Interested in starting an aquarium maintainance biz...

Drae

RAIDER NATION!
Aquariums are becoming more of a passion in these times of extra leisure time for me. I'm a carpenter by trade and have a pretty broad knowledge of aquariums including building sumps, stands, and just getting things to mesh as far as equipment goes ( most expensive doesn't equate success ime). I'm definitely business minded and even willing to go to school to broaden my horizons ( I did trade school, college sounds like it wouldn't be as much of a drag at 31 as it did when I was 21 in vegas). All jokes aside, can anyone offer me any advise? Thanks *Drae*
 
Drae,

I had a part time maintenance service for about five years back in the 1980's. It helps to have an "in" with a good local store. They'll refer customers to you and you in turn buy your fish and equipment from them. Otherwise, you're going to spend a ton of money on advertising.

I'd be sure to have liability insurance as well. You'll need to cultivate commercial accounts, and they usually require some sort of insurance or bond.


Bill
 
Just be aware of what you are getting yourself into. I did maint. for quite some time and Yes, it can be rewardingand fun, just be prepared for some realities. I'm not trying to rain on your parade or discourage you from having a go of it, just trying to offer some perspective.

1) You will probably not get rich off of this. The old joke goes if you want to make a million bucks in the fish business....start with two. Most of the people I know that do this, do it because they love what they do.

2) Be prepared to spend your time up to your elbows in wet goo. Skimate, pond scum, algae, fish poo...just a short list of the noxious slime you can and will at some point be covered with.

3) Long/Unusual hours. You will eventually encounter that special client that can only accomodate on alternate tuesdays in the hour between lunch and their messese. You will also spend a lot of time driving back and forth.

4) Heavy lifting. Salt buckets, water jugs, boxes of rock...

5) Wear and tear on your vehicle. It's very hard on a vehicle. Long miles with heavy, unstable loads, inevidable spillage of corrosive liquids...

With all of that said. If this is something you are truly pasionate about, then go for it. I would love to go back to doing it, but my current situation will not allow it. I also know a few maint. guys that don't even have a tank of any kind at home anymore because the last thing they want to do after work is feed the $#$%!! fish.

There are some things that will make your life MUCH easer. A large van/panel truck. Build LARGE water storage contatainers into the vehicle, one for RO one for salt. An inverter large enough to power a pump that can overcome significant head pressure, and lots of tubing to move this water around w/o having to lug buckets.
 
That's the advise I was looking for! Pluses and minuses that I didn't think of. I'm not trying to get rich off of this but any honest income from a hobby turn paycheck would be awesome. Not to mention the possibility of a store eventually. Couldn't imagine overhead being all that much, and insurence shouldn't be too expensive either. I think I'm going to give this more serious thought. Thanks. *Drae*
 
Drae,

I did aquarium maintenance for around 2 years in the 90s, and I echo everything stated above except buying all your fish, etc. from a LFS. The owner of the aquarium maintenance business I worked for converted parts of his house into a fish holding facility. Basically, just a bunch of aquariums everywhere. He QT'd everything be bought for one full month and medicated also. Once they made it through that full month of QT/treatment they lived forever in his clients' tanks. The last thing you want to do is buy diseased fish from a LFS and have that wipe out one of your clients' tanks. Also, Quality Marine and Segrest are both good wholesalers. They both will sell to you so long as you have a business license and can place a minimum $$$ order.
 
A lot of the stores here have an in house maint. service, and many cannot survive without it. Liability insurance is a MUST. and lots of it. Think about 200 gallons of saltwater on a clients for. Also, make sure you are not allergic to anything. With your hands in so many tanks, it's only a matter of time until you are bitten/stung by well...just about anything. People with bee allergies, etc can be sensitive to lionfish stings etc.

Find suppliers that you can build a relationship with. Take care of your customers, but do not let them run you ragged. I worked for a guy once that got called out to set up a tank on christmas eve night.

A QT/Holding/storage facility will also make your life 100x easier. Space in a light industrial park can be had much cheaper than trying to open a storefront.

Just remember, a hobby that earns you a paycheck can quickly turn into a Job. It takes on a whole new level when it is something you HAVE to do, instead of something you WANT to do. I would see if you can pick up a few accounts on the side and go from there. Make sure this is something you really want to get into before you take the plunge.

Even with all of the downsides (and there are many) there are many amazing parts as well. Setting up/Working on tanks that are so big you have to get into. Working with exotic specimens you may not be able to keep yourself. Getting to see all of the different stuff that comes in. However your bread and butter is going to be wiping algae and siphoning funk out of someones 55.
 
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