Path: utzoo!hoptoad!mejac!decwrl!labrea!husc6!yale!Ram-Ashwin
From: Ram-Ashwin@cs.yale.edu (Ashwin Ram)
Newsgroups: alt.aquaria
Subject: Re: cheap stuff
Keywords: stuff that is cheap
Message-ID: <28532@yale-celray.yale.UUCP>
Date: 5 May 88 20:02:42 GMT
References: <3787@gryphon.CTS.COM>
Sender: root@yale.UUCP
Reply-To: Ram-Ashwin@cs.yale.edu (Ashwin Ram)
Distribution: alt
Organization: Computer Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-2158
Lines: 32
In-reply-to: richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton)

In article <3787@gryphon.CTS.COM>, richard@gryphon (Richard Sexton) writes:
> >>$70 for a 20 gal setup ? GAK.

$70 for a new setup is about how much one would expect to pay, but you can do it
in 1/2 as much too if you really want to.  Most stores will quite happily sell
you a 20 gallon setup for *twice* as much.  Here, let's add it up.  Roughly:

                New     Alternatives

Tank            $17     $10 (used)
Hood/Light      $20     $8  (shop light)
Heater          $4          (don't use one)
Power filter    $10     $5  (used)
UG filter       $9      $4  (make it yourself)
Air pump        $5      $5  (none)
Gravel          $5      $5  (none)

Total           $70     $37

For $4 I wouldn't scrounge on the heater (some of us don't live in California
(yet :-))).  The hood/light is *the* major rip-off -- too much money for
something that hardly provides enough light anyway.

> Sure, it just starts with one. Pretty soon you're stashing your lunch money
> to buy "just another tank", but hey you can quit at any time, and then
> you go to the fish store every friday and start blowing larger and larger
> portions of your paycheck, face it pal, YOURE AN ADDICT !

You said it!  It's incredible.  This stuff's worse than coke (and almost as
expensive) :-) :-) :-).

-- Ashwin.