# "Turnkey" aquariums?



## Exquizique (Nov 19, 2012)

(Not sure if this is the right place to post this question, so please move to wherever is appropriate if not ...) My husband was musing about this, so i thought i'd ask out of curiosity ... is there such a thing as "turnkey" aquariums? As in, getting a service/company to completely set up a running aquarium - equipment, livestock and all - and then the customer just takes it over and "runs" it?

I've seen ads for aquarium services companies before - is this essentially what they do? Has anyone here have any experience with such companies or services? I'm thinking they tend to be very expensive?

Also, would it actually be feasible or realistic to have someone (ie. the customer) who doesn't really have a working knowledge of how an aquarium works, or the livestock, to properly run and maintain a beautifully set up aquarium? For example, if someone wanted a beautiful 100g marine aquarium set up, would they actually be able to carry out all the maintenance tasks and keep the livestock in good health etc., without having an in-depth knowledge of how to actually set up one? Is true "turnkey" even possible for something like an aquarium full of living creatures??


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

There are businesses that will setup and maintain aquariums, usually for businesses but also for personal tanks.

I assume the cost is fairly high.

Personally I find the best part of the hobby is the learning and getting your hands wet. I spend hours each week researching stuff, visiting message boards and stuff like that.

Its the challenge of getting a tank running perfectly and the reward of a job well done. I started with a basic community fish tank and now I have multiple tanks with different kinds of fish and plan to even try breeding shortly. I love trying to figure out problems and solutions.

As a mostly stay at home dad I love this hobby for something to work my brain. And I like that I now have enough knowledge to try to help others with their problems. For example a person had they biological cycle crash on his 20 gallon and we discussed for a few days on these boards what the problem could be. I had finally mentioned my son doing something to his tank and killing a fish and that seemed to get him thinking about people in his home who might have done something and it turned out to be his mother using his aquarium sponge for cleaning the kitchen sink.

If you have someone else set it up and maintain it, you lose out on most of the fun and learning.

If I had a large business with a large aquarium for display I would probably hire someone to take care of it but it would be really hard for me not to touch it myself.


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## RR37 (Nov 6, 2012)

Commercially there are many companies that do this.

HOWEVER the typical client has the "$ a'int an issue" attitude which is good because they are upwards of 200-250% over the cost of doing it yourself. My old dentist paid $40K for a 90 Gallon reef tank. 1'st year of service included in that price. Its a well built and designed system that for the most part is clean and problem free. Its been getting a bi-weekly visit from the company he hired to install/service. 


$10K to get the equipment delivered. $10K To have is setup. $10K to start adding livestock and $10k to finish the stocking and support.

24hr emergency service is also included in the first year.

Thats about all he knew about it. That and the blue fish was named Steve.


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## CRJ (Sep 7, 2012)

Exquizique said:


> (Not sure if this is the right place to post this question, so please move to wherever is appropriate if not ...) My husband was musing about this, so i thought i'd ask out of curiosity ... is there such a thing as "turnkey" aquariums? As in, getting a service/company to completely set up a running aquarium - equipment, livestock and all - and then the customer just takes it over and "runs" it?
> 
> I've seen ads for aquarium services companies before - is this essentially what they do? Has anyone here have any experience with such companies or services? I'm thinking they tend to be very expensive?
> 
> Also, would it actually be feasible or realistic to have someone (ie. the customer) who doesn't really have a working knowledge of how an aquarium works, or the livestock, to properly run and maintain a beautifully set up aquarium? For example, if someone wanted a beautiful 100g marine aquarium set up, would they actually be able to carry out all the maintenance tasks and keep the livestock in good health etc., without having an in-depth knowledge of how to actually set up one? Is true "turnkey" even possible for something like an aquarium full of living creatures??


shoot me an email at [email protected] My name is Nate.

Im actually doing the same thing on a smaller scale for a friend, but id be happy to help you out and get you started. Im not a maintenance person so once its up i cant do house calls, but I can help you get the tank running and get a good start. I can help you pick proper fish, corals and different inverts. Give you tips i have learned from trial and error, and teach you everything i know that has helped me be successful. the idea you see on TV of guys getting fish in a tank the same day doesnt exist, its not healthy. BUT, setting up isnt hard and if you spec out a budget, ill point you towards products, reviews and let you decided (with guidance) what works best. I also have a few good friends in the hobby, one owns a store in Waterloo and maintains the massive tank at bass pro shops in Vaughan.

Also have carpentry and tools knowledge so i can help you with placement and calculating dead load vs active load to be sure you wont find the tank in the basement! (unless thats where you want it)

The biggest things are space, budget and time. you can easily find a balance to keep maintenance low and enjoyment high, without blowing the bank. Im in the middle of a 60 gallon shallow reef build actually.


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## Exquizique (Nov 19, 2012)

pyrrolin said:


> There are businesses that will setup and maintain aquariums, usually for businesses but also for personal tanks.
> 
> I assume the cost is fairly high.
> 
> ...


It's nice that you are able to find the time to indulge in the hobby! I find time (especially researching and learning!) is a big constraint for me too, having to work the usual 9-5 days during the week and then trying to squeeze in all things fish/tank during after hours and the weekend, on top of other chores and commitments!

Yeah I was following along that thread you mentioned ... learned alot from the troubleshooting that was going on 



RR37 said:


> Commercially there are many companies that do this.
> 
> HOWEVER the typical client has the "$ a'int an issue" attitude which is good because they are upwards of 200-250% over the cost of doing it yourself. My old dentist paid $40K for a 90 Gallon reef tank. 1'st year of service included in that price. Its a well built and designed system that for the most part is clean and problem free. Its been getting a bi-weekly visit from the company he hired to install/service.
> 
> ...


$40K!!!! (where's the jaw-drop emoticon) ... sheesh i could get myself a brand new luxury vehicle for that in cash, or shave years off my mortgage lol! Thanks for sharing the info though, I've always wondered about the $$$ involved with services like that and what such services included.

And I hope Steve is still swimming around happily in his $40K tank! 



CRJ said:


> shoot me an email at [email protected] My name is Nate.
> 
> Im actually doing the same thing on a smaller scale for a friend, but id be happy to help you out and get you started. Im not a maintenance person so once its up i cant do house calls, but I can help you get the tank running and get a good start. I can help you pick proper fish, corals and different inverts. Give you tips i have learned from trial and error, and teach you everything i know that has helped me be successful. the idea you see on TV of guys getting fish in a tank the same day doesnt exist, its not healthy. BUT, setting up isnt hard and if you spec out a budget, ill point you towards products, reviews and let you decided (with guidance) what works best. I also have a few good friends in the hobby, one owns a store in Waterloo and maintains the massive tank at bass pro shops in Vaughan.
> 
> ...


Hey Nate, thanks for the offer, you sound quite knowledgable and experienced! The reef setups that i've seen are GORGEOUS and although somedays we do toy with the idea of trying our hand at one, we just aren't quite ready for a big tank yet - have to get my 10g running properly and healthily for 6 months to a year first, and then we'll see if i like the hobby enough to want to expand/upgrade lol.

But when we're ready, i'll know who to reach out to!


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## CRJ (Sep 7, 2012)

Just a few words of advise. Start with a all in one tank, somewhere in the 30 gallon area. The more volume you have, the more stable the tank will be. Using a hang on back system can lead to troubles that can discourage a new person. 

Get into the test habit. when starting, test daily till you see your nitrite spike, then continue to be sure the cycle is done and watch for your nitrate to raise. add fish slowly, do water changes weekly of about 1-2 gallons (on a 10G), mix salt ATLEAST 24 hrs before it goes into the tank, dont feed too much, i melt 3 cubes and that lasts my 5 fish 4-5 days. 

The first 6 months are the hardest when battling all the new tank issues, but all can be overcome with the right knowledge and questions. If you have any troubles or questions, fire off an email or PM to me, as im happy to put my advise in on any topic, and if i dont know the answer, i can have it for you in a few minutes with a simple phone call to a couple friends.

Good luck!


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

Big Als Aquariums will do a setup for you without maintenance. The most knowledgeable store in my mind is the Newmarket Location, they're the friendliest that I've met as well.


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## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

Ryan.Wilton said:


> Big Als Aquariums will do a setup for you without maintenance. The most knowledgeable store in my mind is the Newmarket Location, they're the friendliest that I've met as well.


I, and many others will work for less than big als. And you will get better advice from this board. Big als in my experience, wont recommend a product they don't sell. So, you pay more, for it, when sometimes, it can be cheaper, and better elsewhere. Somewhere like aquatic kingdom.

Posted with my Xperia, using Tapatalk 2


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

Maybe you've presented yourself within Big Als as a know it all? Not to be offensive or anything, its just that often people who say they'll do the work for cheaper do just that... Cheap work, IMO you get what you pay for. Big Als staff have always been helpful for me, mainly because I actually know the staff by name and vise-versa.

I've been to Aquatic Kingdom and I'm not overly impressed, beyond that how many people on here have posted about rescuing from them? I recall a Tiger Shovel Nose with a bent nose don't I?

I won't argue that you'll find more advice here, however forum advice is personal opinion, and research should be done on ones own to find the best option, so as far as Big Als goes, they also ensure stability of the aquarium by coming back for a few trips and adding species slowly if it's a larger complex setup. Don't discount big brand names just because they don't recommend things they sell. I mean hell how could they when there store sells mostly everything you'd need for your tanks?


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## mozes (Dec 31, 2009)

check out seaumarine in markham and ask questions . Ken is very helpful .


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## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

Big als, ROM aquarium. Nuff said.

While there are good stories of Big Als, there are far too many bad ones. I do not recomend new people to go there.

I have no doubt that ak puts less dead fish in the garbage every day than most box stores.

And no, I am not a know it all. But, I do know a lot, and continue to learn.

Which ba do you shop at?

Posted with my Xperia, using Tapatalk 2


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

mozes said:


> check out seaumarine in markham and ask questions . Ken is very helpful .


100% agree, located at AppleCreek and Woodbine. I used to work at the Wendys located right there and I'd visit Ken daily on my breaks to have a fishy chat. I'm glad to hear he's still up and running


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

As said I shop at New Market Big Als, I also use the North York Location. both of these are very good stores, Vauaghn sucks, they're staff knows lots about reptiles, minimal within fish knowledge. And just because you assume things about a store, doesn't make them accurate.

Petsmart for instance, I worked there and we're trained to remove any and all dead fish an hour prior to opening, and throughout the day when customers are not around. We keep the tanks looking clean and healthy, it doesn't mean that the fish within actually were. Atleast Big Als won't sell from a diseased tank unless you push them too, I can't say the same for AK.


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## andrewdingemans (Dec 7, 2012)

isn't Sea U Marine more for reef tanks then freshwater? I am trying to find more local stores in Markham as the treks to Mississauga are testing my patience. I like the Newmarket and North York Big Als too, Newmarket a tad bit better though. 

The idea of turnkey aquariums takes away the fun of owning an aquarium and going through the troubleshooting process yourself. However it is a good solution for extremely large home aquariums and office aquariums.


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

Well I do agree with your statement, not everybody feels like we do in regards to keeping an aquarium. Some people just like the ascetics of an aquarium with minimal work. Others like to have them set up and just take care of them (like my oldest brother who I've set up a 55gallon for), and yes SeaUMarine is indeed a SW store. as far as freshwater stores go in Markham... hmm theirs a place at Kennedy and 7, I can't remember the name. There's a small nursery at 48 and major mac that has just recently expanded into the aquarium trade (they used to specialize in Japanese Koi but the old owner moved or something). Hmmm not really many specialty stores that are of high quality.... Gold Ocean Aquariums at 7 and Leslie aren't horrible. But there attention to customers is pathetic. They also look at you like you're a criminal planning a master fish stealing spree, oh and the store is always humid as hell, and the floors are wet. It's not bad too look into, but I personally don't buy from them often (even though they tend to have good quality fish). there's a store in Pacific Mall (or the village part upstairs anyways) oh hell I don't remember all the locations lol.


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

The worst part about the LFS in Markham is that they're rarely kept in pristine conditions and the stores generally look like garbage.


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## mozes (Dec 31, 2009)

kennedy and 7 closed 
kennedy and steeles have four stores to look at . all depends what your looking for . then there is fanatics new location if you use the 407 .


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

Really? Franks closed down???? That's too bad he was like the only dealer I knew of that dealt with Killifish on a larger scale.


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## mozes (Dec 31, 2009)

he is now at markham and major mac


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

48 and major mac? He's not on the northeast corner in the small nursery is he now? Because if so that's just ironic lol


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## andrewdingemans (Dec 7, 2012)

Ryan.Wilton said:


> 48 and major mac? He's not on the northeast corner in the small nursery is he now? Because if so that's just ironic lol


He is...It's called Kim's Nursery...rediculously humid, but glad they brought stuff in. I am pretty much right around the corner from them. She has moss on sale right now! Going to go get some from her tonight or tomorrow. $5 for a 6x6 grid. I really like the selection of shrimp.

Ryan, I pretty much have gone to all the stores you listed so I guess im not too far off using local ones other than the big box stores. I particularly don't mind Aqua Inspiration cuz I love to look at the prestine tanks...Using them for inspiration


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

Ya I've seen some good stuff there and some good prices.


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