What next?

[myswtsins]

If you're looking at tanks, check out Pet's Plus in Lawrenceville... If the fish room manager Mark (Denaro) is working he may well offer you a good deal... Check out the fish while you are there... there's a decent and unusual selection in there as well as frequent special orders or shipping lists.

not sure if it'll help, but you can try saying that Gavin sent you;


If you really and truly want a FW suggestion, I'd move the tank to my bedroom, and fill it with a small swarm of Trichopsis Vittata (Linked); Their sound is seriously mellow and soothing... and so much better than sheer silence or the slurping of an overflow.

I know I said I looked at tanks but I am NOT "looking" at tanks. lol Although I would gladly get rid of a bunch I have to get a big one but I'd still have no place to put it in. But thanks again for the tip and the name to drop!

Good suggestion! But I'm not letting you put this tank is your bedroom. I love the croakers though. And besides a little hum from the pump this tank IS silent, which I love too. One of my favorite things is the sound of bugs, frogs and toads at night. I lay in the hammock out by my pond and fall asleep hehe.

 

[dougall]

give the croakers a chance then


if you insist on not doing SW that is.

 

[myswtsins]

I'd want a planted tank for the croakers. Besides anubias, needle leaf java ferns and crypts I can not have a planted tank without the whole sha-bang, it just doesn't work out for me. The overflow would off gas all my CO2 so a planted tank is out for this particular tank.

I forgot all about how much I wanted a colony of Neolamprologus brichardi though! And then I remembered why I can't have that, I have no where to off load the fry! I can't find any local places to take trade-ins. I used to travel over an hr to one place but they stopped wanting cichlids too (and then I had like $400 in credit that expired lol). I haven't asked around in a couple years though so I'm going to check that out tomorrow!

 

[GuppyKeeper32]

I would go with some nice clownfish and anemones. Super fun to watch, and easy to maintain for saltwater species. Always buy captive bred if you go with saltwater fish though. Good luck!

Gk

 

[myswtsins]

Thanks for the suggestion GuppyKeeper! I would always strive for captive bred but it pleases me to hear others suggest it cause it means you care too!

 

[dougall]

Sometimes captive bred isn't the answer

there are people who make a living catching fish, rather than, say, destruction of the rain forest via explosives to mine gold.

live caught isn't all bad; it just needs to be done correctly/sustainably

for example... http://projectpiaba.org/


On the subject of captive bred clownfish and anemones, there's a school in PA that keeps a bunch of SW/Reef tanks, and they breed/raise Bubble Tip Anemones and clownfish (As well as cardinals, I think Banggai, and propagate corals) as part of their education and to raise funds for the program... it's a pretty awesome thing to see. They were recently at the NY Reefapalooza and frequently at frag swaps in central and eastern PA. http://reefconservationsociety.org/williamsport.html.


As for reef ready tanks, I know Tom Barr (Plantbrain here, if active) said as part of last year's AGA convention, that he uses sumps within his tanks, and doesn't really experience gassing off.. I can't remember all the details, he may have kept them covered, or maintained the water into and out of the sump was taken from under the water's surface... and not sure if he used a standard weir/overflow or not... but it should be an option too

 

[GuppyKeeper32]

Very interesting! Thanks for the links. I have never kept saltwater, and I was always told to buy captive bred, because oftentimes fish were caught in bulk and reefs damaged. Guess you learn something new everyday!

Gk

 

[myswtsins]

Thanks for the info! I heard the same Guppy plus the huge impact finding nemo had on the clownfish populations. :/

From what I recall Tom Barr uses drilled tanks, yes but he doesn't use an overflow or sump. It is just plumbed pipes with screen on them and pressurized canister filters. But my memory isn't the best. I believe it was his 180 that was like that, I'll look around tomorrow.

 

[GuppyKeeper32]

Yeah, it's unfortunate, but these movies always seem to do that. Same thing happened with 101 Dalmatians. The breed was basically ruined. Sad.

Gk

 

[dougall]

Don't underestimate the effects on tourism on reefs, and people collecting fish for food either.

ornamental fishing can be a good source of income, I know it isn't always the best, but know when wild caught fish are a good thing.

note the places where the habitat is being destroyed, Brazil for example, and catching the fish in the wild is the only way to keep species from extinction, take the CARES program for example.



as for the overflows and CO2, I will watch the video of Tom's talk and see if it makes sense to me... it could be he uses a mame overflow which may reduce the problem.