flash
New Member
Hi:
About 12 years ago I had a 165 gal bow tank put in the lobby area of my business to keep client relaxed and 'feel good' before they came in for meetings, as well as to enjoy and have my employees enjoy. At the time I had a friend who owned a local fish store who did the entire setup for me and taught me a lot of the basics, but he also came in every other month to 'service the tank'.
The tank flourished well for about 5 years and everyone enjoyed it very much. Sadly, my friend was lost in a fatal car crash and I simply didn't have the time or knowledge to keep the tank up.
Also, I made mistakes listening mostly to local fish stores about what fish and inverts would be 'safe' in my tank, which cost me a small fortune as I found out that the grouper I bought that was 2 inches and grew to about a foot then decided to eat most of the other fish, and also I found out the Yellow tangs were aggressive to some of the new fish, and i also saw a dog face puffer in a store one day and fell in love with it until it decided to eat the smaller fish...and lastly I was sold on adding a chocolate chip starfish to my tank being told it was 'safe' only to learn after a few weeks that at night he was eating some of the fish.
I finally realized I was in over my head and gave away the remaining fish and the tank has now sat there for the past 4-5 years as an expensive piece of furniture.
My work load and schedule has decreased, and I miss the tank/fish and decided to give it another try.
I am going to transport the tank and furniture it sits in home and start form scratch.
Thus, I am looking for some advice, and also looking for someone who may live in Staten Island or Brooklyn who would be interested in helping me setup the tank and servicing it (monthly?) for me, especially at the beginning.
I do know what tank, in general I want.
I want a nice peaceful tank that has colorful community fish and I'd also like to have some inverts.
I plan on using the basics that i used the first time around...live sand and live rock to start...
Then add hermit crabs, snails, shrimp, etc
Then I'd like to start the tank and build it up with some percula clown fish and maybe a tomato clown? and also some anemones for them to 'play in'.
I'd also like to have 1-3 blue hippo tangs.
...and after that I am a bit lost as I know I need ot be very careful what I add.
I know in a large tank the yellow tangs 'should be ok' but I also know I had at least one in the past which was 'spiking' other fish.
I now know to stay away form groupers, lionfish, puffers, and many if not all of the triggers.
I also know the damsels aggravate a lot of the 'peaceful fish' so will stay away form them.
I am looking for some expert ideas/suggestions on what other fish I can add to this type of tank that will not bother the clownfish and tangs and also will not eat my shrimp, snails, etc...or bother the anemones and also if it is ok if i add some other things like sponges or ?
also, since i have been out of this for about 5 years now, i dont know if there have been improvements in lighting/filtering.etc and if i need to invest in a new system or if the system i have form 12 yrs ago is still 'current' in terms of what will work. The tank DID do VERY WELL for the firts 5 years and I didnt lose many fish when my friend was on top of things.
Thanks in advance,
Steve
About 12 years ago I had a 165 gal bow tank put in the lobby area of my business to keep client relaxed and 'feel good' before they came in for meetings, as well as to enjoy and have my employees enjoy. At the time I had a friend who owned a local fish store who did the entire setup for me and taught me a lot of the basics, but he also came in every other month to 'service the tank'.
The tank flourished well for about 5 years and everyone enjoyed it very much. Sadly, my friend was lost in a fatal car crash and I simply didn't have the time or knowledge to keep the tank up.
Also, I made mistakes listening mostly to local fish stores about what fish and inverts would be 'safe' in my tank, which cost me a small fortune as I found out that the grouper I bought that was 2 inches and grew to about a foot then decided to eat most of the other fish, and also I found out the Yellow tangs were aggressive to some of the new fish, and i also saw a dog face puffer in a store one day and fell in love with it until it decided to eat the smaller fish...and lastly I was sold on adding a chocolate chip starfish to my tank being told it was 'safe' only to learn after a few weeks that at night he was eating some of the fish.
I finally realized I was in over my head and gave away the remaining fish and the tank has now sat there for the past 4-5 years as an expensive piece of furniture.
My work load and schedule has decreased, and I miss the tank/fish and decided to give it another try.
I am going to transport the tank and furniture it sits in home and start form scratch.
Thus, I am looking for some advice, and also looking for someone who may live in Staten Island or Brooklyn who would be interested in helping me setup the tank and servicing it (monthly?) for me, especially at the beginning.
I do know what tank, in general I want.
I want a nice peaceful tank that has colorful community fish and I'd also like to have some inverts.
I plan on using the basics that i used the first time around...live sand and live rock to start...
Then add hermit crabs, snails, shrimp, etc
Then I'd like to start the tank and build it up with some percula clown fish and maybe a tomato clown? and also some anemones for them to 'play in'.
I'd also like to have 1-3 blue hippo tangs.
...and after that I am a bit lost as I know I need ot be very careful what I add.
I know in a large tank the yellow tangs 'should be ok' but I also know I had at least one in the past which was 'spiking' other fish.
I now know to stay away form groupers, lionfish, puffers, and many if not all of the triggers.
I also know the damsels aggravate a lot of the 'peaceful fish' so will stay away form them.
I am looking for some expert ideas/suggestions on what other fish I can add to this type of tank that will not bother the clownfish and tangs and also will not eat my shrimp, snails, etc...or bother the anemones and also if it is ok if i add some other things like sponges or ?
also, since i have been out of this for about 5 years now, i dont know if there have been improvements in lighting/filtering.etc and if i need to invest in a new system or if the system i have form 12 yrs ago is still 'current' in terms of what will work. The tank DID do VERY WELL for the firts 5 years and I didnt lose many fish when my friend was on top of things.
Thanks in advance,
Steve
