Any one else into live reef aquariums?

paymontana

I have a ninety gl reef aquarium . Right now it is w/o live stock. Power surge killed almost 1k in live stock last winter. It happened while we were away for the weekend. I had it wired properly into a GFI circuit. When the power went out the GFI never reset when the power returned. The temp in the tank dropped below sixty for at least 24hrs. Several were dead when i got home. Several others lived for a day or two. My prized Hippo Tang from Hawaii survived til early this spring. It was very depressing. All my live Fiji rock is fine. I have almost 200lbs of it. It was absolutely beautiful in its prime.

Now I have been thinking about selling it . I have over 3k$ in it. That is alot of HI-FI equipment. If it were not for my daughter I would have sold it along time ago. They are beautiful and not that much work once they are set up properly ( NO GFI). Any time you buy a saltwater fish it is a gamble. Even if you are experienced but it is a very satisfying hobby. So what is your opinion? Keep it or sell it.

Strong Bad

I think aquariums are very cool. I wish I had the time and money to get one and maintain it.

I say keep the thing if you like it! If it's too much of a job to maintain, then scrap it and get some killer Hi-Fi goodies!

John

dorokusai

I really like aquariums also, they are so nice sometimes. It sounds like you have a great SW setup, Pay...sorry to hear about your misfortune. I will probably do a fresh water cichlid tank, they have a huge variety...I am not that advanced, or committed, for SW.

nico

I too have a reef set up it's 250G. I am in a dilemma whether to sell it or keep it also because I am moving and I'm sure you know what it takes to move one of these things. I might just get a smaller tank and transfer all my precious collections in to it.

gidrah

Sorry to hear about your bad luck.

I've got one freshwater tank set up. At the old house I had eleven tanks going once upon a time.

paymontana

http://thatpetplace.com/intro/main.html

Anyone that is into aquariums needs to check this out. I consider it the Mecca of the aqua world. I don't think anyone can beat their prices or their service. Dorokuasi an jds you guys are less than 2hrs. from there. It is located in Lancaster Pa. The store itself is the size of a small Wallmart. The last time I was there I had my own personal shopping guide . Love this place. It is the equivalant of the polk factory.

nico

is this place only in PA?

paymontana

Yes. It is only in Pa but they do have online ordering. They are very prompt w/ their services. It is a 3hr drive for me so I use their online ordering when I have to. I do make a annual trip for major supplies and live stock.

CJ

nico

thanks

brettw22

Originally posted by nico
I too have a reef set up it's 250G.

Am I reading this right that you're claiming to have $250,000 in fish **** lying around?

nico

No 250 gallon aquarium although I have spent a lot of money with this set up

brettw22

ROFL.....can ya tell I'm not a fish guy to not get the G=Gallon thing? Too funny.......they can be expensive from what I understand. To me, the ideal pet is one that doesn't require me to clean up it's crap. (see system showcase)

dorokusai

If it was $250,000...there better be a freaking mermaid in there ready to do my bidding at all times!

Aquarium's are another hobby that can be quite expensive depending on the level.

Pablo

Bummer about the fish dude. I ran a 55g salt tank in my office for about 10 years. Now I just kind of ignore it. I haven't bought anything in a long time. Just 2 fish left, a clown and a tang (from a friend). I can't believe they are still alive. I haven't touched the tank for over 6 months (you can bearly see inside).

But, I am thinking of redoing my entire tank set up. I'm in the process of designing my home theater room, and I was thinking of putting a reef tank in the wall behind the bar. A nice viewable area behind the bar is about 60" by 30" so I was going to try and go fairly large. 90g is a minimum, but if you are thinking of selling, drop me a line.

I'm not in any rush (it's an idea I just came up with last week), but I just started searching around for ideas, and happened apon your post.

nico

Pablo are you referring to paymontana or me NICO?

Pablo

I was actually responding to paymontana, but a 250 might be interesting as well nico (although it may be more than I can handle).

paymontana

I am thinking about putting it on Ebay for 1500$ after the holidays. I have reserves though because I know I will miss it.

CJ

organ

I think only you can answer that question. If it was me, I'd keep the tank and start fresh with fresh water fish because they're much easier to care for than marine fish. An amazon tank when set up properly with hundreds of neon, lemon and glowlight tetras look amazing. That's if you like small shoaling fish.

Maurice

paymontana

Once you go salt water you can't go back. I was a former cichlid freak . For me it is salt water or bust. Ill make that decision after the first of the year.

CJ
If I do deside to sell forum members will have first shot.

Pablo

15 bills including filters and stuff? That would be a pretty good deal for a 250.

It's true, once you go salt you can't go back. I have 2 fresh tanks and a salt. The fresh tanks are nice, but when the salt tank is all cleaned up, it is unbelievable. Once you look at it, you can't seem to keep your eyes off it. It's like the Mona Lisa.

And once you get it set up correctlly, maintenance is really not that big of a deal (it's a lot if you keep it sparkling). But just to keep it alive, you really don't have to do much (unless you lose power for 2 days). I haven't touched my tank for over 6 months and the fish just won't die (my clown is over 4 years now).

paymontana

I would want 1500$ for my 90gl. That would be one hell of a deal. I hAVE 200LBS of live rock @6.99 /lb, VHO lighting $500, tank with hood and stand $600 and at least $600 in filters,sterilizers, skimmers and pumps. Those prices aren't even retail. I would have to sell it local. Shipping would be a killer. Dorokusai I would deliver it to the Frederick area.

CJ

Pablo

Sorry, I didn't go back and read carefully. I thought you were the one with the 250. $1500 for a complete 90 is a hell of a deal. (for a 250 it would have been an unbelievable deal). The VHO lighting was one of the things I debating on. It's very expensive.

I'm in SW CT, so it may be possible to work something out. But I'm not in any rush to do anything. It may not be until spring that I get something going. I'm redoing my home theater room. I'm planning on stripping the entire basement down and rebuilding everything. I'm resetting my TV into the wall, building a mahogany entertainment center, rebuilding the bar, putting in an "accoustical" compatible ceiling, putting in new "accoustical" compatible walls, and may even remove a pole that's in the middle of the room (I need to get an engineer to design me an iron beam). All new lighting, add built in draws under the stairs, remove part of the stair wall (to make the room look bigger), redo the stairway (for better accoustics), carpet the floor, and on, and on, and on. At least I picked up a huge sectional sofa for $1100 at an estate sale, so furniture is almost out of the way.

I guess the only problem is where I draw the line as far as funds go. I have a nice house that is probably worth 50% more than I paid for it 4 years ago, but it was built in the 60's and has been updated since. So some nice improvements are probably worth the effort. But my bank account is not a bottomless pit (regardless of what my wife thinks). But I'm doing all the work myself, so that saves me a few bucks.

What I'm thinking of doing is well over what I was planning on spending, and the fish tank was a last minute thought (I thought it would look nice in the wall behind the bar). But it would really make the room (as Richard Pryor said in Brewsters Millions, "I want a room I can die in").

Enough said for now. Thanks for listening.

dorokusai

Pay - I think thats a great deal, but am strapped for the time being. Audio has got me by the balls right now I will definetly be in touch when I am a little loose in the pockets, perhaps you will still have it then. Thank you for keeping me in mind.