| Author | Message | ||
     Cataract2 |
So, I'm wondering who on here has an aquarium in the place. I use to have one prior to the military, but haven't for the last 6 years. Lately I've been getting that itch to get one again. I stored my 30 and 10 gal. tanks at my parents house and figure when I get back to the states I will retrieve them. What I'd like to know about them is lighting mostly. I know lot's has changed in the last few years with LED lighting becoming more popular. My problem is there is a ton of info on it, but it's overwhelming. What I like for my tanks is a hood. I prefer the plastic ones with lighting integrated with a fluorescent light. Now with LED ones, I'm really interested in them. I like how I can program them to go on and off at set times with a computer controlled system that can also use moonlighting on a 28 day set. Anyone know a place that I can look up for info on this? Also, a glass cover seems like it might work as well. My next issue, being in the military and my moving every 3-4 years. I would have to transport my fish and hopefully not overseas as I think that would be impossible. Anyone ever been in the military and have this issue? How did you deal with it? | ||
| Buelliedan |
Unfortunately a good friend of mine had about $2,000 worth of his fish, some rare cichlids mostly, die (only 2 out of 33 lived) when he tried to transport them from El Paso to San Antonio, TX, which is only a one day trip, and he had an aerator on them the whole time. They just do not travel well so plan to just give the fish away if you PCS. (Message edited by buelliedan on November 22, 2011) (Message edited by buelliedan on November 22, 2011) | ||
| Bandm |
http://reefledlights.com/ This is a member of another m/c forum http://www.chicagolandsportbikes.com/forums/showth read.php?t=114843&highlight=aquarium | ||
| Geforce |
Having any pets in the military can be hard on them. Dogs and cats are about as exotic as I recommend to my troops. | ||
| U4euh |
I've got a 55 gallon running the LED's. Mine are not computer controlable, just a switch on top. I run the standard flourescent covers with the LED pods lying over the glass. I like the option of blue or white at the flick of a switch. It even got the better half interested in fish life. As far as transporting I would check with an online compny that sells fish. I know there is one in California that has a super "live delivery" rate. I would guess to say the more exotic the fish, the harder a move would be. Starter fish ars more hearty and withstand the "stress" of things like that. Also check with the local shops to see if they offer something for the military. I've heard of some shops that will foster fish or even buy them. | ||
| Reepicheep |
We have a 55 gallon for the kids I put together for as close to "free" as I could manage. I lit it with hacked up Harbor Freight LED shop lights for a while, then switched to plant lights glued up in the old hood. I just control them with a mechanical timer. For a few years we kept local domestic fish in there... Go to a local creek (or even fishery), catch what you can (including crayfish), and bring them back to the aquarium. Keep them for a year or so (where they will sometimes eat each other), then throw them back when they get too big. So every time you move you can just "reboot" with new local fauna. | ||
| 86129squids |
Underpopulate and overfilter... I once had a 30gal and a 40gal, really enjoyed them- there's a great fish store in Knoxville... I saw a waterfall shrimp there once, liked it, but hesitated at spending $12 on one shrimp- so I bought a $1 crawdad to see if it would survive in my tank. It did, so I went and got the shrimp. The shrimp lasted about 6-8 months, but the crawdad kept going, and a really weird thing happened: When I got the mudbug, it was brown like any other crawdad I'd ever seen... then it started molting. First time, it picked up a little blue coloration, next, more blue, then after about the third molt it was turning a bright cobalt blue! Weirdest damn thing... It finally died, so I put it in a sturdy plastic cup with a lid and froze it, hoping someday to turn it into one of those fancy paperweights (which I've still yet to do). Got another crawdad to see if I could duplicate the results of the first, sure enough, it turned bright cobalt blue too! My best guess is that the spirulina flake food I was using was the reason- now I've got 2 dead frozen blue crawdads in the freezer, waiting for some kind of taxidermy... Good luck! | ||
| Reepicheep |
The crawdads are actually a LOT of fun... but they are aggressive. They will eat tropicals, and to some degree each other. Then you put in a little small mouth or large mouth bass, and it's payback time for the crawdads.  | ||
| Bandm |
I sold my fish back to the shop where I bought them, for many times the price, and got new ones when I got set up at the new place. I had Discus that were the size of a quarter when I bought them, and the size of saucers when I sold them back. | ||
| Badrap |
I have seen blue crawdads in the wild. That was in Lake Tahoe. Tahoe is a very clear lake, you can see down over 60'. I think the blue has to do with their enviroment/water. | ||
| 99savage |
For what it is worth Had a few, smaller, not very special setups for fresh water fish & enjoyed them but the one I liked the best was a sealed, balanced set up with a few neons, a few zebras & a plant. Fed them thru a small hole, using a flat toothpick. No filter, no heater, just fish & plants. Moving! - I don't get all that attached to fish & return them to the pet store (I always use "mom & pop" pet stores) | ||
| Aesquire |
The blue is the food. My landlord dropped a tiny crawdad found in a creek in his goldfish aquarium. After a few molts he turned transparent. He'd climb the plants and banzai down onto fish as they passed. The fish got shorter tailfins after a while. He was real fun to watch. best advice here is overfilter and under populate. Had a buddy's apartment burn, along with thousands in salt water exotics, when the tank heater shorted. Tropical fish are an expensive hobby. Carp, ( goldfish ) on the other hand, are pretty durable. Many of my fish keeping friends recycle their plecostomus by buying a small, cheap one, and selling back the tank filling monsters when they grow up. I've long threatened to set up a 35-55 gallon aquarium with a whole mess of bubble/action toys. Deep sea divers, sidewheeler wrecks, treasure chests, etc. etc. and, of course, a neon colored castle for the fish to "hide" in. No fish. Just the toys. If anyone asks, just say they're shy & must be hiding. | ||
| Court |
>>>We have a 55 gallon for the kids Seems a bit cruel. I raised "free range" children. But I confess, having met a couple of yours, that they are impeccably behaved. Speaks volumes as to the merits of the aquarium. | ||
| Cataract2 |
For those with aquariums go ahead and post up some pics of your setups. | ||
| U4euh |
Don't have any handy of the tank, but these are pictures I took of my Cichlids in the tank. I think you can get the idea of the "ornaments". I'm running an old Fluval trapped itnto 1/2 the tank undergravel filter. The other half runs regular airpump undergravel with ammonia cartridges attached. I am currently phasing out these Cichlids and gonna go with a wide range of Oscar's(I know they are Cichlids too)     | ||
| 86129squids |
Nice pics! Wish I had some good ones of the fish I once had, including the blue crawdads... over time, I once had an albino tiger oscar (UTK colors even!) as long as my hand AND forearm, got to where you could actually "pet" that fish- my faves were a chocolate cichlid that got to be about 5ish years old, and a peach severum about the same age, maybe 6ish, both were huge and beautiful... Aesquire, truly a sick idea for that tank- likely a nightmare for the air inputs... Had a friend once who had one of those salamanders that occasionally mutate into having gills only- axolotl? Filtration: Get an undergravel setup, then a canister that allows a gravel vacuum attachment for tank cleaning, makes it SUPER easy to clean the tank... All this stuff can mean $$$- keep an eye peeled for Craigslist stuff, try to see the setup before the owner tears it down, fully functional. Dangit you're getting me tempted again youn's! | ||
| Cataract2 |
I've always enjoyed tropical fish. Mainly Angel Fish myself when I had my tank. I would like to, in the future, try my hard at a salt water tank. Looking at 100 gal minimum for it. I just will need to be out of the military to do it as moving and a 100 gal+ tank would not mix well at all. | ||
| 86129squids |
Best buddy used to keep saltwater tank$$$$$... Too much expense and upkeep for me, although I LOVE the range of fish you can find- the store I went to once had a symbiotic pair, a little fish and a shrimp/crab- they somehow had evolved to look out for one another, share shelter, etc. Salties behavior, COLORS, and range of morphology always fascinated me... I'd do it if I could afford the $$$ and time, or just hire someone. | ||
| 86129squids |
Whole other idea- I've long said fish and birds are the best pets... getcha one or two FEMALE, handraised cockatiels- GREAT pets, cheap to keep, can leave for days with enough food and water, will live a LONG time, never a dull moment. If you want a talker, males are best, but very hard to keep tame- females are just sweeties. Mine would share ANYTHING I was eating, even coffee dipped doughnuts, their fave- until I noticed one getting the morning pre-caffeine jitters, then I kinda realized what the sugar and caffeine might do to a bird metabolism...  | ||
| Badrap |
I had a 240 gallon fresh water tank. It had 2 canister filters and an under gravel filter system on it with crushed coral as the gravel. I had a Pacu that grew to 18" long before I had to move to another state. I decided to sell the whole thing, fish and all. I helped the guy transport and set up the tank and fish. They made to his place OK but I don't know if they died later. I currently have a 45 gal show tank with 2 Silver Dollars and 3 Parrot Fish and 1 Black Skirt Tetra. The tank has been stable for years. For a long time as I would add a fish, 2 more would die. It gold old fast. I am happy with the tank and fish the way they are now. |
