Is complaining about the cost of aquarium equipment fair when you do this?

Complaining about the cost of aquarium equipment when you pay large sums of money for coral & fish..

  • is Fair

    Votes: 278 52.0%
  • is Not Fair

    Votes: 214 40.0%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 43 8.0%

  • Total voters
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magicwhistle

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Some of the stuff I feel is justifiably expensive. Like investing to develop something new and novel as people already mentioned.

But how many items in the saltwater world really have been researched/invested into and heavily developed and changed to justify the costs?

I swear a lot of the vendors selling saltwater aquarium items are just middle men. They all find the same chinese manufacturers maybe make little changes and sell for insane markups. They aren’t paying for any R&D. And even if they did put in a bit or R&D to make changes to a product I think the cost of that R&D is being exaggerated. It mostly came down to a “hey why don’t we do this!?!?” It’s not as if they’re developing drugs and need to do years of trials. Hell sometimes it seems they don’t even quality control their products. Leave that up to the consumer.

The issue here though is that sure you can say “the market dictates the prices” but in this hobby there is A LOT of interest from very wealthy people who will continue to support it regardless if the prices are fair.
 

tonyvan

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I have no complaints because no one is forced to buy anything.
However with ICP analysis I think if the cost was reduced by a third very many more aquarists would use it and use it more often and the companys would make a bigger profit. Just a thought.
 

mitch91175

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All day everyday I'd pay more for good equipment than spend same amount on coral (with the exception of some crazy priced lighting). At least with a good piece of equipment I know it'll be with me for years, but that $400 1/4" piece of coral that will change colors I can do without.
 

725196

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I chose other.
As far as I am concerned I will pay the price I want to pay or I won’t get it. When it comes to equipment I want the best or the next to the best. I am willing to drop some coin when I have it. When it comes to corals I buy small frags cheap or trade frags for frags. I tend to not spend much on them (there is of course exceptions to every rule).

I have some nice “high end” corals but for the most part I have colorful lower end ones. As long as my wife and I like the coral we get it. sPS, LPS and evening some Zoas... no softies other than zoas. Although there are some “Uber rare” corals I could like, if I can’t get a small frag for a cheap enough price I will pass.

I would rather spend money on better equipment so I can keep what I already have in the best possible conditions I can.

To each their own, complain, don’t complain, whatever but be thankful for what you have and enjoy the hobby.
 

flabryth

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We are being taken out back and getting the business put to us with almost every purchase we make in this hobby. They see us coming and giggle inside. I say look for deals were you find them. Seems to me there are large amounts of risks that we take with everything in this hobby, but that is why we do this. If we wanted certainty we would have got into flying kits.
 

Heabel7

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When you can get a WiFi Chinese light for $100 and then see a name brand similar go for $850 it is difficult to justify. I believe that the Perceived best should cost the most. Like a Ferrari vs a Chevy. But I would really like to see a corvette out there. Ferrari performance at a fraction of the cost. Where is that vendor? They would clean up and destroy the competition. That vendor does not exist in reef equipment (in most cases)

I also believe that coral prices are a bit high. But not from most vendors with considerable overhead and demand but from local hobbyist. I see many beautiful tanks here that have full colonies of the premium corals and they want to call a 10-20% off a “hobbyist price”. If said coral is going for $200 from online venders I expect it to be closer to $100 from a hobbyist. Looking to make a few bucks to continue his/her hobby. Not to turn a huge profit.

Why would I buy from you at $180? Might as well order from the big boys and be sure I get premium service if something goes wrong. In addition, more likely to be pest free.

The day that my middle/high end corals become fragable is the day some folks on here will get a reasonable “fellow hobbyist” price.
 

Calm Blue Ocean

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I used to show horses. I'm painfully familiar with how expensive a hobby can get. I often said "horses are as expensive as you want them to be". I happened to choose to make them very expensive. And I grumbled about the cost regularly! Human nature, perhaps?
 

chaoticreefer

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It's fair because I complain about both areas. I complain about coral prices too, ever since people started to slap cute names on coral and charged a premium just because "it has a name". Before then you could buy colonies bigger then your open hand for like $60 and $100 for end high.
 

Ef4life

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I wish orphek atlantiks were cheaper, I’d have a few.

But seriously, I don’t really complain much about the prices. I feel it’s quite easy to buy good quality equipment at reasonable prices if you look around. There is tons of equipment out there with lots more money put into marketing than being actual quality products.

As for coral prices - some are just outrageous. I don’t buy that stuff. When I upgrade my tank, I do plan on going with more expensive and colorful stuff but I’m not spending 2-3-400 or more on an inch of acropora.
 

Bpb

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An unscientific estimated 94% of people who complaint about the cost of hobby items only complain because they can’t afford them. Probably close to accurate
 

magicwhistle

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Funnily enough as I posted my screen frame kit came in from amazon.

Paid maybe 30$ for a screen frame kit and some mesh for it.

The EXACT same stuff from a company like Red Sea or innovative marine is like 60-80$.

And I got enough supplies here now to make an entire second lid and enough mesh left over for like 10 more lids. So in reality at retail a lid costs like 15$ of materials. What R&D are they doing to justify the costing? Sources the dang frames from China? Testing the already tested for uv resistance netting?

Even better it’s sold not even completed. It’s still a DIY project. You pay a markup and they can’t even sell you a lid properly made for their tank or common tank sizes. Yet people will eat that **** up and they know it.

EDIT: another thing I recently did where the prices were crazy was the plumbing. Saltwater specific stores will sell PVC pipes for easily twice the price sometimes more. And they don’t even sell schedule 40 pretty sure it’s all furniture grade. Which isn’t an issue for our tanks but they sell it as schedule 40. ******* 1$ (Retail) adapter sold for 4$.
 
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TruckerTami

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Amen! I’m one of those truck drivers, and we can’t work for free.

I think what some people don't understand is all the work and handling that goes into a product. The research, design, production, packaging, distribution ect... All those steps need to be paid, and make a profit. They're not going to do stuff for free or to break even.
When I worked at an auto parts supply chain, we had a seminar about oil filters.
The guy at the seminar said if we could get oil filters direct off the line, they could sell them for 50 cents and still make a profit. But when you factor in the amount of hands an item needs to go through, the numbers start jumping. The filter goes from production to a truck, that truck has to get paid, from that truck they go to packaging. Packaging company has to get paid, from packaging it goes on another truck, that truck needs to get paid, then it goes to the distribution center. Distribution center has to get paid, then they truck it out to the stores, truck for that has to get paid, and then the final markup at the retail store. So now your 50 cent oil filter now costs upwards of 10 to 15 dollars.
Many people don't factor any of that in when considering the price of an item.
Just my thoughts and opinions ya'll are free to disagree, but I don't usually complain about prices of items too much with this knowledge. If I don't like the price I simply look for an alternate or I don't purchase it.
 

Jawfishracing

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We have to be honest, it's our choice to pay what we pay, either for corals or equipment. When something is too expensive the solution is quite simple don't buy it. it is a capitalist world, but yes complaining about the price sometimes is a relief valve.
 

Billldg

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I am dropping, roughly, $13,000 on my tank upgrade, so I have no right to complain about anything. I am willing to drop that kind of coin on my upgrade, and that is on me, no one else. :)

I think we have to look at ourselves and realize what WE are capable of spending, within our means, and not over extend ourselves.
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 74 51.4%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 73 50.7%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 36 25.0%
  • None.

    Votes: 32 22.2%
  • Other.

    Votes: 9 6.3%
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