How much have you spent on the hobby?

[PheonixKingZ]

My real hobby was attracting Butterflies to my home by buying all the host plants and lots of Nectar Plants plus chrysalises, etc. I now have over 8 different butterfly species/Caterpillars on most of my plants.

We also raise Monarchs in the summer!

 

[FloridaChick]

We also raise Monarchs in the summer!
View attachment 135411

Stunning!!!! Do you post pics to Instagram? I am @makingadiff4life ?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Stunning!!!! Do you post pics to Instagram? I am @makingadiff4life ?

No, I do not have Instagram.

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Back to the original post:

We could possibly have over $8,000 in total!

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Fish keeping hobby is expensive.
I guess I spent the most on the medications and the filters.

In my country, the fish are consider cheap.
The aquariums are also cheap as long as I buy off the shelf aquariums and not the custom-built type.
As long as I stay away from expensive fish like some big Arowana and Stingray, my spending will be limited.
Anyway, I don't spend much money on other things such as travelling, etc.
So, it's still ok for me.

 

[DAnCSF]

I probably spent more than I care to find out about. But then again after the initial cost of tank's, filters etc...the rest was just food...seems to me cost go down as the tanks are established and thriving.

 

[PorshaF]

Just voted, very scarily about £200 on one very small tank...??

I’ve seen a much larger tank second hand for about £20...which is really tempting me...the light fits into a hood, but apparently that doesn’t work...thinking about doing away with the hood and getting those lovely ‘clip on’ type lights... it will need a very good clean....thinking about having a go at a Walstad tank...???

I have a set of those clip on LEDs and they're really portable and convenient, energy efficient as well but be sure you buy some with different settings. Mine are wayyyyyy too bright but also have a blue light setting which is on the other end of the spectrum, luckily my tank is by a window or else wed all be wearing sunglasses to look at our blinded fish ?

 

[Circus]

I think I have spent well over $1000, maybe pushing $2000. Over $2000 if you include shipping, food, water conditioner, consumables.
On just hardscape and plants for the 80 gallon I spent over $300, not including lights, filter, sponge inserts, heaters, air pump, and fish. And with a dozen tanks (although spending less on the smaller ones) that I am constantly upgrading, it has gotten expensive. And I have only been keeping fish for less than three years.

 

[Essjay]

It's 25 or 26 years since I started keeping fish. I have no idea how much I've spent in that time.

I have had a number of tanks
60 litre which finally sprung a leak and was replaced
54 litre, which replaced the 60 litre and I sold when the kitchen was altered and there was no room for it
125 litre which was replaced when the bracer bar broke
180 litre which replaced the 125 litre (though that was a combined birthday & Christmas present from my mother)
Several 25 litre tanks - the first was a quarantine tank which became a betta tank; the second was a new quarantine tank; the third was a replacement for the betta tank because the first didn't have an option for a light; the fourth because I liked it better than the third.

Several filters and heaters over the years.
Gravel/sand
Lights
Plants - first plastic, then silk, then live
Fish food, dechlorinator etc
Fish.


I hate to think how much that adds up to. And that's just with a few tanks. Members with a lot of tanks would probably spend as much as me in just one year


Edit to add lights to the list after reading it in Cydeth's post

 

[Cydeth]

Oh dear, what a question to ask.

I've kept fish for close to 26 years now and I honestly dread to think how much I've spent in total.

I currently have about 18 tanks set up in various sizes and it has certainly been an expensive hobby, even though I have moved away from the monster tanks over the years.

I'm currently challenging myself to setup a new tank for as little as I feel I feasbly can, so I can try to list the prices for that. Although many of my tanks have cost many multiples of this as I really am looking for bargains on this one.

The tank itself is a 100 litre seamless front on a stand, the LED lighting was included. £45
Heater - Eheim thermocontrol. £18
Filter - Eheim Bio Power. £40
Thermometers, 1 analogue, 1 digital. £5
Sand. £2
Bog wood. £10
Plants. £20

So I'm at about £140 on the tank give or take, and I can see some ways I could of further reduced costs... But it is hard not to get carried away.

I'm also trying out a load of plants I've never used before, which is kind of fun.

 

[Guyb93]

It’s hard to calculate to be for as the sole provider for the house hold , I have to include over head costs such as electricity because tht doesn’t pay for itself , even a years food filter media ect could cost hundreds £/$ , if it’s costs of what equipment I currently use it’s around £800 but then have £150-£200 worth of fish , I’d hate to figure out what Iv spent on tanks that have been replaced or sold on or even filters and lights it’s just too much money lol

 

[R84achey]

We all know we spend more than we should on this great hobby. How much have you spent on the hobby overall?

The calculations won’t be 100% accurate, so just estimate.

I’ll go first: I calculate I’ve spent over $750 on the hobby.

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Please vote once you have calculated!

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$1 = £0.83

How many tanks do you have? I’ve got just the one nothing fancy and already spent over this amount ? maybe I need tips on how to reduce cost

 

[PheonixKingZ]

How many tanks do you have? I’ve got just the one nothing fancy and already spent over this amount ? maybe I need tips on how to reduce cost

I have 4 main ones: 5g, 10g, 20g, long, and 29g. (Saltwater)

Please keep in mind, that everything I buy is on a budget.

You have a 55g tank, is that correct? (Or a 75g?)

 

[R84achey]

I have 4 main ones: 5g, 10g, 20g, long, and 29g. (Saltwater)

Please keep in mind, that everything I buy is on a budget.

You have a 55g tank, is that correct? (Or a 75g?)

180l which I think converts to 40 gallon. I think everything is more expensive here in the Uk though. Also it’s my first ever tank so obviously had to get everything to get started. Then you realise you need this, this & this. Then fish. Now I’m regretting getting artificial plants and ornaments already so no working out how to get rid of al the rubbish and start planting ? should of planned better before getting excited by all the colourful things ???

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

A few weeks ago I saw an 8ft aquarium go for £124*. I'm so jealous of the lucky feller who got their hands on a deal like that. Must have broken their back getting it home, though.

*Around $170 USD, $214 CAD, $220 AUD, €142 EUR

 

[PheonixKingZ]

A few weeks ago I saw an 8ft aquarium go for £124*. I'm so jealous of the lucky feller who got their hands on a deal like that. Must have broken their back getting it home, though.

*Around $170 USD, $214 CAD, $220 AUD, €142 EUR

No fuplie way! Someone seriously got a 8ft tank for $170!??

180l which I think converts to 40 gallon. I think everything is more expensive here in the Uk though. Also it’s my first ever tank so obviously had to get everything to get started. Then you realise you need this, this & this. Then fish. Now I’m regretting getting artificial plants and ornaments already so no working out how to get rid of al the rubbish and start planting ? should of planned better before getting excited by all the colourful things ???

When I setup my first tank, I wasted a lot of money on useless things. It’s a learning process!

(I’m actually not sure which country is more expensive, when it comes to fishkeeping. ?)