How can you make money from the reefing hobby?

[littlebigreef]

My main area of interest has always been zoas and that's treated me pretty well. I keep all kinds of corals in my mixed reef and I'm lucky to have built a good part of my overall collection via trade with shops and other hobbyists. Through r2r and Instagram I've met other collectors all over the country and regularly swap via shipping. With my larger colonies I also regularly work with local shops. I either get cash (they need enough margin to do a 3x mark up) or we'll swap coral. I usually put my high ends up here, on IG or rarely on FB (mostly when some tags me... FB is a wasteland).

As for the second part of the question I always tell people the same thing: 'it's not as easy as it looks or as fun as it sounds.' Fact is I've lost plenty of sleep because I have to stay up late dipping something multiple times within a week. Or, there's that time my 20p colony of A$skraks melted and I couldn't do anything to save it. Amazon has me tagged for frag plugs, furan-2 and lugol's at least twice a month. The point I'm driving at is that there's a number of expenses around propagating stuff, even when you're doing it at a small scale. Don't get me started on adding strains to a collection. Especially with zoas people often want the 'latest and greatest.' The real reality of the matter is that if you bat .650 with zoas surviving and growing out into a colony you're an A++ hall of famer. All that being said, the goal for each and every reef keeper is to grow that frag or mini colony out into a nice big healthy colony that necessitates fragging. In short, there's no 'easy way' to sell stuff short of passing it back to your lfs, craigslist, or fb.

 

[sp1187]

I've had people tell me I should get into fabbing aquascapes after seeing mine.
I'd do it for cost of materials for locals. it's fun.

in the planning process of a frag tank for softies only, zoas, assorted leathers, shrooms, blue ridge and maybe gorgonia.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I sell corals a couple times a year from my system to local hobbyists and have a frag tank. It's definitely not a side hustle per say, but this year I made close to $800 dollars and i wasn't even really trying.

 

[Bleigh]

I do not have a side hustle. One of the biggest impacts for me was early on in my reefing journey. @JDowns sent me some frags from some corals that had overgrown in his tank. He just told me to pay it forward. I have tried my best to do the same. I love getting new people involved in the hobby and helping them out. I imagine it may eventually turn into something, but only if I continue to enjoy it.

 

[Jeffcb]

I started an aquarium maintenance service years ago to to support my reef hobby. Had tanks everywhere and got to buy wholesale from suppliers. It was great until one day it was work instead of a hobby! I got out for almost 30yrs. I'm back as just a hobbyist and plan on staying that way!

 

[Shusblues]

Once you start that side hustle. What you sell usually goes right back in. Most hobbies don’t really profit the up keep. I will say it’s one of the unique traits of this hobby that can allow owners to earn back, whether it be from time, maintenance or supply cost.

 

[ZoWhat]

Sell everything you own concerning your tank,
E v e r y t h i n g,
On Craigslist in 1 day....

And you're wife's will react like this....and then will do several Cartwheels, like she was 5 years old

 

[SHNICI]

I'm good with the electronics and I'm handyman, so I'm getting often to repair people lights (water damages most often), cables replacements (pums etc which are under the water), sometimes I'm getting some exp. reactors, skimmers and other broken equipment from a guy who buy tanks "brake down", from there I'm getting some corals or whatever he have for sale.
And probably 2.5 weeks ago I spend some amount of money to buy Berghia nudis, and that one just for breeding and sales, so far I got many eggs, and have to wait some time for growing them, but once the circle close it will be really good hustle not a side, Hope to make it for living. Don't know at the moment with less than year mature tank can't start trimming and selling corals, but probably one day..., about that I'm taking/buying often almost/near dead corals, some high end, and till yet don't have any loss, and everything is healing recovering with good speeds
Soon I'll invest and in BTA, but 1st have to build another tank for that purposes. I'm ready with some of the stuff, as I bought coral tray tank (TMC old style 5-6 years old) with all of the equipment, that one + 4 fish/coral tanks racks think for opening coral store, as my own business (computer shop, sales and repairs) isn't going well in the area where I choose to be(sometimes we make bad decisions and we loss.... my case for 1.5 years near $45k ...).
But I do believe all will be on the right way sooner

 

[ArtisticReef]

When I have to trim coral I trade it at my LFS. I want them to make money and they take good care of me.

 

[DonTavo27]

I wish I had a coral side hustle, but I think I have a hoarding problem. My Frag tank is out of space, and I’m already thinking of a second tank to set up just to keep this bad habit going.
My Girl thinks I need an intervention.

 

[725196]

I sell some frags and used equipment but I hardly call it making money. More like putting a bandaid on a gapping wound...

I tend to stay away from “easy” corals. They grow too fast and I am usually not interested in softies. As a matter of fact I want to rid my tank of zoas... wish I never put them in.

 

[Ron Reefman]

A few years ago when I had a lot of sps & lps corals I sold a lot my excess to local reefers. I was probably doing $300-$500/month on average. Then a chiller/thermostat failed, chilled the tank down under 60 degrees overnight and killed all my sps and half of my lps.

I haven't sold much since then. For the past few years I've downsized and moved to zoas and Rock Flower Anemones. I just replaced my 40g DT with a new DIY 90g DT and had some corals and encrusted rocks I didn't want. I sold a few encrusted rocks covered with zoas really cheap to local reefers and gave a bunch to a friend who runs an LFS.

 

[Doctorgori]

Short answer is NO, not around here. Absolutely no selling SW fish to LFS. I was offered 1/4 wholesale for fish, dang near a insult.
Another LFS offered $10 for adult seahorse and he was serious. I guess a 900% markup doesn’t have the margins

 

[DJ H]

Very bad post don’t give people bad ideas. There is enough death in this hobby. People care more about there dogs and cats then there corals. Why there all Gods creatures.

 

[richarddeweerd]

I can't answer "Not yet, but the misses wants me to"

 

[dhjunkie]

Not sure if this counts, but I'm thinking about propagting some bta to try and offset some of the hobby expenses.

 

[Zoe’s Reef]

Yes! I sell 3D printed Automatic Feeder Mounts that fit the Fluval Evo 13.5 stock hood and the Eheim Everyday Fish Feeder.

 

[christwendt]

Impossible for me to sell off frags from overgrown colonies locally - just no community. I used to trade in for store credit at an LFS in another town but they have bailed out of the aquarium business.
Sad because I desperately need to do some pruning.

Where are you located ? I’m looking to get some frags and have had good luck on here from previous sellers.

 

[aurora.k]

I said no but in reading other people’s answers I also trade for credit if I am upgrading or - more likely - I break something in a big enough piece to stick it on a plug. I am for the first time getting to a point where I may have to trim some of my favorite corals and that will be a sad day but also a happy one since they are growing so well. But generally I am selfish and won’t frag unless I need to trim or do it on accident. That said, I bought a gorgeous inferno nem from @jace on here which just keeps getting bigger and bigger - it’s like 8 or 10” already. I love that thing, but when it splits I will definitely try to trade the baby for something else cool or sell it so I can buy something cool, as I don’t need two of those guys moving around and stinging stuff.

 

[sam.veilleux30]

It's not just a side hustle for me. It is how I make a living...

The dream!