PintoHawk Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 I am very craft-inclined and a DIY-er deep down. I decided to try creating my own rock archways and decoratons for my tanks, and I am getting a little carried away, LOL This sort of idea (not my design): http://www.e-aquarium.com.au/images/Granite_Archway_1.jpg I have been putting them together this past couple nights, using colored natural stones from my area, and they look REALLY nice. Some are smaller and more delicate, some are larger and more bold looking. I am going to try doing some caves today, I think. I am using aquarium-safe silicone to glue the pieces together. They look awesome, did I mention that yet? I will try and get some photos up tonight, and if anyone is interested, maybe I can start selling them. They are really cheap to make, so the prices will be very low. Low price is good. Very good. I will update this thread again later. If there is any potential interest, please post below. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanker Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 Always good to see the handy work and creativity of others! Bring on the pictures! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firestorm Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 I might be interested once I see some of the final products. Looks very nice, and why bother paying a fortune for decorations when you can pick up some river rocks, or stones from a supplier for cheap and make your own. Great project Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PintoHawk Posted April 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 Thanks Firestorm. I agree completely. I picked up some REALLY nice blackish-grey slate-type rocks today, really good pieces, very classy looking, and the archways and caves I make with them should look VERY similar to the example picture I posted in my main post. I will know by tomorrow night if they will hold the silicone and if they can handle being boiled (easy to do, once you have received my creations - to sterilize them before adding to your own aquascape). If that's the case, I will be offering the good ones for sale this weekend, for alot cheaper than you could find anywhere else. What do these type of things sell for anyways? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc_Polit Posted April 11, 2008 Report Share Posted April 11, 2008 Just a friendly reminder to please keep your sales banter to a minimum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duh duh duh Posted April 12, 2008 Report Share Posted April 12, 2008 Just a friendly reminder to please keep your sales banter to a minimum. why? It's a legit question and one that I would like to know as well. I'm in the process of doing the same thing for my tanks but if it isn't that hard i can make more - depending upon how the thing sells. The price question is EXACTLY the sort of question that should be asked in this thread, so that you don't end up with someone posting in the Buy Sell forum with prices that are way too high, causing repeated bumping to adjust the prices, causing more confusion etc etc. I think you're flat out wrong to discourage the price question in a thread like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PintoHawk Posted April 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2008 I searched eBay, I googled for pet stores across Canada that would carry such an item, and found only TWO items that looked like the product I am hoping to make/trade/sell. I was a little stuck on how to price them, so I thought I would ask other aquarium enthusiasts about their opinion on costs, or how much they'd be willing to spend considering the shipping. It made sense to me, but I don't want to get in trouble. If I am going to spend time building them and advertising them, and packaging them properly for shipping, and then find out I have been selling them for $5 when I could have easily sold them for $10, I'd like to know. If they go for $10-$20 in a store, and shipping will cost the buyer $15, it's probably not worth it for me or the buyer. If it's not worth it to SELL these items, maybe I can still use them to TRADE for items I need; that way, the other person pays the shipping only. Might be a better option. I certainly didn't mean to post innapropriately or offend anyone on this forum, and I apologize. Where is the appropriate board for such a discussion on costs and pricing or hand-made/DIY items? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted April 13, 2008 Report Share Posted April 13, 2008 I think Doc polit meant to keep the "I want one", "I want one too" posts out of the thread.Those belong in pms. The actual selling of these decorations belongs in the buy/sell. There shouldn't be a problem with discussing how much decorations like these sell at stores or what other people have seen similar items go for etc. But to get back on topic... If you are making these, a great place to sell them would be at auctions. Nice decorations go for a lot of money at auctions. Heck, even those crappy neon type oranaments sometimes go for crazy amounts, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PintoHawk Posted April 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2008 Thanks Degrassi, so I can find local auctions through an Aquarium group or club, maybe? Or just watch for announcements in the newspaper? I think the closest clubs might be as far away as Calgary (3 hours)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted April 13, 2008 Report Share Posted April 13, 2008 Edmonton and calgary have aquarium auctions a couple times a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firestorm Posted April 13, 2008 Report Share Posted April 13, 2008 Sorry guys, I should have PM'd him to let him know I may be interested. As for costs I would also go to pet/fish shops and find out the cost of their types of natural stone ornaments. Being that I honestly would charge slightly less than retail, but certainly not expecting to get them for an absolute rediculously low price. There was a very good suggestion made as well to try and sell them at an auction, or see about opening your own little business account on ebay. Depends on whether ebay would be worth it or not though. Great ideas though, maybe starting your own little business like alot of people who live in texas and sell the texas holey rock If there is a demand there will be money made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PintoHawk Posted April 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2008 Thanks Degrassi, I will have to watch for announcements about Calgary's auctions, that's the closer city to where I live. Firestorm - I actually thought the same thing just this weekend, to check out the fish stores in my area and price out some similar pieces. The plan is to head to Lethbridge this afternoon and seek stores. Love browsing the fish stores, love it. I do have a business account on eBay so I might as well try that. And yes I have noticed Texas selling holey rock, and was almost wishing I could visit Texas someday and stock up on some of that wicked-looking stuff. LOL By the way, I am a woman, not a "he". I know my name doesn't hint at a gender at all... sorry about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
werner Posted April 14, 2008 Report Share Posted April 14, 2008 If, by chance, one had made some rock structures, and one was interested in selling them, one might choose to go to the Canada Post website to get an idea of how horrifically expensive it might be to ship said items. Also, one might wish to contact local granite counter-top companies, since they could be persuaded get rid of small, broken pieces of granite free or cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PintoHawk Posted April 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2008 If, by chance, one had made some rock structures, and one was interested in selling them, one might choose to go to the Canada Post website to get an idea of how horrifically expensive it might be to ship said items. LMAO... nice, nice. Yes, it does look very expensive to ship a bunch of rocks, even just to Calgary was about $15. Hmmmm.... Also, one might wish to contact local granite counter-top companies, since they could be persuaded get rid of small, broken pieces of granite free or cheap. Ooooh! Excellent suggestion, thank you! Now to discover such companies in my region. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whatley01 Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 never really thought of using river rock before thanks for the idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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