What do you do to save Money? Post your tips.

[Harry_Y]

I was wondering what others do to save Money in this hobby.

Things like

1. Using Pickling Lime instead of getting calcium from the pet store.

2. I've started buying Nori (seaweed), and Raw shrimp at the grocery store.
The Nori is about $2.50 for 35 Grams at the grocery store vs
$8.00 for 35 grams at the reef store, and it looks the same.

3. GE Middays T5H0 (6500k) are Typically under $10 at the lighting
store vs "Aquarium" Middays at a pet store or from online stores.
Plus they have Higher PAR than many "Aquarium"

4. I'm starting to grow my own Phytoplankton for another huge savings.


Please post your tips so others may benefit.

Thank you.

 

[Viva'sReef]

Good thread...I'll start,

100 micron filter bags $2.76 each
PONG100P4P

I don't use them anymore, but when i did it was the best price around.

you welcome

 

[inactive]

I bury my cash.

 

[revhtree]

Nice thread! If you would go back and edit your post to reflect the good ideas of others in a numbered format, I could sticky this thread.

 

[rng_pw]

I got rid of my large closed loop and return pump which both took a constant 400 watts of power to run and traded them for some tunzies which push out a ton more water and use a fraction of the amount of energy. Did the same thing to my protien skimmer. My power bill went from about 300-350 for my entire house including a 300 gallon tank to around 150.00 for my entire house including my upgraded 450 gallon tank. Its a little spendy at first but now im saving almost 200 per month on my power.

 

[Ike]

I make my own supplements.

I typically use low wattage pumps when possible.

I gave up on chillers long ago, they're simply not needed or even beneficial in all but the most extreme cases.

Top of the line reflectors will allow you to use fewer watts of lighting with similar results vs. more watts and more typical reflectors.

Buying larger quantities of salt when it's on sale.

Splitting shipping with other local reefers on larger orders, sometimes getting free shipping in the process.

Those are the ones that come to mind for now.

 

[reefdan]

i only run all my lights (8 t5s) for 4 hours a day. i let the other 2 blue + actinics run for 2 hours before and after the other 6.

i also use 2 vortechs instead of my 4 koralias. not sure about the power savings here but sure does look and work better.

i use my RO waste water for watering plants.

i only let me chiller run if the reef goes over 82 and pack it up when it's not hot out (no inline mj1200 running constantly)

i plumbed away the mj1200 that runs my reactor by plumbing directly into my return with an external pump.

 

[akabryanhall]

I have a group buy I started locally (see sig) where we pool our money, buy corals, grow, frag and distribute.
Learning to frag corals can go a long way to make this corals easier to deal with. I have a deal with my wife..If I sell corals, the money I originally spent on the coral goes into the bank before I can use additional money from sale for other corals. Works out well.

 

[gilmour01]

using a controller, so things only run when they need to. and when i see something i really want, but dont want to spend the money, i just steal it....JK! :^0

 

[reefdan]

+1

working with a local coral club is a great way to save money on corals and used equipment. also keeps you from buying crap you don't need and sharing stuff you only need occasionally.

I have a group buy I started locally (see sig) where we pool our money, buy corals, grow, frag and distribute.
Learning to frag corals can go a long way to make this corals easier to deal with. I have a deal with my wife..If I sell corals, the money I originally spent on the coral goes into the bank before I can use additional money from sale for other corals. Works out well.

 

[Littlebigaj]

i use my RO waste water for watering plants.

I do that too.

I would invest in an RO/DI unit if you have not. In the long and sometimes even short term it saves a ton of money as opposed to buying it at the LFS.

 

[Harry_Y]

Good Ideas, thank you for sharing.

I've also started buying Nori (seaweed) and Raw shrimp at the grocery store

 

[Myteemouse]

Ms wages is a sweet old lady.. (pickling lime)
BRS is cool with group buys.
Some things can be DIY (ATO, sump,)

 

[macawmagic]

avoid fish stores as much as possible, (we all know if you go there you'll probably buy something!)

 

[cee]

Never order livestock online anymore unless I can get up a large enough order to qualify for free shipping.

 

[akabryanhall]

Never order livestock online anymore unless I can get up a large enough order to qualify for free shipping.

+1,000,000 not to mention fish that die over the course of a few weeks. Lost 4 or 5 fish from online fish stores, not counting those that I got my money back on(2 fish).

 

[reefdan]

^ live aquaria will reimburse you for losses within 14 days of delivery.

 

[Harry_Y]

Another one: Buy GE Middays T5H0 (6500k) at a lighting store (Typically under $10)
instead of "Aquarium" Middays at a pet store of from online stores.

 

[dolphinfan213]

feed only once per day---less water changes and plus it helps for them to eat it all instead of guessing if they are hungry---food lasts 3 times longer

 

[Harry_Y]

Great tips, keep them comming