THENUMBER1022
Well-Known Member
raining so web pics, but I bought a few of these butterfly koi(gold, white and yellow), expensive, but worth it. They are fucking beautiful
Aquariums
- Thread starter oakley1984
- Start date
Jakabok Botch
Well-Known Member
imo its not the tank thats expensive....its the maintenance equipment/chemicals
Airwave
Well-Known Member
That's what I meant. Does it take a lot of hands on maintenance? I like the look of a salt water tank, but I don't want to have to spend a lot of time on it.
Jakabok Botch
Well-Known Member
oh yes....u need to constantly make sure everythings balanced...iv seen self maintaining systems..but theyv run $1000+...........kinda like ur hydro tank....just more chemicals and the fish are a lil more sensitive 
Airwave
Well-Known Member
Looks like it's going to be a fresh water tank for me then.oh yes....u need to constantly make sure everythings balanced...iv seen self maintaining systems..but theyv run $1000+...........kinda like ur hydro tank....just more chemicals and the fish are a lil more sensitive
neosapien
Well-Known Member
Thats fucking awesome! I've actually thought about converting a hot tub to a pond before, good way to recycle. Theres videos on youtube of people converting their in-ground pools into ponds, some are pretty badass. I have 3 goldfish and 6 koi in my pond, I've guesstimated its alittle over 1000g I also got some lillies and water hyacinths and some water lettuce in it. But anyway your spa pond is badass!
THENUMBER1022
Well-Known Member
Yeah, unlike "tanked" where they put the fish in while the salt is still mixing
, it's wiser to let the salt no only get thoroughly mixed, but the tank needs to go through a few phases, and become established with micro-organism's and bacteria that some creatures need to live. For instance, my manderin dragonfish only eats live copepods, which are very small creatures, similar to brine shrimp but that live off of fish waste, creating a true environmental cycle for the tank. Some tanks will go through a few 'red algae' phases, which is cyanobacteria, which is essential for not only oxygen production, but microorganisms feed off of this and create different types of organisms. The water will eventually be so heavily loaded with microrganisms, that your curious puffers and triggers can pick at the rocks and sand/crushed-coral all day long, keeping their bellies full.There are a few ways to jumpstart this reaction...
Livesand,
Live Rock,
Ocean water,
You also need protein skimmers, which basically airate the water under high pressure, and allow the most foamy/bubbly parts of the water passing through to rise to the top, and get 'skimmed' off into a collection cup or bucket. But when you begin to cycle a saltwater fish tank, you don't use the protein skimmer, because these micro-inverebre require the higher nitrate levels to thrive, although they can be dangerous for exotic fish that are used to ideal pristine waters and temperatures.
Salt doesn't have to be more expensive. You can go to walmart and buy the same 55g tank you'd buy for freshwater, and even use the filter that comes with it in combination with more filters, or powerheads, a protein skimmer, a uv sterlizer, and some additional equipment depending on what you are stocking.
I personally learned through many years of experience with tanks..one rule....the most important rule to a clean tank.......OVERFLOW!!!
Don't be afraid to drill your glass. Get a diamond core bit off ebay and the proper thru-hull fittings, and do it right. That means a hole on the side/back/bottom of your tank, that allows water to be fed into the tank at a high rate, and drained through this outlet. I use 1" PVC for my intake and outtake, but I can't utilize the full power of my return pump, so I recommend having a larger drain than return, because you can force water through PVC faster than gravity can let it drain out. Overflow box's are attractive to a beginniner, but adjusting valves comes with water all over the floor and dead stock, so do it once, do it right, and watch some other people do it on youtube, then give it a go.
Don't put ANY metals AT ALL in saltwater = instant death. Brass, copper, any metal with traces of copper or the possibility to even slightly tarnish or corrode will cause traces of this metal to leak into the water. Most invertebre can't handle even the slightest levels of copper, so they will die as soon as you make the mistake.
T5 lights are great for FOWLR (fish only with live rock)
Get a twenty gallon tank from walmart for 10 bucks, get a hang over the back filter rated for a 50-70 gallon tank (you always want to way over power your SW tank, under powering = stagnant SW = death), for 60 bucks you can get a nice t5 light, a bag of instant ocean for 15 bucks will last you a life time, mixing direction for water on the back. Safer with well water, but you have to treat city water of coarse. For 100 bucks or so, you can have a nice nano reef tank set up. Live rocks about 8 bucks a lb, so you can get a pile of rocks from your local fish keeper / store for a few bucks, often coming with a slew of copepods, anenomes, and many other facinating microscopic creatures that grow faster than you can say holy shit.
Get a little nemo (false pecula clown) for 15.99, learn, and enjoy it.
Eventually get a bigger tank and the fun really starts.
Just like growing weed, always start small.
THENUMBER1022
Well-Known Member
The other problem with just dropping fish in right away, is even though you followed the directions with the salt and measured, and even took a salinity test (GET A SALINITY METER!! 10 BUCKS AND GOOD FOR A FEW YEARS IF YOU CLEAN IT! THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOL FOR SW!) the salinity, although properly added in every way, can and WILL spike, which again, will probably kill your fish.
THENUMBER1022
Well-Known Member
The other advantage to an overflow, with a sump, is extending your water mass, even by a few gallons, can be the equivalant of doubling the water in your tank, meaning one thing..
STABILITY.
more tanks, more cultures, more consistant water. I recommend your sump be a third of your display tank. The best part about an overflow system is you NEVER have to worry about your display tanks water level going doing and looking like shit. You just refill the sump tank and let it fluctuate with evaporation..
STABILITY.
more tanks, more cultures, more consistant water. I recommend your sump be a third of your display tank. The best part about an overflow system is you NEVER have to worry about your display tanks water level going doing and looking like shit. You just refill the sump tank and let it fluctuate with evaporation..
Gastanker
Well-Known Member
I was wondering if any other growers were into planted tanks. Started this one over the summer and managed to hatch out some killifish eggs as well:
40b currently inhabited by 2 California roach, 7 neon tetras, several juvenile mosquito fish, 2 killifish, and a ton of cherry shrimp, ghost shrimp, and snails. I use the same organic soil blend for my plants as I do with my aquarium and it does amazing. DIY lighting/hood and co2.
It is comletely over grown atm and needs a heavy trimming so these are not up to date, but they show the initial month and a half progression:
Current really in need of a trim -
40b currently inhabited by 2 California roach, 7 neon tetras, several juvenile mosquito fish, 2 killifish, and a ton of cherry shrimp, ghost shrimp, and snails. I use the same organic soil blend for my plants as I do with my aquarium and it does amazing. DIY lighting/hood and co2.
It is comletely over grown atm and needs a heavy trimming so these are not up to date, but they show the initial month and a half progression:
Current
really in need of a trim -
RaymondStone
Well-Known Member
Here is my 15G fowlr
And my 7G bowfront reef
There are old pics, will take updated ones later.
And my 7G bowfront reef
There are old pics, will take updated ones later.
THENUMBER1022
Well-Known Member
sweet tanks man. really love those nano's..
my clown was about as big as yours, maybe a little smaller. Check him out in the video I posted earlier. He's a fucking giant!
my clown was about as big as yours, maybe a little smaller. Check him out in the video I posted earlier. He's a fucking giant!
CR500ROOST
Well-Known Member
they are the shit.when i was little my dad had a 100 gallon.everyone would fall asleep watching it lol
Gastanker
Well-Known Member
Anyone dose their res with excel? Why wouldn't adding an additional carbon source to MJ plants help them as well? I understand they are exposed to tons more CO2 than submerged plants but even so it should help at least a bit.
Post trim and a smaller tank that was just set-up using some of the scrap riccia -
Redid my smaller tank with all of the riccia
Post trim and a smaller tank that was just set-up using some of the scrap riccia -
Redid my smaller tank with all of the riccia
stumpjumper
Well-Known Member
I have 2 a 55g Mbuna cichlid and a 20g community.
Pic of the 55 is before I added the fish, it still looks the same but there is 20 fish in it and they wont stop making hills of gravel lol.
Pic of the 55 is before I added the fish, it still looks the same but there is 20 fish in it and they wont stop making hills of gravel lol.
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Gastanker
Well-Known Member
Whatcha have in it? I was a picture of the fishies.
^NoR*CaL@420
Well-Known Member
My new Angel, and a portion of my 60gal. with him in the upper middle