Search the Community

We recently consolidated three tanks down to two, larger tanks. In doing so, we combined fish originating from three continents and environments but possessing very similar personalities. We relocated the inhabitants of a 75G, a 125G and a 120G into the 125G and a new, 200G acrylic. The fish are Asian, African and South American but share very similar temperaments. The pH is 7.8 and we keep the temperatures at 77*F. This pH and temperature are compromise values. While they may not be physically ideal for any one type, they have been healthy, happy, growing, breeding and fearless for about two years, even before this consolidation. There’s no fighting, no chasing, and virtually no hiding. About the only peril we encounter is preventing jumping during feedings. I cannot qualify or quantify the value of a near stress-free environment, but it seems more important for their health than I previously realized. The sole exception here was my Oscar. He's infamously aggressive and ill-tempered. To the point I could barely find tankmates. He killed or attempted to kill much larger Oscars, bichirs, Pacu’s, plecos and even some very aggressive mbunas as I kept trying to find something, anything that could live with him. Aside from the parrots he grew up with, he would only tolerate a dither group of Silver Dollars and most likely, only because there were 12 of them to share the abuse. Apparently, I failed to do read the room, and for some time. There was a dramatic change in my Oscar’s temperament when going from a 6’ tank to an 8’ tank, nothing less than Hyde to Jekyll. Once he had the space, it was like a different fish. Tethys As mentioned above, the water between the two types is basically a compromise. Part of the reason we set this rig up was the rapid growth of our fish. Most are now huge and were raised from juveniles such that, we really didn’t want to part with any of them. To that end, we adopted an “overstock/over-filter” approach. In an attempt to keep the water pristine, we set up a large filtration and huge UV sterilization system. All of the filtration and aeration is hidden behind furniture. Each tank uses two Fluval FX6’s and a SunSun704b, the latter being carbon-filled and feeding a whole-house, 55W, UV light rated at 700GPH on each tank, for a total of over 2400GPH/tank. Pillars of Strength We design high-end, high-fidelity equipment and in part of our HIFI work, our loudspeaker designs, use large PVC pipes as loudspeaker enclosures rather than wood as it is light weight but much stronger than concrete, yet acoustically inert. As such, I had a great deal of giant PVC in storage and so we made these columns. The tanks themselves stand on giant PVC columns. Continental Drift Some days after filling, we noticed the water level was increasingly askew. The floor began to sink! Apparently when placing the columns, we missed the joists below. The columns were slowly sinking through the floor, between two joists. Pangea was sinking. The sinking 200-gallon aquarium, now filled with fish needed the columns relocated precisely over the floor joists. To lift a 2200lbs aquarium filled with fish was at least to me, a daunting endeavor but our choice was who to stress out more, the fish or ourselves! The fish had already been moved once so lifting the tank was still preferable to draining it and moving the fish twice more. Lifting a 2200lbs aquarium was pretty scary. To lighten the load and reduce stress and splashing, we drained half of the water. Yet it still weighed about 1400lbs. The only device we had available that can lift thousands of pounds was a truck jack. And to our relief and surprise, the truck jack worked beautifully. A stud-finder and the jack made this much easier than we expected. We were able to lift both aquariums several times and reposition every column over a joist as well as shim non-level areas with ease. The fish never even noticed. Laurasia The 125G Asian and South American fishes of similar personalities, sizes ranging from 2” – 4”: German Blue Rams, Mystery Snails, Plecos, Rainbows, Shubunkins, Dojo Loaches, Electric Blue Acaras, Severum, Silver Dollars and an old stowaway, a Chinese Algae Eater in a 125G standing on 18” diameter PVC columns: No Topless The 200G acrylic tank was purchased used and had no tops. But these guys jump. As we planned on using emergent plants, we made the entire top out of plastic lighting grid to support them and allow light through. Gondwana The 200G In the 200G are African and South American fishes of similar personalities, sizes ranging from; a 14” Oscar, 14” Plecos, 8” Red & Gold Severums, 6” Silver Dollars, 6” Geophagus Hecklii, a 5” Parrot, a 10” King Kong Parrot and 5” Burundi Frontosas, standing on eight, 8” PVC columns. Deep Blue See Reducing the number of tanks yielded some additional equipment, so we mounted three layers of lights with descending intensity and ascending color temperature. The front lights being warmer and brighter, the middle being neutral in color and subdued, and the rear being dark and blue creating an illusion of much greater depth. Placing two air stones under the center lights made for a natural looking, rippling water lighting effect on the stalks of bamboo. Burundi Frontosas & Geophagus Hecklii Silver Dollars Severum, Parrot & Pleco Geophagus Hecklii-Male Burundi Frontosa King Kong Parrot Burundi Frontosas Red Severum Oscar (Tank Boss) Severums at Night Severums at Dawn The Curmudgeons (Oscar, Parrot, King Kong Parrot) Narcissus Macro Through Water Droplet Electric Blue Acaras, Red & Gold Severums Dojo Loach Photobombing Severums Gondwana (Apologies for reusing some old photos!)

Hey all! I have just set up my first tank about 3-4 weeks ago and low, behold I found a much larger home and now will be moving. Curious, what ways some of you have transported tanks? I only have a 10 gallon rimless, but its stocked with some nice fish and plants. I think I need more substrate anyways, so while moving I am thinking off removing most everything(all of the livestock ie 9 fish, shrimp and snails, but also the plants). Would buying a new thick clear plastic tote with a lid be good? Just add tank water into it and then an air stone...put all of them in there? Only moving about 35 miles away, so not super far. Any thoughts or tips would be appreciated! 🙂

I have two questions, The more prevalent issue is that I want to get some Amno Shrimp for my 20 gal, the current PH is 8.0 and should be able to get adjusted with some leaves but he KH is very high around 14-15. I want to know should I just adjust for the Ph or do I need to change the KH first. I do understand that KH is what helps prevent large changes in PH but I figured since my PH only needs a small change, I would be able to adjust the ph without worrying about KH for the shrimp. The second question is that after this winter break I want to move my tank to university with me but I am not sure what the best method of transporting the tanks would be it is a 5 hour total drive. Any ideas welcome.