Author Topic: Home aquariums. (Read 35404 times)

Chino · « **on:** February 11, 2011, 04:24:50 PM »

I know I posted this in the Avatar thread a while back, but I was curious if any other members are into building aquariums. I recently joined a few aquarium forums and am absolutely blown away with what some people do. Here is mine from beginning to a few I just took a few minutes ago. I have my original 10 gallon in the attic. I am thinking about trying out a live tank. One where all the plants have to be taken care of as well as the fish.

*upgraded to a larger tank*

Dynia · « **Reply #1 on:** February 11, 2011, 05:00:19 PM »

I like your aquarium. It's shiny.
I have had a small freshwater tank with some cichilds, but right now i am converting it into a saltwater aquarium. I have almost all gear i need. As soom as i'm done collecting money for some live rock, i will start my tank. Too bad this shit is so expensive.

bosk1 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 11, 2011, 05:10:00 PM »

I thought about going salt as well, but it's just not worth it. Not only is it expensive, but the maintenance to keep the tank healthy is very time-consuming. With my python, I can do a 50% water change on my 55 gallon FW tank in less than 20 minutes TOTAL. No mixing. No bucket hauling. Nuthin' like that. With a SW tank, it takes a lot longer.

I'll try to get a copy of my tank up later tonight or tomorrow.

El Barto · « **Reply #3 on:** February 11, 2011, 05:11:53 PM »

25 years worth, roughly. Currently operating a 50g breeder, which has been uninhabited for several months now. The fish I'm looking to put in there are hard as hell to come by, and since I'm moving quite soon, I stopped looking a couple of months ago. Once I get moved, I'll probably order the new fish online just to get it taken care of.

Quote from: bösk1 on February 11, 2011, 05:10:00 PM

I thought about going salt as well, but it's just not worth it. Not only is it expensive, but the maintenance to keep the tank healthy is very time-consuming. With my python, I can do a 50% water change on my 55 gallon FW tank in less than 20 minutes TOTAL. No mixing. No bucket hauling. Nuthin' like that. With a SW tank, it takes a lot longer.

QFT
A python is the single most important part of any aquarium. I would have given up the hobby 20 years ago if I hadn't discovered the thing.

bosk1 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 11, 2011, 05:17:49 PM »

EB, what fish are you looking for? (not that I can help; I'm just curious)

bosk1 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 11, 2011, 05:19:23 PM »

Oh, and Chino: Not sure what sites you are using, but I used to LOVE this one: https://www.aquariumadvice.com

You can't always trust the advice on the forums since it is a public form that is open to everybody, but when I was active on there years ago, there were always lots of knowledgeable people ready to help out with questions. And there are lots of great articles as well.

ReaperKK · « **Reply #6 on:** February 11, 2011, 07:17:02 PM »

I've always wanted to start a tank but I really don't have the time for it. I've seen some beautiful planted freshwater tanks in my day.

rumborak · « **Reply #7 on:** February 11, 2011, 07:57:35 PM »

Shark bait, woo ha ha!

Jirpo · « **Reply #8 on:** February 11, 2011, 09:23:41 PM »

Fish is one of my main hobbies, along with basketball (and music of course

). I have a 6 foot long tank that is currently inhabited with community fish such as clown loaches, gouramis, and some native little fish I caught down at the pond (they tend to be quite aggressive and they started killing my neons so I had to transfer the neons to another tank

). I'll post some vids later

I used to have cichlids in my tank but I got rid of them because I didn't have the time to take care of them, a community aquarium is much easier .

El Barto · « **Reply #9 on:** February 11, 2011, 09:33:05 PM »

Quote from: bösk1 on February 11, 2011, 05:17:49 PM

EB, what fish are you looking for? (not that I can help; I'm just curious)

Geophagus altifrons

Jirpo · « **Reply #10 on:** February 11, 2011, 09:34:29 PM »

Geo's are lovely fish

Neon · « **Reply #11 on:** February 11, 2011, 10:27:01 PM »

Fish tanks look so cool but they're so much work I don't think I would ever want to be bothered starting one. We had a small tank when I was a kid and it was really a pain in the ass having to clean it.

Chino · « **Reply #12 on:** February 11, 2011, 11:08:12 PM »

Quote from: bösk1 on February 11, 2011, 05:19:23 PM

Oh, and Chino: Not sure what sites you are using, but I used to LOVE this one: https://www.aquariumadvice.com

Thanks Bosk

That site looks really promising, I'll check it out more tomorrow after work. These are the two I have been posting on.

https://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/index.php
and
https://www.aquariumforum.com/forum.php

Jirpo · « **Reply #13 on:** February 12, 2011, 01:23:36 AM »

I use a local one, theres a club and because its local you get good advice and trades from other members.

https://www.perthcichlid.com.au/forum/index.php?&&&CODE=00

EPICVIEW · « **Reply #14 on:** February 13, 2011, 05:20:15 PM »

cool thread...looks good Chino!

one day I want to get a salt water tank. I love checking them out in the pet store.

Chino · « **Reply #15 on:** March 15, 2011, 09:23:47 AM »

Quote from: El Barto on February 11, 2011, 05:11:53 PM

Once I get moved, I'll probably order the new fish online just to get it taken care of.

A python is the single most important part of any aquarium. I would have given up the hobby 20 years ago if I hadn't discovered the thing.

How do you order fish online?

What is a python?

El Barto · « **Reply #16 on:** March 15, 2011, 09:44:43 AM »

Quote from: Chino on March 15, 2011, 09:23:47 AM

Quote from: El Barto on February 11, 2011, 05:11:53 PM
Once I get moved, I'll probably order the new fish online just to get it taken care of.

A python is the single most important part of any aquarium. I would have given up the hobby 20 years ago if I hadn't discovered the thing.

How do you order fish online?

What is a python?

Many of the tropical fish sold in this country come from hobbyists who sell fry to LFS (local fish stores). Once you get a well established species tank, you'll often wind up with far more fry than you want, so you unload them. LFS's will buy them for store credit and sell them to others. There's a website that functions as an eBay for fish breeders, since there's only so much that the LFS will buy. Some guy in Cali (for example) will happily sell 6 very young fish for $20, which is $20 he didn't have before. The LFS would have sold them for $25 each. As the buyer, you'll pay $75 to have them overnighted to you, but you'll still come out way ahead than if you'd purchased them locally. Since I can't go to Venezuela to get the fish I want, this is the next best option.

A python's a 25' hose that connects to a kitchen or bathroom sink. It'll drain water out of the tank very quickly, and then by turning the valve, it'll pump water back into it. You can replace 50% of a 50 gallon tank in about 5 minutes with very little fuss.

bosk1 · « **Reply #17 on:** March 15, 2011, 09:50:27 AM »

Quote from: El Barto on March 15, 2011, 09:44:43 AM

A python's a 25' hose that connects to a kitchen or bathroom sink. It'll drain water out of the tank very quickly, and then by turning the valve, it'll pump water back into it. You can replace 50% of a 50 gallon tank in about 5 minutes with very little fuss.

Or 50', or 75'... At our old house, I could do a water change in no time at all. Given where the tank was, I could run the python right to the laundry room sink right around the corner. Where the tank is in our new house, it's a bit more of a hassle. The only sink close enough is the kitchen sink, and it doesn't have enough water pressure to generate enough suction to really clean the gravel. So I basically have to run the backhard hose in through the slider door in our kitchen with the python hooked up to it and draining into the kitchen sink for taking the water out. Then for refilling the tank, I switch over to the faucet so I can match the tank temperature. It's a few extra steps that feel like a hassle given that I had gotten really used to how easy it was in the old house. But still REALLY easy compared to the old-school syphon & bucket method of doing water changes.

Chino · « **Reply #18 on:** March 15, 2011, 09:50:27 AM »

How do the fish not die in the mail though? I'm instructed to get them out of there bags within an hour when I get them from a store.

El Barto · « **Reply #19 on:** March 15, 2011, 10:04:47 AM »

Quote from: Chino on March 15, 2011, 09:50:27 AM

How do the fish not die in the mail though? I'm instructed to get them out of there bags within an hour when I get them from a store.

Fish are good for 24-36 hours in the bag. It's stressful, so you prefer not to do that, but it's still doable. That's how fish arrive at your LFS. Plenty of the fish you see in Petsmart actually were caught in the wild; in many cases Africa, China and South America.

More specifically, you bag them and pump in pure O2. You make sure the bags are secured in the box so they're not flying around. You throw in a couple of 80° heat packs, then you insure the shit out of them with Fedex.

EPICVIEW · « **Reply #20 on:** March 15, 2011, 10:51:42 AM »

When I move to another house (I want to sell my current one) I love the animals, and would like to have a great tank again. my friend owns a pet store with extensive aquariums and amazing amazing species, and thats fueling my want to have a tank again. right now we have two kitties, thats all..

enjoy Chino!!!!!!!

Kosmo · « **Reply #21 on:** March 15, 2011, 10:55:18 AM »

I'm tempted to..Yeah, i'll have to do it!

Of my aquariuuuum.

bosk1 · « **Reply #22 on:** March 15, 2011, 11:19:05 AM »

The Official "Caption Chino's Aquarium Thread:

Quote from: Chino on February 11, 2011, 04:24:50 PM

Blue guy: "Trapped inside this! Blue aqu-quar-EE-YUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!"

Gadough · « **Reply #23 on:** March 15, 2011, 10:53:02 PM »

I had a freshwater tank in my room for a few years. After awhile, I decided it was no longer worth it to keep it. It got dirty way too quickly, cleaning it was a bitch, and every time a fish died I would beat myself up over it thinking it was my fault (it probably was). One day I just said screw it, and got rid of it. I don't miss it.

Jirpo · « **Reply #24 on:** March 16, 2011, 04:37:40 AM »

My fish tank is going well! I'll post up pics soon

Chino · « **Reply #25 on:** May 09, 2011, 11:08:39 AM »

Well now that the semester is coming to an end. I'd like to get cracking on my next tank. I would love to make an underwater stonehenge. Making a legit looking model is easy, getting it to last underwater and not kill fish is another story. Any input?

bosk1 · « **Reply #26 on:** May 09, 2011, 11:26:17 AM »

My advice would be to use actual stones. A lot of aqarium supply stores have bins of different kinds of stones in varying shapes and sizes. You can probably find a lot of what you need there and be fairly confident that it is properly treated and only needs a routine cleaning before use. Use the same kind of transparent silicone glue they use to seal tanks to bond the pieces together so it is a permanent structure that won't get broken down by the slightest movement.

Chino · « **Reply #27 on:** May 10, 2011, 07:12:59 AM »

I've looked all over for stones. It's hard to find enough of similar size and shape to make a stonehenge. I was thinking mabye pouring like 20 rectangular blocks out of plaster or something, then carve them away to shape. My biggest concern is coloring them.

El Barto · « **Reply #28 on:** May 10, 2011, 08:16:41 AM »

If you're actually gong to have fish in the thing, I wouldn't use plaster. It's going to screw with the water chemistry in a very unpredictable way. What you need to do is plan a drive to a nice river or a big creek. The stones you find in fast moving water are exactly the sort of thing you're looking for.

Chino · « **Reply #29 on:** August 16, 2011, 06:25:28 AM »

Thought this show might interest some of you. It Starts this Friday on animal planet, it's called Tanked. Looks kind of cool.

https://animal.discovery.com/tv/tanked/

ReaperKK · « **Reply #30 on:** August 16, 2011, 06:34:58 AM »

Looks cool, I'll check it out.

YtseBitsySpider · « **Reply #31 on:** August 16, 2011, 06:42:29 AM »

I have a buddy who's big into it.
He has shrimp scurrying along the bottom, and for a while he had a blue lobster until it got too big..and then it went bye-bye. He always has something interesting in his tank.

Jirpo · « **Reply #32 on:** August 16, 2011, 07:01:30 AM »

When I get some more plants I'll post up pics of my display tank. Its looking a bit bare atm

CrimsonSunrise · « **Reply #33 on:** August 16, 2011, 09:54:19 PM »

If I could only win the lottery.......

Gadough · « **Reply #34 on:** August 16, 2011, 10:56:05 PM »

I would be terrified of the glass breaking while I was asleep.

News: Video of online chat between fans and members of Dream Theater: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx8cLlXnHpA&feature=youtu.be (*no chickens were harmed during the filming of this chat)

Author Topic: Home aquariums. (Read 35404 times)

Kosmo