Use this tool as a guide to get a sense of what the upfront costs and line-item expenses could look like to operate a traditional, small-scale hatchery. There are items that are listed which you may not need and others that may not work best for your operation. Keep in mind that not all of these items need to be brand new, so consider searching craigslist, listservs, or older operations. 

As you may notice, some of the required equipment are common, inexpensive items you can pick up at a hardware store, while others are much more specialized and costly. Filtration equipment tends to come with the biggest price tag, but when cared for properly, can have quite a long tenure in your facility—which holds true for most of the items on the budget list! Taking the time to research and price out everything is important for both outlining your startup budget and anticipating costs down the road.