When life events break your budget.. which part of your tank do you cut?

[JoJosReef]

So let's say you have an unexpected expense like a car repair that doesn't get covered by your warranty. Next imagine that you don't already have accounted for by great financial planning and you have to cut from your reefing budget. What is first to get the axe for you? Lighting upgrades? Controller upgrades? Pumps? New fish/corals/nems/macros/etc? Cleanup crew refresh? Water changes (HA!)? Other parts of the system? Interested to see where other reefers land. I'm still internally debating mine, but I think it would be controller, followed by corals/nems/macros (not fish), followed by lighting or pumps, followed by--if I'm cutting this far, things'is pretty bad!

 

[Crabs McJones]

If the reef is running fine, any sort of upgrade on equipment would be what I'd cut out until I could save back up to get said upgrade. If it aint broke, dont fix it. Now the car on the other hand

 

[fishguy242]

Exactly ,we need a car, nothing new until priorities sorted ...

 

[DonTavo27]

I could start a couple of tanks with the amount of equipment, and dry rock I have in my storage unit, and one too many cars to worry about it…

 

[Tamberav]

Just stop buying and run on auto pilot.

If you mean to sell stuff? Can just sell the controller and doser or auto tester or auto water changer or ATO or filter roller and do it all by hand like in the dinosaur days.

All those are conveniences and doing it by hand will keep the tank in fine shape.

Can also use instant ocean instead of tropic marine salt and classic cheap 2 part (or DIY) or maybe Kalk instead of fancy all for reef.

People have amazing tanks using that cheaper stuff.

 

[Dan_P]

So let's say you have an unexpected expense like a car repair that doesn't get covered by your warranty. Next imagine that you don't already have accounted for by great financial planning and you have to cut from your reefing budget. What is first to get the axe for you? Lighting upgrades? Controller upgrades? Pumps? New fish/corals/nems/macros/etc? Cleanup crew refresh? Water changes (HA!)? Other parts of the system? Interested to see where other reefers land. I'm still internally debating mine, but I think it would be controller, followed by corals/nems/macros (not fish), followed by lighting or pumps, followed by--if I'm cutting this far, things'is pretty bad!

A hobby is an extravagance and in principle is funded with surplus funds. It sounds like you live financially on the edge with little or no surplus funds. All spending on the hobby should stop except to maintain a healthy aquarium for the animals you have.

 

[dinosaur_1552]

So let's say you have an unexpected expense like a car repair that doesn't get covered by your warranty. Next imagine that you don't already have accounted for by great financial planning and you have to cut from your reefing budget. What is first to get the axe for you? Lighting upgrades? Controller upgrades? Pumps? New fish/corals/nems/macros/etc? Cleanup crew refresh? Water changes (HA!)? Other parts of the system? Interested to see where other reefers land. I'm still internally debating mine, but I think it would be controller, followed by corals/nems/macros (not fish), followed by lighting or pumps, followed by--if I'm cutting this far, things'is pretty bad!

If anyone ever gets to this situation that they have to finance life from selling stuff from the tank, they have bigger problems, they need to grow up ASAP and start behaving responsibly.

I have liquid savings enough for years and I try not to have anything expensive in terms of money/time/space in my life or things I don't use daily, probably the two is not unrelated.

All my fish tank kit worth probably a few hundreds second hand and takes up very little space, so I don't see ever selling them - there is no point. Part of myself still don't like having them, cuz they are not necessities, but its a reasonably cheap hobby in moderation with a lot of satisfaction.

 

[fish farmer]

Just stop buying and run on auto pilot.

If you mean to sell stuff? Can just sell the controller and doser or auto tester or auto water changer or ATO or filter roller and do it all by hand like in the dinosaur days.

All those are conveniences and doing it by hand will keep the tank in fine shape.

Can also use instant ocean instead of tropic marine salt and classic cheap 2 part (or DIY) or maybe Kalk instead of fancy all for reef.

People have amazing tanks using that cheaper stuff.

I run my tank like it's in the 1900's already.

Guess I would hold off on new lighting, new coral, that algae scrubber I've had my eye on. I have enough back up pumps that I could repair/replace what I have running.

If this a short term life event, car accident where you are at fault, medical procedure that isn't fully covered, where the future still looks bright, I wouldn't consider selling off.

But if lost job or retirement/fixed income is the reason, I would likely be leaving the hobby.

 

[exnisstech]

Tanks are already running so the only must have is my supplements for alk & calcium and salt. If I can't afford those and fix the car then I'm living beyond my means and it's time to grow up and prioritize things or get a second job. Assuming this question is more toward people still in the work force.
I'm retired but live modestly. Everything I own is paid for and I carry no CC debt. For me a modest lifestyle has been the key to financial freedom.

 

[kevgib67]

It happened to me this year as you know Jojo. I was saving up for an upgrade tank I planned on purchasing 2days ago, like @exnisstech I don’t carry any CC debt. My daughter got engaged. After my wife picked me up from the floor after she told me what our financial responsibility was, my upgrade fund got combined with the wedding fund. The upgrade will now be purchased on Black Friday 2025. That being said my family will be without electricity, WiFi, cable and will only be eating ramen, Kraft mac and cheese and Spam for a while, after all I’ll need to put stuff in that new tank.

 

[SpyC]

Congratulations on your daughter's engagement!

As someone that just got married, you have no financial responsibility and you should not go into a hardship to fully support the wedding. My wife's parents stated they would cover X amount of our wedding. We then determined how much we were willing to add to the total. We were grateful for the help they offered, but also did not want to impact their retirement or goals. We also opted for a longer engagement period to ensure the venue we wanted and a larger number of options for different vendors. we had friends that rished their engagement and they had very few vendor options to pick from and were stuck paying drastically more for a number of them. especially the photographer and dj. food was the most expensive part and we had to really decide who was a must, backup, or maybe. we had a lot more yeses than we expected. Our wedding was in a decent sized city with 100ish people was $45k. we we opted for nice but inexpensive suit and dress to save money and put towards other things we cared more about.

It is definitely a tricky thing to navigate because you want your daughter and future SIL to have an amazing experience, but you all need to be realistic with what is a need, a want, or a like to have.

But most importantly, congratulations!

 

[SpyC]

So let's say you have an unexpected expense like a car repair that doesn't get covered by your warranty. Next imagine that you don't already have accounted for by great financial planning and you have to cut from your reefing budget. What is first to get the axe for you? Lighting upgrades? Controller upgrades? Pumps? New fish/corals/nems/macros/etc? Cleanup crew refresh? Water changes (HA!)? Other parts of the system? Interested to see where other reefers land. I'm still internally debating mine, but I think it would be controller, followed by corals/nems/macros (not fish), followed by lighting or pumps, followed by--if I'm cutting this far, things'is pretty bad!

Mine would be buying anything that isn't for the upkeep of the tank itself. Upgrades and controller addons are a nice to have, but not a need. Same with more coral and fish. I think the issue really comes down to how you define a need, a want, and a nice to have. Then eliminate items starting from the nice to have and work your way to needs.

 

[exnisstech]

It happened to me this year as you know Jojo. I was saving up for an upgrade tank I planned on purchasing 2days ago, like @exnisstech I don’t carry any CC debt. My daughter got engaged. After my wife picked me up from the floor after she told me what our financial responsibility was, my upgrade fund got combined with the wedding fund. The upgrade will now be purchased on Black Friday 2025. That being said my family will be without electricity, WiFi, cable and will only be eating ramen, Kraft mac and cheese and Spam for a while, after all I’ll need to put stuff in that new tank.

I'm a lucky man. One Daughter eloped. My Daughter planned the wedding with her mother whom I'm divorced from and I was never asked to assist, I was really bummed. My other Daughter is now 35 years old and on her own. 30yo is my cut off age for financing a wedding so if she decides to marry she and her fiance can foot the bill

 

[kevgib67]

I'm a lucky man. One Daughter eloped. My Daughter planned the wedding with her mother whom I'm divorced from and I was never asked to assist, I was really bummed. My other Daughter is now 35 years old and on her own. 30yo is my cut off age for financing a wedding so if she decides to marry she and her fiance can foot the bill

I actually offered her and her fiancé 10k to elope but you know this generation wants to make everything about them, including their wedding, selfish, selfish, selfish. I thought they might want it as a down payment on a house. She is 25 yo and a nurse practitioner, shortly after they bought a house and they put 30k down! Fortunately she is a saver like her father and not a spender like her mother. My wife and I balance each other out and will be celebrating our 34 year anniversary this month. Funny because it feels like 150 years in a Siberian hard labor prison but I got it easier as it feels like 300 years to her.

 

[exnisstech]

I actually offered her and her fiancé 10k to elope but you know this generation wants to make everything about them, including their wedding, selfish, selfish, selfish. I thought they might want it as a down payment on a house. She is 25 yo and a nurse practitioner, shortly after they bought a house and they put 30k down! Fortunately she is a saver like her father and not a spender like her mother. My wife and I balance each other out and will be celebrating our 34 year anniversary this month. Funny because it feels like 150 years in a Siberian hard labor prison but I got it easier as it feels like 300 years to her.

Your a better man than I is all I can say
I paid my daughter off so I didn't have to give her a graduation party. I asked her if she was wanted a party or $1500 cash. She took the cash lol. It wasn't that I minded paying for the party I just really hate having company or having to entertain people.

 

[Tamberav]

Isn't divorce rate like 50%?




I eloped, my parents are kind but I don't like to ask for money. I don't mine asking for help though. My mom took her truck and went and picked up my 150g I gave her the gas money, she gave me her time and truck!

 

[kevgib67]

Your a better man than I is all I can say
I paid my daughter off so I didn't have to give her a graduation party. I asked her if she was wanted a party or $1500 cash. She took the cash lol. It wasn't that I minded paying for the party I just really hate having company or having to entertain people.

Ya we did the same for all 3 of our kids, cash or party. Only my youngest son took the cash.

 

[kevgib67]

Your a better man than I is all I can say
I paid my daughter off so I didn't have to give her a graduation party. I asked her if she was wanted a party or $1500 cash. She took the cash lol. It wasn't that I minded paying for the party I just really hate having company or having to entertain people.

Have you had the four letter “S” word all over the ground for the past few days over there in Ashland?

 

[exnisstech]

Have you had the four letter “S” word all over the ground for the past few days over there in Ashland?

Just a light dusting. Last year I bought a plow for my tractor and never got to use it. I'm hoping the same thing happens again this year

 

[kevgib67]

Just a light dusting. Last year I bought a plow for my tractor and never got to use it. I'm hoping the same thing happens again this year

You must not get Lake effect snow. I was at Ashland University for a softball camp in January or February years ago. It was difficult to find a parking spot due to the piled up snow. Some piles were 15 feet high. I don’t know about a mild winter, I haven’t heard our good friend El Niño’s name this year like the past two years. Fingers crossed he doesn’t leave us hanging.