Anyone have an Aquarium?

ToolMaker
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ToolMaker 4/3/2022 9:32pm
4/3/2022 9:32pm
Ha, "aquarium" old Indian word for throwing good money in a wet hole never to be seen again.
About 30 years ago the wife wanted an aquarium. Ok, it's Christmas, I'll spend $150 on an aquarium for her.
I knew nothing about aquariums at this point. Then I saw an amazing cabinet. So I had an oak cabinet made. $700.
The aquarium store asks what's going in the tank.
Well those fish look real nice. Oh, those are salt water, you'll need special lights. Another $1,000.
A few days later, what do you want to do about filtration?
What do I need? Well, this protien skimmer, with biological something or other, a big ass eheim, iwaki pump, ozone set up. Another $1,500
Now mind you, the aquarium is still empty.
80gal show tank. Now we need live rock 80lbs @ $10 per pound to build the back wall. Most fish were not less than $100 back then. Of course a new aquarium, you spend a lot of time at the fish store. So one day I see this bitchin purple lobster. I ask what's involved in taking care of him? Not much, they are bottom feeders, and usually pretty active at night. Well guess what, the fish sleep on the bottom at night.
Fuc@ing lobster started eating all the 🐠 , not the cheap ones mind you, no those are not tasty enough for this little fuc@er. I had to take 80 lbs of rock out to find him to take him back to the store so we could buy another $500 fish.
Fuc@ having you own aquarium. But they are so relaxing to just sit and watch. Did I forget to mention all the money for the anenomies? It's way cheaper to fly to the Caribbean and go scuba diving!!!
1
Chance1216
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Chance1216 4/3/2022 10:14pm
4/3/2022 10:14pm
ToolMaker wrote:
Ha, "aquarium" old Indian word for throwing good money in a wet hole never to be seen again. About 30 years ago the wife wanted an...
Ha, "aquarium" old Indian word for throwing good money in a wet hole never to be seen again.
About 30 years ago the wife wanted an aquarium. Ok, it's Christmas, I'll spend $150 on an aquarium for her.
I knew nothing about aquariums at this point. Then I saw an amazing cabinet. So I had an oak cabinet made. $700.
The aquarium store asks what's going in the tank.
Well those fish look real nice. Oh, those are salt water, you'll need special lights. Another $1,000.
A few days later, what do you want to do about filtration?
What do I need? Well, this protien skimmer, with biological something or other, a big ass eheim, iwaki pump, ozone set up. Another $1,500
Now mind you, the aquarium is still empty.
80gal show tank. Now we need live rock 80lbs @ $10 per pound to build the back wall. Most fish were not less than $100 back then. Of course a new aquarium, you spend a lot of time at the fish store. So one day I see this bitchin purple lobster. I ask what's involved in taking care of him? Not much, they are bottom feeders, and usually pretty active at night. Well guess what, the fish sleep on the bottom at night.
Fuc@ing lobster started eating all the 🐠 , not the cheap ones mind you, no those are not tasty enough for this little fuc@er. I had to take 80 lbs of rock out to find him to take him back to the store so we could buy another $500 fish.
Fuc@ having you own aquarium. But they are so relaxing to just sit and watch. Did I forget to mention all the money for the anenomies? It's way cheaper to fly to the Caribbean and go scuba diving!!!
I lost an entire 135 gallon LPS tank due to red slime algae taking over the entire tank in 3 days. I won’t even say how much was in that tank. Now, African cichlids. Cheaper and plenty colorful
Pistonslap
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Pistonslap 4/4/2022 6:41am
4/4/2022 6:41am
ToolMaker wrote:
Ha, "aquarium" old Indian word for throwing good money in a wet hole never to be seen again. About 30 years ago the wife wanted an...
Ha, "aquarium" old Indian word for throwing good money in a wet hole never to be seen again.
About 30 years ago the wife wanted an aquarium. Ok, it's Christmas, I'll spend $150 on an aquarium for her.
I knew nothing about aquariums at this point. Then I saw an amazing cabinet. So I had an oak cabinet made. $700.
The aquarium store asks what's going in the tank.
Well those fish look real nice. Oh, those are salt water, you'll need special lights. Another $1,000.
A few days later, what do you want to do about filtration?
What do I need? Well, this protien skimmer, with biological something or other, a big ass eheim, iwaki pump, ozone set up. Another $1,500
Now mind you, the aquarium is still empty.
80gal show tank. Now we need live rock 80lbs @ $10 per pound to build the back wall. Most fish were not less than $100 back then. Of course a new aquarium, you spend a lot of time at the fish store. So one day I see this bitchin purple lobster. I ask what's involved in taking care of him? Not much, they are bottom feeders, and usually pretty active at night. Well guess what, the fish sleep on the bottom at night.
Fuc@ing lobster started eating all the 🐠 , not the cheap ones mind you, no those are not tasty enough for this little fuc@er. I had to take 80 lbs of rock out to find him to take him back to the store so we could buy another $500 fish.
Fuc@ having you own aquarium. But they are so relaxing to just sit and watch. Did I forget to mention all the money for the anenomies? It's way cheaper to fly to the Caribbean and go scuba diving!!!
I hate when I hear these stories. That fish store really screwed you. It's not an expensive hobby if your patient and understand the cycling process. Problem is we buy a tank and want fish immediately which isn't realistic.
1
ToolMaker
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ToolMaker 4/4/2022 5:28pm
4/4/2022 5:28pm
ToolMaker wrote:
Ha, "aquarium" old Indian word for throwing good money in a wet hole never to be seen again. About 30 years ago the wife wanted an...
Ha, "aquarium" old Indian word for throwing good money in a wet hole never to be seen again.
About 30 years ago the wife wanted an aquarium. Ok, it's Christmas, I'll spend $150 on an aquarium for her.
I knew nothing about aquariums at this point. Then I saw an amazing cabinet. So I had an oak cabinet made. $700.
The aquarium store asks what's going in the tank.
Well those fish look real nice. Oh, those are salt water, you'll need special lights. Another $1,000.
A few days later, what do you want to do about filtration?
What do I need? Well, this protien skimmer, with biological something or other, a big ass eheim, iwaki pump, ozone set up. Another $1,500
Now mind you, the aquarium is still empty.
80gal show tank. Now we need live rock 80lbs @ $10 per pound to build the back wall. Most fish were not less than $100 back then. Of course a new aquarium, you spend a lot of time at the fish store. So one day I see this bitchin purple lobster. I ask what's involved in taking care of him? Not much, they are bottom feeders, and usually pretty active at night. Well guess what, the fish sleep on the bottom at night.
Fuc@ing lobster started eating all the 🐠 , not the cheap ones mind you, no those are not tasty enough for this little fuc@er. I had to take 80 lbs of rock out to find him to take him back to the store so we could buy another $500 fish.
Fuc@ having you own aquarium. But they are so relaxing to just sit and watch. Did I forget to mention all the money for the anenomies? It's way cheaper to fly to the Caribbean and go scuba diving!!!
Pistonslap wrote:
I hate when I hear these stories. That fish store really screwed you. It's not an expensive hobby if your patient and understand the cycling process...
I hate when I hear these stories. That fish store really screwed you. It's not an expensive hobby if your patient and understand the cycling process. Problem is we buy a tank and want fish immediately which isn't realistic.
So I didn't know anything about aquariums at the beginning of that. But we did read a lot and start out with the "green chromis" and added a little at a time trying to keep the tank balanced. But that wasn't even the expensive part of the story. I had the tank professionally set up. (think $$s again). All the filtration was below the tank, connections went through the bottom, lights were all inside the upper part of the cabinet. Really nice setup! So one day we et home and there was a power outage. We walked into the house and walked by the aquarium, the water looks kid of funny, wait, there's no water. Where the fuc@ did all the water go? Check valve failed during the power outage and all the water ran out the filtration system and flooded the hardwood floors. But it had gotten under the boards so there were no puddles and you could not tell how far the damage went. Turned out the whole mid level of the house needed new hardwood floors. Much cheaper to take your wife on a carribean vacation for a week and scuba dive!!Wink
TM

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Pistonslap
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Pistonslap 4/4/2022 6:11pm
4/4/2022 6:11pm
ToolMaker wrote:
Ha, "aquarium" old Indian word for throwing good money in a wet hole never to be seen again. About 30 years ago the wife wanted an...
Ha, "aquarium" old Indian word for throwing good money in a wet hole never to be seen again.
About 30 years ago the wife wanted an aquarium. Ok, it's Christmas, I'll spend $150 on an aquarium for her.
I knew nothing about aquariums at this point. Then I saw an amazing cabinet. So I had an oak cabinet made. $700.
The aquarium store asks what's going in the tank.
Well those fish look real nice. Oh, those are salt water, you'll need special lights. Another $1,000.
A few days later, what do you want to do about filtration?
What do I need? Well, this protien skimmer, with biological something or other, a big ass eheim, iwaki pump, ozone set up. Another $1,500
Now mind you, the aquarium is still empty.
80gal show tank. Now we need live rock 80lbs @ $10 per pound to build the back wall. Most fish were not less than $100 back then. Of course a new aquarium, you spend a lot of time at the fish store. So one day I see this bitchin purple lobster. I ask what's involved in taking care of him? Not much, they are bottom feeders, and usually pretty active at night. Well guess what, the fish sleep on the bottom at night.
Fuc@ing lobster started eating all the 🐠 , not the cheap ones mind you, no those are not tasty enough for this little fuc@er. I had to take 80 lbs of rock out to find him to take him back to the store so we could buy another $500 fish.
Fuc@ having you own aquarium. But they are so relaxing to just sit and watch. Did I forget to mention all the money for the anenomies? It's way cheaper to fly to the Caribbean and go scuba diving!!!
Pistonslap wrote:
I hate when I hear these stories. That fish store really screwed you. It's not an expensive hobby if your patient and understand the cycling process...
I hate when I hear these stories. That fish store really screwed you. It's not an expensive hobby if your patient and understand the cycling process. Problem is we buy a tank and want fish immediately which isn't realistic.
ToolMaker wrote:
So I didn't know anything about aquariums at the beginning of that. But we did read a lot and start out with the "green chromis" and...
So I didn't know anything about aquariums at the beginning of that. But we did read a lot and start out with the "green chromis" and added a little at a time trying to keep the tank balanced. But that wasn't even the expensive part of the story. I had the tank professionally set up. (think $$s again). All the filtration was below the tank, connections went through the bottom, lights were all inside the upper part of the cabinet. Really nice setup! So one day we et home and there was a power outage. We walked into the house and walked by the aquarium, the water looks kid of funny, wait, there's no water. Where the fuc@ did all the water go? Check valve failed during the power outage and all the water ran out the filtration system and flooded the hardwood floors. But it had gotten under the boards so there were no puddles and you could not tell how far the damage went. Turned out the whole mid level of the house needed new hardwood floors. Much cheaper to take your wife on a carribean vacation for a week and scuba dive!!Wink
TM
Augh... that's no fun. Sorry you had such a shitty experience. That carribean trip is sounding better. Well everything except the taking the wife part. 🤦‍♂️
NorCalRedRyder 4/7/2022 2:29pm
4/7/2022 2:29pm
Chance1216 wrote:
I gotta clean my tank [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/08/07/365152/s1200_E121618C_1235_4135_BB53_9332A7D8D8B6.jpg[/img] this weekend but here's a full view
I gotta clean my tank this weekend but here's a full view
Nice tank and fish. Cichlids are the best looking fresh water fish, but sucks that they destroy any plants you may have in it.
1
Chance1216
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Chance1216 4/7/2022 2:43pm
4/7/2022 2:43pm
Chance1216 wrote:
I gotta clean my tank [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/08/07/365152/s1200_E121618C_1235_4135_BB53_9332A7D8D8B6.jpg[/img] this weekend but here's a full view
I gotta clean my tank this weekend but here's a full view
NorCalRedRyder wrote:
Nice tank and fish. Cichlids are the best looking fresh water fish, but sucks that they destroy any plants you may have in it.
Thanks. I just use Texas Holey rock. Only draw back to that is it shows exactly how dirty the tank is. I usually keep up on the maintenance but, the rock shows if I’m week behind with the algae growing on it.
Muttly
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Muttly 4/7/2022 4:07pm
4/7/2022 4:07pm
I’ve wanted an aquarium bad, for a while. After reading some of this, I’m thinking 4K YouTube on my flatscreen is the way to go!
SEEMEFIRST
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SEEMEFIRST 4/7/2022 7:02pm
4/7/2022 7:02pm Edited Date/Time 4/7/2022 7:04pm
My aquarium is 4 acres, spring fed.
We grow bass.

I can't find a picture of a big'un, but there are 8 pounders in it.

Here's my uncle with his biggest fish ever. Maybe 5?
4
Pistonslap
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Pistonslap 4/7/2022 11:08pm
4/7/2022 11:08pm
Muttly wrote:
I’ve wanted an aquarium bad, for a while. After reading some of this, I’m thinking 4K YouTube on my flatscreen is the way to go!
Don't be discouraged. Most people don't have the problems I've seen here and the equipment has only gotten better over the years. Most common reasons I see people fail is from stocking too soon, over feeding, and poor initial setup. Some random money saving and setup tips off the top of my head if you're doing salt water tank......

Buy just one piece of live rock and it will eventually seed the other and much cheaper dry rock you use to fill the tank. You can cycle the tank with a $6 damsel fish or a piece of raw shrimp or fish, just let it rot and nature will do its thing. Do a durso or bean valve setup and floods are rare and uncommon. Led lights are cheap and my light hanger is a $10 piece of conduit bent to shape and painted black. Petco has a dollar a gallon tank sale all the time. Try to buy livestock and equipment from a local forum, the best deals are usually when someone is upgrading to a larger tank. And start with cheap and easy to keep corals like bubble tip anenomes ,GSP, zoas, hairy mushrooms, frog spawns, etc. Once you get going it just gets easier and easier to keep because it balances itself out and goes into auto pilot. Research before you start and have patience as you go makes all the difference in success or failure.
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Markus422
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Markus422 4/10/2022 10:49am
4/10/2022 10:49am
Chance1216 wrote:
I believe that’s a Fahaka puffer fish. I’ve had smaller ones. Green spotted and figure 8s. They’re pretty inquisitive fish for sure.
-MAVERICK- wrote:
I wasn't expecting it to gobble it up like it was a gummy bear.
My local fish store has one in a massive 800 gallon tank, he’s their mascot lol. They have these massive front teeth so you have to feed them like crustaceans and clams or whatever is hard to bite through to file down their teeth and keep them sharp.
1
Chance1216
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Chance1216 4/10/2022 1:49pm
4/10/2022 1:49pm
Do any of you guys have any experience with a dog face puffer? I’ve read a bit about them but, have never pulled the trigger on one. I do know they can be acclimated to a brackish tank. Not that I would do that. It just leads me to believe that there is a higher margin for error with them. Maverick posting that puffer, renewed my interest in them. I currently have a 90 gallon tank with African cichlids and, a 135 that’s getting set up for a different use. I’ll have to go back and double check the minimum tank requirements for them. I’m on the fence going this route.

Pistonslap
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Pistonslap 4/10/2022 5:34pm
4/10/2022 5:34pm
Chance1216 wrote:
Do any of you guys have any experience with a dog face puffer? I’ve read a bit about them but, have never pulled the trigger on...
Do any of you guys have any experience with a dog face puffer? I’ve read a bit about them but, have never pulled the trigger on one. I do know they can be acclimated to a brackish tank. Not that I would do that. It just leads me to believe that there is a higher margin for error with them. Maverick posting that puffer, renewed my interest in them. I currently have a 90 gallon tank with African cichlids and, a 135 that’s getting set up for a different use. I’ll have to go back and double check the minimum tank requirements for them. I’m on the fence going this route.

Puffers are one of my favorite fish. You can get away with the 90 but then you can't put much else in. I'd be thinking the 135 with a trigger clown, lion fish, an angel fish and a small eel. Keep in mind, the puffer needs a steady diet of crustaceans to keep the front teeth in check. Some of them will pick at the rocks to file their teeth down but most get buck tooth and starve to death without the proper diet. The other option is to periodically perform dental surgery. You'll need a small bottle of Anbesol for anesthesia, a new pair of cuticle clippers for the teeth, and a few containers of tank water. It's not that hard to do, just google it.
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