Re: NANFA-L-- Frugal fish transporting and keeping - cheap

Jase Roberts (nanfa_list-in-jaseroberts.net)
Sun, 27 Aug 2006 13:44:36 -0400

Aha, this brings up a topic I wanted to start a while back -- fish keeping on the cheap. Maybe folks could offer suggestions and we can put together a compilation? Sure, some stuff you need to get from aquarium stores or other retailers. But a lot of supplies can be picked up *way* cheaper if they aren't specifically marketed as aquarium supplies.

I'll start with some examples:
- 4' fluorescent lights (to be used over a glass aquarium top) usually run $80-100 at aquarium stores. These are virtually identical to 4' "shop lights" that can be had for $8-12 at various discount stores.
- The filter pads that come with cheapo "over-the-side" filters are basically just polyster batting sewn in a rectangle. That batting runs about $2-3/yard at Jo-Anne or other fabric stores. Spend an hour or so with needle-and-thread (or try hot glue to do it much quicker), and you can make up enough to last a long time
- Dollar stores have all sorts of things that can be useful -- packs of suction cups for positioning air lines, kitchen basters for sucking up live foods. One that I've found to be particularly cool is a collapsible mesh laundry hamper that makes a great free-standing "corral" for fish while you're collecting.
- For aquariums where I don't have hoods, I've purchased "foam core" posterboard at dollar stores and cut it to fit. Give it a couple coats of spray paint, and it's waterproof.

Where else have folks found stuff that's useful to fishkeeping, but not specifically marketed as "aquarium supplies" (with the associated markup)?

-Jase

IndyEsox-in-aol.com wrote:
> This goes along with the recent thread of the better ways of transporting
> fish. Bringing them home in plastic coolers is much better than the way I used
> to do it.
>
> When I was in the wholesale business, I learned where many of the Goodwill,
> Salvation Army and similar used goods stores were in central Indiana.
> Between sales calls, I would occasionally have time to check them out, primarily
> for their used book sections. I have seen perfectly good plastic coolers for
> $3 or $4. There are sometime assorted clear containers with lids that could be
> used to segregate specimens. (I think the idea of breathable bags will work
> out better.) I've kept fish temporarily in larger ones using a sponge
> filter once they are home.
>
> Used aquariums I have found to be overpriced in places like this. There
> have been exceptions. Garage and yard sales are usually better.
>
> In large cities I found the better socioeconomic neighborhoods produced
> higher quality goods and a larger book section at the local Goodwill Store.
> Large college towns also had good selections.
>
> Chuck Church
> Indianapolis, Indiana USA
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-- 
Jase Roberts
Lewiston, Maine
on the Androscoggin River
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/ http://www.nanfa.org/email.shtml