if you had $10K to play with...

C

CrawlingChaos

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Feb 21, 2007
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Hi all, first post here, and am curious. Have been out of fishkeeping for about 14 years, and am preparing to jump bk in BIG. Within the next several months plan on buying a home and setting up many tanks. Hopefully two fish rooms (basement and half of heated 2 car garage, as well as display tank and others in main home). This is NOT a pipe dream, it is going to happen. I was an experienced aquarist before, breeding many, but have a love for Central American cichlids. I have been doing my research, and hope to make this a profitable business, combining my wife's and my love for fish, her financial savvy and our combined business sense. We will have the money, the time and what experience we lack, we shall gain. If nothing else, I get to enjoy my hobby in a way I never could before.
Off the top of my head, I am talking about this...(2) tanks of 120-180G, 2-3 55-75G, 4-6 40g growouts, a couple 30s (?), maybe 10 20Ls, and probably 15 10s (hatcheries,fry tanks, quarantine, and hospital). Yes, I know, this is alot to tend to, but I am hoping to minimize maintenance by not overstocking or overfeeding, and generally scheduling well.
Have decided against common water/filtration...I will be keeping many species with varying water requirements, and don't want to risk one infection hitting all tanks.
I plan to keep a couple breeding pairs of BIG CA's ( love synspilum) in the biggest tanks, some 20L's will contain Apistos, other CA and SA dwarfs, ONE 55 will be a community tank for show in livingroom, the others for smaller CA's (maybe newer Thoricthys sp or Salvins. I hope to focus mostly on fish that are not so common in our hobby, to maximize profits and to share awesome fish with others. May devote a couple 20Ls to rarer corys, dwarf pike cichlids, larger tetras, rainbowfish, etc. Also looking to put ONE tank devoted to angels and keyholes...not sure on angel strain, but thinking blacks or blushings.
OK...lol...have rambled enough...questions are this...
(1) how much of budget (excluding fish) should I apply to equipment, how much to potential plumbing, electrical costs? Understanding of course, that much depends on home we settle in (at least we won't have to build fish-house)
(2) Have decided on hung lights in fishroom(s), but what about heat? Do I need control of each tank with individual heaters? I can see the benefit, but wonder is there an easier way?
(2) Is fishroom in half a 2 car garage a problem with emissions? Not worried about asphyxiation (should I be, if is ventilated...maybe live plants only in those tanks, hardier species?)
(3) What would YOU do? lol

Nice to meet you all, seems a very dedicated, informed and good community. Hope to be a part of it soon, and so sorry for being so long-winded!
Mark

P.S. Need to include cost of R/O unit with enough output to service the Apisto tanks (maybe 5 or 6?) and backup generator for both fishrooms...lol...thanks for any input!
 
For the list you have, you'll need more than 10K.
 
just initial figures...

Hi rb, have read many of your posts and responses in this forum...where do you think I come up short? I am HOPING for minimal costs in quarters, and am EXPECTING to save some money in smaller tank housings and equipment(buying used, most of smaller will only need sponge filters, no individual hoods and lights for tanks in fishroom, etc.) I don't have a set budget...wife asked me how much? I told her off top of head 10K, she said she thought maybe 8K. So, I think there is room for negotiation. How close do you think I am, and what ways might I closer approach that figure? That includes cutting out some tanks, not sure will have room or time for QUITE that figure, that is just approximation. I want to enjoy our hobby to the fullest, and m'lady is the financial wizard...I just know ppl and fish...lol.
Thanks,
Mark
 
Well, just for the tanks at your sizes and quantities, new you are probably talking $2200-2800.

Some are show/display tanks, needing nice stands, others can have generic foundations do to location, so $400 for the show tank...???

Done at new construction time the electrical might cost you an extra $600-1000, the extra stand/shelving work, $1500-2000.

You could probably do space heating to get your rooms to the general temperature you need, so if originally you planned on unheated basement and garage, you will need additional tonnage. Even then, I would plan on heater(s) for each of the tanks, $600-750.

Ditto for lighting, but you will still need probably $2-3K for plant lighting.

It cost me $8K for a backup generator to handle my whole house,2200 sq ft, 3 bedroom, doesn't provide heating load, auto switch over, v/r for electronics, and I had to up grade to handle the 27 tanks.


I can't see it being pulled off for less than 12-15K, including filters and decor.
 
hmmm...but still do-able, ty

thanks, rb...this is exactly the kind of feedback I was hoping for. Understandly, each home and equipment requirements are different, but on a general scale, your info is solid. I can scale this up, money-wise, if necessary, would prefer not to. I can keep her happy, but not sure of 15K happy...lol. Any thoughts on the garage deal, btw? Thanks for all your input, I appreciate it...I will hang around as a lurker, until this deal happens (within two months). Hey, at least with the title of my thread, makes ppl think, huh? lol
Mark
 
I've seen used, lighted petshop aquarium cabinets sell for about $10k, but they had communal filtration, which you are trying to avoid. Still, I bet modifying one of those and seeing about buying a bulk (and hopefully discounted) quantity of separate tank filters from an online wholesaler would save you some cash.

But I agree. $10k is good, but you'd probably need to start smaller and build up gradually as your business/hobby becomes profitable. My aunt and uncle started breeding Kribs and Convicts out of 10 gallon tanks and soon had a house full of aquariums before they finally quit the business for breeding small dogs.

Not much love for the fish hobby here in Oklahoma. : /
 
just testing the waters...

Thanks Kyohti...and rb
it doesn't matter if this "loses" money...the importance is love of the hobby, possiblility of raising/sharing fish none of us sees at our lfs, and satisfaction. If I thought this would make me a millionare, I'd be a fool. I would LIKE it to make money in time, but the primary purpose is to enjoy fish I never got to have and to share them with others...true, I would like to make something back in my efforts. I will be more than happy to sit in front of my tanks, watching behavior. Breeding only tells me I have provided my fish with "optimum" conditions...that pleases me. I have bred convicts, jewels, kribs, etc...NOT for the intent of making money (give me a LITTLE credit, please...lol), but for the PURE enjoyment of the fish.
I raise my fish with love, and will always try to get only the best breeding stock, and never pass off anything less than quality. No dyed/tattoed/hybrids from me.
Point blank...I WANT to raise "special" fish...if I am successful, what do I do with the dozens of fry from my babies? lol...I can devote another 15 tanks to grow them out, and keep the parents, or I can feed them to somebody. Guess what? If i work hard to breed a fish, and they comply, I will do all I can to raise them. Then what? Convicts? Guess they become food...synspilum? macalicauda? carpintis? Salvini? Guess I either need to raise them, cull them or sell them...or the aforementioned... What would YOU do?
Sorry this post was so long, but as you might have guessed, I am passionate about cichlids...lol.
And the point of this thread was either for cost-saving measures I might apply, advice for those who have set up multiple fishrooms, or what would you do with 10K...have yet to hear what anybody else would do...lol.

Thanks for listening,
Mark
 
just testing the waters...

Just looking bk at rb's reply to cost factors...I agree with tank cost of main tanks...maybe even $3000? Only one display tank, a 55G, and stand...even the BIG tanks are not for display, but for breeding and pleasure...if ppl want to see them ,they will have to appreciate the fish, not the tank or stand...lol.
I don't know about the electrical, so will take that as a minimum. The stands/shelving costs i feel will be considerably less...under 1K, as I will do myself if forced to. Mentioned I planned on having heated areas for tanks, be it basement (family room) or garage (woman's room...lol), but still find your estimate to be fair...I WILL want individual heat sources, not primarily, but to keep in proper range, for specific species...MOST should do well at an average. Plant lighting not an issue? Unless needed for garage due to fumes...would rather vent fumes than pay extra for plant lighting I don't need (better for ALL of us). Didn't know cost of generator, was thinking MUCH less, but again...worthwhile investment. All said and done, I think I can safely take $2500 off your estimates for my needs, rb, while still maintaining a safety cost factor of over 1K. The savings SHOULD come in stand cost, plamt lighting, lighting in fishrooms, and heaters for individual tanks? (Even though I think a good idea, not EVERY tank will require).
Sorry for my rant earlier about my purposes, but I merely wanted ppl to know I am not a noob, and I am concerned about raising my fish properly. Money is NOT the primary issue for me, but it WOULD be nice to be able to offer some nice fish to the community. Thanks for all your help, and I hope you don't consider me a pest next time I come by...lol.
Best fishes,
Mark
 
I'd stay away from the garage issue, just from a heating/cooling standpoint.

Why not an attached room? Maybe a 3 car garage with 1/3 sealed off as a fish room? Just floating an idea.

Also, possible extra water heater and/or plumbing for water changes? Drain funnels in appropriate areas for siphons? Floor drains?

Summertime AC?
 
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