Aquariums and upgrades

FESTER665

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I guess the internet isn't that big!

It was just another small tight knit community. CMAS was Chicago Marine Aquarium Society.

We would meet up to swap frags, sell frags, hell we were even playing poker tourneys for frags a few times. :bowrofl:

We had a group called the OT group because just like here we would go way off on tangents in threads and people would be like "WTF is going on !!!"
 
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NOMIEZVR4

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May 6, 2014
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Chicago
guys im selling a tank if anyones interested $275 TCG price

Most people agree this size makes the best reef tanks. 2 feet by 4 feet. Dual overflows, 2 drains 4 returns. Very well kept. Stand comes with canopy. Complete front of stand can be removed for full sump access. I will give you free sump that can be used with this tank. Great for fish only tank or reef. Canopy opens for easy access to lights and feeding.

t1.jpg
 
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v6buicks

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I actually forgot entirely that I made an Aquarium thread. I have since found the resolution to my original question. I did not end up building a sump style filter. Research proved that it would end up being a lot of work to design correctly, build, and maintain. Plus, drilling the tank just didn't wigged me out. Instead I just bought a Fluval FX6. No regrets. Water changes are a breeze and I don't have to do them very often at all. I was able to make my own aerator out of PVC.
1685039796237.png

Now that I have that tank mostly figured out.... I need another.

I was considering building a big stock tank habitat in the basement, but I wasn't sure how I would clean it properly. Plus, I'm never down there. It would be kinda sad to abandon my pet down there and realistically only come down to feed. I'm looking for a big tank and stand. I'm talking 100+ gallons.

Petsmart regularly has a 125 gallon tank for $600 including the stand which is stupid cheap, but the reviews are awful. I'd like something that isn't going to leak. I don't feel great about buying one on marketplace because you never know what's been in it and the stands are usually falling apart. I'd be willing to buy on in the Chicago area if there are still any good pet stores up there. I miss the independent pet stores. They're getting scarce. Anybody know where to get a good tank?
 
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FESTER665

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I actually forgot entirely that I made an Aquarium thread. I have since found the resolution to my original question. I did not end up building a sump style filter. Research proved that it would end up being a lot of work to design correctly, build, and maintain. Plus, drilling the tank just didn't wigged me out. Instead I just bought a Fluval FX6. No regrets. Water changes are a breeze and I don't have to do them very often at all. I was able to make my own aerator out of PVC.
View attachment 163864
Now that I have that tank mostly figured out.... I need another.

I was considering building a big stock tank habitat in the basement, but I wasn't sure how I would clean it properly. Plus, I'm never down there. It would be kinda sad to abandon my pet down there and realistically only come down to feed. I'm looking for a big tank and stand. I'm talking 100+ gallons.

Petsmart regularly has a 125 gallon tank for $600 including the stand which is stupid cheap, but the reviews are awful. I'd like something that isn't going to leak. I don't feel great about buying one on marketplace because you never know what's been in it and the stands are usually falling apart. I'd be willing to buy on in the Chicago area if there are still any good pet stores up there. I miss the independent pet stores. They're getting scarce. Anybody know where to get a good tank?
Like do you need it to be a display tank or truly a stock tank where you might only look at it from above or something like that?
 

cap42

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Mar 22, 2005
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Bolingbrook IL
Figures, I just sold my 120g with sump, it was in good condition but came with all the gear for a reef setup so wouldn't have been priced for what you need.

If your not looking for anything fancy aesthetic wise (like rimless etc, the tanks sold at the regular fish stores should be fine. Just check the seams and be careful transporting it. At the 100+ g size getting one with internal or external overflows for a sump should be the ticket based on what you've described.
 
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blue-sun

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Nov 10, 2020
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The one in Bolingbrook is less than a mile from my house, they have some decent mid to low end tanks there but I wouldn't buy livestock from them. It is a good place to get dry goods/equipment from.
Bolingbrook has been my go to for livestock for years. I have not had a real problem with the livestock not surviving. Sure, I've had a few that don't live past a week back in the early days, but that was when we had lots of Neon/Cardinal Tetras that we'd buy on a big sale day like this weekend for a buck or 2 a fish.
 

cap42

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Bolingbrook IL
Bolingbrook has been my go to for livestock for years. I have not had a real problem with the livestock not surviving. Sure, I've had a few that don't live past a week back in the early days, but that was when we had lots of Neon/Cardinal Tetras that we'd buy on a big sale day like this weekend for a buck or 2 a fish.
Can't speak to their freshwater stock, but out the of the 8-9 saltwater fish I purchased from them over the years only 1 survived. Some of those fish being in the $100-$300 range.
 

blue-sun

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Can't speak to their freshwater stock, but out the of the 8-9 saltwater fish I purchased from them over the years only 1 survived. Some of those fish being in the $100-$300 range.
yeah, I'm only a Freshwater keeper. I have heard from friends and family who used to keep saltwater fish, they would spend a few $ on the fish and often they would not survive. I'm not sure if saltwater fish are more temperamental than freshwater fish.
 

cap42

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Mar 22, 2005
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Bolingbrook IL
It's more species specific, certain saltwater fish are more susceptible to certain diseases, while others are very hardy. Several problems is that even if you have a hardy fish that seems healthy it could be carrying a disease and put that fish in to your tank and other fish would die off because of it. Let's face it saltwater fish are usually a lot more expensive than most freshwater fish. Most saltwater fish are wild caught, as there are only a limited number of fish that can be captive bred, so some fish just die from shock of being scooped out of the ocean stuck in a bag and flown halfway across the world and then dumped into a tank that's run by young minimum wage staff who know nothing about the industry.

So it's always highly recommended to quarantine and treat fish for as long as 30 days prior to introducing them to your main display. Not everyone (myself included) have the ability to setup a secondary tank with all the filtration to such a rigorous quarantine program. Most fish stores won't do this either because it adds a lot of cost, there are some that do and they are rare. Which is why after a few years in the saltwater hobby I only bought fish from places that did the quarantine for me, it added a little bit to the cost of a new fish but that cost is easily justified by it saving you thousands of dollars with your current livestock staying healthy.
 
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Pewter-Camaro

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May 28, 2011
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It's more species specific, certain saltwater fish are more susceptible to certain diseases, while others are very hardy. Several problems is that even if you have a hardy fish that seems healthy it could be carrying a disease and put that fish in to your tank and other fish would die off because of it. Let's face it saltwater fish are usually a lot more expensive than most freshwater fish. Most saltwater fish are wild caught, as there are only a limited number of fish that can be captive bred, so some fish just die from shock of being scooped out of the ocean stuck in a bag and flown halfway across the world and then dumped into a tank that's run by young minimum wage staff who know nothing about the industry.

So it's always highly recommended to quarantine and treat fish for as long as 30 days prior to introducing them to your main display. Not everyone (myself included) have the ability to setup a secondary tank with all the filtration to such a rigorous quarantine program. Most fish stores won't do this either because it adds a lot of cost, there are some that do and they are rare. Which is why after a few years in the saltwater hobby I only bought fish from places that did the quarantine for me, it added a little bit to the cost of a new fish but that cost is easily justified by it saving you thousands of dollars with your current livestock staying healthy.

Ohh hell no..
No Way Shrug GIF by Rosanna Pansino


I’ve always stuck with freshwater. Spend $20 for a few of them. Chuck them in. They good. ?
 

FESTER665

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It's more species specific, certain saltwater fish are more susceptible to certain diseases, while others are very hardy. Several problems is that even if you have a hardy fish that seems healthy it could be carrying a disease and put that fish in to your tank and other fish would die off because of it. Let's face it saltwater fish are usually a lot more expensive than most freshwater fish. Most saltwater fish are wild caught, as there are only a limited number of fish that can be captive bred, so some fish just die from shock of being scooped out of the ocean stuck in a bag and flown halfway across the world and then dumped into a tank that's run by young minimum wage staff who know nothing about the industry.

So it's always highly recommended to quarantine and treat fish for as long as 30 days prior to introducing them to your main display. Not everyone (myself included) have the ability to setup a secondary tank with all the filtration to such a rigorous quarantine program. Most fish stores won't do this either because it adds a lot of cost, there are some that do and they are rare. Which is why after a few years in the saltwater hobby I only bought fish from places that did the quarantine for me, it added a little bit to the cost of a new fish but that cost is easily justified by it saving you thousands of dollars with your current livestock staying healthy.
Yeah, all of my purchases from Live Aquaria Divers Den were definitely more expensive, but I also never had one go belly up two days after introduction.

I started a QT tank for awhile as well which was nice, but just as you mention got to be too much with extra tanks around the house just for quarantine.
 
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