BIG fish tanks

**jim777** · #1 01-16-2008, 04:09 PM

Anyone have a big one (100+ gallons)? My Oscars have grown significantly this year and I need to get them a new tank. Anyone have success or stories concerning the acrylic tanks? They appear to be lighter and cheaper while being as strong as glass. I'm go to go with a 125-200 gallon tank, so I'm looking into filters and such already. The cheap stuff

jim

**jaxadam** · #2 01-16-2008, 04:15 PM

Nope, I only have a 75 gallon, but I've got a buddy a few houses down who has a 200, and another buddy down the street that has a 125. I believe both of them are glass.

Mine's glass, haven't had any experience with the acrylic, and I use Emperor filters. Work great. Whisper are nice filters, too, and very quiet.

7Plagues · #3 01-16-2008, 04:16 PM

I have 5 tanks, and my largest is only a 55. I have seen a ton of used tanks on craigslist. I would try browsing around on there in your area.

**jim777** · #4 01-16-2008, 04:21 PM

I just ordered a Rena Filstar xP3 filter to help support the two filters I've currently got on my 60. I'll probably keep the 60 up just for feeders, as the Oscars are pigs

But I need to move the Oscars into either 125 or 200 soon. I'm thinking about going in March at this point, so I have some time to shop around.

I emailed someone in AC off of craigslist today about a 125 with stand. Got my fingers crossed on that one

bammbamm · #5 01-18-2008, 01:36 AM

A buddy of mine has 100-ish saltwater built and framed into his wall... it looks like a friggin' plasma with a screen saver on it.
The kids love it, he has "Nemo" (clown fish) and a bunch of other cool salt water fish with some live coral. cool to have, but that can't be easy to maintain.

Rotti · #6 01-18-2008, 04:54 AM

I think salt water tanks are just as easy to maintain if you know what your doing.

Canadian Mark · #7 01-18-2008, 09:27 AM

Is it true that acrylic tanks tend to scratch more easily than glass tanks?

**jim777** · #8 01-18-2008, 09:47 AM

Yeah, that's what they say. I'd probably get one if I didn't have 7 plecos. The acrylic ones are clearer; they don't have that pale greenish tint that most glass has. They're also lighter as well and easier to order in custom shapes. But plecos love to hang on the glass and I know they'd scratch up the inside of the tank. I wouldn't be too worried about scratches on the outside of the tank.

The problem I'm running into is getting a tank from A to B. I'm one of the few people in South Jersey without either a pickup truck of my own or a buddy with one.

I'll probably be limited to what i can fit inthe back of my station wagon

ScottB · #9 01-18-2008, 09:58 AM

U-Haul - $19.99 for a pickup truck

Cheaper than asking a buddy and having to buy lunch and beer!

shotgunlew · #10 01-18-2008, 10:10 AM

I have had many tanks 100 gal + and have had experience with acrylic tanks as well. PM any questions you could have to me and ill hit you back up. As a teen i use to set up salt water fishtanks in pet stores ( the displays ) in exchange for live rock, coral, and fish, ect. I also have experience with plenium filters using the berlin method as well as protien skimmers ect. I too have had oscers grow to large for a tank, i went and got some acrylic and cut it with the ends at angles. A tempered glass bottom and expoxied the seems. Hope i can provide some help!

Canadian Mark · #11 01-18-2008, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim777

Yeah, that's what they say. I'd probably get one if I didn't have 7 plecos. The acrylic ones are clearer; they don't have that pale greenish tint that most glass has. They're also lighter as well and easier to order in custom shapes. But plecos love to hang on the glass and I know they'd scratch up the inside of the tank. I wouldn't be too worried about scratches on the outside of the tank.

The problem I'm running into is getting a tank from A to B. I'm one of the few people in South Jersey without either a pickup truck of my own or a buddy with one.

I'll probably be limited to what i can fit inthe back of my station wagon

Interesting! I would have never guessed that plecos would scratch acrylic. I thought scratches would result mostly from cleaning.

Does acrylic also distort more than glass? I would imagine it has quite a different refractive index from a traditional aquarium glass. Is the major difference between traditional plate glass and the expensive specialty aquarium glass come down to less distortion? Or is there even a visible difference?

**jim777** · #12 01-18-2008, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottB

U-Haul - $19.99 for a pickup truck

Cheaper than asking a buddy and having to buy lunch and beer!

They get you with the mileage

I've gone that route getting my backyard grill and it was surprisingly expensive. If I can find something like 200 gallons used I can probably fit it in my wagon. I need something short and deep, so the Oscars can turn around. Lots of big tanks are just long across the front, which isn't what I want.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canadian Mark

Interesting! I would have never guessed that plecos would scratch acrylic. I thought scratches would result mostly from cleaning.

Does acrylic also distort more than glass? I would imagine it has quite a different refractive index from a traditional aquarium glass. Is the major difference between traditional plate glass and the expensive specialty aquarium glass come down to less distortion? Or is there even a visible difference?

You know, I honestly don't know about the distortion differences between the glasses and the acrylics. My attraction to the acrylics was primarily the price

I knew I was going to have to get a much larger tank months ago, but life got busy and now I need to move fairly soon. Oscars will grow from 1" to 11" in their first year, and the quarter sized Oscars I bought last May are all 7-8" inches long now! I've found a few 200 gallon tanks on the 'bay that are sort of within driving distance so I may be able to get something big fairly cheap, and use the extra cash for bigger filters and such.

shotgunlew · #13 01-18-2008, 06:42 PM

Look for a salt water coral tank if u wanta shorter but taller tank, Reason being is corals like light and it allows you to stack live rock higher and get the corals closer to the autenitc ( spelling?) light, thus the tanks a shorter and taller.

**jim777** · #14 01-18-2008, 11:33 PM

Ideally I'd like a 48" long x48" wide by 24" tall, but unless I win the lottery it ain't happening!

I don't want a tall tank, I want square inches on the bottom. I should have been more clear when I said 'short and deep', I meant short top to bottom and deep front to back. There are a couple of good buys on Craigslist and the 'bay right now, I'll just have to see if I can get something close, big, and cheap. I'd rather spend the money on filters than the tank if I possibly can. I'd like to keep my 4 Oscars together, but they are already 8" long and will likely double again in the next year.

shotgunlew · #15 01-19-2008, 12:12 AM

Have you heard of protien skimming or using a plenum system? Look into those they could help with the filtering, you dont wanna have too too big a filter or ull take some of the bactieria thats good out of the water which is a no go. Id say use a few good bio wheels , a plenum system ( cost bout 5-15 dollars to make ) and maybe a protien skimmer depending on how much plant life or alege problem you may have , amount of plecos ( snails also count if there apple snails, smaller dont count ). Ive ran 100 gallon salt water tanks using the berlin method ( protien skimmer and plenum ) and a small ( like 10-20 gallon ) sized bio wheel and had great great great soft corals in there.