Tank Maintenance Service

[CathyGo]

What would you expect from a tank maintenance service that comes to your home once a month or as a 1 time deal? I'm starting one in my area and currently I'm thinking of including: a partial water change, substrate vaccing, all tank and canopy surfaces cleaned of algae and mineral deposits, water testing, visual inspection of all fish for health problems, filter maintenace with the media provided by the customer, removal of visable pest snails, and decoration scrubbing.

What would you consider a reasonable pricing structure? I'm currently thinking of charging per gallon with a minimum so I don't end up spending more in gas to get to a customers home than I make for cleaning the tank. Extremely dirty, algae or snail infested tanks will be extra. I may have to break large tanks over 200 gallons into two days to give my arms a rest.

 

[tetraqueen]

you need to come to the UK please.

I would love my tank serviced.

I also would like interior designs that would be suitable for the fish I have .

Advice with back up reasons why,

 

[CathyGo]

I'd come and service your tank if you pay travel costs.
What kind of advice would you be looking for?
By interior designs do you mean the way the tank is arranged? I'm not that great at tank arrangements that look good. I could definetely design something that would work for the fish though. My tank is currently set-up to give the fry a large sheltered area while preserving swimming space for the adults. The fish seem pretty happy with it and my fry always have somewhere to run to if an adult gets hungry.

 

[Dorkhedeos]

id say 1 dollar a gallon seems pretty good

 

[tetraqueen]

Would say do house swap but not in your league and couldn't aford the fuel prices. Petrol and Diesel must be cheap if your charging 2 gallons .
I charge per day and over certain milage approx 20p per mile. Say fixed fee then go upwards. If no customers move on.

well I have 4 Bala sharks 5 clown loaches a golden Gouramis and a pictus catfish at the moment.

I had a plec but he has been taken to the lfs (boo hoo) and unsure if I will replace him. He was kinda special.

its a Rio 400 and has 3 pieces of furniture . a nice bit of bogwood that I like.
a log that is quite nice where the plec hid

a piece that resembles a hollow bamboo which I dislike.

Substrate is sorta largish stones and boring you cannot see this when you look at the tank from the side.

Its rather the most boring set up I've seen.

I had lots of lovely plants and they get eaten or float to the filter leaving there metal bits


Others on wood went brown and nasty


So yes got some ideas.

 

[Chris_qld]

CathyGo, Good idea. In Australia we have a few companies doing the same thing. If you want to be competitive/successful in Arizona, I would most definately research what other businesses are charging. Perhaps even have one perform maintainence on your own tank (writing it off as an expense to your business of course!).

 

[Dorkhedeos]

Whoops, forgot about transportation

 

[CathyGo]

I've located two others in my area. They both charge around $1 per gallon but change the filter media for free and have better equipment. Since I can only do this for a few months before I leave for the Marines I'm only going to charge $.75 per gallon with a $30 minimum. That'll make me a little more affordable. Most people around here will pay close to that to get their car washed every WEEK so I figure they won't mind paying that once a month to get their fish tank cleaned.

 

[JamieBailie]

Everything seems cheaper in America... What's your guys minimum wage?

 

[Dorkhedeos]

I think the federal is 7.50. Where im from it is 9.14(pretty damn high)

Edit: nevermind, its 5.85 right now, they are supposed to boost it up to 7.25 in the near future.

 

[JamieBailie]

Interesting, Where I live it's £5.35, Which is $10.78. Although apparently its more expensive to live here.

I wouldn't pay more than £40 to have my tank cleaned in the way you describe. In the UK, Callouts for anything are expensive, Around £40 - £60, And that's usually before any work is done! I've never heard of anyone doing this near me, If it was as cheap as it seems to be in the USA then I would just pay for someone to do it.

 

[raptorrex]

so 50p a gallon would be a fair price in the UK?
a fixed charge of £1 per mile outside, say a 10 mile limit.
a charge of £1 per month to cover the cost of new media.


where you really make is selling things like food and deccor. covering the costs of running a vehicle will be hard so you will need, at some time, to push you add on sales.