is a planted discus community aquarium with 6 discus (2 blue diamond, 1 cobalt blue, 1 spider, 1 red Marlboro, 1 red pigion discus) along with 2 clown loaches and 2 black ghost knife.The other contains 12 cichlids. Apart from these I am also a professional discus breeder.
so maintaining discus community tank is so expensive.you must know that the cost of discus is expensive....


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## aspects (Feb 22, 2009)

just wait till MTS kicks in... then youre doomed!


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## Oldman (May 25, 2009)

Malaysian trumpet snails are not all that expensive Aspects. LOL


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Oldman said:


> Malaysian trumpet snails are not all that expensive Aspects. LOL



Think we might be talking multi tank syndrome :hahaha:*old dude


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