Cheap Ideas

[riogal_11]

In light of some recent threads I decided that maybe we could post some money saving tips in regards to fish keeping. Maybe people hadn't thought of some and we can help each other out to get creative and inexpensive ideas. Anyways some cheap ideas I've used over the years:

terra cotta pots as caves (variety of sizes, less than a dollar each)
River rocks to biuild caves or neat bridge structures (use silicone aquarium sealant to stick together)
craigslist (if you can find someone in your area you can sometimes get a good deal and not have to worry about shipping like on ebay or other resale sites)
and my best one yet that I just figured out a month ago when setting up my mom's tank.
Hobby lobby has big bundles of silk plants for around $12.00 (40% off coupon every other week).
It never occured to me to get silk plants from somewhere other than a petstore or big retail store.
We did my moms whole 33 gallon long tank with 1 bundle of silk plants and pots that we got in the clearance aisle that look like the expensive pots they sell in stores along with shipwrecks, themed items, etc.
Also, our local Lowes store has a 20lb. bag of big white gravel similar to river rocks for $3.00!! The same type of gravel would have been about 5 times more at a petsore.

I know some of the stores won't help members from other countries, but maybe you all have some ideas as well.

So, share your money saving tips!!

 

[Honeythorn]

Clear plastic storage tubs for temporary/holding/quarrantine tanks. And if you happen to find a really transparent one that's nice, then as a permanent home they are also good for those on a budget. You can always build a cover to help disguise the fact it's a plastic tub.

They do these tubs up to around 17 gallons, so they're good for a fair few species of average tropical fish, not only bettas.

There is a stickied thread in the DIY section on this site, showing how to make a sponge filter from a fish food pot, gravel, Filter sponge and a piece of plastic tubing. All run with an airpump and airstone ( which can be cheaply bought ) .

Penn Plax do a mini filter suitable for a single betta , I bought one in a petstore today for £3.99, hardly expensive and pefect for a student on a budget.

You don't have to have gravel on the base of a tank. Decorative glass pebbles, washed beforehand will do just as well. Or just go for a bare base. It's easier to keep clean and cheaper than gravel if you don't fancy buying it.

 

[CraigBaines]

There is a stickied thread in the DIY section on this site, showing how to make a sponge filter from a fish food pot, gravel, Filter sponge and a piece of plastic tubing. All run with an airpump and airstone ( which can be cheaply bought ) .

Thats kewl, i got a pump with that tank i bought, so im gonna check that out and maybe use it when i hopfully get some baby fry.

 

[bae1994]

pick the dopey looking sales men and get fish on the cheap lol

 

[CraigBaines]

Keep in touch with me, iv i do manage to spawn. l be sending them to who ever will pay there postage costs. Not in it to make money as such lol.

 

[liz2]

pick the dopey looking sales men and get fish on the cheap lol

I look for the tattiest betta and then ask them if they know bettas are not supposed to be in with those fish? cant they see the betta is almost dead? I will buy it from you! Oh please have it half price madam, I hope it recovers! tee hee

 

[LauraFrog]

You can also make a bubbler from an old drink bottle... cut the top off where it starts to taper, then cut again 15cm up from the bottom. Throw out the middle section. Wedge the top section into the bottom section. Put filter floss around it. Cover the top with netting. Push an airstone down the neck of the bottle. I'll have to get a photo, it's hard to describe.

Craft stores sell lots of stuff you need... teddy bear or cushion stuffing is identical to filter floss and far, far cheaper and I've never had any problems with it.

Buying stuff online (like fish food and equipment) saves heaps over buying it locally... I'm Australian and I use this store: www.theaquariumshop.com.au but there are others.

Combining orders with other people if you buy stuff/fish/plants online saves on shipping, a lot of companies offer flat rate shipping so if you have three or four people combining orders the shipping is extremely cheap.

Also do things like buy big, big bags of fish food, and then split it with friends. Also, fish food lasts about three years in the freezer.

Instead of buying expensive planting substrates that cloud the water, if you only want to plant lightly use a cut off segment of pantyhose. Put some planting substrate in there, mix it with some solid fertiliser (for tanks, like dino dung) and plant into the stocking. Tie loosely around the base of the plant and bury the whole thing in the substrate. That way you only need a small bag of planting substrate, not enough to cover the whole bottom of the tank.

Apparently you can DIY water hardener using washing soda, salt, Epsom salts and a few other things... personally I've never been game to risk it.

Large food tins (like the ones that fruit juice comes in) are around a gallon in capacity; if you absolutely have nothing else they are suitable for betta growouts but you have to put silicon around the rough edge. Personally I don't use them because they are dark and dingy for the bettas.

Substrate can be gotten by scrounging building sites once they complete works, they often leave piles of sand, gravel or blue metal. It has to be washed EXTREMELY thoroughly but I have used it for years with no ill effects.

 

[bae1994]

pick the dopey looking sales men and get fish on the cheap lol

I look for the tattiest betta and then ask them if they know bettas are not supposed to be in with those fish? cant they see the betta is almost dead? I will buy it from you! Oh please have it half price madam, I hope it recovers! tee hee

good plan my idea originated from when we wherecasked if we neaded help and said yes and we asked how much the bigish piece of caulliflour coral was and he said seven pounds bbut then we saw something else and got thev other thing next week we go in and they say that it was per little frag

 

[bronzecat]

LOL Sponge filters only cost about £5, even less if you're lucky. In fact there's one on fleabay going for £1.04 at the moment.
By the time you get the bottle, airline, filter wool etc etc...the sponge filter could be in your tank bubbling away At the Range, you can get a power filter for £9.

 

[LionMom]

I have always been afraid to try silk plants from a hobby store, dime store, etc. I have always been afraid they might be treated with chemicals of some sort.

 

[riogal_11]

I was worried about that too at first. I washed them really well, and only bought ones that looked like they were treated like ones you would buy from LFS. nothing with mossy like substance, wax, etc.
They've been in there over a month and not a problem at all.

 

[LionMom]

I was worried about that too at first. I washed them really well, and only bought ones that looked like they were treated like ones you would buy from LFS. nothing with mossy like substance, wax, etc.
They've been in there over a month and not a problem at all.

Thanks - good to know. I almost always use real plants, but it's always good to have information!

 

[love4aquatic]

I was worried about that too at first. I washed them really well, and only bought ones that looked like they were treated like ones you would buy from LFS. nothing with mossy like substance, wax, etc.
They've been in there over a month and not a problem at all.

Thanks - good to know. I almost always use real plants, but it's always good to have information!

how do you make tank dividers? i cant keep buying more!!

 

[loraxchick]

if you have an empty fish food jar, air pump and airline tubing (which most fishkeeps have on hand) and have access to a hand drill, or a hammer nail and some patience, all you need is a suitable "sponge" to amke a sponge filter...best to use mature media from an established tank, but sponges are CHEAP (like $7US for a LOT of media for a sponge filters)..will take you about 10 minutes to put tgether (i actually made 2 in under 15 at first attempt)...they work GREAT and its easy. pm me if you want details on how.
CHEERS

 

[x0x.love.you.x0x]

I was worried about that too at first. I washed them really well, and only bought ones that looked like they were treated like ones you would buy from LFS. nothing with mossy like substance, wax, etc.
They've been in there over a month and not a problem at all.

Thanks - good to know. I almost always use real plants, but it's always good to have information!

how do you make tank dividers? i cant keep buying more!!

i dont think this will work for all tanks but works for dividing my 60x30x30 cm tank

i use these report covers you can get them clear, blue black red and other colours
i tank 1 cover and 2 ends and cut them to fit the tank with the cover folded open i then place them in the tank and bend some strong wire and place them between the ends and the tank.
works well ive never had any problems and they only cost a couple of dollars to make a few of them
if you want holes in them for water flow you can put holes in them with nail or pin os something like that


pm me if you want more infomation or more pictures