Anybody clean tanks for extra cash?
- Thread starter 72olds455
- Start date
flyersfan
Member
I used to do it. If I went to peoples houses I charged about $25 an hour, if it was a business, like a resturant I would charge a little more, depending on how much work it would be. I used to do a resturant and do a lobster tank, it was about 100 gallons I charged them about $150 for about 2hours of work.
acrylic51
Active Member
Originally Posted by flyersfan
I used to do it. If I went to peoples houses I charged about $25 an hour, if it was a business, like a resturant I would charge a little more, depending on how much work it would be. I used to do a resturant and do a lobster tank, it was about 100 gallons I charged them about $150 for about 2hours of work.
Depending on size of tank, but usually $150 for about 2 hours
I used to do it. If I went to peoples houses I charged about $25 an hour, if it was a business, like a resturant I would charge a little more, depending on how much work it would be. I used to do a resturant and do a lobster tank, it was about 100 gallons I charged them about $150 for about 2hours of work.
drewsta
Active Member
well I am young but have owned 3 business' already my three steps that have worked for me in this exact order are
1) Great Planning (Business plan, know your competition, financial backing)
2) Great Location (visible to your specific clientel, good central location)
3) Great Marketing (get your name out there internet, ads, commercials, word of mouth)
pretty simple but if you follow those 3 steps your business will succeed. Hey I can't give out all my secrets without a $$$$$$$$$$$$$$
1) Great Planning (Business plan, know your competition, financial backing)
2) Great Location (visible to your specific clientel, good central location)
3) Great Marketing (get your name out there internet, ads, commercials, word of mouth)
pretty simple but if you follow those 3 steps your business will succeed. Hey I can't give out all my secrets without a $$$$$$$$$$$$$$
drewsta
Active Member
The good thing about tank maintanence (sp) is there really is not any up front startup cost other than some cleaning supplies, so I would go get a big magnet made for your car with your phone # and business name and when you drive around on a daily basis people will see your rolling advertisement, always try to drum up more business any way you can. Thats how I have been so successful
miamireefr
Member
acrylic.....How long does it take you to clean and what does your meaning of cleaning consist of?
Scraping glass, siphoning sand, 10% water change filter material change?? Please advise...
I began doing my own the second month into my hobby to perform my own maintainence on my tank after seeing what a local LFS did for 65 bucks and destroyed my rockwork and beat around my anemone and this is a LFS that many here locally swear by. F that....they can keep em.
Scraping glass, siphoning sand, 10% water change filter material change?? Please advise...
I began doing my own the second month into my hobby to perform my own maintainence on my tank after seeing what a local LFS did for 65 bucks and destroyed my rockwork and beat around my anemone and this is a LFS that many here locally swear by. F that....they can keep em.
72olds455
Member
The reason I ask is a local business I deal with has a 110 with 4 fish and some soft corals that they have maintained. The guy charges them 110 a month for 2 visits and just does a water change, cleans the tank, and drops off some food. What bothers me is this ladie tells me she keeps buying corals and they keep dying, why didnt this guy tell her than normal output lights would not support the corals. Plus he drops off food for the fish when he goes but only brings brine shrimp, and she wants to know why her tank and foxface are getting faded white spots on them. He never told her they need veggitation. There are other issues but those are the 2 biggest I saw in the few minutes I looked at the setup.
She asked if I would take over upkeep of the tank, but I have a full time job and dont know if it is worth going through the trouble of getting a business license and insurance for the 10 to 15 customer I could probably handle.
She asked if I would take over upkeep of the tank, but I have a full time job and dont know if it is worth going through the trouble of getting a business license and insurance for the 10 to 15 customer I could probably handle.
miamireefr
Member
Originally Posted by 72olds455
The reason I ask is a local business I deal with has a 110 with 4 fish and some soft corals that they have maintained. The guy charges them 110 a month for 2 visits and just does a water change, cleans the tank, and drops off some food. What bothers me is this ladie tells me she keeps buying corals and they keep dying, why didnt this guy tell her than normal output lights would not support the corals. Plus he drops off food for the fish when he goes but only brings brine shrimp, and she wants to know why her tank and foxface are getting faded white spots on them. He never told her they need veggitation. There are other issues but those are the 2 biggest I saw in the few minutes I looked at the setup.
She asked if I would take over upkeep of the tank, but I have a full time job and dont know if it is worth going through the trouble of getting a business license and insurance for the 10 to 15 customer I could probably handle.
Thats the hard part....I am not sure about you but I take my time and do things right in my tank and very careful since I have a good amount of corals I don't need to bang around....I will take roughly 1.5-2 hours doing everything on my tank...clear the glass where I am able, external overflow, replace filter material, siphon sand if needed but now have a goby who is doing such a good job I no longer need to siphon.....cut my time down and water change....
If it becomes a job you want to be efficient and fast to make it to that next appointment....
I noticed my lfs I allowed for that month to come in just prefers the in and out method and whatever conditon is left is kinda just put back in place however and return whatever corals that were beat up back to their spots or rearranged.... man i can go on about them but cant blame them.. And they will sell anything to the uneducated..its a business where $$ is involved and that is a higher priority than honest customer service... I love my hobby as a reefkeeper but as a hobby for my personal happyness.
Also you would have to consider if they are not listening to your advice and something dies you will get blamed and have to deal with the bitching... at least thats my take on it.
:thinking:
The reason I ask is a local business I deal with has a 110 with 4 fish and some soft corals that they have maintained. The guy charges them 110 a month for 2 visits and just does a water change, cleans the tank, and drops off some food. What bothers me is this ladie tells me she keeps buying corals and they keep dying, why didnt this guy tell her than normal output lights would not support the corals. Plus he drops off food for the fish when he goes but only brings brine shrimp, and she wants to know why her tank and foxface are getting faded white spots on them. He never told her they need veggitation. There are other issues but those are the 2 biggest I saw in the few minutes I looked at the setup.
She asked if I would take over upkeep of the tank, but I have a full time job and dont know if it is worth going through the trouble of getting a business license and insurance for the 10 to 15 customer I could probably handle.
Thats the hard part....I am not sure about you but I take my time and do things right in my tank and very careful since I have a good amount of corals I don't need to bang around....I will take roughly 1.5-2 hours doing everything on my tank...clear the glass where I am able, external overflow, replace filter material, siphon sand if needed but now have a goby who is doing such a good job I no longer need to siphon.....cut my time down and water change....
If it becomes a job you want to be efficient and fast to make it to that next appointment....
I noticed my lfs I allowed for that month to come in just prefers the in and out method and whatever conditon is left is kinda just put back in place however and return whatever corals that were beat up back to their spots or rearranged.... man i can go on about them but cant blame them.. And they will sell anything to the uneducated..its a business where $$ is involved and that is a higher priority than honest customer service... I love my hobby as a reefkeeper but as a hobby for my personal happyness.
Also you would have to consider if they are not listening to your advice and something dies you will get blamed and have to deal with the bitching... at least thats my take on it.
:thinking:
jasno999
New Member
Come check out this new board www.aquariumfriends.com we are looking for members
72olds455
Member
I see your point on pet store not educating an uneducated buyer, but this guy doesnt own a pet store and to me good client relations would have been to advise the customer to either upgrade the lights or stop wasting money on corals. When I said she needed better lights she immmediatly said just let her know what she needed and she would get it. This tank has a very low bio-load and no rocks near the glass. It cant take more than 20 minutes to clean.