. ...anyone else into fish ?

[~ Timbrwolf]

...Okay...so I got this HUGE friggin 55 gallon aquarium for Christmas....gonna set it up at the end of the dining room table in the dining room...over looking the bar into the kitchen...so you can view it from both sides...its gonna be cool ...Im in the process of designing the interior so the fishies have a cool place to hang out....trying to learn what I can off the net before I start buying fish...pitfalls and what not...anyone else into fish ? .. 

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

...Okay...so I got this HUGE friggin 55 gallon aquarium for Christmas....gonna set it up at the end of the dining room table in the dining room...over looking the bar into the kitchen...so you can view it from both sides...its gonna be cool ...Im in the process of designing the interior so the fishies have a cool place to hang out....trying to learn what I can off the net before I start buying fish...pitfalls and what not...anyone else into fish ? ..  

You should check with Paul ( Thumper ) and see if he has Chris's phone # . Chris rides with us and lives in Atlanta,Ga. He has a very successful business taking care of high end aquarium's for high rollers ( doctor's -lawyers-business men etc ) in the Atlanta area. He does aquarium's you can swim in     He would be able to tell you what fish to buy as well so they coexist in peace....I've had my 25 gallon aquarium set-up since my kids was little ( just looked and I've got 11 fish in it now ) .

[Daniel Meyer]

...Okay...so I got this HUGE friggin 55 gallon aquarium for Christmas....gonna set it up at the end of the dining room table in the dining room...over looking the bar into the kitchen...so you can view it from both sides...its gonna be cool ...Im in the process of designing the interior so the fishies have a cool place to hang out....trying to learn what I can off the net before I start buying fish...pitfalls and what not...anyone else into fish ? .. 

Serk comes to mind..."into" would probably be an understatement. I'm pretty sure his fish have internet access. 

I imagine he'll pop in here.

[Serk]

Fish? Did someone say fish?

This is an old picture, it's grown out a LOT since this was taken:



I've been keeping saltwater reef aquariums for ~15 years now. That's my 300 gallon mixed reef (Mainly SPS) in wall. Full system volume right at 500 gallons.

More recent pics, but not a full tank shot.

Right side:



Middle section:



Left side:



And yeah, the fish do in a way have internet access. The vital stats of the aquarium are pulled onto my web server and monitored and charted, as well as if any get too far out of whack the aquarium pages me:




What are you looking to do with the aquarium? Simple fresh water fish tank? Fresh water planted? Simple salt water fish only, salt water fish only with some hardy corals, or full reef? (Or do you know enough to know what you want yet? )

[six2go #152]

Make sure you put one 4" to 5" Red Oscar in there. It won't be long until he has the tank to himself, but in a 55 gal he should reach the 3lb mark pretty easily. Then ya can fry him up & start over.   

[Fritz The Cat]

At one time I had a 240 gallon fresh water planted tank.



Unfortunately, it did not survive the divorce.  :'(

[John Schmidt]

I remember the last tank we had, a unit small enough to sit on top of our old piano. The girls were in jr. high and grade school, they're in their 50's now so it was a long time ago. We were all messing around in the living room and a plastic cup with a weighted bottom was in my hand. I was demonstrating how to flip it around behind my back and catch it in front, somewhat like I used to do with a basketball when younger. One of the girls grabbed for it, the cup went flying and hit the tank near the bottom....knocking a nickel size hole in it. We promptly had a waterfall effect (20 gallons worth) over the side and onto the piano keyboard approximately on "middle C." From there it spread a couple octaves up and down, then onto the wall to wall carpet in another smaller waterfall effect. The fish were all going "downstream" as well, bouncing off the keyboard and onto the carpet. As they were laying there flipping around, the dog was going nuts trying to grab them, the girls were all screaming, as was their mother.

I gathered up the fish and gave them away. The carpet made a nice area rug after it dried.....and shrunk. I threw the tank out, gave away the piano which was mostly ruined but some parts were useful so gave it to a guy that repaired pianos. Then bought a bigger TV set to go in the spot where the piano used to sit. Never bought another fish tank, but to this day my girls will often ask me to demonstrate how to toss a cup behind my back and catch it in front. Bunch of smart alecs they are.  

I've often said I could write a book on raising four daughters and a wife. They counter by telling me they could write one on "raising father."

[R J]

Sorry David, I thought you were asking about the ones ya catch on a hook and then have a fish fry.

Grandma had one from the time my mom was a little girl.    My sister, RIP darlin, and I were wrestling around in the front room one Holiday of some sort.   Do I have to go on?    For those of you who like gore, she went into it head first.  She survived, but had some hellish scars from it on her neck and back.   Don't know how her face missed getting cut, but it didn't.

Needless to say, I ate standing up and slept on my stomach for a week or two.   That was the last ass whompin I remember my dad giving me, RIP dad.

As Forrest Gump would say:
“That's all I have to say about that.”

[BradValk48237]

Welcome to the Madness!!!

 Fish tanks are just like boats..... holes in the water you pour money into!! (well its a portable hole!)

Seriously- reseach is your key and a good pet shop- get some of the best advice from Fish only petshops- Probably not to many in Grayling as I remember , but other people in the hobby are a great resource- but like Valk owners we all have our own opinion on how you should do it.

I once lived in a rental house with 2 buddies- we ended up with a total of 58 tanks going- landlord wondered why the electric bill was so high. Ii am down to one tank now- a 65 high that serves as a room divider.... bad cell phone photo below- It was salt water, but i got tired of the extra work and expense- freshwater planted ow , but still has the wet-dry system- super low maint now.

So read up and see whats best for you- if you have any questions drop me a line

Brad

[Gavin_Sons]

I have a 150 gallon planted discus tank. You may want to check out aquascaping world .com. Lots of great info on there. Its like this valk site but for fish. I learned tons from there. Sounds like you have a good idea of what you want to do with it. Just make sure you go through your 30 day nitrogen cycle before you add any pricey fish. Good luck with the new tank.

[highcountry]

I have had aquariums off and on for years; fascinating hobby.  I now have several reptiles including two gila monsters.

[~ Timbrwolf]

. ..wow...surprised at the response...thought mebbe I was one of the few around here that had an interest in this hobby. ...thanks all for responding. ...I plan to keep researching and planning the lay out of my tank...gonna take my time and get the right look....goin for an "ancient Asian ruin look"....already have a few pieces picked out...not sure whether to go with real plants or plastic...I want a realistic plant life...but Im not sure if real plants increase the cleaning that much...and on the other hand, I dont want it to be obvious that the plants are plastic...

....Serk...looks like you have a very elaborate lay out..Im impressed, and one day hope to go with a salt water tank and cool plants and corals as well as some cool sea creatures....may have a few questions for you down the line....Brad...I may be picking your brain also...

.......thanks all..  

[DFragn]

The 2nd largest salt water tank in the world.  

Kuroshio Sea - 2nd largest aquarium tank in the world - (song is Please don't go by Barcelona)	powered by Aeva

Those whale sharks are just puppies...

Note the 2 divers in there too.

If you've got the speed view at 720p

[junior]

thats nice, you get it set up between the dinningroom and the bar? it could doubble the pleasure  as far as relaxing. it can be used to have the frshest sushi in the nehborhood..........lol

[YoungPUP]

D@mn I was hoping to fidn a few good fish receipes....

[BradValk48237]

REAL PLANTS!!!!!!!!!!

[BF]

The 2nd largest salt water tank in the world.  

Kuroshio Sea - 2nd largest aquarium tank in the world - (song is Please don't go by Barcelona)

Those whale sharks are just puppies...

Note the 2 divers in there too.

If you've got the speed view at 720p

Wish I could figure out how to make that video my screen saver.  It's awesome!   

[musclehead]

Serk! very nice! I never had salt water, we had cichlids gold fish neon tetras and the ususual suspects from pet shops. we did have a 9" plecostomus and a 10" spiny eel named (what else? spiny norman monty python)

we bought most of our tanks and fish from a co-worker, who saved his pennies and bought a silver arowana.  now thats a cool fish.

[Hoser]

I had a goldfish in a bowl when I was little, I took him out and played with him.  He went to sleep upside down when I got done playing and put him back in the bowl.  Must have made him tired.   ??? Hoser

[PAVALKER]

I try to get some every week.....  and twice a week during lent.