Aquarium Cleaning Business

[Matt101905]

I'm not sure if this is the right section for this question, and if its not then feel free to move it.

I've been thinking about starting my little aquarium cleaning business. Its just going to be me (sole proprietorship). Is there anything I really need to do before I start up? I asked my business law professor today what I would need to do legally before I start and he said to get a business license and something about registering for taxes or something like that. Do you think I would really have to do that? I'm just going to do it until August because I have to go away to college. If I accept just cash as payment then would I need to file taxes on it? I didn't think you had too, only if your getting a check through your employer.

Also, what kind of equipment do you think I would need in my kit? I already have a 5 gallon bucket for water changes and a gravel vac. I have some algae magnets but for the hard algae I usually just use a razor blade. I guess I would need de-cloranation liquid and maybe some water clarifier? I would assume I wouldnt need much more than that. I've never owned or cleaned a saltwater aquarium so I don't know what kind of equipment/tools needed to clean them.
I figure that most of my tasks are going to be just to vacuum the gravel/sand/crushed coral, clean the glass, clean filter(s) and filter media/change filter media, clean orinaments, clean algae/prune plants. I might possibly have some people ask me to set up their aquarium(s). Maybe do other various odd tasks that the costomers ask me to do like go the LFS and pick up a few livestock or whatever.

I have a homeade python system but I don't have a gravel vac hooked up the the water hose so I can't vacuum gravel with it. Do you think it would be wise to buy a 50ft python system or just stay with the gravel vac and 5 gallon bucket technique? How would I fill the differnt peoples aquariums when doing a water change? I guess I would have to see how many customers I have.

Also I have no idea what I would charge and charge for. I guess out of pocket expenses such as gas. How would I charge the total service? By the hour or by the job? I was thinking maybe charge different amounts for the different size of the aquariums. Like :EXAMPLE: $10 for bowls-20gallons, $15 for 21-55gallons, 20$ 56-90gallons etc. etc. Would I charge like $5 extra for every hour after two or three hours?

Anybody have experience with this kind of work? Like I said if this is in the wrong forum then go ahead and move it. Thanks!

 

[jpappy789]

I have no experience with the business side of this topic, but the LFS I used to work at did some personal maintenance for customers.

I've never owned or cleaned a saltwater aquarium so I don't know what kind of equipment/tools needed to clean them.

In my experience, most people who want others to do maintenance on their tanks have SW aquariums, especially businesses. However, if you do not have any experience with them, don't accept offers to clean SW tanks. It simply wouldn't be fun to have to deal with an angry customer who lost livestock because of a small error. There are going to be minor differences, but it would not be worth it.

I have a homeade python system but I don't have a gravel vac hooked up the the water hose so I can't vacuum gravel with it. Do you think it would be wise to buy a 50ft python system or just stay with the gravel vac and 5 gallon bucket technique? How would I fill the differnt peoples aquariums when doing a water change? I guess I would have to see how many customers I have.

This would depend on the tank sizes you are cleaning. Using 5 gallon buckets would be a waste of time on large tanks. But at the same time investing in a python only to be cleaning small tanks would be a waste of money considering you have your own version. It might be good to get an idea of what type of tanks you will be cleaning.

Also I have no idea what I would charge and charge for. I guess out of pocket expenses such as gas. How would I charge the total service? By the hour or by the job? I was thinking maybe charge different amounts for the different size of the aquariums. Like :EXAMPLE: $10 for bowls-20gallons, $15 for 21-55gallons, 20$ 56-90gallons etc. etc. Would I charge like $5 extra for every hour after two or three hours?

Seems reasonable. At my LFS it was around $50-60 for an estimated hour of work, but they were generally larger systems. Hourly rates would be hard to charge because you probably won't be spending any more than that on a single tank, unless it's in really bad condition.

Hope this helps! Good luck!!!

 

[deeleywoman]

i won't get into what you'd need for equipment, because i know there are many more experienced fishkeepers than i here who can do that.

as a small business owner, and a person who has done many odd jobs and other things to make money (i hate working for other people...), i can tell you that if you make more than $600 dollars in a year doing something, you have to report it. (it may be a different number depending on your state. last i looked, it was $600 for federal and virginia.) if you want to be professional, and present yourself as more than "the high school kid down the street", you will need a business license, and will need to file for a tax id number. you will also have to pay taxes to the state and federal governments, and charge your customers taxes as well. you'll also likely need insurance, in case you or a customer is injured (think, broken glass, electrocution, slip & fall, etc) as a result of your work, or if you kill someone's fish or break something of theirs. you may also want to check with your car insurance and make sure that any accidents you have in your personal vehicle while on "business" will be covered. if you're going to do more than just clean a few neighbors' tanks every now and then, you really need to do it thoroughly and legally. especially since you are a legal adult, and this isn't lemonade stand kinda work.

that said, it's not all as big and scary and complicated as it sounds. you may even go through all that work and then find that you don't end up making enough money for them to charge you taxes for it- but better safe than sorry. and if you set yourself up properly, you can pick it back up nearly any time you choose to, or even cut it down to part-time during school and then go back to full time next summer. you never know what may happen. being able to present a business license and proof of insurance will also give you the edge over the kid down the street who offers to clean tanks for five bucks. they're just some kid looking to make a buck; you're professional.

as for pricing, look up other service providers and call them for a quote just as if you were a customer. it's the best way to find out what people are paying for what kind of service. you can also ask various hobbyists you know (or ones you bump into at your LFS) and ask what they pay a service, or would be willing to pay an experienced, knowledgable hobbyist, to clean their tanks.

edit: oh, and about the gas thing, if you're all legal and proper, you can track your work-related mileage (as well as all equipment you purchase!) in an expenses/mileage book, and get reimbursed for it at the end of the fiscal year. if you end up owing taxes, these expenses can offset your owed taxes- in some cases, completely!

 

[chefjamesscott]

if you want to the work under the table and take your chances that you wont get tagged by someone go for it, but what do you do if someone asks you for a receipt

it would be best to keep things above the board and do it as a legit business. who knows you may end up with a very steady stream of side work

 

[deeleywoman]

^ this. a lot of people don't trust an adult who wants cash in hand with no paperwork for it. it's shady and sketchy, and i know i would never use a service like that.

 

[Matt101905]

Alright thanks guys. All that sounds like way to much work. I currently have the job of doing yard/handy work for a man and he pays me cash each day I work. I get $8 an hour. Sadly the man decided to sell his house 3 days after I started working so I am currently not working for him until notice. I'm not trying to get into anything big and serious, I just wanted to make some gas money and some spending money for when I go away to college in august. I seriously don't think that most of my potentional customers will care if I accept cash only. I live in Arkansas where there is only Rednecks, Hillbillies and old people. Most of the people around here are not the typical business person. I've already had an offer from my doctors office to clean their little hexagon aquarium I just need to give them a quote. I just figure $15 since they are my doctor (although there a PITA to deal with).

Anyways thanks guys for the advice, I'll keep in mind what you guys have said and I will still give it some serious thought. Thanks!

 

[deeleywoman]

like i said, if you're just doing a couple tanks for people that you know, like neighbors or friends, and you just do it every now and then, then it shouldn't be a big problem. i think we were all operating on the assumption that you wanted to put up fliers/otherwise advertise to the general populace your services. if it's just your doctor and the dude around the corner, then you should be fine.

 

[Matt101905]

if you want to the work under the table and take your chances that you wont get tagged by someone go for it, but what do you do if someone asks you for a receipt

If someone asks for a receipt then I can give them one. I can go to walmart and buy a small receipt book for just a couple of dollars. Basically the only real think someone would need a receipt for in this kind of work is so they can remember to write it down in a check book or something like that.

Also I'm would think that the only way I would get tagged is if I did maintance for a resturant or other business and they wrote it off as a business expense. Even if they did that most likely no body is going to catch it unless they are audited.

You have to remember that I'm only going to be working for 3-4 months. I would be happy if I even got 5 total customers the whole 4 months. I live in a county that has maybe 4,500 people. My town has 1,200 people. Most of the people that do have aquariums clean them themselves so I'm not expecting much business. I was just going to call in on the trading post and see if I get some calls.

Like I said people around here are laid back and arn't afraid to have a 20 year old college student clean their aquarium. I most likely wouldn't clean saltwater just because I've never mixed salt water (brackish though) although I do have a hydrometer and a masters SW test kit plus a couple of bags of Instant Ocean salt.

 

[Aldenglinch]

As a home cleaning services provider Ive spoken with a few businesses (6 with tanks) and they were all fairly standard.. they want the tank to look good but dont want the work... so in my eyes thats a positive for me. Im going to investigate further and see if they would be interested in someone managing them for them... i only need two or three to start with and get going as i wont have to get much additional equipment and ill be able to use it on my tanks anyway!


I absolutely hate it when people dont know what they are doing in regards to anaimal welfare and happiness especially when they say something like "its only a fish" makes me want to hit them :S. Hence why if i can get a few contracts i can look after them and provide a happy and stable enviroment (all being well)