Fishkeeping... Tropical or Otherwise;
27-10-2004, 04:47 PM
#43
I've found that life I needed.. It's HERE!!
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 1,353
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i sooooo want a reef tank
you think a 120ltr/ 29Gal tank would be ok for this?
I know they are harder than tropical, but lets be honest......tropical are soooooo easy to keep, long as you follow the rules mentioned above.
you think a 120ltr/ 29Gal tank would be ok for this?
I know they are harder than tropical, but lets be honest......tropical are soooooo easy to keep, long as you follow the rules mentioned above.
27-10-2004, 08:42 PM
#45
Originally Posted by RichardPON
Originally Posted by Kevin Sharp
in the first keg i have the water entering the bottom and it rises to the top through loads of 1" sectons of overflow pipe i cut...this catches the big stuff.
then into the second keg from the bottom again rising up through fired clay pellets about 10mm diameter
and finally the 3rd keg is filled with fine gravel , then the pump
then into the second keg from the bottom again rising up through fired clay pellets about 10mm diameter
and finally the 3rd keg is filled with fine gravel , then the pump
Stu - I'll post some pics of our tank in the morning. Bloody fish are always on the job - bloody hundreds of them in there now
it was actually a 6ft set up that a mate of mine had in his living room....i asked about the filter system and he said it was 5 25l containers under the floor sealed and it never needed cleaned 
filter cleaning was one of my pet hates 
so it got me thinking then my dad bought an old pub to convert to a house and there were some empty
barrels left (but they were free so that was a deciding factor! ) so i decided to make my own system...the total cost was less than a big fluval or similar filter 
while i was doing this i plumbed a drain cock into the house waste pipe for draining off water and a tap to refill so i can do a part water change without getting my hands wet! 
27-10-2004, 08:52 PM
#46
Professional Waffler
while i was doing this i plumbed a drain cock into the house waste pipe for draining off water and a tap to refill so i can do a part water change without getting my hands wet!
now that makes life easyer
fish tanks look lovely in a house,,, i just need a house first
27-10-2004, 09:05 PM
#49
Too many posts.. I need a life!!
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Leicester
Posts: 835
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
cool nice one stu..
been keeping fish for years, i started of with a small trop tank i inherited of a mate and it took over big time! I now own this site http://www.ultimatereef.com - the UK's biggest marine only BB
oh and i've also got a 14" Tiger Oscar, had him for almost 6 years
nice one stu..been keeping fish for years, i started of with a small trop tank i inherited of a mate and it took over big time! I now own this site http://www.ultimatereef.com - the UK's biggest marine only BB
oh and i've also got a 14" Tiger Oscar, had him for almost 6 years
28-10-2004, 10:47 AM
#53
I've found that life I needed.. It's HERE!!
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: I'm here, I'm there, I'm everywhere!
Posts: 1,301
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
interesting post this to ask a question on
my little girl (and lad too!) both love watching Finding Nemo, and so me and the missus were interested in trying to replicate the tank and in the film (ya know, with a bubble mountain, bubble chest and skull, standard stuff) but also with one each of the fish (dont know what the fish are called for real so best to show you), but want to make sure they can all live together for real in a tank:
.
.
.
.
.
.
maybe one of these too
If they can, anyone give me a rough idea of cost starting from scratch ie tank, filters (ideally an "aquascan" ) fish etc also whats involved other than feeding cos cant be arsed cleaning whole tank once a month etc infact, i never wantto change it ideally can filters stop this? also if i ever get bored, can I just shove a phiranha in there for some carnage
cheers
bugger pics, got any vids of them snacking?
my little girl (and lad too!) both love watching Finding Nemo, and so me and the missus were interested in trying to replicate the tank and in the film (ya know, with a bubble mountain, bubble chest and skull, standard stuff) but also with one each of the fish (dont know what the fish are called for real so best to show you), but want to make sure they can all live together for real in a tank:
......maybe one of these too
If they can, anyone give me a rough idea of cost starting from scratch ie tank, filters (ideally an "aquascan"
) fish etc also whats involved other than feeding cos cant be arsed cleaning whole tank once a month etc infact, i never wantto change it ideally can filters stop this? also if i ever get bored, can I just shove a phiranha in there for some carnage cheers
Originally Posted by Demondave
Old piccys of the p's... My live bredeeing tank for the p's snacks... also have a gold fish tank for the p's main meals
28-10-2004, 11:01 AM
#55
I've found that life I needed.. It's HERE!!
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: I'm here, I'm there, I'm everywhere!
Posts: 1,301
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
sure you dont mean a plasma screen with a fish screensaver....
must be some pretty heavy duty mounting bracket needed due to the weight
must be some pretty heavy duty mounting bracket needed due to the weight
28-10-2004, 11:36 AM
#57
Common Clownfish (Best in Pairs and with an Anenome)
Regal Tang (Compatible with most stuff)
Moorish Idol (Very delicate)
Porcupine Pufferfish (Can grow very big)
Starfish (Easy Peasy)
Looks like a Cleaner Shrimp to me (Easy Peasy)
Dunno. LOL!
Yellow Tang (Good in shoals. Fairly easy to keep)
Not really sure on that one.
Turtle (No chance!!)
28-10-2004, 11:46 AM
#58
I've found that life I needed.. It's HERE!!
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: I'm here, I'm there, I'm everywhere!
Posts: 1,301
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Christian
cheers for that, few q's though; thought the anemone was just when in the reef? why best in pairs? suppose at least in the cartoon there is two why is the moorish idol delicate, in what way? and thought you have small turtles in the tanks or terrapins?
cheers for that, few q's though; thought the anemone was just when in the reef? why best in pairs? suppose at least in the cartoon there is two
why is the moorish idol delicate, in what way? and thought you have small turtles in the tanks or terrapins?
28-10-2004, 12:05 PM
#59
Originally Posted by MAD ANDY
If they can, anyone give me a rough idea of cost starting from scratch ie tank, filters (ideally an "aquascan" ) fish etc also whats involved other than feeding cos cant be arsed cleaning whole tank once a month etc infact, i never wantto change it ideally can filters stop this? also if i ever get bored, can I just shove a phiranha in there for some carnage
) fish etc also whats involved other than feeding cos cant be arsed cleaning whole tank once a month etc infact, i never wantto change it ideally can filters stop this? also if i ever get bored, can I just shove a phiranha in there for some carnage To be honest, if you haven't got time to invest in it, then I wouldn't bother. It has taken me years to get as far as I have and I have had the misfortune of having to flush many expensive fish down the toilet, due to minor discretions.
As I said before, you must NEVER clean the entire tank, but a 20% Water Change at least once a month is a must and regular maintenance of the Filter system is unavoidable.
Think seriously before you wade into it.
We were originally going to keep an Octopus, but you can't really keep them with anything else and they are practically nocturnal, so we figured that it would be a shame to invest alot of money into the tank and never see the inhabitant!! Aside from which, they can escape from the very tiniest of spaces and are also quite strong.
Tap water has a level of Nitrate in it that is already too high for many of the fish mentioned above, so some method of purifying the water is also important (and that doesn't mean putting it through your Brita jug either!!).
Hope this helps........
28-10-2004, 12:10 PM
#60
PassionFord Post Whore!!
About time we had a proper topic on here 
I used to keep tropical's at my old house but havnt really got the room here, hence the proposed move
Used to have a 6ft including the general of silver shark, barb's, neon's (black and blue) harlequin's, small catfish, red tail shark (still a catfish with a fancy dorsel) and a couple of angel's
4ft with plec's, cichlid's, an oscar and gourami's
4ft which started off with 5 or 6 piranha's, ended up with 1 that would eat the left overs of my tea
3 ft with blowfish, crabs and platty's (shag like rabbits they did)
I need to move house again very soon
I used to keep tropical's at my old house but havnt really got the room here, hence the proposed move
Used to have a 6ft including the general of silver shark, barb's, neon's (black and blue) harlequin's, small catfish, red tail shark (still a catfish with a fancy dorsel) and a couple of angel's
4ft with plec's, cichlid's, an oscar and gourami's
4ft which started off with 5 or 6 piranha's, ended up with 1 that would eat the left overs of my tea
3 ft with blowfish, crabs and platty's (shag like rabbits they did)
I need to move house again very soon
28-10-2004, 12:10 PM
#61
I've found that life I needed.. It's HERE!!
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: I'm here, I'm there, I'm everywhere!
Posts: 1,301
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Christian and Beccy
We were originally going to keep an Octopus...... they can escape from the very tiniest of spaces
ah feck it, 20% each month, hows it done? a pump or getting your hands wet? maybe ill just get here a poster instead lol
Originally Posted by Big G
4ft which started off with 5 or 6 piranha's, ended up with 1 that would eat the left overs of my tea
what would you do just take the lid off and drop ya tea in there? and did this one eat the others too? PMSL love the idea of a piranha and watch it chasing small fish round the tank lol did you ever do owt daft like tease it with your finger when pissed etc
28-10-2004, 12:17 PM
#62
There was a Pub in Norwich a while ago that used to have a tank with a big Oscar in it and they used to put a load of Guppy's in there and run a book on which one would be the last to live!!
Suffice to say the RSPCA soon got involved and nipped that in the bud........
Suffice to say the RSPCA soon got involved and nipped that in the bud........
28-10-2004, 12:20 PM
#63
I've found that life I needed.. It's HERE!!
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: I'm here, I'm there, I'm everywhere!
Posts: 1,301
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
whats a big oscar? lol what happened with the RSPCA then? surely if its like a piranha and eats fish there's nowt they can do?
28-10-2004, 12:25 PM
#64
PassionFord Post Whore!!
Originally Posted by MAD ANDY
Originally Posted by Big G
4ft which started off with 5 or 6 piranha's, ended up with 1 that would eat the left overs of my tea
what would you do just take the lid off and drop ya tea in there? and did this one eat the others too? PMSL love the idea of a piranha and watch it chasing small fish round the tank lol did you ever do owt daft like tease it with your finger when pissed etc . I never used to feed em the pellet stuff as i basically bought em for a laugh to begin with (wrong but true) and they gave me massive enjoyment and were fairly easy to keep (partly due to the fact they are a hardy fish anyway) but their bellies were a proper glowy red and the glittery speckles on their sides sparkled like stars so i must have been doing something right
28-10-2004, 12:27 PM
#65
I've found that life I needed.. It's HERE!!
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: I'm here, I'm there, I'm everywhere!
Posts: 1,301
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
lol you ever stick ya finger in? whats a "hardy" fish? cos I want something easy and this sounds good but dont want me kids putting their mits inside and having them take the skin off
whats a "hardy" fish? cos I want something easy and this sounds good but dont want me kids putting their mits inside and having them take the skin off
28-10-2004, 12:35 PM
#66
PassionFord Post Whore!!
A hardy fish is basically a fish that can live in a good range of temperature and can live in part polluted or dirty water (not to the eye but to a test kit) which makes them good for the learner or novice.
I had to put my hand in to move plant's or take some moss out and didnt really get much hassle but i wouldnt say they wouldnt have nipped me if i didnt keep their bellies full.
Hardy fish are basically your neon's, platty's, brown/albino catfish, barbs etc like the most common ones you see in the fish shop's
I had to put my hand in to move plant's or take some moss out and didnt really get much hassle but i wouldnt say they wouldnt have nipped me if i didnt keep their bellies full.
Hardy fish are basically your neon's, platty's, brown/albino catfish, barbs etc like the most common ones you see in the fish shop's
28-10-2004, 12:51 PM
#67
I've found that life I needed.. It's HERE!!
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: I'm here, I'm there, I'm everywhere!
Posts: 1,301
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
feck, just been reading up on Buttikoferi and Jack Dempseys etc, didnt know there were so many aggressive fish out there other than Piranhas
28-10-2004, 06:24 PM
#69
Great topic now this one
Andy,
My honest advice to you as a first timer is NOT to buy a marine setup, especially for small children, as the mere act of banging on the glass can have them dead within hours from shock
Goldfish are more hardy than many tropicals nowadays and will bring kids hours of enjoyment, but that said, the tropical cichlids from lake's Malawi and Tanganyica are suitably rare and beautifull to alwats be a talking point even amongst hardened fishkeepers. I guess its all down to the effort your prepared to put in, not to mention the expense.
Ive spent Ł650 since last Sunday and my equiptment and treatments are now complete and should last me many many moinths, so il post a few pics ASAP.
Andy,
My honest advice to you as a first timer is NOT to buy a marine setup, especially for small children, as the mere act of banging on the glass can have them dead within hours from shock
Goldfish are more hardy than many tropicals nowadays and will bring kids hours of enjoyment, but that said, the tropical cichlids from lake's Malawi and Tanganyica are suitably rare and beautifull to alwats be a talking point even amongst hardened fishkeepers. I guess its all down to the effort your prepared to put in, not to mention the expense.
Ive spent Ł650 since last Sunday and my equiptment and treatments are now complete and should last me many many moinths, so il post a few pics ASAP.
28-10-2004, 06:35 PM
#70
PassionFord Regular
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: in the workshop rebuilding my car for many years now
Posts: 468
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i'm not in 2 tropical my self
but i'm a gardener & 4 3 days a week i do a huge garden with 3 huge ponds in it,in 1 i have all last years babys which r comman carp & koi
in the other 1 i've got hundreds of common carp
& in the biggests pond i have 32 koi carp which range from the price of Ł1000 2 Ł6000
i've been looking after them now 4 over a year now & i love them
but i'm a gardener & 4 3 days a week i do a huge garden with 3 huge ponds in it,in 1 i have all last years babys which r comman carp & koi
in the other 1 i've got hundreds of common carp
& in the biggests pond i have 32 koi carp which range from the price of Ł1000 2 Ł6000
i've been looking after them now 4 over a year now & i love them
28-10-2004, 07:05 PM
#73
Wahay!! I've lost my Virginity!!
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: SHEFFIELD
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
just looked up droll in the dictionary. It says. oddly umusing. surpose that fits me to the T. hows things at your end, you settled in ok. can see me serving up them fish you've got . a new line 
tropical fish & chips. its the future
tropical fish & chips. its the future
29-10-2004, 09:32 AM
#75
Too many posts.. I need a life!!
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Leicester
Posts: 835
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
this is a Royal Gramma, very easy to keep
oh and all you marinefish keepers, are you on http://www.ultimatereef.com ? and if not why not?
sorry Stu, shameless plug 
re the costs over setting up a marine tank, they can vary alot, one of the key things is not to skimp on costs and think you can do it on a budget. When i started i thought this and learnt the hard way.
IMO for the sensible sized marine tank(3 foot minium) that can support proper hard corals (acropora etc) you need to be thinking a grand minimum.
a quick breakdown of the top of my head.
4x2x2 tank (drilled with wier - a must!) - Ł150-200
stand for above DIY - Ł50 depending on finish
sump tank 2x1x1 - Ł25
return pump - Ł50
skimmer (deltec) - Ł200+
Powerheads x4 - Ł100ish
subrate (aragamax) Ł30
heater - Ł10
lights (250w metal halides x2) - Ł400
Live rock - 20kg @ Ł10 kg - Ł200 (minum amount)
i bucket 30kg salt Ł60
RO Unit, not essential as you can buy the water from your local place but will save money long term - Ł80
then the cost of fish, corals etc, although frags are easily available cheap even free... the you need a clean up krew, snails crabs etc, Ł50 + for those..
i'm sure you get the idea...
Obviously second had equipement/livestick will save you a packet, but it sells bloody fast at the right price
oh and all you marinefish keepers, are you on http://www.ultimatereef.com ? and if not why not?
sorry Stu, shameless plug
re the costs over setting up a marine tank, they can vary alot, one of the key things is not to skimp on costs and think you can do it on a budget. When i started i thought this and learnt the hard way.
IMO for the sensible sized marine tank(3 foot minium) that can support proper hard corals (acropora etc) you need to be thinking a grand minimum.
a quick breakdown of the top of my head.
4x2x2 tank (drilled with wier - a must!) - Ł150-200
stand for above DIY - Ł50 depending on finish
sump tank 2x1x1 - Ł25
return pump - Ł50
skimmer (deltec) - Ł200+
Powerheads x4 - Ł100ish
subrate (aragamax) Ł30
heater - Ł10
lights (250w metal halides x2) - Ł400
Live rock - 20kg @ Ł10 kg - Ł200 (minum amount)
i bucket 30kg salt Ł60
RO Unit, not essential as you can buy the water from your local place but will save money long term - Ł80
then the cost of fish, corals etc, although frags are easily available cheap even free... the you need a clean up krew, snails crabs etc, Ł50 + for those..
i'm sure you get the idea...
Obviously second had equipement/livestick will save you a packet, but it sells bloody fast at the right price
29-10-2004, 09:59 AM
#76
PassionFord Post Whore!!
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: isle of wight (K.O.P 2006 mother fucker!)
Posts: 4,276
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
fish tamks are cool, i have mine for years, even got andy and ant into them dave,
if i knew how to post pic's up i would do.
if i knew how to post pic's up i would do.
29-10-2004, 10:09 AM
#77
Doh,
oh and all you marinefish keepers, are you on http://www.ultimatereef.com ? and if not why not?
sorry Stu, shameless plug
oh and all you marinefish keepers, are you on http://www.ultimatereef.com ? and if not why not?
sorry Stu, shameless plug
Hope youve got a link in the links section too pal
