How can you make money from the reefing hobby?

Do you have a little reefing side hustle that helps you earn money to put back into your hobby?

  • Yes

    Votes: 142 20.6%
  • No

    Votes: 247 35.8%
  • Not yet but want to

    Votes: 290 42.1%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 10 1.5%

  • Total voters
    689

revhtree

Owner Administrator
View Badges
Joined
May 8, 2006
Messages
47,553
Reaction score
85,878
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
There's nothing wrong with making money from this hobby to "reinvest" into it right? What if you're wanting to make a little side money to help feed the addiction? There are several ways of doing it and it's not just selling coral frags although that has to be the number one way to make side money! But what are they? That's what I want to talk about today!

1. Do you have a little reefing side hustle that helps you earn money to put back into your hobby? What is it?

2. What are some easy ways, easy corals etc. people can get into selling to make some extra money?


image via @leo
IMG_7536.JPG
 
OP
OP
revhtree

revhtree

Owner Administrator
View Badges
Joined
May 8, 2006
Messages
47,553
Reaction score
85,878
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
I trade frags to my LFS for credit.

What type of frags? Anything you would be willing to share as far as tips and pitfalls for others? How much credit do you get?
 

DC Reefer

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 2, 2020
Messages
615
Reaction score
798
Location
Boulder
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
What type of frags? Anything you would be willing to share as far as tips and pitfalls for others? How much credit do you get?
Some leathers, some SPS. For small pieces my LFS likes them on a plug rather than on rock as it is easier to put in their frag display. I usually end up with about 20-25% of retail for them. Tip is not to be disappointed in how much you get for your frags. I look at it as I don't have to advertise, find a buyer, pack and ship, deal with any future issues....
 

atomic081

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 19, 2017
Messages
340
Reaction score
1,100
Location
Rushville , Indiana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I think the hope with most reefers is that your tank can be mature enough that corals need to be trimmed. Selling these trimmings makes enough money to feed my addiction right now. I can make 100-300 a month if I'm working at selling corals (it takes time!). I started with lower end corals that are now making me a profit that im using to invest in more expensive corals. Someday the lower end corals will be taken out completely, leaving me with only higher end corals. 5 year goals and im 2 years in!!!

Also Cheato, Phytoplankton and Pods can make a little money down the road. Someday I might get into breeding fish also. (just for fun, wont be worth the money!)

20201029_153200.jpg
 

Reefs and Geeks

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
May 2, 2019
Messages
789
Reaction score
800
Location
Transylvania
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I sell frags mainly, but recently added astrea and cerith snails to the list. I wanted a big CUC and got a nice discount ordering 1,000 snails, so I figured I'd try selling them too. Has been working out okay so far, and my tank has never been cleaner :)

I reinvest the bulk of the money I get back into the hobby to pay for maintenance costs of owning a large system and upgrades and more coral, and use a bit of the extra to get some things for my family like a ride on powerwheel for my son for his birthday, and a couch for my wife (and myself). Since starting to sell, I've added a 125 gallon basement sump, semi-finished a sump room in my basement, added a 30 gallon and 80 gallon frag tank, traded or bought many more coral, all needed equipment for the frag tanks including pumps, lights, and frag racks, and just bought a full apex...all paid for in full by selling frags. Plus even better are all of the awesome people I've met in the process to talk reefing with :) It's alot of work and time invested, but has been a great way for me to dig much deeper into the hobby without sacrificing any of my budget for other things.

Right now, I have one fish store I sell bulk orders to or trade for equipment, otherwise I sell locally to members of my local reefing club. It's alot of work to find customers sometimes, but worth it if you enjoy it.
 

bcarl77

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
May 24, 2017
Messages
731
Reaction score
427
Location
Tampa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I take a different view. I try to sell my frags to help make the hobby more affordable and help others. I choose to reinvest the sales into Higher-end pieces I would otherwise not be buying, in order to propagate them as well. Goal is to be able to grow each animal and propagate them for survival in hopes that we are able to fully sustain this hobby with minimal impacts from future wild collection.
 

andrewkw

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 1, 2014
Messages
2,895
Reaction score
6,834
Location
Ontario, Canada
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I would say almost every reefer who has a few years experience should be making a little on the side. Even if you don't need the money to fund your hobby, giving back frags to your LFS for credit will not only help pay for consumables but will help them keep you in mind for pieces knowing they may get frags back in the future.
 

Joem820

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 23, 2020
Messages
159
Reaction score
190
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I take a different view. I try to sell my frags to help make the hobby more affordable and help others. I choose to reinvest the sales into Higher-end pieces I would otherwise not be buying, in order to propagate them as well. Goal is to be able to grow each animal and propagate them for survival in hopes that we are able to fully sustain this hobby with minimal impacts from future wild collection.
If, or when, I ever get to the point that I am able to start selling things I hope to be able to take this approach and feel like I am really contributing to the community rather than making money from something that was supposed to be a hobby.
 

atomic081

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 19, 2017
Messages
340
Reaction score
1,100
Location
Rushville , Indiana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I personally think zoas are by far the easiest money makers they grow quick. Always a market for them and most people locally constantly want them


I agree zoanthids are the easiest to grow, appeal to the most people (price and ability) but I dont get how its easy to setup a easy way to frag them. Its very hard to get them out of a tank to frag without dismantling the rockworks. Sps are easy for this, bone clippers and snip snip in the tank without hurting anything.

I'm open for zoanthid fragging suggestions!
 

StarshipReefing

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
May 20, 2019
Messages
257
Reaction score
258
Location
Nashville, Tennessee
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I agree zoanthids are the easiest to grow, appeal to the most people (price and ability) but I dont get how its easy to setup a easy way to frag them. Its very hard to get them out of a tank to frag without dismantling the rockworks. Sps are easy for this, bone clippers and snip snip in the tank without hurting anything.

I'm open for zoanthid fragging suggestions!
man honestly I just keep them in my frag tank once I get a clean cut spot, ill snip it put on new plugs and repeat process I like to make 3 or 4 frags before I start selling that way if multiple people request you don't have to turn them down. If you don't have a frag tank I would suggest a large frag rack or placing them in the sanded and use that as your grow out and storage area obviously save you a frag to stick in your rock work and you won't have to touch that one
 

KevPool

Blue-Collar Reefing
View Badges
Joined
Nov 18, 2020
Messages
828
Reaction score
3,223
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I'm still very new to the reefing hobby but I'm already building a tank room in my basement for my sumps and other tanks, planning a frag tank in the near future, but my side hustle right now has mainly been renovating whatever my wife wants done so she turns a blind eye on my hobby expenses lol " yes dear that sink you wanted in the bathroom really costs 1500.00 ;)" bahahhaaaa jk
 

Aquatic acrobat in your aquarium: Have you ever kept an eel?

  • I currently keep an eel in my tank.

    Votes: 25 14.0%
  • I have kept an eel in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 31 17.4%
  • I have not kept an eel in my tank, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 27 15.2%
  • I have no plans to keep an eel.

    Votes: 92 51.7%
  • Other.

    Votes: 3 1.7%
Back
Top