Use Tote for Growout

[lucky777ca]

I was just wondering whether a 189L (50G) rubbermaid tote be good as a growout tank for the kribensis frys (as I will have a problem in keeping the second bath of frys in a tank altogether)... I currently have a Hagen 300W submersible heater and an AC 70... I was thinking about leaving the tote without the gravel and decorations. Anyways, would that be sufficient enough for them?

Thank you very much.

[YoFishboy]

That would be more than enough....you have discovered the poor aquarist's best temporary grow out tank! They work out GREAT!

[lucky777ca]

I've heard of uing them for guppies, although I was unsure about using that for kribensis frys.

Thank you for the quick response :)

[saganco]

You still have to have the heater, filtration, and air flow - correct? So all you're saving is the cost of the tank itself - am I right?

How do you recommend cutting corners financially for the whole setup? Would it be ok for some cichlid grow out? Or molly or platty fry?

Space problems are my biggest challenge - I would just LOVE to have a grow out tank AND a qt tank, but it seems it will be one or the other, and I guess the qt/hospital tank is much more important.

On a different note, how do individuals ship fish? I am no where near a fish store (2-2.5 hours away from me), so I can't get the bag with pressurized air - am I just doomed to never get to sell fish? Any thoughts or help with that? Would love to take part in aquabid at some point (IF I can do the grow out and have enough stock). Thanks in advance for any ideas...
Sharon

[lucky777ca]

Yes, but you would be able to use the tote afterwards for storage of other stuff (making a difference in buying the tote instead of the aquarium)... That's pretty much the difference that I'm looking at.

I have an AC70 for $60, Heater (300W) for $18, Tote for $23... Total of $101 (with tax: $114.13)... All in CAD.

A 55G starter kit... Cheapest I've seen: $270 for AGA aquarium (48"x13"x20") with Whisper 30-60, no heater, some food, net, twin canopy (24" with single 18" flourescent tube on each canopy)... That's pretty much it

Another for $280 same as above, but it has a BioWheel 300 (I think) instead of the Whisper 30-60... I'd like to get this one though.

With tax, that's pretty much $305.10 and $316.40, respectively...

$230 for the canopy and tank (instead of getting the tote)? I'd go for the tote (as it will be a growout tank)... Although, I will be getting a 55G soon though (This will become a community tank)... It wouldn't be good to look at with a tote instead of an aquarium tank :D

I bought the tote this evening :D Rubbermaid Jumbo Storage Tote (189L/50G) => 42.2"x21"x16.6" (LxHxW) with a green lid :D

Anyways, thank you again.

PS: I like your avatar, saganco :)

[saganco]

Thanks lucky777ca - that's my sweet baby "Chewy" after dinner one day.

So the plastic doesn't harm them at all and then you can reuse the container. Are there many other differences in using a tote vs an aquarium? Other than the obvious - glass vs plastic and lighter in weight? Everything else is about the same? Can you see the little fry well enough since it's not as clear as glass?

[lucky777ca]

:D

You wouldn't be able to put things directly into the tote... I'll be putting clothes that are in plastic bags into the tote, or other stuff like that (which are in plastic bags)...

I guessing that the plastic doesn't hurt them.

You wouldn't be able to see them unless you have a (semi-)transparent kind and even then, you wouldn't see them that much. So you wouldn't be able to see the frys from the top view :S It is less costly than buying the tank and canopy (depending on where you are). I'm not sure about the other differences between them though.

An aquarium would be the best way and the tote being the second choice if an aquarium not at their disposal.

[coupedefleur]

I'm using several tuff tubs. It's not easy to find big shallow aquaria with lots of surface area. I've got some salvaged glass I use for tops with shoplights suspended above them.

You do have to be careful with heaters- you don't want them to melt a hole in the side. I put a glass goldfish bowl ( though a jar would work too ) inside and have the end of the submersible heater in that with the cord holding up the other end. I put an airstone in the jar to circultate water past the heater.

[lucky777ca]

I was thinking about the heater and the tub. I'll be emptying a goldfish bowl soon, and placing the larger frys into the 50G tote... As for the smaller frys, they'll be in the 20G high for more growth, then will placed into the 50G tote for more extended growth.

Thank you for the the information coupedefleur (about the heater, goldfish bowl and air stone).

Would I be able to get a glass top from Home Depot, Rona or any store like those?

[coupedefleur]

I like using 2 or three pieces of glass for a top. I lucked out years ago and got a pile of 28" x 14" glass shelves with rounded edges for a few bucks.

What I'd do is go to a specialty glass shop and have them cut some glass and round the edges so they aren't sharp. If you find the right place, they will do it inexpensively.

[lucky777ca]

Thank you very much, coupedefleur...

I will be buying a glass top for them :) The parameters are as follows:

Temperature: 77F
Nitrites: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 20 ppm
GH: 75 ppm (4.22 dH)
kH: 100 ppm (5.62 dH)
pH: 7.5

The bowl is a great idea, I just need a grate over the top of the bowl as the one of the kribensis fry has taken up that territory :D

[coupedefleur]

It's usually no problem if they swim into the bowl, but it may take a while for them to get out. My fry get really frantic when the others are eating and they haven't tried swimming out the top of the bowl yet. :)

[lucky777ca]

So I wouldn't need to worry about the frys in the bowl.

Thank you very much