Is This a Good Deal?

Haywood Jablowme · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 17

I am contemplating a new purchase.

My LFS is offering to sell me a complete 150 Gallon tank (All Glass
brand) with finished cabinet and top (with the lights installed in the
top).

The price includes everything except the fish (wet/dry filter, UV
sterilizer, skimmer, everything).

The setup is going to be a fish only tank. With a tank this size, I
can eventually have a dramatic community of relatively large fish.
And, with the amount of space in the tank, hopefully I can keep the
aggression to a minimum.

The dealers price is $2200 and this includes him delivering it and
setting it in place. I will fill it and get it running so I can cycle
it.

He still believes in cycling a tank with damsel fish. What is the
consensus? I know, years ago this was the way we did it. But, there
are some products on the market that are supposed to speed the process
of cycling the tank. Do these work?

Thanks.

HJ

Archived from group: rec>aquaria>marine>misc

George Patterson · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 241

Haywood Jablowme wrote:

> The dealers price is $2200 and this includes him delivering it and
> setting it in place. I will fill it and get it running so I can cycle
> it.

Doctors Foster & Smith will sell you a 150 gallon system for $2,050. But.
There's a $350 delivery charge. Sounds like your deal is better.

> He still believes in cycling a tank with damsel fish. What is the
> consensus?

Dunno about consensus, but there's no need to cycle a large tank like this in
the old sense of adding a load of fish and watching the nitrites climb. Add a
few fish at a time and space the additions about a month apart, and the tank
will cycle without any detectable rise in ammonia or nitrites. Don't buy any
fish that you don't want to keep. Size matters in this. If you add a $200 queen
angel, don't add anything else for a month. If that's your first fish, don't add
anything else for at least 6 weeks - it takes the wet/dry a while to get the
bacterial cultures established.

With that size tank and the equipment you describe, you could add 1-2' of fish
as soon as the water seasons and never see a trace of ammonia or nitrites.

George Patterson
Forgive your enemies. But always remember who they are.

George Patterson · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 241

Haywood Jablowme wrote:

> The dealers price is $2200 and this includes him delivering it and
> setting it in place.

By the way, if you're in central New Jersey, you might want to get a comparison
price from Howie Berkowitz at Pets, Pets, Pets in Somerset. He's always treated
me well. 732-545-6675.

George Patterson
Forgive your enemies. But always remember who they are.

mtfester · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 37

George Patterson wrote:
> Haywood Jablowme wrote:

> > The dealers price is $2200 and this includes him delivering it and
> > He still believes in cycling a tank with damsel fish. What is the
> > consensus?

> Dunno about consensus, but there's no need to cycle a large tank like this in
> the old sense of adding a load of fish and watching the nitrites climb. Add a
> few fish at a time and space the additions about a month apart, and the tank
> will cycle without any detectable rise in ammonia or nitrites. Don't buy any
> fish that you don't want to keep. Size matters in this. If you add a $200 queen

Clown fish are a good first addition; related to damsels, and as
tolerant of spikes.

Mike

Haywood Jablowme · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 17

> By the way, if you're in central New Jersey, you might want to get a
> comparison
> price from Howie Berkowitz at Pets, Pets, Pets in Somerset. He's always
> treated
> me well. 732-545-6675.
>
Thanks for the tip. But, I'm in the Orlando, Florida area.

HJ

Haywood Jablowme · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 17

I
> Clown fish are a good first addition; related to damsels, and as
> tolerant of spikes.

I have always liked Clownfish (Ocellarus). So, they will be the first
fish in the tank. I'm thinking I should get 5 of the largest Clownfish
I can find. This way, they can stand up to future additions. Don't
you think I should use an odd number?

mtfester · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 37

Haywood Jablowme wrote:
> I
> > Clown fish are a good first addition; related to damsels, and as
> > tolerant of spikes.

> I have always liked Clownfish (Ocellarus). So, they will be the first
> fish in the tank. I'm thinking I should get 5 of the largest Clownfish
> I can find. This way, they can stand up to future additions. Don't
> you think I should use an odd number?

Be careful with clowns, unless you have more anemones; they can become
VERY territorial. You should add more anemones than clowns.

Mike

Marksfish · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 55

>> I have always liked Clownfish (Ocellarus). So, they will be the first
>> fish in the tank. I'm thinking I should get 5 of the largest Clownfish
>> I can find. This way, they can stand up to future additions. Don't
>> you think I should use an odd number?
>
> Be careful with clowns, unless you have more anemones; they can become
> VERY territorial. You should add more anemones than clowns.
>
>
Probably best to get only two juvenile clowns. All clowns are male as
juveniles and the more dominant will change into a female with the next
dominant male being the partner and "female in waiting". If you have more
than this, they will pester the least dominant until it dies and work their
way up until only the two strongest survive.

Mark

RubenD · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 4

If you are planning to add coral, and I think eventually you will, you
might want to avoid anemones since they like to move,
and sometimes will kill your coral when they touch. Besides, the clowns
will spend most of the time hiding inside.

The clown fish will behave like a school of fish, swimming together without
the anemones, just make sure you pick tank raised from the same tank.

Good luck,

Ruben

"Haywood Jablowme" wrote in message%Haywood.Jablowme@yahoo.com...
>
> > By the way, if you're in central New Jersey, you might want to get a
> > comparison
> > price from Howie Berkowitz at Pets, Pets, Pets in Somerset. He's always
> > treated
> > me well. 732-545-6675.
> >
> Thanks for the tip. But, I'm in the Orlando, Florida area.
>
> HJ

mtfester · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 37

RubenD wrote:
> If you are planning to add coral, and I think eventually you will, you
> might want to avoid anemones since they like to move,
> and sometimes will kill your coral when they touch. Besides, the clowns
> will spend most of the time hiding inside.

I haven't had any problems with that; the best spots for anemones are
taken by anemones, and I move the corals accordingly.

Mike

Haywood Jablowme · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 17

In article , RubenD
wrote:

> If you are planning to add coral, and I think eventually you will, you
> might want to avoid anemones since they like to move,
> and sometimes will kill your coral when they touch. Besides, the clowns
> will spend most of the time hiding inside.

I will probably not add any corals. I am looking for a low maintenance
fish only tank. I think (with a tank this size) I can have a dramatic
tank while keeping the maintenance to just the basics.

mtfester · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 37

Haywood Jablowme wrote:
> In article , RubenD
> wrote:

> > If you are planning to add coral, and I think eventually you will, you
> > might want to avoid anemones since they like to move,
> > and sometimes will kill your coral when they touch. Besides, the clowns
> > will spend most of the time hiding inside.

> I will probably not add any corals. I am looking for a low maintenance
> fish only tank. I think (with a tank this size) I can have a dramatic
> tank while keeping the maintenance to just the basics.

Soft corals can be very low maintainance, and quite impressive looking.

So can some hard corals.

Mike

Haywood Jablowme · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 17

In article ,
wrote:

> Haywood Jablowme wrote:
> > In article , RubenD
> > wrote:
>
> > > If you are planning to add coral, and I think eventually you will, you
> > > might want to avoid anemones since they like to move,
> > > and sometimes will kill your coral when they touch. Besides, the clowns
> > > will spend most of the time hiding inside.
>
> > I will probably not add any corals. I am looking for a low maintenance
> > fish only tank. I think (with a tank this size) I can have a dramatic
> > tank while keeping the maintenance to just the basics.
>
> Soft corals can be very low maintainance, and quite impressive looking.
>
> So can some hard corals.
>
> Mike

I'm considering using compact florescent lighting (and not metal
halides). Will the soft corals be OK with these? I don't really want
the heat associated with metal halides.

mtfester · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 37

Haywood Jablowme wrote:
> In article ,
> wrote:

> > Soft corals can be very low maintainance, and quite impressive looking.
> >
> > So can some hard corals.

> I'm considering using compact florescent lighting (and not metal
> halides). Will the soft corals be OK with these?

Many will, yes.

> I don't really want
> the heat associated with metal halides.

Don't blame you. I got rid of my halide/actinic comba, and put in T5
lighting.

Mike

Haywood Jablowme · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 17

In article ,
wrote:

> Haywood Jablowme wrote:
> > In article ,
> > wrote:
>
> > > Soft corals can be very low maintainance, and quite impressive looking.
> > >
> > > So can some hard corals.
>
> > I'm considering using compact florescent lighting (and not metal
> > halides). Will the soft corals be OK with these?
>
> Many will, yes.
>
> > I don't really want
> > the heat associated with metal halides.
>
> Don't blame you. I got rid of my halide/actinic comba, and put in T5
> lighting.
>
> Mike
I'm trying to do as much reading as I can right now. I have seen a
number of pictures on the internet showing large tanks with both soft
corals and large angelfish (i.e. Koran Angelfish, Emperor Angelfish).
Does anyone know how these people are getting away with this? I'm
guessing that eventually the corals (they look like soft leather
corals) must be replaced. Won't angelfish like this eat soft corals?
This is what I always thought. If anyone has any insight on this, I
would appreciate some guidance. If there is a way to maintain a large
aquarium with both soft corals and Angelfish, I would really be
interested.