Metasynth
Well-Known Member
Girl, I just want pretty fish to look at while I'm stoned, not create "Meta's Own" little biosphere...Maybe some day, but for now lets concentrate on setting up a tank and keeping the fishies alive.
I want to start an Aquarium...
- Thread starter Metasynth
- Start date
rowlman
Well-Known Member
Don't use that bacteria shit...I never did and I always had heathy fish...I wouldn't trust it....goldfish are very dirty,nasty little fish...they will get your tank balanced out fast, and you can throw them in the 1st day.
Trust me my friend...I give the pet shops help, they ask me for advice...and the bacteria cycle thing, I've read 30 fish books, Iknow about that, the word cycle just threw me off alittle...lol...for the last 3 years everything has been about plant cycles in my life...lol...the fish thing is like second nature to me.
rowlman
Well-Known Member
I used to breed Oscars and Dempsys for the Critter Shop. I had a redline snakehead that got over 32 inches and could eat 300 goldfish a week. I had a couple huge ass Pacus, both the black and the red belly...one tank was all rare catfish, tigerstriped shovel nose, spotted shovel nose, big irredecent cats and one stupid pike that got so big he couldn't turn around. Don't believe what you hear,...some fish keep growing no matter the tank size...like a fuckin snakehead!
But the little community fish are fun too...they do all the same stuff, but on a smaller scale.
But the little community fish are fun too...they do all the same stuff, but on a smaller scale.
rowlman
Well-Known Member
...isn't that exactly what I said in the begining??..lol...your not going to read anything to help with a fishtank that I don't already know...lol...I think I've got about 30+ years experience...with 10 years booming a basement, wall to wall, with tanks.Yeah, lots of little fish is the goal...the more I'm reading, the more it looks like I might wanna go bigger than 20 gallons...
rowlman
Well-Known Member
Look up the Arowana...it has a few diff. spellings depending on what country the author is from...I raised one from a little 2 inch fish, up to a 2 foot monster that would take a goldfish right out of my hands....poor guy jumped out of the tank when I was away for a weekend, I had him almost 6 years, my kids grew up with him, it was pretty sad...those big fish are like a dog!
dam612
Well-Known Member
loved my saltwater tank, was a bit of work but was worth it in the end. this is a good site http://www.aquatraders.com/Aquarium-Lighting-s/5.htm
rowlman
Well-Known Member
It's nice how you can have everything alive, the rocks and all those sea ineminy plant life...the plants slowly move around, changing the landscape...alot of work tho...and alot to lose if something goes wrong.
dam612
Well-Known Member
my boys day had like a 200gal reef setup, grew all kinds of exotic corals that he would sell frags for like 100$ a pop, one day he went on vacation for like 3 days and left somekinda chem drip going and came back to a completely dead tank. He kicked the hobby at that point. he had like a 100gal sump and like 75gal refugeum tank. i loved going there blazed watching the fish, he put my 55tank to shame/
rowlman
Well-Known Member
I never did the salt water thing....but I used to spend 5 or 6 hours a week in local pet shops...some had their own personal set-ups...same thing, I would go in baked an just watch that shit...I was always getting ready to start one, but I had too much shit going on already back then
...I had Iguanas too...it was a zoo in my basement.
I moved 2 years ago...and I have three tanks just sitting empty ,one 40 gal tall, one 50 gal triangle corner tank, and a little 20 gal...I plan to do something soon ( say'n that for 2 years )...they're all in place, ready for water....my grows and this house take up all my time though...and I'm scared if I get started I'll get hooked again...lol...like crack, I'll have 14 tanks by this time next year!...I have two monsters stored, those would be up next...it would be a nightmare...I have no self controll over my hobbies
D.B.Doober
Active Member
I've got like a 20 gallon with a chichlid and a sucker fish and some other little fish. I really want a saltwater aquarium...I'd make like a coral reef habitat and have shit like shrimp and sea urchins
Gastanker
Well-Known Member
Fish tanks are great hobbies! Are you going to have just fish or live plants as well? Keep your eye out for Petcos $1/gallon sales - you can get 40 gallon tanks for $40, 55s for $55... I would recommend picking up lights/filters from garage sales (hell tanks too if they are in good shape). I got my heater, air pump, 2 hang on back filters, and a spare 20 gallon tank at a garage sale for $10 - and this is pretty common.
Here is my 40 gallon breeder that I put together this summer - with fish, plants, tank, filter, heater... I spent less than $100. The hood and lights however are DIY as well as the CO2. I would highly recommend joining a tank forum like plantedtank.net - great source for info but also for cheap plants, people are often giving their cuttings away free as long as you pay the shipping.
[video=youtube;nIysWfTOT_A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIysWfTOT_A[/video]
My tanks summer progression:
I'm all about doing it the easy natural way so I started with a soil bottom tank - the soil provides all the plants with nutrients so that the tank never needs dosing. The soil and plants also help filter the water and provide oxygen so I rarely rarely ever have to change the water and I don't have to use any air stones/air pumps.
Cycling is important but you can start the process by purchasing a few cheap hardy fish like neon tetras or cloud mountain minnows. If you preplant your tank before adding fish the plants will actually cycle the tank for you.
Good luck! It's a great exciting project.
Here is my 40 gallon breeder that I put together this summer - with fish, plants, tank, filter, heater... I spent less than $100. The hood and lights however are DIY as well as the CO2. I would highly recommend joining a tank forum like plantedtank.net - great source for info but also for cheap plants, people are often giving their cuttings away free as long as you pay the shipping.
[video=youtube;nIysWfTOT_A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIysWfTOT_A[/video]
My tanks summer progression:
I'm all about doing it the easy natural way so I started with a soil bottom tank - the soil provides all the plants with nutrients so that the tank never needs dosing. The soil and plants also help filter the water and provide oxygen so I rarely rarely ever have to change the water and I don't have to use any air stones/air pumps.
Cycling is important but you can start the process by purchasing a few cheap hardy fish like neon tetras or cloud mountain minnows. If you preplant your tank before adding fish the plants will actually cycle the tank for you.
Good luck! It's a great exciting project.
medicalmaryjane
Well-Known Member
i want to get a small salt water tank for just a few fish, maybe 3. is that possible? or will i kill them?
Gastanker
Well-Known Member
Google nano salt water tank. It is definitely possible if you know what you are doing. This is not mine but an example:
rowlman
Well-Known Member
Gastanker...the plants are sweet...the only reason I was telling him to wait on plants is because he's new,and so many of them around the stores by me are not true underwater plants, they live for a while, but then start to fall apart and die...but the right ones can be great. Water spritsa ( sp ) used to grow like crazy in one tank...I had to take it in by the bag full to the pet store...it's nice for breeding too. Most of my fish would tear the shit up though, so I just had it 2 or three tanks.
Nice pics!!
Nice pics!!
Gastanker
Well-Known Member
Thanks, and totally true. Pet stores often sell partially aquatic as full aquatic or fully aquatic plants that have been quickly grown emerged that will dissolve when submerged, or high light high CO2 plants to people with low tech tanks.
If going the plants route (and it's definitely not necessary) I would again recommend planted tank forums. When people trim their tanks you can often get 10+ species for just the price of shipping. Plant them all and see what takes off - half may die but chances are several will really take to the environment.