Anyone do aquarium DIY?

I was curious if anyone here who keeps fish do any DIY projects to help save money on equipment?

I've been working on making my own sponge filters this evening. If I had a camera I'd take pics and write up a how to.

I wish I had some DIY tips for aquarium stuff... I have a 20L of hermit crabs, a 10 freshwater and a 10 with an aquatic African Clawed frog... the best I've done for money saving, is just yesterday I picked up the 10 and tons of other aquarium "stuff" from a lady through craig's for 10 bucks.... in that "stuff" were 2 like side of the tank shelves (to hold pumps or food/chemicals) and looking at them they look like they might be hand made... they're metal (but not rusted and I think their tank stuff had been used for quite awhile)... If you're interested in maybe trying that, I could take some up close pics of how they look to be put together... I also buy (for the water aquariums) the twisty florescent bulbs... they're a little more expensive than traditional, but save in the long run (I have the regular sockets in my hoods)... and all my lights are on timers

I'd also be interested in any DIY/money saving tips people use specifically with their aquariums... your sponge filter idea sounds interesting - my frog's filter is a sponge filter

I'll post a "How To..." after I get them finished and see how they work.

Home Depot rules for supplies. For some of my tanks I'm using the four foot twin tube shop lights. That's a huge savings right there. I also have some heavy duty shelving that I use to go vertical with tanks.

Right now I'm running two 75 gallon tanks, one 55 gallon, two 40 gallon tanks and two 20 gallon tanks. I have two 29 gallon, a 15 gallon, a couple of 10's and two 30 gallon tanks that aren't set up. I'm going to be getting a 125 gallon from a person at work sometime over the summer. I might put my Oscar in that and use a 75 gallon for saltwater or use the 125 for saltwater.

Originally Posted by Essayons89

Right now I'm running two 75 gallon tanks, one 55 gallon, two 40 gallon tanks and two 20 gallon tanks. I have two 29 gallon, a 15 gallon, a couple of 10's and two 30 gallon tanks that aren't set up. I'm going to be getting a 125 gallon from a person at work sometime over the summer. I might put my Oscar in that and use a 75 gallon for saltwater or use the 125 for saltwater.

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Oh my gosh! I'm soooo jealous! haha I have no room or money right now to set up anything even close to that! But one day my dream is to have a 150 saltwater set up, ideally built into a wall (of course with filter room behind it)... I just love saltwater tanks, but I know they take a lot to keep up and you really need a bigger set up for it to go well... I just love yellow tangs for some reason and of course I'd want marine hermit crabs in there... ah the ideas that run through my head! But alas, 100,000 dollars in student loans stands between me and anything even close to that dream...

I know I've seen on ebay sometimes auction for DIY plans for building tanks/stands/hoods... a lot of them include many plans for a total of like 5 bucks... have you googled DIY for whatever things you're looking to make yourself? I did that for making Oliver's scratching post (I had the general idea but was looking for any tips to make it go smoothly)

Oh also! If you don't mind me asking.... are all these tanks kind of set up throughout/within your house, do you have like a specific "tank room", or some other set up? I remember seeing on tv sometime long ago how someone had actually put up one of those nice sheds in their backyard (ya know the kind that someone could probably live in haha) and all of his tanks were in there and he had it all hooked up with awesome filtration systems and such... I'm just curious is all lol

Originally Posted by BuzbyJLC10"

Oh my gosh! I'm soooo jealous! haha I have no room or money right now to set up anything even close to that! But one day my dream is to have a 150 saltwater set up, ideally built into a wall (of course with filter room behind it)... I just love saltwater tanks, but I know they take a lot to keep up and you really need a bigger set up for it to go well... I just love yellow tangs for some reason and of course I'd want marine hermit crabs in there... ah the ideas that run through my head! But alas, 100,000 dollars in student loans stands between me and anything even close to that dream...

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A 150 built into a wall would be a nice setup. I want to take a whole wall and put a tank in. I'm thinking something like 20 feet long by four feet high and four feet wide...for tankbusters.

I don't really know if I want to do saltwater or not because of the increased upkeep. There are times when I have trouble keeping up with the freshwater tanks. I'm considering a turtle tank if I don't do saltwater. Money could be an issue because I'm starting back to school in the fall so we'll see what happens. I'm with you on the yellow tangs, they are gorgeous. I like the flame angels and some of the firefish too.

Originally Posted by BuzbyJLC10"

I know I've seen on ebay sometimes auction for DIY plans for building tanks/stands/hoods... a lot of them include many plans for a total of like 5 bucks... have you googled DIY for whatever things you're looking to make yourself? I did that for making Oliver's scratching post (I had the general idea but was looking for any tips to make it go smoothly)

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This is really the fist DIY stuff that I've done. I usually Google to try and find ideas of how to do things. I think that TFH is coming out, or has already come out, with a book for DIY aquarium projects. I'd like to build a big cat tree whenever I get a house.

Originally Posted by BuzbyJLC10

Oh also! If you don't mind me asking.... are all these tanks kind of set up throughout/within your house, do you have like a specific "tank room", or some other set up? I remember seeing on tv sometime long ago how someone had actually put up one of those nice sheds in their backyard (ya know the kind that someone could probably live in haha) and all of his tanks were in there and he had it all hooked up with awesome filtration systems and such... I'm just curious is all lol

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I live in an apartment and don't have a designated fish room. The only place I don't have a tank is the bedroom (and bathroom). They are spread through the living and dining rooms. After I get a house I'll convert at least half of the basement into a fish room. One of my good friends down in Tennessee has a fish house (it's basically a rebuilt greenhouse on his property. I can't remember how many thousands of gallons he has now but it's a lot.