# Cheap Aquarium Game?



## bboyspook (Aug 14, 2009)

Whats the cheapest way to make an aquarium? I have heard soooo many different things to get a decent aquarium.. but really cheap.

I have heard stuff like buying sand from home depot and getting play sand. Going to landfills or someplace to get rocks (clean them ofcourse before you put them in) um.. homemade filters and sumps etc. etc. I thought it would be cool to see who can make the CHEAPEST aquarium and post prices (you can be as cheap as you want, even for the tank). if there are any items in the aquarium that you can find outside of a store post the item and say -FREE

EX.

Rubbermaid container - $5.99
playand (homedepot) $3.50
rock setup (Free-outside in a pond behind my house)

So on and so forth. I want to see who can get crafty for as cheap as they can get


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## aji1217 (Aug 22, 2009)

225G tank + stand- $300 on craigslist
600GPH pond filter-$50 on sale at local hardware store
emperor 400- $5 at garage sale
play sand -$3 a bag at local HW store
rocks- free, I live near the mountains.
driftwood- free, see above.
lights- shop lights from garage, replaced bulbs for $20 at wally world
air pump- $25 at petco
hood/canopy- $80 in wood,hardware, and paint
plants- free, got a pond.

total cost for a well furnished 225g tank- $483

I heart craigslist. :thumb:


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

Used paper coffee cup out of the garbage and a stolen betta.


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## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

An entire 55 gal set up stand, filters, lights, everything 30 dollars

and then Got a 55 gal from a yard sale with filters and pump for 25.


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## bboyspook (Aug 14, 2009)

rubbermaid Container w/lid- $5.99 <-- Walmart
Sand ($3.00 per 50lbs at home depot)
Bubbler ($5 on craigslist)
Rocks (pond outside)
Python (old garden hose, cut out the metal parts and blow into it)
driftwood (outside for free)
Fish (Craigslist for free unwanted fish, trust me.. i got a lot of mine from there!)
heater (used on craigslist for $5 (non-submersible though)
Lights (have a old clamp light that i would clamp to the corner of the rubbermaid container)
Stand - (use my dresser)

Cut a hole in the lid and strap on some clear packing tape so you can see the fish =P

BAM! there you have a full working aquarium lol for super cheap!
Frequent water changes would be a must though.. because no filter.. but other than that! Good to go for under $20 =P

Also please remember guys, this is to see who can make the cheapest by finding stuff around the house and if you can avoid paying for anything, do it. you dont have to use anything by the standard in this game =P Just think its cool to do this, in case someone has a good idea for finding materials to use for theirs.


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## bboyspook (Aug 14, 2009)

noddy said:


> Used paper coffee cup out of the garbage and a stolen betta.


LMAO! I dont even know why, but this made me laugh!


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## 810Aaron (Apr 19, 2009)

Bath tub = came with the house
Heck even the water changes are easy!


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## bboyspook (Aug 14, 2009)

810Aaron said:


> Bath tub = came with the house
> Heck even the water changes are easy!


\

LMAO! The funny thing was.. i was actually thinking of doing that! Im like.. "I dont need a shower THAT bad! I got 2 bathtubs!!" LOL!


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

14' 1500 gallon. Just under $4K. Beat that with a stick..............


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## bboyspook (Aug 14, 2009)

TheFishGuy said:


> 14' 1500 gallon. Just under $4K. Beat that with a stick..............


-sigh- dream shattered


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## FishandFire (Jul 2, 2007)

Make a pot of coffee every morning for a couple of months. Wash out the plastic container the coffee came in. Poke small holes in the side and top of the container. Silicone an airline tubing through a hole in the top and place an airstone on the end. Put filter media in the coffee container, replace lid. Boom! Box filter to go into the high quality styrofoam box your fish were shipped in.


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## AnnaFish (Aug 9, 2006)

55 gallon with stand, canopy, lights, fish, rocks, gravel, filter, heater.

Free. Birthday present from the in-laws. They never had a daughter and I am oooo soooo sweet.


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## frank1rizzo (Mar 14, 2005)

bboyspook said:


> noddy said:
> 
> 
> > Used paper coffee cup out of the garbage and a stolen betta.
> ...


because its funny.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

When I was a kid I found a bluegill in the creek. I took it out and put it in the ditch that was created by people driving off the driveway. It died when my Dad came home. He missed the driveway by that much....


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

frank1rizzo said:


> bboyspook said:
> 
> 
> > noddy said:
> ...


It's very important to make sure we keep our humor glands in good shape.
Great thread by the way, I wish I would have thought about the bathtub one.


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## ben1988 (May 2, 2009)

i have used my bathtub one other time when i was doing a deep clean on my 150 works great as long as they dont pull the rag out of the drain (mine has no hair trap so its just open pipe all the way down...)


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## Chromedome52 (Jul 25, 2009)

Old veggie bins from a trashed out refrigerator, Swamp weeds, and the fish were caught from the same swamp. Cost $0. Later I used a $2 tube of silicone to seal up the holes and used the inside liner of an old refrigerator as an outdoor container pond. (You might be a *******....)

I also use preformed kiddie pools, buy them late August when they're running clearance price of $5 or $6 bucks, pretty cheap 90-100 gallon container. Lots of bottom territory. Lots of excess Najas grass from the tanks, now I restock the tanks from the pools.


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## 810Aaron (Apr 19, 2009)

too funny!


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## revil (Sep 25, 2009)

noddy said:


> Used paper coffee cup out of the garbage and a stolen betta.


Done and done.


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## bboyspook (Aug 14, 2009)

stick a strainer in the toilet and throw in some fish. BAM! 1 flush = 1 water change!


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

That's the best one yet. You could add the de-chlorinator right into the top of the tank. I keep brown trout in mine.


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## bboyspook (Aug 14, 2009)

noddy said:


> That's the best one yet. You could add the de-chlorinator right into the top of the tank. I keep brown trout in mine.


does he have yellow eyes?! EW!!!


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