How do you make money with this hobby???

[fish clown]

I am new saltwater aquariums and found out its alot more money than I expected. What is the most profitable way to make money like breeding, coral farming, or anything else.

[thegrun]

The most profitable way to make money in this hobby is to find another hobby! Many have tried; very few succeed in making money at it. The best most of us can hope for is to break even selling frags.

[Lorenz725]

You dont want to get in this hobby if you are trying to make money. Anything I have sold has gone right back into the hobby so I have never made a dime. Whenever I get the chance I try and trade or give a good deal if I have frags. There has been a few guys in my area that have branched out and started little business. The only one that has made it makes his money by maintaining, setting up, and cleaning client tanks.

[Tom.B]

You dont! you could try fragging but if you do expect problems with sales on ebay, theres a lot on there who buy and claim it was DOA and dont send it back or pictures to prove it, then they put in a paypal request for a refund! I know someone who sells frags and he told me all this and more!!.
I dont even try to make any money, its an expensive hobby (so is my scuba diving) which I manage by working 6 days a week! its worth it when you see the tank and youre corals growing

[ken55]

Just my .02

It's a hobby not a business venture. I doubt you will ever make any "Real" money at it. If however that is your goal..... well you ain't spent nothin' yet!!
Just ask the owner of the mom & pop LFS.

Wishing you luck

[GeorgeMonnatJr]

I'm also addicted to SCUBA, a similar expensive and addictive hobby. There's a saying amongst divers:

Q: How do you make a small fortune diving?

A: Start with a large fortune.

I think for most of us that applies to reefing, too.

[jerpa]

You should change the title to "How do you make money for this hobby?" The reality is you may be able to subsidize your monthly costs by selling frags but in order to make real money you would need a large growout system. You still would have to pay for all the equipment and corals upfront and wait for it to grow. Your best bet is to save money not make it. Craigslist and these forums, once you meet the 50/90 requirement, can be a great place to find deals on equipment. Join your local club. I've gotten great deals from people getting out of the hobby and club members tend to sell/trade/give frags to other club members on a regular basis. Last but not least, get a second job.

[Salty Red]

You don't make money from a hobby...that's when it turns into a job.

[gbru316]

1. Get a job at a LFS and DON'T spend your whole paycheck there

2. Move to a tropical island and start a sustainable harvest/mariculture business (long-time friend of mine did this, has the only license to do so in Papua new guinea).

[TheAquatect]

Originally Posted by GeorgeMonnatJr

I'm also addicted to SCUBA, a similar expensive and addictive hobby. There's a saying amongst divers:

Q: How do you make a small fortune diving?

A: Start with a large fortune.

I think for most of us that applies to reefing, too.

Rofl. Love that quote!!!

IMO, If I can reduce my future spending through trades and the like, I would consider myself ahead of the game. There is no such thing as ROI in this hobby unless the joy of enjoying your tank can be monetized.

[BigCountry74]

you don't for the most part.

and if you do it's selling bulk of the simplest of something always in demand that grows fast, like cheato, etc.

[Palting]

The only way you can make this hobby a profitable business is by running an aquarium maintenance service along with it. For all the straight LFS vendors I knw, the coral part of the business is a loss leader, a way to get the equipment and livestock at wholesale prices to supply the needs for the tank maintenance service. The storefront, with items for retail, to include coral and other livestock, is only a small part of the business. Essentially it is a showroom to show people what you can have for them if they get you to build and maintain tanks for them.

A straight coral farm, selling frags etc, canot be profitable by itself. It can help drefray the cost, but it will not pay for itself much less provide a profit. At least, that's what the 4 LFS in my area tell me.

[fish clown]

Has anyone tried building and selling custom aquariums? It dosnt sound extremly hard and some tanks are ridiculously high priced.

[Jeremy Blaze]

Originally Posted by fish clown

Has anyone tried building and selling custom aquariums? It dosnt sound extremly hard and some tanks are ridiculously high priced.

Better have good insurance to cover the damages of a customers home when the tank fails.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by Palting

The only way you can make this hobby a profitable business is by running an aquarium maintenance service along with it. For all the straight LFS vendors I knw, the coral part of the business is a loss leader, a way to get the equipment and livestock at wholesale prices to supply the needs for the tank maintenance service. The storefront, with items for retail, to include coral and other livestock, is only a small part of the business. Essentially it is a showroom to show people what you can have for them if they get you to build and maintain tanks for them.

A straight coral farm, selling frags etc, canot be profitable by itself. It can help drefray the cost, but it will not pay for itself much less provide a profit. At least, that's what the 4 LFS in my area tell me.

I agree. Exactly.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by fish clown

Has anyone tried building and selling custom aquariums? It dosnt sound extremly hard and some tanks are ridiculously high priced.

The problem with building aquaria is that it is the razor, razor blade marketing model. You sell aquaria at cost in order to sell a LOT of corals and fish (in an ideal world).

[ken55]

Originally Posted by fish clown

Has anyone tried building and selling custom aquariums? It dosnt sound extremly hard and some tanks are ridiculously high priced.

No I haven't tried but I would suppose that it is like any other building trade (bricklaying, house framing, plumbing, etc). Watching a pro makes it seem easy but these guys have been doing it a long time and that's why it "appears" easy when really it's not.

I also would imagine that the specialized glass cutting equipment isn't cheap. Which kinda brings us back to the original question.

[GeorgeMonnatJr]

I have the feeling that if one of us knew the secret, we wouldn't share it on an open forum...

[ken55]

Originally Posted by GeorgeMonnatJr

I have the feeling that if one of us knew the secret, we wouldn't share it on an open forum...

That's why I try to discourage everyone from entering the business. It's mine, all mine!!

Just joking of course

[tobyte1]

Originally Posted by fish clown

Has anyone tried building and selling custom aquariums? It dosnt sound extremly hard and some tanks are ridiculously high priced.

I do that. I build custom tanks and do A LOT of acrylic work. I even went and got a business license. I don't make any real money off of the work that I do...it just helps feed my marine addiction! AND, anything that I spend on my systems gets written off at the end of the year.

[fish clown]

Does anyone no of someone that has actualy made at least a few hunded bucks a month?

[Sk8r]

Only an lfs owner who's spent 40 years at it, and he works hard at it. He had to give up his tank at home because the store just took all his time. He can't take vacations, and he can't hire anybody.

[GeorgeMonnatJr]

Originally Posted by Sk8r

Only an lfs owner who's spent 40 years at it, and he works hard at it. He had to give up his tank at home because the store just took all his time. He can't take vacations, and he can't hire anybody.

+1

My friendly LFS owner (Fishy Business in Austin, TX) works 7 days a week, 12 hours a day. He works holidays and no vacations, but he does take every 3rd Sunday and Monday off IIRC (2 days off a month). He's definitely not rich and definitely single.

[MaxxedMan]

Sell stuff to me. Someone is making $1000s!

[Jeremy Blaze]

Originally Posted by Sk8r

Only an lfs owner who's spent 40 years at it, and he works hard at it. He had to give up his tank at home because the store just took all his time. He can't take vacations, and he can't hire anybody.

Amen!

I have seen well over a dozen LFS and Coral farms start up in my area over the last 15 years, only to last a year or two at best.

At the same time there is a LFS that has been in business for 37 years. The owner still works there EVERY day.

It is not a get rich quick business, and with the internet big market retailers, a small store will be tough to get going.

As for aquariums, look at Glasscages, no one can build cheaper then them, and they have a big building with many employees.

Aquarium Maintanince is about the only way to make any money as stated, but you BETTER have years of experince maintaining your own before you start charging people to take care of theirs.

If you really want to try and make a living, go to school, study Marine Biology, business management, etc....

I was lucky and maintained a public aquarium for the last 10 years as a full time job. I made a living, but did not make a lot of money, about $28,000 a year actually.