Aquariums anyone?

**Cheeseybacon** · September 17th, 2007, 12:53 PM

Anyone here into aquariums? While it does require continuous year round maintenance, I especially enjoy focusing heavily on it during the winter months when when my shooting tapers off heavily.

I have a pretty snazzy planted 30-gallon tank (click here for pics) that I have been maintaining for some time now. I'd like to take this hobby to the next level though and construct a proper reef tank of at least 90 gallons or more. I'm also after a particular class III goodie though, and the cost of setting up such a tank could easily meet or exceed the cost of said goodie, so I'm not sure. Hopefully they won't ban aquariums anytime soon...

What about the rest of you guys? Anyone here like keeping fishies in a box?

**SteveXD** · September 17th, 2007, 01:03 PM

Nice planted tank! Keep up the good work

I use to have 180 gallon reef tank, but I had to sell it since I ran out of room for it. That and I had $500 dollar electric bills every month. It's a fun hobby and I would like to get a 700-800 gallon tank when I move next year. I think the total cost of setting up my tank was some were around 6k plus another 5k in corals (SPS are very expensive) If you are looking for a reef tank I would go with a 120 because it is a deeper (front to back) and will allow you to setup your liverock better..

**Cheeseybacon** · September 17th, 2007, 01:43 PM

Yeah, 120-gallons is a nice size, it's ideally what I'd like to go with. I've been reading about a handful of people using a crapload of compact florescent lights in combination with the AHsupply reflectors in place of Metal Halide lights. Most of the light of a MH setup, at about the same power consumption as well, but with fraction of the heat output, which means no chiller necessary. Have you heard anything about this?

I'm using a single 6700K 96-watt compact florescent on my 30-gallon at the moment. On it's own, the bulb is fairly bright, but add in the fancy parabolic reflector and instantly that sucker will fry your retinas like you wouldn't believe!

**XD45** · September 17th, 2007, 01:57 PM

nice tank there, i've got a 150gallon with an alligator in it right now, and a 46 bowfront, 75, and a 29high with nothing in them... i'm not exactly sure what room i wanna set them up in and just got into my house a few months ago so i'm still redoing stuff and all that

**LorDiego01** · September 17th, 2007, 01:59 PM

oh back in the day, in the olde country, my dad has a gigantinormous warm water fish tank, with about 150 fishes of all types happily living inside it.

Back in the day, in the olde country, the electricity used to go out at random, several times a week.

One day, the power went out, and when it came back on, it did a number to the thermostat, so when we woke up that morning, we found ALL our little fishes dead. Apparently the water reached boiling point, so the smaller fishes literally disintegrated.

It was damn nasty.

I dont keep fish, too much work, but if I had the space, I'd keep some big-ass, evil looking tarantulas though.

**secretbard** · September 17th, 2007, 02:05 PM

I just have a 10 gallon fish tank that I have fake plants in and a lonely Cichlid. I've had three different Cichlids over the past 15 years or so. They usually live to about 5 to 7 years. For me, the tank is more of a therapy and produces a nice calming effect.

**Tsgtbob** · September 17th, 2007, 02:22 PM

Cheesy, when we lived in St Thomas, I found a 55 gallon tank for my better half, and she's had it going for nearly 10 years now!

Got some of our fish from Pugh's (when they were on Wayne Ave. in Cbg) and we still have two of the (don't quote me on the species here) Petticoat Tetras from that set up.

Freshwater is easier than salt to mainatin, and is not as sensitive to temp flucuations and water quality as an ocean tank.

If ya get out to the PMSC for the group shoots, look up Kelly, she's the expert. Another thing, on rte 22 off the Turnpike in Monroeville is her favorite fish shop, Elmer's Aquarium. I don't normally plug shops, but they deserve one!

**mjd932** · September 17th, 2007, 02:51 PM

That's a beautiful, healthy looking set-up. I used to breed cichlids (those things go at it like rabbits) and I had some other random aquariums. Of course I had a 40 gallon aquarium with my Piranha as well

No fishies now...darn small house...

**XD45** · September 17th, 2007, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by WhiteFeather

XD45 You didn't happen to lose a alligator when you moved did you? I am just kidding of course but I have always been suprised at all of them found in Allegheny county waters over the years.

Man Discovers Reptile Floating In Yough River - The four and a half to five foot long, 25 pound reptile
http://kdka.com/topstories/local_story_147221210.html

Alligator Found In Downtown Pittsburgh Fountain
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/...77/detail.html

Gator Discovered Near Convention Center Downtown
http://www.wpxi.com/news/13961814/de...=burg&psp=news

Alligator found near dam
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04165/331136.stm

Local fisherman reels in a piranha
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06213/710091-140.stm

yeah they always find that type of stuff, people dont realize they will actually keep growing to full size even if they are in a small tank unlike like alot of reptiles and fish that won't grow bigger than their tank... I had one that got to about 4.5ft, but when i moved to SC I had to get rid of him because if they found him down there they'd have killed him cause they are illegal there... so when I went down to find my place for college, I went to Georgia and released him.. once they get to that size they have a good chance of living a full life.. when I got back from school I got another one, but he's still small only had him a few months

**SteveXD** · September 17th, 2007, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by Cheeseybacon

Yeah, 120-gallons is a nice size, it's ideally what I'd like to go with. I've been reading about a handful of people using a crapload of compact florescent lights in combination with the AHsupply reflectors in place of Metal Halide lights. Most of the light of a MH setup, at about the same power consumption as well, but with fraction of the heat output, which means no chiller necessary. Have you heard anything about this?

I'm not sure what people are up to right now since I've been out of the hobby for about 1.5 years

I was using 3 10K 250w MH bulbs and they would throw off a ton of heat. I also change my reflectors at the end like you and it made a huge difference. I had a 1/2 HP chiller that would help, but not too much. My biggest heat generator was my pump system. I had a closed loop with three pumps. I forget my turnover rate but it was ridiculously high