Any aquarium guys here?

Discussion in 'Blazers OT Forum' started by Fez Hammersticks, Jul 27, 2014.

  1. Fez Hammersticks

    Fez Hammersticks スーパーバッド Zero Cool

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    At first I wanted to go all out and get a giant 250g aquarium and then I studied the filtration/lighting/chiller system and was blown away at the huge amount of time it'll take to maintain each system. Instead, I'm opting for a 50g rimless cube:

    [​IMG]

    Along with going with a more modest tank, I'll likely start out with (saltwater) fish-only. Coral reefs aren't for beginners and are extremely delicate. I know they're impossible to find but I'm very interested in (Pygmy/Flamboyant) cuttlefish. One of the ugliest/neatest fish creatures you'll ever see.

    This video shows the pulsating colors really well:

    http://s841.photobucket.com/user/walnats/media/VIDEO0051.mp4.html
     
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2014
  2. riverman

    riverman Writing Team

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    Not an aquarium guy, I'm a Leo but I snorkel and love sashimi. Joking aside, that's a cool looking unit
     
  3. The_Lillard_King

    The_Lillard_King Westside

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    I was a big aquarium guy for about 10 yrs and want another one in the future.

    I find saltwater fish so much more interesting and have more personality, but are a lot more work than freshwater tanks. Seems like the modern trend are the reef type tanks in your picture. i hear they are less maintenance once you get them set up.

    Having the right equipment will save on some of the maintenance. You can start simple with some hardy saltwater fish. I had a trigger fish that I loved and eels are very easy to care for. But once you get an aggressive fish it limits the other type of fish you can get. Had to get rid of the trigger to get butterfly and angel fish. It takes time but was a fun and satisfying hobby.

    Loved my saltwater fish tank and can't wait for another one. Probably do a reef tank .
     
  4. Fez Hammersticks

    Fez Hammersticks スーパーバッド Zero Cool

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    Triggerfish and Tangs are cool! Iirc, the Tang can leave a nasty sting. Lionfish look cool but any fish with venom/poison makes me nervous. The cowfish is known to explode if it dies violently and will kill everything in your tank from its poison.

    [video=youtube;4pl82HUpUtU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pl82HUpUtU[/video]

    This will be my fist saltwater tank but I'm not a total newbie to tanks -- I grew up with cichlid aquariums.
     
    Last edited: Jul 29, 2014
  5. jlprk

    jlprk The ESPN mod is insane.

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    It's cheaper to maintain a colorful flower garden. You get the same aesthetic rewards in one less dimension, the movement one.
     
  6. BoBoBREWSKI

    BoBoBREWSKI BURP!

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    That's a bad ass looking tank!

    I had a 55 gallon tank with various Cichlids for many years. I loved it. I hope to get a new tank some day soon. I'll probably go saltwater this time.

    My favorite local fish shop is The Wet Spot off of Sandy.
     
  7. Fez Hammersticks

    Fez Hammersticks スーパーバッド Zero Cool

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    I also had a Red Belly Piranha tank. But looking back I remember my Cichlids were much more aggressive. My Oscar was a straight up asshole. The Pacu grew like crazy. Scary big.
     
  8. PDXFonz

    PDXFonz I’m listening

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    You often have these great ideas, but leave them incomplete. Birds could be attracted to add movement.
     
  9. jlprk

    jlprk The ESPN mod is insane.

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    Well okay, but I was trying to make it cheap. Now you need a half-acre of overhanging nets to prevent escape, and you need to buy poop scrapes. But you save money on your dawn alarm clock.
     
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  10. BoBoBREWSKI

    BoBoBREWSKI BURP!

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    I had a Piranha tank also. Had about 10 little ones in a 40 gallon tank. It was cool when they where little because I could buy one of those fat goldfish and they'd swarm it. But as they got bigger they'd eat things in almost one bite and they out grew the tank so I sold them to a buddy who put them in a bigger tank and he fed them mice. He eventually had to start getting rid of some also because they got so big.
     
  11. Fez Hammersticks

    Fez Hammersticks スーパーバッド Zero Cool

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    Here's a good example of the temperament of some Cichlids -- The Wolf Cichlid:

    [video=youtube;5INdyThTlWY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5INdyThTlWY[/video]

    What a dick! This wolf wants your flesh rather than the fish food.
     
    Last edited: Jul 29, 2014
  12. BoBoBREWSKI

    BoBoBREWSKI BURP!

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    ^ That's crazy! No way I'd want a fish like that. I like fish tanks because they are relaxing to look at. That SOB is crazy.
    My tank was full of much smaller Cichlids like these:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  13. MadeFromDust

    MadeFromDust Well-Known Member

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    I used to have a 55 gallon freshwater aquarium that I loved. I want to buy another one in the future.
     
  14. Eastoff

    Eastoff But it was a beginning.

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    I'm guessing this fish is just sick of being alone and is lashing out violently. Contrary to Kurt Cobain, fish probably do have feelings.
     
  15. BoBoBREWSKI

    BoBoBREWSKI BURP!

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    Ha ha! But there was a female fish in the tank. It's hiding in the log.
     
  16. Fez Hammersticks

    Fez Hammersticks スーパーバッド Zero Cool

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    Maybe it's just their species? The Wolf Cichlids are from the murky waters of Central America.

    The Cichlids you posted are from Africa's tropical Lake Malawi:

    [​IMG]
     
  17. Fez Hammersticks

    Fez Hammersticks スーパーバッド Zero Cool

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    Here's a Malawi Cichlid setup with a reef-ready sump filtration system. This looks just as good as any (non-coral) saltwater tank:

    [video=youtube;5jTvaliXbD0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jTvaliXbD0[/video]
     
    Last edited: Jul 30, 2014
  18. theprunetang

    theprunetang Shaedon "Deadly Nightshade" Sharpe is HIM

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    I have owned tanks for about ten years. Had to get rid of them the last time I moved. It was purge time. I definitely miss it in most ways, but also don't miss the time I spent keeping them clean and safe. I always had South American cichlids. Started with Oscars and moved on to some really interesting fish, which were a breeding pair of Convict cichlids that had mated with Honduran Red Points. They were super aggressive, were beautiful, and ended up having 50 percent albino babies, even though neither of the fish were albino. They just had babies so often that I had to cull my tank and get rid of their offspring waaaay too often. And it always made me feel bad.
     
  19. Fez Hammersticks

    Fez Hammersticks スーパーバッド Zero Cool

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    Any reason why you went with primarily South American species?

    The price of cichlids today are night and day compared to the late 90's when I had mine.

    The flowerhorn cichlid can reach into the thousands!

    [​IMG]

    If I had a cichlid tank today I'd definitely stock it with Peacock and Lake Victorians:

    [​IMG]

    And Trout Cichlid:

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 30, 2014
  20. BoBoBREWSKI

    BoBoBREWSKI BURP!

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    Close this thread! It's making me want to save for a new tank! :cheers:
     

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