Time to spend my paycheck on plants and fish! Hello everyone!

[Bardotraveller]

Hello fellow poor people.   My husband and I recently discovered this hobby in the last month, and in the interest of keeping our marriage intact and not losing him to some aquarium-obsessed fish lady, I reluctantly joined him and found out that I absolutely love aqua-culturing and aquascaping.  So much that between him and I we have started three aquariums and are in the process of setting up two aquarium for his mother and a hospital aquarium for all of us.  
 

We are not rich people, so it’s been beans and rice every night, but it’s been very nice so far.  I’ve set up my 10 gallon tank with multiple plants from Aquarium Co-op and some cherry shrimp and I’m hoping to add Kuhli Loaches and a snail soon.  Eventually I’ll add a school of fish or might even try to introduce a betta ( I know I know) and I just bought a 20 gallon long aquarium ($25!) from another retailer that I’m hoping to go crazy with plants on.  My dream is trying to make paludarium but my pockets are already emptied out due to the aquariums and I will need to sell a child or two to get some starter money.

Just kidding, I don’t have any children, hence the plants.

Glad to meet everyone and I hope to learn from all of your mistakes so I don’t have to make them myself.

Laurie

 

Edited August 1, 2022 by Bardotraveller

[nabokovfan87]

On 7/31/2022 at 5:35 PM, Bardotraveller said:

We are not rich people, so it’s been beans and rice every night, but it’s been very nice so far.  I’ve set up my 10 gallon tank with multiple plants from Aquarium Co-op and some cherry shrimp and I’m hoping to add Kuhli Loaches and a snail soon.  Eventually I’ll add a school of fish or might even try to introduce a betta ( I know I know) and I just bought a 20 gallon long aquarium ($25!) from another retailer that I’m hoping to go crazy with plants on.  My dream is trying to make paludarium but my pockets are already emptied out due to the aquariums and I will need to sell a child or two to get some starter money.

Get the plants to grow for ya and then you'll have plenty for both tanks!  Once you get stuff to grow, it's an amazing time.  You might also have some free stuff available in your area on stuff like letgo and other apps or websites.

Welcome, and best of luck!

[Guppysnail]

Hi from Pennsylvania! Welcome to the forum and the hobby. Even if you are not interested in being a fish guru there are aquarium clubs all over. Plants at mine are auctioned for 1-4$. Many clubs these days also have a Band app. That is free and you don’t need to be a club member (memberships are usually 10-20$ but are prorated at mine to 5$ now since it’s over halfway through the year)  just search aquarium and your area. Those folks often offer excess plants for free. Today I’m to meet a girl from the club I never actually met in person. She is giving me a mess of plants free as well as a trio of fish. 
Facebook usually has groups in the area as well. This is another networking source. 
 

All of these option giveaway or sell extremely cheap excess used equipment as well. 
 

Looking forward to reading about you aquarium journeys. 

[Bardotraveller]

Oh, thank you for the excellent advice, I’ll look into it.  I’m in rural norther New Mexico, but close enough to Santa Fe and sometime Albuquerque, so I might be able to make some good aquarium buddies there.  Downloading the app now.  Thanks again!

[Guppysnail]

@Torrey is in New Mexico and belongs to several fish clubs. Also a supremely kind and fun human being. I know they are busy this week but I’m certain they will be eager to say hi. They are also dynamo at fish keeping ideas in a budget. Many great ideas I have used. A very treasured friend of mine 🤗

[anitstuk]

On 8/1/2022 at 10:35 AM, Bardotraveller said:

Hello fellow poor people.   My husband and I recently discovered this hobby in the last month, and in the interest of keeping our marriage intact and not losing him to some aquarium-obsessed fish lady, I reluctantly joined him and found out that I absolutely love aqua-culturing and aquascaping.  So much that between him and I we have started three aquariums and are in the process of setting up two aquarium for his mother and a hospital aquarium for all of us.  
 

We are not rich people, so it’s been beans and rice every night, but it’s been very nice so far.  I’ve set up my 10 gallon tank with multiple plants from Aquarium Co-op and some cherry shrimp and I’m hoping to add Kuhli Loaches and a snail soon.  Eventually I’ll add a school of fish or might even try to introduce a betta ( I know I know) and I just bought a 20 gallon long aquarium ($25!) from another retailer that I’m hoping to go crazy with plants on.  My dream is trying to make paludarium but my pockets are already emptied out due to the aquariums and I will need to sell a child or two to get some starter money.

Just kidding, I don’t have any children, hence the plants.

Glad to meet everyone and I hope to learn from all of your mistakes so I don’t have to make them myself.

Laurie

 

Good luck in the hobby and I'm interested to see how you progress!

[smm333]

I know the struggle with all the costs adding up too fast. It's tough to fund hobbies with the rising costs of groceries and gas! I like getting plants that I can trim and replant the trimmings. Also, my java ferns are always growing babies off the leaves. Free plants for another tank! Sometimes you can get a good deal on trimmings from people on Etsy. The trimmings will take a bit longer to grow but it will save you some money to spend elsewhere- like a snail, fish, fish food, shrimp, a different plant....oooo! So many things I want!!! Definitely addicting.  :)

[Brandon p]

Don’t fall in love with expensive plecos

[Torrey]

Welcome fellow desert fish buddy!

There are actually a couple of us Nuevo Mexicanos in here, and you will see even more if you are a member of the YouTube channel and watch the members only talks.

Summer is turning out to be rather hectic for me this year, as everyone is trying to overcompensate for the past 2 years... that being said, if you know you are going to be in Albuquerque we can coordinate a meet-up so you can leave Albuquerque with more fish stuff.

This shop is part of the Co-op affiliate program, and has made it a lot easier to pick up an "oh dear, I under-ordered for this quarter" so I can maximize my dollar via free shipping *and* support local and the Co-op at the same time. (Mostly The Fish Room solves a problem for baby brine and Easy Fry food when I underestimate fecundity rates.... as well as needing an extra course sponge in a hurry).

If you look up dasaltemelosguy and @Guppysnail's Reverse Respiration study, they make it easy to clean plants of hitchhikers (and algae), while apparently improving health/growth rates (at least so far, for me). Seattle_Aquarist has some great posts on how to convert clear, 2 liter bottles into aquatic plant nurseries, and combining the information from all of the above just quadrupled my val. The proof will be in how the plants are doing by Christmas, lol.

I sent you a DM since my ability to get into the forum suddnely got really inconsistent, and once again, welcome to the hobby! It only has to be as expensive as you decide it needs to be, and NM is (in my opinion after lots of traveling) the best state to start the hobby in and still be able to look good on a low budget... especially if you are getting quality plants, like the ACO stock. Hope to get to meet you!