When it comes to saving money on reef keeping, the old cliche "every little bit helps" is super relevant, isn't it?
This is not an inexpensive hobby, and it's not gotten any cheaper over the years. New equipment reflects the current economy, aquariums themselves have not gotten any cheaper, and fish and corals- well- we've talked about "coral-nomics" before. Save a few hype-mongering "fanboys" who apparently have limitless dollars- and attitudes to match- for hyper expensive photoshopped "LE" corals, most of us have to live within our means.
And that's okay. There are ways to control hobby expenses and still enjoy your reef. I thought we'd take a little look at some of them, and maybe you could chime in!
Feeding: Let's face it- today's commercially-available frozen foods are awesome. But they can be expensive. That's why many hobbyists supplement their purchases of commercial frozen food by making their own frozen preparations, complete with fresh, wholesome ingredients like chopped-up seafoods, Spirulina, and fish roe. Many of the ingredients you need are available from the local supermarket, and there are numerous recipes on line to "consult." Bonus tip- you can save even more money going in on the ingredients with a few friends, enjoying the economies of scale that are realized when you purchase more ingredients at one time. I know of at least one club (Boston Reefers) that actually has an event where they make their own food as a group. It's stinky, fun, and really a great idea! Warning: Definitely consult your significant other before preparing said food, and be sure to obtain permission (i.e.; bribes, etc.) to use the Cuisinart and other kitchen implements for this process! Special warning: When you make your own food, be sure to label it, because it would suck thinking you're microwaving a frozen hamburger patty, only to find out you've just made a tasty "soup" of fresh mussels, Sprulina algae, fish roe, HUFAs, and shrimp.
There's nothing like a home-cooked...coral food!
Water Changes: Yes, that's right; we've talked about this so much it's almost boring- but the single best "additive" that you can use is a water change, performed with freshly-made synthetic seawater. As we've touched on before, almost every brand of commercially available synthetic sea salt has all of the major and minor trace elements, as well as vitamins, minerals, etc. to create a near-perfect medium to grow fishes and corals. Since you can purchase salt mixes in bulk, you'll save lots of money over time that you'd have otherwise spent on tons of additives. trace elements, etc. I'm not saying to forgo the supplements- what I AM saying is that you'll realize a savings if you reduce significantly your expenditure on some of them if you make up for deficiencies of some of these substances with regular water changes. Try it for a while and see.
Perform regular maintenance: It seems almost trite, but you'd be surprised how many of us simply run a piece of equipment until it breaks, and then replace or repair it- often with detrimental consequences to our reefs AND our pocketbooks! When the manufacturer "suggests" that you clean the impeller on a pump every three months, or to rinse out the UV sleeve , clean the probe, change the seal, or replace the pre filter- they are not just trying to generate "up sells." They are advising you that your pump, heater, reactor, or other reef toy will last longer, work better, and perform as expected when you take a little time to maintain it. Believe me, the ten minutes you'll spend taking apart tat internal pump for a cleaning will more than pay off in extended service life and trouble free operation. Things never break when it's convenient, and further, breakdowns always occur at inopportune moments. So what not hedge against them worth regular, routine maintenance? And, don't forget that systems like RO/DI units require replacement of media in order to provide the quality of water that we crave. Besides, these units often waste a lot of water in the process, so maintaining them helps conserve precious water..yet another plus from doing regular maintenance!
..and they work even better when they're CLEAN!
Buy stuff in bulk: Yes, it can be extremely advantages to purchase larger quantities of stuff like "generic" calcium hydroxide, activated carbon, and GFO. Places like Bulk Reef Supply and The Filter Guys are awesome businesses that have super variety and great prices on a lot of the stuff that us reefers use regularly. And the nice thing is that you can go in on a larger order ith a bunch of reefing buddies and really save! Buying in bulk has many advantages, and it's great to have stuff on hand BEFORE you need it. The savings in not only money, but TIME- time spent on running around looking for stuff when you need it- is significant, so don't overlook these "Aquatic Costcos" for value, selection, service, and convenience!
The aquatic equivalent of a one gallon jar of pasta sauce. Eat your heart out, Costco!
Grow your own: Huh? Yeah, you heard me. If you want more corals, why not set up a little frag tank and work the trading angle with local reefers and stores? Trading corals is a time honored tradition in reef keeping, which gave birth not only to stupid coral names, but to the beloved institution of the "frag swap", which has benefitted the hobby in ways only dreamed of a few decades ago. Trading with fellow hobbyists is not only economical- it's one of the most sustainable, environmentally sound reef keeping practices that we can engage in. Every coral traded and exchanged within the hobby is one less coral that will have to be pulled off of the wild reefs. The impact is real, long-lasting, and beneficial. Besides, frag swaps are a gray way to meet like-mired reef geeks like yourself, and can lead to rich, lasting friendships that make the hobby- and your life- that much more enjoyable.
You see frags..We see money-saving opportunity!
Hone your photoperiod: There is no dispute that lighting your reef is one of the most important aspects of coral husbandry. There is endless debate about the merits of such-and-such system, bulb, emitter, lens, etc. One thing that all lighting systems have in common is that they consume electricity. Granted, some are more efficient than others, but they all require electricity that costs us hard-earned money. I'm not going to get into the debate about which format is best, or analyze break-even costs of acquiring and using various systems. I will proffer that we as hobbyists need to horn our skills and observations to run our lighting systems at optimum efficiency and for photoperiods that make sense for both our reef inhabitants and our own viewing schedules.
I mean, what's the point in running your lights for hours during the early morning when you're not around, and only grabbing an hour or so of enjoyment before the lights go out after you get home from work? I implore you to not only reduce your photoperiod to the number of hours that your corals will actually need (this will take a lot of trial and error, I admit), but to adjust your lighting cycles to maximize being on during hours that you're home to enjoy them. After all, what's the point of keeping a reef and going through all the trouble if your lights are on all day when no one is home, and shutting down as you settle in for the evening? Boo! Besides, in many cities during certain times of the year (i.e.; summer), electricity is more expensive during certain daytime hours, when everyone is using more power. Check with your local electrical provider for more details. Just a thought.
Taking advantage of "off peak" electrical consumption hours can save you money when running your reef!
Design for efficiency: You've heard me talk about creating simple, well-thought-out reef systems, with a minimum of superfluous techno-props and pumps. By studying concepts like gyre flow, selected automation, and staggered lighting, you can realize real savings in operating costs on your reef. Let's face it- you may find that, despite the fact that your designated "reef area" can accommodate a 500 gallon monster tank, your budget might not. Remember, big reefs require- well, big systems to run them! Sure, you can design for efficiency and minimize the number of pumps, gadgets etc., but the whole point of the game is to create a simple, effective system that will keep your livestock healthy over time.
The other oft-overlooked "expense" associated with reef keeping is time. Yup- YOUR time spent maintaining and working on the reef, which might best be spent enjoying it instead. Or better yet, enjoying time with your family. Think about this when you design your next system. It doesn't have to be a monster. It should be something that you enjoy, can easily and economically maintain, and which enhances your lifestyle, not compromises it. When you have to go out of town and it becomes a big, complicated mess to leave your system in the hands of someone else for a week, you'll know what i mean. Think long and hard when designing that new system, not only about how your reef will look and feel, but about how it's operation will impact your life!
Okay, I could go on and on and on...But I think I've given you a few ideas to run with. No doubt you have many, many more than I could cover here. So...your fellow reefers are counting on you to share some of your ideas, innovations, and thoughts on ways to save money in this great hobby of ours.
Remember, reef keeping is supposed to be fun, not burdensome, so never lose sight of that. Don't be cheap- be smart.
Be efficient, engaged, and stoked about our awesome hobby. And most of all..
Stay Wet
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
This is not an inexpensive hobby, and it's not gotten any cheaper over the years. New equipment reflects the current economy, aquariums themselves have not gotten any cheaper, and fish and corals- well- we've talked about "coral-nomics" before. Save a few hype-mongering "fanboys" who apparently have limitless dollars- and attitudes to match- for hyper expensive photoshopped "LE" corals, most of us have to live within our means.
And that's okay. There are ways to control hobby expenses and still enjoy your reef. I thought we'd take a little look at some of them, and maybe you could chime in!
Feeding: Let's face it- today's commercially-available frozen foods are awesome. But they can be expensive. That's why many hobbyists supplement their purchases of commercial frozen food by making their own frozen preparations, complete with fresh, wholesome ingredients like chopped-up seafoods, Spirulina, and fish roe. Many of the ingredients you need are available from the local supermarket, and there are numerous recipes on line to "consult." Bonus tip- you can save even more money going in on the ingredients with a few friends, enjoying the economies of scale that are realized when you purchase more ingredients at one time. I know of at least one club (Boston Reefers) that actually has an event where they make their own food as a group. It's stinky, fun, and really a great idea! Warning: Definitely consult your significant other before preparing said food, and be sure to obtain permission (i.e.; bribes, etc.) to use the Cuisinart and other kitchen implements for this process! Special warning: When you make your own food, be sure to label it, because it would suck thinking you're microwaving a frozen hamburger patty, only to find out you've just made a tasty "soup" of fresh mussels, Sprulina algae, fish roe, HUFAs, and shrimp.
There's nothing like a home-cooked...coral food!
Water Changes: Yes, that's right; we've talked about this so much it's almost boring- but the single best "additive" that you can use is a water change, performed with freshly-made synthetic seawater. As we've touched on before, almost every brand of commercially available synthetic sea salt has all of the major and minor trace elements, as well as vitamins, minerals, etc. to create a near-perfect medium to grow fishes and corals. Since you can purchase salt mixes in bulk, you'll save lots of money over time that you'd have otherwise spent on tons of additives. trace elements, etc. I'm not saying to forgo the supplements- what I AM saying is that you'll realize a savings if you reduce significantly your expenditure on some of them if you make up for deficiencies of some of these substances with regular water changes. Try it for a while and see.
Perform regular maintenance: It seems almost trite, but you'd be surprised how many of us simply run a piece of equipment until it breaks, and then replace or repair it- often with detrimental consequences to our reefs AND our pocketbooks! When the manufacturer "suggests" that you clean the impeller on a pump every three months, or to rinse out the UV sleeve , clean the probe, change the seal, or replace the pre filter- they are not just trying to generate "up sells." They are advising you that your pump, heater, reactor, or other reef toy will last longer, work better, and perform as expected when you take a little time to maintain it. Believe me, the ten minutes you'll spend taking apart tat internal pump for a cleaning will more than pay off in extended service life and trouble free operation. Things never break when it's convenient, and further, breakdowns always occur at inopportune moments. So what not hedge against them worth regular, routine maintenance? And, don't forget that systems like RO/DI units require replacement of media in order to provide the quality of water that we crave. Besides, these units often waste a lot of water in the process, so maintaining them helps conserve precious water..yet another plus from doing regular maintenance!
..and they work even better when they're CLEAN!
Buy stuff in bulk: Yes, it can be extremely advantages to purchase larger quantities of stuff like "generic" calcium hydroxide, activated carbon, and GFO. Places like Bulk Reef Supply and The Filter Guys are awesome businesses that have super variety and great prices on a lot of the stuff that us reefers use regularly. And the nice thing is that you can go in on a larger order ith a bunch of reefing buddies and really save! Buying in bulk has many advantages, and it's great to have stuff on hand BEFORE you need it. The savings in not only money, but TIME- time spent on running around looking for stuff when you need it- is significant, so don't overlook these "Aquatic Costcos" for value, selection, service, and convenience!
The aquatic equivalent of a one gallon jar of pasta sauce. Eat your heart out, Costco!
Grow your own: Huh? Yeah, you heard me. If you want more corals, why not set up a little frag tank and work the trading angle with local reefers and stores? Trading corals is a time honored tradition in reef keeping, which gave birth not only to stupid coral names, but to the beloved institution of the "frag swap", which has benefitted the hobby in ways only dreamed of a few decades ago. Trading with fellow hobbyists is not only economical- it's one of the most sustainable, environmentally sound reef keeping practices that we can engage in. Every coral traded and exchanged within the hobby is one less coral that will have to be pulled off of the wild reefs. The impact is real, long-lasting, and beneficial. Besides, frag swaps are a gray way to meet like-mired reef geeks like yourself, and can lead to rich, lasting friendships that make the hobby- and your life- that much more enjoyable.
You see frags..We see money-saving opportunity!
Hone your photoperiod: There is no dispute that lighting your reef is one of the most important aspects of coral husbandry. There is endless debate about the merits of such-and-such system, bulb, emitter, lens, etc. One thing that all lighting systems have in common is that they consume electricity. Granted, some are more efficient than others, but they all require electricity that costs us hard-earned money. I'm not going to get into the debate about which format is best, or analyze break-even costs of acquiring and using various systems. I will proffer that we as hobbyists need to horn our skills and observations to run our lighting systems at optimum efficiency and for photoperiods that make sense for both our reef inhabitants and our own viewing schedules.
I mean, what's the point in running your lights for hours during the early morning when you're not around, and only grabbing an hour or so of enjoyment before the lights go out after you get home from work? I implore you to not only reduce your photoperiod to the number of hours that your corals will actually need (this will take a lot of trial and error, I admit), but to adjust your lighting cycles to maximize being on during hours that you're home to enjoy them. After all, what's the point of keeping a reef and going through all the trouble if your lights are on all day when no one is home, and shutting down as you settle in for the evening? Boo! Besides, in many cities during certain times of the year (i.e.; summer), electricity is more expensive during certain daytime hours, when everyone is using more power. Check with your local electrical provider for more details. Just a thought.
Taking advantage of "off peak" electrical consumption hours can save you money when running your reef!
Design for efficiency: You've heard me talk about creating simple, well-thought-out reef systems, with a minimum of superfluous techno-props and pumps. By studying concepts like gyre flow, selected automation, and staggered lighting, you can realize real savings in operating costs on your reef. Let's face it- you may find that, despite the fact that your designated "reef area" can accommodate a 500 gallon monster tank, your budget might not. Remember, big reefs require- well, big systems to run them! Sure, you can design for efficiency and minimize the number of pumps, gadgets etc., but the whole point of the game is to create a simple, effective system that will keep your livestock healthy over time.
The other oft-overlooked "expense" associated with reef keeping is time. Yup- YOUR time spent maintaining and working on the reef, which might best be spent enjoying it instead. Or better yet, enjoying time with your family. Think about this when you design your next system. It doesn't have to be a monster. It should be something that you enjoy, can easily and economically maintain, and which enhances your lifestyle, not compromises it. When you have to go out of town and it becomes a big, complicated mess to leave your system in the hands of someone else for a week, you'll know what i mean. Think long and hard when designing that new system, not only about how your reef will look and feel, but about how it's operation will impact your life!
Okay, I could go on and on and on...But I think I've given you a few ideas to run with. No doubt you have many, many more than I could cover here. So...your fellow reefers are counting on you to share some of your ideas, innovations, and thoughts on ways to save money in this great hobby of ours.
Remember, reef keeping is supposed to be fun, not burdensome, so never lose sight of that. Don't be cheap- be smart.
Be efficient, engaged, and stoked about our awesome hobby. And most of all..
Stay Wet
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
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