Alex Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 As some of you may or may not know. My new house is almost under construction, with the old house being bulldozed and cleared. As it is a new house, I thought it almost sacralidge to not include a massive tank in the house plans. As it is generally quite inexpensive to build a large concrete/steal based tank in a new house. Most of the material costs are incurred when purchasing the glass (as I have found out). Most of the house and tank plans have been finalised and sent through council (a pain the backside to say the least). So within the next couple months construction should go underway. Some of you may remember my thread on the maori wrasse, when my tank was only going to be a 12x4 little tacker? built into the wall. I scrapped those plans as the tank was a bit restrictive. Instead we have placed the tank downstairs in the dungeon! near the garages out of the way so it could be made larger. 15x10x4, are the final plans as it stands. With one of the 15' faces being the only viewable one, the other 3 sides doubling up as walls. At the moment I am thinking two glass viewing panels both at 6x3. As the cost o one overly large one is through the roof. Now that all of the plans are out of the way and construction has almost started. I an left with one of the few last big choices... WHAT FISH? The house backs directly onto the water at City Beach in Perth, so for sometime I have been tossing up the idea of a SW tank? possibly a shark tank. Not a reef as it would cost me way too much to set it up as a reef. I've had the obvious thought of tankbusters, but I do need a change. A thought that has crossed my mind is a big Tanganyikan biotop. I think the tank would look great with one side piled up with large bits of limestone, with say 150-200tropheus, 300 leptosoma spp, 500 shellies etc. What would you all put in such a massive tank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted February 8, 2006 Author Share Posted February 8, 2006 Any links to large tang biotops would also be appreciated. Aswell as any similarly sized shark tanks owned by hobbyists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 A thought that has crossed my mind is a big Tanganyikan biotop. I think the tank would look great with one side piled up with large bits of limestone, with say 150-200tropheus, 300 leptosoma spp, 500 shellies etc. I think your tang idea is great but I would take out some of the shellies and add a colony of foai or boops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted February 8, 2006 Author Share Posted February 8, 2006 Although the house wont be ready for some 18months. I wouldn't mind making a final decision on the fish sometime in the near future, as it really dictates what sot of filtration I am going to have to build. As well as heating to some extent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViS Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 A SW fish only tank wouldn't be too impressive I don't reckon. To do it justice you'd need some nice banks of coral and a LOT of bright lights. I'd also go a large tanganyikan tank. You'll get as much diversity as a saltwater tank and the interaction between the different sized fish would be awesome to watch. A few massive rocks, a big log or two and you'd be cheering. Once it's done I'm booking a trip to perth to see it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoliroMan Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 a massive tang tank with tropheus, gobies, schools of cyprichromis and a colony of petrochromis would look great! But it will be a bummer to maintain. Imagine weekly 50% water changes!!! Fill it with Back to Nature backgrounds! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoliroMan Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 but i guess u r only toying with the idea of a Tang tank, i would have thought u would go for some tank busters!!! anyway, if u do go for the Tang setup, I can gladly contribute some tropheus to your colony! Would luv to see how they behave in such a massive environment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parrdog Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 Wow , what an awesome project! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wui39 Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 I'm pretty sure for such a large tank 50% water changes won't be necessary. For that size tank maybe a pond filter would be the way to go! A tang tank would be awesome as a lot of the other biotopes have already been done to death. A sw with a shark would be a good talking point but eventually it just may become a tad boring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 outdoor algal scrubber to reduce nitrate & phosphate? With something that big, is it possible to make it self sufficent? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markus13 Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 instead of a pond filter, get a high quality pool filter. more economical, and will do an excellent job, plus if it is plumbed properly, have your waste backflushed directly through the filter so maintenance will be minimal. based on that size tank, aside from evaporation top ups, 10% maximum a month would be sufficient (plus use a couple of beefy UV units as well) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trofius Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 If it was me, hmmm a salt water tank would look incredible ful of coral etc, but the lighting requirements would be huge, which led me to wonder what could be done to counter the costs... would it be impossible to maybe ionclude ducted type skylights to supply amole sunlight during day houres so lights would only be needed at night, and flouros would probably surfice. But a tank tank that big, really I am starting to salivate, Vis can you swing past and pick me up But really considering the viewing angle and distance would a 10 foot wide tank make it nearly impossible to watch any fish at the back of the tank? forgeting that but, i would have a shallow rock pile near one side at the front maybe coming out a meter and being 60-80cm high , extending back maybe 4-6feet Similar on the other side but joining a full size rock outcrop the full width of the back, maybe having a few defined outcrops , keep the rocks BIG, maybe a smaller rock pile or a few solo rocks out in the open but still low enought to not obscure the view back. a log unsure but would add something different. The lucky inhabitants, well a colony of feather fins would look good, as you have suggested. they love the open water, and always attract attention. foi, ventralis, boops you could have a few types. as cost does not seem to be a problem tricotti are largish fish so maybe 10-20 of these would go well Leptos hmm maybe too small, but a schooling efect would be awsome, 80 fish minimum sand sifters are nice melanogenies/kilesa are the bigger of them spilopterous are also a good size but will spend more time cruising abouts higher..well 40cm high anyways.. i would have 3 very distinct types of tropheus, reds, blacks brichardi, etc, in that size tank, you could have a hundred of each! gobies would also work well with this group.as would some petrochromis which also get bigger and would offer more in the way of being seen. shellies being very small fish may not be appropriate but if placed near the front so they can be seen and maybe slightly isolated by rocks etc, so they cant move the shells back from view. The rockdwellers, this is a difficult choice as there are so many to choice from, personally julidiochroms regani, the yellow morphs would catch your attention better than the darker ones, as would maybe leleupi, a tang bioscape would not be complete without some brichardi, but if you do go with these you will also need a predator like the lepidiolamprologus groups, elongatus, kendalli etc or even some calvus/comps to clean up the major excess in fry! But you could also get some larger predators fronnies??? would they get to carried away, what do others think, or will fronnies have a bigger battle as the fish would be able to get away? get heaps of catfish to clean up scraps syndontis sp, maybe some crabs, tang also has eels, jellyfish, soft sponges, and killifish if any of these are obtainable!!! as for the filter have the water entering over the rear rocks splashing for airation, kinda like a wave effect. once th water leaves the maintank it would go through mechanical filter, alarge sand filter would be good, I would also have biofilter like an outdoor pond full of plants(,macrophyte bed) this will negate the need for water changes, as plants are good at removing nitrates. Cant wait for the pics, Hope i have helped some, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted February 8, 2006 Author Share Posted February 8, 2006 Trofius just about sold it in one. Nice post. The more I think about it the more I am starting to sway to a nice tang tank. Still a work in progress, will get pics as soon as he house starts to go under construction will be a long term project. Plan on making a diary of photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wui39 Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 Awesome post Trofius. My only concern with large fronnies as predators are that in nature they prey on cyps so they would disappear over time. Might have to get some of those jumbo cyps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkmuncan Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 SHARK TANK! you know you want to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted February 8, 2006 Author Share Posted February 8, 2006 I wouldnt include any fronts. Not my cup of tea at all. They would limit my selection of fish. Does anyone have alink to the guy who made that big L shaped tank? made half malawi and half tang? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_1 Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 i would turn it into a aussie native tank maybe get some massive barras and a school of archer fish that would be my dream tank and maybe some bass goldern pearch silver pearch. mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTR73 Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Crikey! Talk about not doing things by halves eh? Maybe you should talk to the aqua lounge staff at the Radisson SAS Hotel Berlin to get some tips: Mutha tank in hotel foyer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Imagine filling it with 6000 neon tetras Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novafishy Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 that's no where close enough matty. maybe 500,000 neons. hahha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D6C1 Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 I've seen that tank in the link before. Is it for real!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted February 9, 2006 Author Share Posted February 9, 2006 i would turn it into a aussie native tank maybe get some massive barras and a school of archer fish that would be my dream tank and maybe some bass goldern pearch silver pearch. mark ← I'm in the aquaculture industry, and back at school studying again. I see more then enough barra to want to see anymore at home. Same with silvers. Once you see about 3 million of the things you have had enough. I am seriously leaning towards a tang tank. To see huge schools of tropheus and other species would be cool. I am going to set up couches and a fridge full of beer when it's all done.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
efc01 Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 i swear mate if you go a tang tank i will help you stock it lol. Perhaps i could help fund a colony of sandsifters i buy them you look after them and we cut profits 50/50 hahaha oh i can dream cant i? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted February 9, 2006 Author Share Posted February 9, 2006 Does anyone know a good sealant I can use for the inside of the pond? I was even thinking of putting tiles on the inside of the tank, not sure how good tiles will look. Have seen them in some asian ponds and they can look good, easy to clean aswell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 I am going to set up couches and a fridge full of beer when it's all done.... ← In that case, Andy and Mick (trofius) had better pick me up on the way past. Seriously Alex, have you ever thought about a Saltwater Estuary system. I've dreamed about turning my 6x2x2 tank into one. You could have fish like, bream, snapper, flathead, trevally, salmon, whiting even a toadfish or two? I don't even know if it's possible? (or even legal) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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