I want to say a huge thank you to you for this video. As a senior on a fixed income, I couldn't get back into the hobby if I had to buy only from my LFS. I've had aquariums in the past and so, wanting to get back into the hobby, I went to my local big-box pet store and my eyes bugged out when I saw what they have jacked aquarium supplies up to now days. The prices are ridiculous, and I'd be dead before I could afford the basics of what I need. So, yeah Temu!! I shop there and love them.
Your welcome there are many ways to cut cost. Amazon halso have low cost items. Everything I have gotten from temu have worked well all but the snail traps and the square filter which didnt work out well so i just bought the Aquarium Coop sponge filters i d use the style.of filter from temu that suction cup to the back of the tank.
Thank you for your honest review and your completely right about not having to spend hundreds on a tank. I myself look for good deals and if something works it works some people are so up tight in this hobby
And this is why i started doing videos. There are allot of dishonesty out there all my videos i keep it real and honest. Thanks for the comment i really appreciate it
Stumbled on your channel while surfing at work lol. I have always said in my videos if I can save you money I will share my ideas, finds and way to save money. You nailed it about not having to break the bank when getting into the hobby or maintaining you tanks. Buy used, go to fish swaps, FB groups etc. and you will save yourself a lot of money. I like your stance on the topic and there are some many ways to set up a beautiful tank and maintain it, you don't need the top of the line items or all the things manufacturer say you need. DIY goes a long way in the hobby as well. And to your point where some RU-vidrs say you need this when in all actually its not need and they push it as they will get commissions from the sale . That I can't stand, I do get items to review and test from manufacturers and my line is if it's good I will let you know and if it crap I will tell you. When I am approached about testing an item if there are new to me and my channel they are told my reviews can not be bought so if you're looking for someone to lie and say your garbage is great It won't be me! I look at helping those succeed in the hobby and quit. By educating the hobbyist and showing many different ways to achieve the results they are looking for and setting them up for success vs failure they stay in the hobby and go on to help others. If someone asks a question as to why did this happen or that happen and help them to see and understand that turns into a win - win! I wish you the best of luck with your channel and tanks.
I 1000% agree i havnt been approched yet who knows if I will. I am totally upfront and keep it real if its junk i will tell people its junk but if its good i will say it is good. The hobby isnt cheap and if a person can DIY cheaper even better. Thanks for the great comment i very much appreciate it.
Bill I’ve kept fresh water continuously since I was 7. I’m 68 now so I have some experience. We were very poor so I had to improvise equipment and do chores for relatives for spending change. As I got older and more prosperous I fell for the ‘gotta have this” hype. Seven years ago after wanting marine water for decades, I got serious. I got a young couple as mentors. They led me down the right path. Salt is supposed to be super spendy. All hype. Sure you can spend a lot if you like but it’s a preference not a necessity. I have four salt water tanks that the fish and crustaceans do great it. I recently downsized from 84 to 22 tanks. Those tanks are almost all in use for another hobby. House full of snakes and lizards. Hey life is short…but this testimonial sure isn’t. Thanks Bill.
Thanks for that. There is allot of push on youtube that suggest to spend $$$$$ and to enjoy the hobby it doesnt have to cost allot. It is a hobby or starting a business. But from my young years of 58 diy can be a $$$$ saver
Keep it up bill ,I left gosh behind a few years ago but continued to breed aquatic newts,no where near new but honestly I’ve always ran everything simple and cost effective air pumps sponge filters lots of plants terracotta pots as hides can’t beat it !
I believe in saving where you need to but sometimes you have to spend some. Some diy stuff can be cost effective but then again sometimes not. I am tring to run very litte energy and having planted tanks make a world of difference i think on overall healthbof the tank
Hey Bill, just tuned in. Great price on your towels. What I use for the floor to stop dripping on the floor is large doggie pads. I can use one doggie pad over quite a few times if you let it dry. They work great!
Thank you for the video ! I was so frustrated getting back to my fish as you , but like so many others I also was watching fish ppl channels and felt like I'd never be able to have such a set up , I never use to pay millions for a tank . But , found that , there is another way .Happy that I randomly came across your channel lol@first born child hahahahaha!!!
Thanks i am happy to know this helped you out. The hobby doesnt have to cost hundreds to thousands i buy allot of used aquariums and put elbow greese to them. Some of the popular you tubers are making thousands each month and can afford the items some are given items from suppliers. But this is the reason I started my channel. You dont have to spend allot to get the enjoyment out of the hobby.
Good stuff, Bill. Glad I stumbled on your channel. I can confirm that Temu has some next-level customer service and return policies. My wife orders from there all the time, and she has had nothing but great experiences, (even when a product doesn't arrive or arrives damaged).
I have had zero issues with temu. Its just the wait and having to come thru customs that takes allot of the time. I have bought some stuff that didnt work out but isnt that what it is about. The Aquarium hobby some of it is trial and error and sometime we hate to love the hobby. Have a great day and the positive comments are always appreciated.
Hi Bill, love seeing a new face in the fish keeping world of RU-vid! This is my first video that I saw of yours and you mentioned your snail issue. I just wanted to offer some snail keeping advice in return that I have picked up along the way. Thank you for taking some time to share your knowledge and journey with us. I have kept fish for most of my life, but didn’t get “knowledgeable” about the hobby until the pandemic really. I had been laid off, and I had the time, so I decided to jump in feet first with learning how to grow a planted tank. Like you at first we had a HUGE snail problem… it seemed like it was overnight and suddenly there were thousands from the single little itty bitty baby that we saw hitchhike in. we tried traps, “powders” and even at one point consider adding “ snail eaters” unknowing that would cause its own issue down the line, lol. Thankfully the pandemic also stepped in there, to prevent that because “snail eaters” were nowhere to be found. About year 2 of hobby restart, a friend from a local fish club, told me that I had a snail problem because I was creating a snail problem… That I needed to drastically feed my fish less. That “ pest snails” will balance their own population and will breed to the abundance of food available. My first thoughts were that it couldn’t be that easy could it? I reduced my feedings to 1 feedings every 2-3 days, reduced lighting and placed on a timer. It took a few months, with 3 mass removal of adults via cabbage wedge. I started seeing empty snail shells pop up… Today 2 years out from that advice, I currently keep 3 planted tanks and 2 nature jars. All perfectly snail balanced. It really was as easy as not feeding them. Looking forward to seeing other videos from you! Happy Easter!
I usually feed every other day but a little heavy. I dont mind the snails but sometimes they get overwhelming so once i get my outdoor ponds set up and make more room in my fish room i will be setting up a pea puffer tank but thanks for the input it is appreciated
Love your attitude bud! I agree there are far cheaper ways to set up and maintain fish tanks. Best of luck with your fish business. Watching fish is very therapeutic. Subscribed.
Always great to see a new face in the hobby, and saving money for more fish or supplies is always a good thing! I'm glad to be one of your first 250 subscribers and hope your channel keeps growing. Best wishes from Canada, and keep your hands wet!
Thanks for you support in subscribing. I also hope my channel keeps growing, there is allot of competition out there in the social media world. I am about being truthful and totally transparrent. I am not sponsored by no one so anything i have videos of is out of my own pocket. I have allot of projects in the works and allot of it is DIY. Thanks again for subscribing and have a great day
@@billsnanos Yeah I thought about starting a channel recently too but noticed how many people in the hobby seem to be doing the same right now so I'm holding off for now, either until it slows down a bit or I figure out a unique way to make my channel stand out from the crowd, I also haven't had a social media presence anywhere in the last 5 or 6 years and I know I'll probably have to if I want to grow. I like your style and there's not enough channels showing DIY aquarium supplies or how to save money in the hobby so I'm definitely interested! I learned a while back that there are really no regulations on what the big companies like Seachem can say to us on their bottles and did some research to realize they were spouting pseudoscience that sounded good but meant nothing, now I don't trust any company that sells aquarium supplies with claims that sound too good to be true(or anyone with a vested interest in my wallet). Also the tours I've seen of their facility show a repackaging facility, never seen any labs or test aquariums to accomplish all of the research they claim to do. Sorry for the ramble lol, but my point is that we definitely need more honest people in the hobby, especially people who aren't brainwashed by the marketing of the bigger companies. Again, wishing you all the best and I'll interact with your content as much as possible to try to help boost it for the algorithm.
From what I have seen not all but some lie about their content and others are about how much revenue they can make. I believe all competition is good but if you are thinking about just go for it I did and i am about to hit 250 subscribers which most of mine have been withing a couple months. It may take time to get going but for me it has been rewarding to be able to share knowledge and help others with money saving ideas
I agree, i just dont understand the push for all these chemicals. To fill my tanks I use an rv filter takes out all the harful chemicals and Fritz 7 the bacteria starter booster and my tanks are thriving
@@billsnanos i keep buckets full of water setting in my fish room to off gas any chlorine for top offs. Still run sponge filters, box filters and under gravel filters. The few hang on backs i do use are mainly to catch small particulates in the water and for fish that need a little extra flow. Still use incandescent, and fluorescent lights and a few LEDs and my plants grow like crazy!. Starting a new tank, ill wring out an old sponge filter or floss from a box filter in the tank to seed it and some water from another tank. Only chemical i use is to remove chlorine and fritz 7 or fritz turbo. I dont see the need for all the chemicals or all the bells and whistles that everyone thinks they need now days. Does it make it easy? Sure but its really not needed. All about the $$
@@mcaquatics3143 I dont even use chlorine remover i use a rv filter that takes out chlorine chloramines and harful chemicals and fritz 7 all my tanks thrive. All the fritz 7 is a bacteria booster which is needed
Appreciate it bro was debating if it was worth it the prices seemed too cheap but after this video I’m definitely going to order a couple items and check them out my self
I bought 2 usb air pumps and I’ll never go back to the big “normal” ones again. They are so quiet and powerful that I even use one on my bedside tank and it’s so quiet that it doesn’t interfere with my sleeping xx
I have found even thought they are quiet they burn out quite fast i went back to regular pumps usb pumps are a good temporary but as i have found not reliable
I don't know if your snail traps worked but have you tried assassin snails? I have a 115 gallon tank built into the wall full of tiny snails clogging filters, etc. They are all gone and thanks to the assassins and they are very decorative. I use Temu and Amazon also and like them both.
I have assasin snails and just now added rosy loaches to battle the snail problem ive had the loaches in there a week now and am seeing consumed snails on the substrate
I found crags list and market place is a great place to purchase used aquariums and supplies. I just dip some things in hot water with a little bleach then rinse real good and let dry. Not a bad thing to do that with your own decorations and nets etc. once in a while
Ok some people have a problem about Temu. Have you look where stuff comes from amazon? Have you looked at stuff at you LFS it all comes from the same places. Temu is cheaper and all the stuff that I buy is resin based also the filters work well. So it is fact, i have had zero issues. And I saved money the wait sucks but its cheaper for the same stuff you get off amazon or lfs. Not all stuff works but i buy only 1 qty if it works it works. My fish are thriving my plants are thriving so why is it bad to shop and save???
Yes i know I heavy feed but, the snails wouldnt be in my tank if when people sold plants would take the time to free the plants of pest snails. I dont mind the snails they have a purpose but they can over run quickly and get out of hand. Thats why i am setting up a pea puffer tank, free food. Thanks for the comment it is much appreciated
Usb air pumps have to be pluged into a usb port unless its rechargeable then from what i have seen because i dint use battery back up pumps they can last up to 48 hrs.
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who tells people to do their own thing..... I have spent years telling people if they want to keep goldfish in a smaller tank just do it never mind what Billy big bucks fat wallets says..... I have been in tons of Facebook groups left tons and been banned from a few also...... I have even lost the plot on occasions 😂.... Most recent is my 5 hour budget goldfish setup that's now been running for last 6 months to prove a point you don't need to spent loads to enjoy a few fish..... Whether for yourself or your kids..... Anyway vids on my channel good look with your channel.... Hope it goes well bye
Thanks for the comment its all about people doing their own thing. My tanks are over populated but thriving. Just slower growth on the fish when they have little ones
@@billsnanos yes there's lots of debate about fish stunting especially in carp type fish... And in the morality of letting it happen in small tanks.... Yet it happens in nature and fish do it to themselves as a means of survival during drought ot time of food shortages anyway good luck with your channel bye
