fishfan88
Aquarium Advice FINatic
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2013
- Messages
- 729
What kinds of stuff can you make for cheaper than you would pay to buy? Filters? Aquariums? Anything really. All advice is appreciated!
Thanks for the info. what would you say is cheaper: live or fake plants?
I would have to say fake plants but i do make them myself. I buy them for $1.00 at the dollar store and add my pop bottle base which is free because i drink pop anyway . I like doing crafts and stuff too so i enjoy making them plus there is really no up keep with fake plants
Ok. I haven't seen fish tank decorations at the dollar store... Do you use just any plastic plant then? Like garden decorations? I guess I could try that. I'd like then to LOOK real, but they don't have to BE real... Know what I mean?
They are plastic or fabric plants they have them at dollar stores, or in craft or decorating sections at walmarts and places like that. You can use any of them and there are always so many to choose from even flowers! You just have to make sure you pull the wire out of the plants first i use pliers they pull out pretty easily.
I will try to upload photos and instructions on how i do mine tonight so you can see how to do it. Its really simple ones you see how its done
I also use black blasting sand in my tank. $8 for a 50lb bag. Or if you want a more natural look you can buy pea gravel for $3 for a 50 lb bag. I've gotten all four of my tanks from craigslist with a crapload of accessories for under $250. I have a 75, 29, 20, and 10 gallon - all of them came with a heater, filter, light, and lid. Some came with gravel and decorations too. The 20 came with a stand. I built a stand out of 2x4 lumber for the 75. I use poly fill from the craft store for filter media.
One idea I came up with all on my own was to use baby food as a treat for my fish. I buy baby food made out of peas, freeze it into a sheet shape, and once it's frozen I cut it into cubes. It does make my water a bit cloudy temporarily though.
For plants, if you have any friends with planted tanks, you could ask them if they're ok with splitting some of their plants and giving them to you. Then you get free live plants.
why use kijiji??? far more people use craigslist. you probably shouldn't have to pay more than $100 for a 55 gallon that includes the filter heater light and lid on craigslist.
Sooooo... Here are my plants... I took all the wires out, took all the leaves off and taped them back together. Gave my fingers a good work out trying to get all that wire out with pliers! lol the pics are of before and after. I managed to make three plants out of two...