i,m lookin to buy a fish tank 4 xmas. 4 the house,bow front 40 to 50 gal w/ stand and all the etc new.... does any have any ideas or sug. would like to get started in it again...stores or web ????? thanks dave

yeah ...keep your fish population low (fish to gallons ratio) and your filtration capability high and you'll have less fish mortality and a really clean tank.
Also if you buy a really big pleeko (mispelled) it'll clean the algae off the glass. this is assuming your not talkin a salt water tank. those tanks cost a fortune. my friend spent like 12,000 bucks and then the tank imploded the first week and flooded the house.:wall:

ya got ya ...what i need is a good location to start lookin for one... 40 to 50 gals fresh water..... new w/ etc..got any leads???any one

Dave,
We got one at petco 2 years ago 55 gal.
It's funny because my daughter and I cleaned it yesterday,,lol
I can't remember how much,but less then 300.00 I think. We went to Petco yesterday and they still had the same one, MAKE sure you get a iron stand for it :whackin:
We still have a few fish from 2 years ago. Afriican Cichlid's The only fish I ever had, Years ago I raised and sold them,many colors but very aggressive !:chatter
VB

v-b thats funny ....thats the type of fished i planed to get..... lookin 4 bow front 46 gal w/ all the goodies .... or 1 sz lgr.all about money.....o-btw had afr. cic. b-4....lots of colors n movement,w good tank life .btw wifeiepo wants me to wait.... no way..... marry xmas to me.....

st, uncle neds fish factory is a good place i think it's in millis. there used to be a good place in quincy center but i can't remember the name of it. i used to manage a giant pet store (now out of business). a few reccomendations. the larger the tank, the easier it is to manage the water quality. like the man said most people overpopulate thier tanks. the want advertiser is a good place to find used tanks. what type of fish do you want? this will effect the type of tank you get. african cichlids are some of my favorites, the colors are close to saltwater fish w/o the price of them, though nothing is cheap about aquariums. don't be afraid of saltwater tanks, unless you want invertibrates, they are not as difficult as people make them out to be. good luck and post some pix of your tank when you get it set up, paul , arrowannas (sp) = tarpon fishing in the living room

if you want a/c get a tank w/ more bottom area than the bow. they r very territorial

http://www.petco.com/Shop/petco_Product_Nav_103_sku_897787_R_5169_enemerch_1 .aspx?cm_re=103-_-FeaturedProductList1-_-897787
Not sure if this link will work,but it's petco.com
Again, please do not buy a wood stand,you will thank me every year you take me tuna fishing :fishslap:
Happy Holidays and be safe
VB

Try Paradise Gardens in Whitman..They a lot of tanks and many fish..If you want a # let me know..

If you know a person who can weld aluminum or steel, you can make a pissah tank out of 1/2 inch plate glass. all you need is 2 frames, 5 pieces of glass and some good clear silicone.

I made one when i was in artschool to quell my fish withdrawals... i think it held around 150 gallons and only cost me a few bucks to make it, since i found the glass.

http://www.petco.com/Shop/petco_Product_Nav_103_sku_897787_R_5169_enemerch_1 .aspx?cm_re=103-_-FeaturedProductList1-_-897787
Not sure if this link will work,but it's petco.com
Again, please do not buy a wood stand,you will thank me every year you take me tuna fishing :fishslap:
Happy Holidays and be safe
VB

Not sure what you mean by that, I had a reef on a wood stand for twelve years....then sold it and it looked as good as the day i bought it??

"That fish place" on the web for dry goods.....

Uncle Neds for cichlids--http://www.unclenedsfishfactory.com/index.html

Saulosi are great for starters--I had 8 two years ago now there are around 20 or so in the tank. Great for the kids to watch them breeding and caring for thier young..

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/p_saulosi.php

If you can fit it I would try and get a bigger "footprint" on the tank...like a 55...

Happy Thanksgiving.....

Petsmart in Brockton on route 123 across from the high school/fairgrounds or the Raynham pet store on route 44 at the Taunton/Raynham line (near globe liquors)

Uncle Neds is good for exotic species. www.unclenedsfishfactory.com
I will tell you , you will spend alot of money on it, if you want it to be what you describe
Don't buy major priced fish until it cycles.
Anything smaller than a 55 can turn in a a tragedy real fast you have to know what you are doing. I have had ich and other nasties flip it in a day!!!
I have a South American tank with cory's, Apisto's and Tetras. Lots of color and all but the Apisto's can be had at any local shop.

go out and catch a couple of tiny perch, and bass, and sunfish, maybe a little cat, and have a ball. ive got a baby snapping turtle right now..so no fishies left.

most interresting tank I've seen was a crayfish a painted turtle and a bunch of gold fish . Just keep adding goldfish .. Crayfish would just freeze motionless while gold fish swam closer and closer .. Really enjoyed watching that .. kinda sick I guess.

Not sure what you mean by that, I had a reef on a wood stand for twelve years....then sold it and it looked as good as the day i bought it??

"That fish place" on the web for dry goods.....

Uncle Neds for cichlids--http://www.unclenedsfishfactory.com/index.html

Saulosi are great for starters--I had 8 two years ago now there are around 20 or so in the tank. Great for the kids to watch them breeding and caring for thier young..

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/p_saulosi.php

If you can fit it I would try and get a bigger "footprint" on the tank...like a 55...

Happy Thanksgiving.....




Just a peace of mind,is all I am saying :D
I am sure now a days they make them better, But I have had several
in the past that fell a part after years . Metal/steal will last for 120 years a lot longer then wood

VB

Since you're looking for a bow front tank you are not talking glass.

You are now venturing into the world of acrylic, as acrylic is very friendly to use it is also a royal pain to care for.

If you own a boat with a windshield (center concole, etc.) 99% of them are made of acrylic so you know how easy that scratches.

Well it is twice as easy to scratch up an acrylic tank, everytime you move the decorations inside and especially when you clean the growth off the glass.

As stated before you would be better off with at least a 55 gallon tank, cichlids now ... maybe saltwater later!

I have had tanks from 5 gallons to 200 gallons, mostly glass but a few acrylics that I can say other than for the ease of shaping it, it wasn't as nice as the glass for detering scratches.

Also mentioned about the room in a tank ... very good suggestion! The more room you have the healthier the fish will be as cramped quarters can make fish ill, the bigger the tank the bigger the fish will get as fish only grow according to the space they have (in most cases).

Have a really good filter such as the Fluval 300 series and you'll have one hell of a clean tank, keep up with you PH levels and you'll have very healthy fish too.

Just my .02 worth, Good Luck!

Lovely Pets in Quincy.Good selection. Talk to Steve.
http://www.lovely-pets.com/

With the africans remember to get a log book. They require a higher ph in the water because of the lakes they come from lake malawi. Check whatever water source youre going to use and check if the ph is going to be appropriate. For example if your water source is going to be low in ph you know youre going to have to add stuff to get the right ph. If your ph is high already you may have to add stuff to lower your ph.

Another thing to remember with africans is when you get them they are little half inch or so. Remember that some of those bad boys get pretty large. So the tendency is to fill it with them when theyre small, just make sure you keep in mind what that tank is going to look like when theyre all 8 inches to foot longs.

When theyre smaller youre going to want to setup lots a little caves and hidy holes for them. They are aggressive but in a few days time you'll notice which ones are the Alpha fish and which ones are more subserviant (sp). Theyre a lot of fun and a very sought after fish for home aquariums for their bright coloring. Theyre awesome fish and have great personalities, just seriously keep a log book of the ph in the tank. That way with the log book, you'll get a good understanding of how your ph goes up and down with feedings, or with additions of water or any changes etc.

Prices for gear etc, are pretty leveled out across most places you can purchase from. This is one of those times where if possible its best to find a place near home to purchase because you can always go back for adivce help etc and you've already got a working relationship with the folks at the shop.

The suggestion for the plecostamus was a good one. They are excellent tank cleaners. Another fish I would suggest to clean your gravel real well would be a st. raphaels catfish. They do pretty much the same thing as the pleco, and to start off they'll be about the same size.

Run your tank for atleast 3 days at the proper ph, before introducing any fish. Sterilize anything you add to it. When you introduce fish, try to add them at the same time. If you get the fish in bags, from the petstore, take half that petstore water out and add half from your tank to the fish bags. float the bags across the top of your tank for 1hr.

1 hr goes by dump that water and fill all the bag with water from your tank. You're trying to get the fish used to your water, and at the same time purging whatever was in the stores water. I know it seems like overkill, but your're basically creating a sanitized enviroment for these fish and you dont want to introduce anything to get them sick, any food left over in the stores water bags and waste etc. If you need any help etc let me know I'll be glad to help. I've pretty much run tanks all my life, and I've raised fish from frye to being 18 and 22 inches in length :btu:


oh and dont place your tank in a place where it will get direct sunlight. This will cause nasty oxygen robbing algae blooms.

Buy top of the line filter and bubbler, it will be worth it....

Ice

I keep longfin blue, zebra and spotted danios in my 10 gallon with some live plants and a small upside down catfish. I use a power filter and a undergravel filter and use coffee filters and "ammo carb" to filter the water. A 10 watt heater and a themometer and a little porcilin temple ornament under the flourscent hood complete the tank. It's own little perfect world.

I also enjoy watching the behavior of these little guys. I think it has given me a better idea how fishes feed and interact with each other.

Dave when I lived in Centerville there was a place on Rt 28 on the right after strawberrry hill rd. I think it was a grain and feed store type place but they carried a lot of fish, Not sure if it is there anymore but might be worth a shot.

thanks guys ... never knew how many of u take care of tanks .... i had tanks 20 yrs ago.. i know the work involved... its not cheep to get started .n i want a good sz tank... but i got a unexpeded xmas presant to day of some xtra cash .... soooooo looks like capt cupcake buying a indoor pool for some fish... i wonder if i can raise blue back herrin.........

i had a good size salt water tank w/ triggers, lions,morays, etc... one fall i put a few eels in it and they lasted til the spring and were used for bait. now you've got me thinking of setting up a tank

I've got some pogies in my saltwater tank right now, had them for 4 months already. They are babies right now but after a good winter's fattening up they should be about 8 - 10 inches long come spring time, YUMMY!!!! :musc:

They are in a 120 gal. tank right now, but will hit the 300 gal. tank in Feb. I think I hear the bass drooling already:drool:

Teaser,
Do you keep the pogies by themselves or are they mixed with other non aggressive fishies like the mumichaugs and killis? What do you feed the pogies since they are filter feeders?
Lt

Teaser,
Do you keep the pogies by themselves or are they mixed with other non aggressive fishies like the mumichaugs and killis? What do you feed the pogies since they are filter feeders?
Lt

I keep them with everybody else in the tank.

I have some Green Pufferfish (3) I also have 12 Mullets, about 30 Ghost Shrimp, 2 or 3 Hermit Crabs, 6 mumpers, 1 baby Horseshoe Crab, some Siversides, used to have 2 baby Sea Robins but they kept eating all the little guys so they had to go. But all the above are in my 120 gallon tank now.

I feed the fish a mix of goodies such as zooplankton, algae, brine shrimp, almost all of the frozen stuff that comes in cubes, but the Pogies love mosquito larvae and daphnia the most. I'd love to get a baby Striper for my 300 gallon tank but it's illegal to posses them in Mass.

The frozen cubes are a tank owners best friend.

Your best bet if you want to minimize the $$ is to forget about the bowfront and go with a standard 55 gal. If you search the net and the newspapers you should be able to find one, locally, for about 1/2 of what you would pay in any pet shop. Local is a must, since shipping will kill the deal. Ofetn they'll come with lights, filters ect. Don't be afraid to make a guy a low ball offer, lots of them don't realize how much of a discount off of new the market is. Generally you should get about 50% off.

well... found what i was lookin for 46 bow front w/ oak stand about 3oo bucks w/ all etc. comes to about 600bannans... i,m nuts but i,m gonna do it.... screw it you only come this way once.. ill call it therapy 4 my old age.....

there is an awsome aquarium place in Framingham on RT9 I think it is. If its still there, its the place.

A tip: never ever put the water from the store into your tank water. Not good. You really need to make sure that the salinity and all the other stuff is good before the fish are put in or the water will be toxic to them. Damsels are real good starters then move up to the yellow tangs or clown fish. thats what I did

capt CC, if they have babies u will need another tank ...lol
good luck and let us know
VB

had a 55 gal tank what ever you do.... do not put a largemouth bass in it..........i did it and it ate all in the tank......
bet i had $200 - $300 just in feeder fish that i feed him by the time i released him....he started about 6" when i released him he was
12-13"..... was kinda cool .... drag a set of keys on the top of the tank and he would hit with a big splash :)

Good Luck with your aquarium - They can be a lot of fun.
Place a LOT of focus on your filtration system and it will literally run itself. Don't sit on water changes too long, vacuum your gravel - but dont' vacuum too much. Plecos are over - rated, they don't do as much as people think. With aggressive fish (cichlids), when you add a new member...change your landscape-ing, monitor the tank closely until they've learned to live together (3-5 days) -

I like saltwater tanks, but the maintenance can take away the fun factor - more testing, salt-buildup/etc...
Piranha's were fun, while they were little...very aggressive eaters, as they mature/grow they become less active. There were times when I dropped 6 feeder/fish in the tank and watched for about 45 minutes, and nada...the adult piranha did nothing. I'd walk out of the room grab a cold one...and when I returned, there were only 2 left, watched again for awhile....and nada. Strange feeders as adults, vicious little bastards when small.

There's definately more to keeping a tank then putting fish in some water and feeding them. To keep a well balanced aquarium one must do his homework. There are a lot of good tips in this thread - mix your tank water with the store water but not the store water with the tank water :confused: ...let me rephrase that, take a small tupperware container, fill 1/3 with your tank water, fill 1/3 with the store water, leave 1/3 empty...snap the lid on and float it in your tank for an hour (not too long - as your not oxygenating the water) - then scoop the fish out of the container into the tank, discard the tupperware water. Acrylic will disappoint you in the long run in my opinion. just my .02 -

Again - Good Luck and have fun with it.

P.S. - don't do what I did and drop a bluecrab in there......yellow tang appetizer followed by some clownfish pudding :hs:...a free bluecrab cost me lots a money :behead:

thanks guys for the good info ,,, gona pick up 46 gal glass tank w/ all the goodies this wk ..... what about a under gravel filters...

i,m lookin to buy a fish tank 4 xmas. 4 the house,bow front 40 to 50 gal w/ stand and all the etc new.... does any have any ideas or sug. would like to get started in it again...stores or web ????? thanks dave

Dave, I have a 50 gallon I don't need anymore
come get it

with stand and filter