# The thrifty thread,garage sale/flea market finds



## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

I thought this might be a fun thread.I'd like to keep this thread to showcase your ridiculous deals for any items related to our hobby found in a garage sale or fleamarket at stupid prices.I go the the fleamarket just about every week for cheap,fresh,local produce and anything else I stumble upon,so I'll more than likely be adding to the list whenever I find the super deals.I'll start!

I picked up this begonia as a sad twig with 2 leaves about a month ago for 50 cents.

















I picked up this begonia for $2 today

















I also scored some instant mashed potatoes.The guy was selling them 2 for a buck (1 lb boxes),but I offered him $5 for a case of 12 and he went for it.Gotta love it.

Oh and last week I picked up an 18x18x24 zoomed in like new condition for $30. I prefer exos,but I figured it would make a good plant grow out tank at the least.

So if you have any crazy deals like this from a garage sale or flea market,please feel free to share.Pics are welcomed and encouraged.Like I said,I'll be on the hunt almost weekly and will post more of our hobby related deals.Enjoy and happy hunting.


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## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

I don`t usually go through people`s trash but it was bulk pick up here a few weeks ago and while driving home from work I spotted 2 perfectly good 20 gallon tanks and grabbed them.
Also I remember browsing Lowes last year and spotted some near dead pitcher plants and fly traps in those plastic cubes and they charged me like 2 bucks for each one.

Nice thread Lou..


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

I picked up a year old (looks brand new and works) 5000 btu window unit AC for $20 a few weeks ago.


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## Aldross (Dec 30, 2013)

The nursery near my house sells broms that they hot glue to a piece of "fancy" wood. I found a cluster of 7 broms that had come free of the wood. I asked the lady there how much for these since there is no wood mount. Bam 7 broms for 5 bucks.


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

Nice scores guys! This is exactly what I was looking for in this thread.

It's all good John,Those tanks would've been crushed and wasted.

The way I look at it is,the more you can save on these things the more you can spend on frogs,plants,or any non discounted necessities.

Good stuff! Keep them coming.I picked up 2 packs (25 sticks each) of hot glue sticks about a month ago for a buck,again at the flea market.


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## Eric Walker (Aug 22, 2009)

Went to an estate auction with my mother awhile back.
No one bid on a 130gallon with stand sitting there so she says 15$. He instantly said sold before I even realized who had just bid on it. Then we had to figure out how I was getting it home.


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

Haha,thanks mom! That's a screaming deal.Nice!


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## Eric Walker (Aug 22, 2009)

I haven't made use of yet and have had to move it a few times since then but not complaining. Its been sitting with a false bottom installed for over a year now. I guess its time to get to work on finishing it finally.


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

Ok,this thread needs a punch in the arm! Here's todays Flea Market haul.First for feeding bugs,I picked up the usual 6 zuccinni for 2 bucks.Soon they will be in season and about half that.A bag of 6 large apples for $1.Fine and good,but here's where it gets good.

These are ratcheting pvc pipe cutters.Great if you are hard piping your bulkheads. $4!!!! they don't look like they have ever been used and sharp as hell.About $30 at home depot

















Next finds were at of all places Walmart.I picked up this monster rianbow Selaginella for $12.This fricken thing is huge!If I put a paper plate behind or below it,you wouldn't see the plate.


















And lastly but not least a few pieces of hoya that "fell" off of a pathetic basket that was in terrible shape (Free)









I know there are some other slammin deals out there, what did you find.Not frogwise,but anything else related to the hobby.


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## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

Not frog related but my wife is a tag sale junkie and we made the rounds yesterday. 

5 dvd`s of some great movies $10.00
6 cd`s classic rock $12.00
Bucket of almost new baseballs for my son to break some windows with...priceless


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## Jeremy M (Oct 19, 2012)

I always make it a habit to ask what my local chain nurseries/hardware store combos- OSH, home depot- do with the orchids they sell after they've stopped blooming. Some offer fantastic deals, some kindly direct me to a dumpster out back I can root through, and some look at me like I'm crazy or pull some 'it's against store policy' line. It helps to try to find the employee who's in charge of the plant department, and sometimes that can take talking to multiple people (some employees I've asked are under the impression that the plants bloom once, then die- which is a reasonable enough assumption to the uninformed, since that's what usually does happen to the ones that aren't sold in the store). Just remember, it never hurts to ask!


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

Jeremy M said:


> a Just remember, it never hurts to ask!



That's Right!!!!!


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

pretty amusing thread...hopefully it'll keep going. I don't have the time to go to the tag sales...but am always up for a bargain...just ask the meat guy at my favorite market... And Lowe's always has plants at least 50 % off...and this year since the season has been so late, there are lots of bargains....great idea... Bragging rights to the winner...


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## john.pate (May 16, 2014)

i picked up a 10 gallon tank for 5 bucks at good will the other day. looks brand new. i was pretty happy with the buy.


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## chillplants (Jul 14, 2008)

I found a massive 200+ gal "L" shaped aquarium on Craigslist a few months back. The longer section was 6 ft and the shorter side was 3 or 4 ft long. It was $300 for tank and stand. By the time I convinced myself that I "needed it", someone else bought it.


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## Dr Christopher McHale (Apr 3, 2014)

chillplants said:


> I found a massive 200+ gal "L" shaped aquarium on Craigslist a few months back. The longer section was 6 ft and the shorter side was 3 or 4 ft long. It was $300 for tank and stand. By the time I convinced myself that I "needed it", someone else bought it.


Next time...


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## Dartkart21 (Feb 18, 2014)

Got a 60 gallon hexagon with stand for only $50..

Awesome find. 

Plus the 72gal bowfront I payed $100 for a few months ago.


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## Dartkart21 (Feb 18, 2014)

Andd the 60gal hexagon


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

chillplants said:


> I found a massive 200+ gal "L" shaped aquarium on Craigslist a few months back. The longer section was 6 ft and the shorter side was 3 or 4 ft long. It was $300 for tank and stand. By the time I convinced myself that I "needed it", someone else bought it.


Doesn't count.If you can't take a pic it didn't happen 

That's too bad,sounds like it would have been a cool project.


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## atelopusman (Jun 2, 2011)

found a 46gallon bowfront at goodwill with stand for $100 set it up for 4 yellow terribs my partner shops there alot and always finds aquariums and furniture that makes sturdy stands for my tanks


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## Michael Shrom (May 20, 2004)

I was looking for a 55 gallon slate bottom stainless framed tank. Since it is a classic I was prepared to spend a couple hundred on it. I was going around the block after cashing in some express mail failures. I found one at a yard sale for 10.00.


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## tubbee (Aug 1, 2012)

Hey everyone I scored these 2 beauties a few months ago on Kijiji for FREE.
They were in need of a good cleaning so I got out the pressure washer. A96 gallon corner tank and a 45 gallon high. Moving them almost killed my wife and myself.


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## davispm (Apr 28, 2014)

found a steal on craigslist this weekend. Got a 12x12x18 full planted with a water feature and lights and all. Came with a Retic Auratus, all for $25!!!! He had it listed under a moving sale I just happened to luck out.


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## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

3 pkgs of past their prime mushrooms for free for my isos.


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## Michael Shrom (May 20, 2004)

Blast from the past 10 dollar tank. This is how the big tanks looked when I started keeping fish.


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## toostrange (Sep 19, 2013)

Michael Shrom said:


> Blast from the past 10 dollar tank. This is how the big tanks looked when I started keeping fish.


 Local mom/pop pet shop got two of these fairly cheap. But the big one I want has crack in slate bottom!


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## Michael Shrom (May 20, 2004)

They either go for real cheap because they or old junk or high because they are disappearing vintage aquariums. It is all about perspective.

I'm looking for a vintage stainless steel hood for my 55. I hope I can get it from someone who thinks it is old junk.


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## Julee (Jun 22, 2014)

Found a 12 x 12 x 18 exoterra, a 10g, and a 15g column tank at the dump a couple of weeks ago!


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Michael Shrom said:


> They either go for real cheap because they or old junk or high because they are disappearing vintage aquariums. It is all about perspective.
> 
> I'm looking for a vintage stainless steel hood for my 55. I hope I can get it from someone who thinks it is old junk.


Well here is one on ebay... but not cheap.
Antique Metaframe Chrome Aquarium with Matching Stand Hood 55 Gallons | eBay

The same seller has a 90gal...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Met...409?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c85c52751


and 30 gal soap stone (pretty cool)...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Soa...001?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c85c51619

Well someone near Minnesota could get a nice start on a vintage aquarium collection in 1 day


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

Nice finds guys! Let's keep this thread for the cheap side of things....Cough.Dave...Cough  

Anyway,some of you may remember,I had all my window units stolen off my front deck during a mads meet this past fall the day after I removed them from the windows.Some guys graciously offered me some and I wasn't able to get them.Well Kim and I found an older 13,000 btu window unit on CL for only $50.I just ran a wire and made a dedicated circuit for it and so far so good.I'll have to get a couple more,but the frog room is happy.


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

I meant to post this weekends haul.Kim and I went to the used book store to donate a couple of milk crates of books.I wanted to get out of there,but she wanted to look around some and she found this book which obviously I was loving it.The book was brand new.The Pages were never opened.You could tell,because the glossy pics were still stuck together.Whoever got this book as a gift didn't appreciate it.My gain,used book price (even though it's new) $2 !

Then when I thought we had the only good deal of the day We stopped by a place (undisclosed ) and he gave me over 50 film cans for.......FREE! My favorite price.I can get 2 more cup heavy builds done with them.


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## Jeremy M (Oct 19, 2012)

davispm said:


> found a steal on craigslist this weekend. Got a 12x12x18 full planted with a water feature and lights and all. Came with a Retic Auratus, all for $25!!!! He had it listed under a moving sale I just happened to luck out.


score! Anyone would be happy with that. Any pics of the setup?


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## nonliteral (Mar 26, 2012)

That soapstone tank is killer. Wish the guy would ship.


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

Probably cost $100 to ship.Those things are heavy!


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

oddlot said:


> Nice finds guys! Let's keep this thread for the cheap side of things....Cough.Dave...Cough
> 
> Anyway,some of you may remember,I had all my window units stolen off my front deck during a mads meet this past fall the day after I removed them from the windows.Some guys graciously offered me some and I wasn't able to get them.Well Kim and I found an older 13,000 btu window unit on CL for only $50.I just ran a wire and made a dedicated circuit for it and so far so good.I'll have to get a couple more,but the frog room is happy.


That sucks about the stolen AC's... I ended up mounting mine in the kitchen window instead of the spare bedroom. I still have to get my central heat/air fixed, and most of my frogs are in the living room which is joined to the kitchen area in my mobile home, so for frog safety it is better the have the 3 small window units heating the central part of my house. Enough cool air flows into my bedroom to keep those frogs at good temps. 2 small AC's was ok, but barely... The 3rd puts me well into the green zone. 

With all the viv remodel work and room for a few new vivs in the central living room/kitchen area and my bedroom, I think it will be quite awhile before I need to worry about keeping that spare bedroom cool for racks of vivs. So for now the door stays shut cuz the sun hits that side of my home most of the day.


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## Aldross (Dec 30, 2013)

Dendro Dave said:


> That sucks about the stolen AC's... I ended up mounting mine in the kitchen window instead of the spare bedroom. I still have to get my central heat/air fixed, and most of my frogs are in the living room which is joined to the kitchen area in my mobile home, so for frog safety it is better the have the 3 small window units heating the central part of my house. Enough cool air flows into my bedroom to keep those frogs at good temps. 2 small AC's was ok, but barely... The 3rd puts me well into the green zone.
> 
> With all the viv remodel work and room for a few new vivs in the central living room/kitchen area and my bedroom, I think it will be quite awhile before I need to worry about keeping that spare bedroom cool for racks of vivs. So for now the door stays shut cuz the sun hits that side of my home most of the day.


to bad your not near me. i have a extra window unit that id give you for everyones favorite price just to have it out of my place.

Sent from my SGH-T679 using Tapatalk 2


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

I posted thin in the what have you got blooming thread and being it was a trash find (so it was free) and I may try and split a small division of it to try in a tank it's frog related so here it is;

I have No ID on this orchid. If someone has one that would be great. I saved this plant from the trash man.I was driving my work van about 2-3 years ago and it was cold out.I recognized it as an orchid from down the block and made my way to it.It was not very happy,being it was almost freezing temps so I threw it in my van to warm up and tended to it at the end of the day when I got home.Since then It has been a badass bloomer and throws me a ton of extremely fragrant flowers at least two times a year.This is the second time for me this year alone,and it will bloom in the fall as it always does.You can see by the tape measure it has large flowers.It needs to be split but seems to be happily flowering and growing like crazy.The flowers are long lasting as well.I love this plant and still can't believe someone threw it in the trash.Maybe they couldn't get it to flower again and was tired of it,I don't know.This is the orchid I have talked about at the mads meets for those guys that are members of that group.


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## toostrange (Sep 19, 2013)

I picked up 2 zoo med 18" cubes,2 12x12x18" and 8 pieces of the large size zoo med mopani wood all brand new in packages with tags for $150. Found on Craigslist. They used to sell at reptile shows but got out of it. Whooho!!


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## davispm (Apr 28, 2014)

Jeremy M said:


> score! Anyone would be happy with that. Any pics of the setup?


Sorry I haven't been on here for a bit. I actually tore it down and started from scratch on a new build. I don't have any pictures. It was very basic though.


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

oddlot said:


> I have No ID on this orchid. If someone has one that would be great.


some type of cattleya orchid

James


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## Michael Shrom (May 20, 2004)

ten dollar tank.


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## reptiles12 (Jul 18, 2012)

I bought a 180 gallon tank and 55 gallon tank both with stands, also a 50 pound driftwood centerpiece and a brand new 55 gallon filter for 150 dollars. It was probably the best deal I will ever get.


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## Pubfiction (Feb 3, 2013)

Sometimes my better half goes to garage sales and sees 10 gallon tanks and gets them for $2, nice for quarantine or grow outs. Recently I found glass on clearance at home depot for $7/sheet. It's enough to make tops for 3 10 gallons. 

Normally craigslist is the bottom of the internet. But every once in a while craigslist redeems itself. I just picked up a 24x18x24 exo terra for $50. Came with some other useless stuff like a basking light and fake plastic plants and a tacky exo terra water dish too. But really those deals are rare because I had my eye on such vivariums for months before I finally found this one. Too many people buy stuff for full retail+tax then expect to sell it on CL for as much as you could internet direct a new one for and way to many of them think you will want your vivarium to be setup and look just like theirs is. So they think you see value in all their sponge bob pineapples and plastic plants.


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