Designing an aquarium does not have to break the bank. In fact, hiring a professional, like ourselves, can help you save money in the long run. We would never suggest items you don’t need, and can help you keep the costs of equipment down. However, there are some factors that will make aquarium costs jump higher.
Lighting
Overdoing it or under-doing it with lighting can make your costs go up. While, at the outset, some fluorescent lighting may cost less, in the long term it will cost you more. We recommend LED lighting not only for the minimal energy use, but for the variety and fun you can have with LEDs as well. However, you can overdo it with lighting too. Add too many cool lights or too much intensity and you can grow too much unwanted algae. Fancy lights are also expensive, so if you’re on a budget, it’s best to stick to the basics.
Automation
Some automation is necessary. Some is nice to have and convenient. Another kind is simply going to add to the cost of your aquarium. Do you need an automatic fish feeder, for example? Not likely because there are a variety of factors that go into feeding your fish, and not all fish eat the same.
Monitoring
The same can be said about certain monitoring devices that can up your cost. Sometimes good old fashioned eyeball tests do what you need them to do. While technology is making fantastic improvements in aquarium usage, we do find certain things to be excessive. Read more on what you don’t need.
Because we feel custom aquariums don’t have to break the bank, they may be the way to go even if you’re on a tight budget. Contact us and give us your budget, and we’ll give you a breakdown of what what’s possible!