Tips on shopping smart in the hobby

[Gumbies R Us]

I know for me, this hobby can get very expensive at times, whether it's from buying livestock for a tank or buying equipment. I am wondering, how do you shop smart in the hobby? Maybe you wait for the best deal possible, or maybe its having a budget. Curious to see what everyone says!

 

[Stealthreefer]

I buy used everything.
Trigger warning for rich people with a complex:

This hobby is full of rich people who want to constantly upgrade their equipment. It's why a first generation kessil is easy to find all the time for under 100 bucks. Folks who think 10 year old equipment looks tacky. I swoop in and buy it all and have tanks I could never afford otherwise.

For a while I was building my own LED lights which was way cheaper too. I got sick of burning myself with soldering irons though.

The chinese companies' stuff is so much better than it used to be. Buying a new chinese brands equipment in the beginning means you can get stuff much cheaper.

I email sales departments and just ask them for free stuff.
"Hey I run a fish store out of my house and I saw your stuff online and was interested in trying it out, do you do any kind of brand outreach?"
They usually ask about estimated sales and I usually tell them, "I have no idea, we have x gallons of tanks for the business and would recommend your products to all our customers if it works out"

Don't lie and not have a business, that's shady.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Tips for being smart about your money in this hobby?

Go slow.....

1.) Don't impulse buy
2.) Wait for sales (every dealer here has em)
3.) Make friends in the hobby
4.) Plan every move.
5.) Read more, keep your eyes on education material and your hands out of the tank
6.) Practice good husbandry (this will lead to less failure)
7.) Don't look for the cheap way out or the quick fix
8.) Know your own limits, so often we get a hobby and find out its a chore
9.) Google is your friend
10.) Buy second hand items when possible.

 

[Cthulukelele]

Definitely try to find a local club or forum in your area. The used market/cheap early frags make a huge difference.

 

[Reefer Matt]

I make one for almost everything.

 

[DJF]

Buying used is a good move but I have been burned that direction. Sometimes you can’t see an issue with a quick bench test.

Buying new- I don’t know that I’ve ever bought supplies or eqp not on a sale. I buy what I can on Black Friday like salt, gfo, gac for the year. I’ll also trade corals in at LFS then use credit to have them order eqp.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I make one for almost everything.

I feel like I can always count on you for having a video for a topic of discussion on here

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Definitely try to find a local club or forum in your area. The used market/cheap early frags make a huge difference.

I agree with this, a lot of hobbies you can get stuff cheaper if you can find a group/club in the area and get stuff that is used

 

[Reefer Matt]

I feel like I can always count on you for having a video for a topic of discussion on here

I like being able to put my thoughts out there and have a place to refer to them. With so many aspects of reefing, it gets dizzying trying to remember it all!

 

[Reefer Matt]

But if I had a tip that will save Reefers the most, it would be to make friends with other Reefers. Get out of your cozy homes, and get out there and meet people. Or just pay the money and hoard the tank to yourself.

 

[FourPawz]

For the equipment I like to shop on the major holidays for sales. You can also contact the business and inquire about refurbs or open/ugly box items. For livestock I find the best deals from local reefers. Coral auctions are another way to get some deals and have some fun while you are at it.

 

[Boehmtown]

At a point I say a tank is good enough and work within what I got

 

[Patientman]

Smart to shop with other hobbyists who understand prices and can relate ... not smart shopping with your spouse or significant other!

 

[littlefoxx]

Avoid corals! Buy used equipment and look for sales! Love corals but not the best at keeping them so I stick to zoas now lol and just focus on care for my fish!

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Avoid corals!

This!!!

 

[i cant think]

I know for me, this hobby can get very expensive at times, whether it's from buying livestock for a tank or buying equipment. I am wondering, how do you shop smart in the hobby? Maybe you wait for the best deal possible, or maybe its having a budget. Curious to see what everyone says!

Shop smart? Whats that?

If I like it, most of the time I buy it.

 

[7of9]

I'm on a budget myself.

For me, I've found a TON of good deals on FB marketplace. There's almost always someone leaving the hobby looking to sell off equipment. That's where I got my tank, my RO/DI unit and a few other things at a discount.

I'd also recommend joining your local real life reef groups. Not only is there great advice there and the opportunity to make local reefing friends, but often people will have livestock or equipment they're wanting to get rid of, sometimes even for free! Their "weeds" could be the building blocks of your tank. Edited to add - Be sure to support the groups you benefit from. Same goes for LFS's that treat you well. It's worth investing so that these local resources stay there for everyone!

Join every giveaway you can on here and vendor websites. Most of the time all you need to do is sign up for their newsletters or share links and you can win some great stuff.

Decide what is vital to spend on and what you can handle buying a budget version of when it comes to equipment. Sometimes it winds up costing you more in the long run to buy something cheap that will malfunction versus saving up for something that will last. Research like crazy before you make a purchase so that you're making the best decision for your tank and budget.

Lastly, be patient. Adding things slowly to your tank is not only best for the health of your critters, but also allows you to wait until there are sales or deals or someone is looking to re-home livestock. Accept that you're not going to have a tank that looks finished and fully stocked a month in...or maybe even a year in. Instead, keep an eye out for deals on the things you want and enjoy watching what you do have grow and thrive!

 

[PotatoPig]

I buy almost everything on sale.

Tank: Petco half price sale
Salt: Sale (Petco, chewy, petsmart)
RODI: BRS half price sale
Pumps: Sale
Heaters: Petco >50% off
Skimmer: BRS sale (bubble magus)
Power heads: Jebao + Petco 75% off sale
Plumbing: PVC tubing, cheap and easy
Sump: Petco half price + DIY baffles
Lights: Noops + discount code

New to corals, LFS has a rolling sale area, shop that. Fish, half of these on sale.

I think the only things I’ve bought not on sale are:
Lifereef overflow
Filter sock holder
Fish order from Biota

I understand a price estimate for running reef tanks is about $20 to $100/gallon, currently hovering at about $22.

This is my first saltwater tank, so not experienced enough to go second hand, though that said I’m always surprised at how high second hand prices are. Like, half the stuff going is barely cheaper than waiting for sales.

 

[lil sumpin]

I think in this day and age it's real important to be apprehensive about social media content. Creators are always pedaling something, could be that they're trying to bolster their own sales or work up to their sponsors. It's honestly kinda funny to see this happening with reefing

Researching the ins and outs before going all in will definitely help to shop smart!

 

[Propane]

Exchange frags with local people. I also found someone locally that has most every frag I’ve ever wanted. She sells out of her garage and the prices are at least half of everywhere else. Like @Reefer Matt said say hi to fellow reefers.