I Got My Tank Today!!!!

[azfishgal]

After a month of research and reading we picked up our 125 gallon tank today!!!!

Now I have to wait for my husband to build the base, but I think he said he'd be working on it this weekend, so yeah!!!

It's a glass tank as an acrylic tank was going to cost me $400 more!

So glass it is. But boy, is that thing heavy. I could barely help my husband move it 3'. I will definitley be calling some men to help my husband when it's time to move it in the house, because there is no way I will be able to help with that, unless I want to kill myself. As we get money we will buy another part to go with the tank, but at least it's started! I hope to have fish in it by the end of March. We will be gone the second week of march for a week, so don't want to add any fish before then, but I will probably have some hermit crabs and snails. I will put my fish list together soon, so you experts can tell me what I should put in first. I do plan to do coral, but not until the tank has been running for 6 months or so. I want to take it slow.
Well, here is a pick of my empty tank! :cheer:

 

[sepulatian]

Very nice!!!!!!! Let us know if you have any questions!

 

[azfishgal]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
Very nice!!!!!!! Let us know if you have any questions!
Oh, I will have many, so get ready.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by azfishgal
Oh, I will have many, so get ready.

lol we will all be here!!!

 

[azfishgal]

OK, here is my "wish list" for my tank. I tried to do my homework and I think everything is compatible, BUT please give me your opinion and what order should I put these fish in my tank (or if I have to many on my list).
1 Blue Hippo Tang
2 Yellow Tangs
2 Percula Clownfish
2 Bangaii Cardinal
1 Pink Square Anthias
1 Royal Gramma
2 Jawfish
1 Flame Angel (I think I remember reading that he goes in last)
2 Mandarin Dragonet
I do want coral eventually, but I do want my fish to be my main attraction. However, can I add some Feather Dusters and an anemone soon after my fish.
I also know I need to add a clean up crew and I think I need to add that before my fish. Can you please give me an idea how much I need to add to a 125 gal tank. Oh, I will be adding sand with a few cups of live sand and also lr (I will do this before I add any inv. or fish)
Thanks!

 

[pmcg]

I am no expert but i think that the tangs might be an issue. They get agressive with eachother.

 

[rbrockm1]

yeah add the flame last. tank looks great tho. i am not sure bout this but i think your suppose to keep schooling fish like your yellows in odd numbers. not sure. i would like to know tho

 

[dmc888]

I would start with the clowns and the cardinals since they are very hardy.
And add the tangs,mandarin, and flame last.

 

[royal gang]

That is a Beautiful Aquarium.

 

[puffer32]

I would get just 1 YT and add it last with the hippo. Don't get 2 mandrins, your tank won't support them both, maybe 1 down the road if you are planning on adding a fuge.
I didn't even try helping my hubby carry my 150 gal, the lfs delivered it. Welcome to the boards

 

[mandarin w]

I will take about a year for your tank to mature enough to support a mandarin, and that is if you have a very good copepod population, and if you don't have any thing else to will eat those also. Mandarins are for the most part very, very picky eaters. Only about 1 in 500 will eat mysis shrimp or other foods. They will basically eat only copepods, and if there isn't enough in the tank they will starve to death, and slow lingering death. I am not saying you can't have one or even two. Just plan for them properly. If you get them read as many article you can on them so you are better prepared to care for them. Know how to pick out healthy ones, how to set up a copepod tank so you can raise food for them, ect. Then you will be more likely to be successful.
As for as tangs go, they need a six foot tank, which you have. It is also not a good idea to put tangs from the same species in the same tank. That doesn't only mean two hippo's or two yellows. Look up the family they belong to. and try not to mix them. Two tangs from family "A" are more likely to fight with each other than one from family "A" and one from family "B".
Try to research each of the fish you want as much as you can on the net. Read as much as you can about each fish.

 

[azreefgirl]

Congrats on the tank! :jumping: It looks great! :cheer:

 

[craig7220]

Congrats on the new tank. The fun and expense is just beginning.LOL Just remember that patience is the key to establishing a successful SW tank. Good luck and you'll find great advice here.... Even after some 30 years of having a SW aquarium, I learn new stuff here everyday.

 

[stanlalee]

Originally Posted by azfishgal
I will definitley be calling some men to help my husband when it's time to move it in the house, because there is no way I will be able to help with that, unless I want to kill myself.
LOL thats when I learned to put the tank on its side (the long way vertically) with a blanket underneath and walk it to where I want it. Hell I moved mine from the garage up three steps thru the kitchen and on to the stand myself doing it that way. Large tanks are MUCH heavier than they look.

 

[azfishgal]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I'm very excited :jumping: but know I have to go slow if I want my tank to thrive. I will do some more research on the tang issue, but I do want a Blue Hippo for sure, so I will work around that fish to see what I can have. Will one yellow tang be ok with the Blue Hippo? Then I just need to do my research on another tang I can have. I thought I remember reading you should have one or three tangs, NOT just two, is that right? I am reading my Conscientious Marine Aquarist book and I'm almost half way through it. Will have it read cover to cover before I start anything and I'm just one chapter away from Part II: Fishes for the Marine Aquarium, so that will help with my selection. But I will still run it by all you here just to be sure I don't miss something. I know it will be hard especially when water goes in the tank, but I promise to go S L O W! Thanks again, I feel a little nervous about this, but having you all to bounce things around with definitely help!
Oh, and I will hold off on the mandarin. And am I over crowded with the number of fish I have listed, or am I ok so far?
Thanks!

 

[miamishrip]

oh Beautiful! i too have a 125 exactly like yours - brings back some memories of the empty tank!

 

[maelv]

Originally Posted by Stanlalee
LOL thats when I learned to put the tank on its side (the long way vertically) with a blanket underneath and walk it to where I want it. Hell I moved mine from the garage up three steps thru the kitchen and on to the stand myself doing it that way. Large tanks are MUCH heavier than they look.
Ha ha ha....Agreed....I did the EXACT same thing.....My one and only friend (man need to get out and meet some folks here in KC) in the area was out of town, and I just HAD to get my 135 on the stand so I can start putting up the drywall that weekend. So I did what Stanlalee mentioned through the garage up to the stand. Leand one edge on the stand picked up the other end and swung it around.....Whew...My back was sore for a week as if I was doing some serious deadlifts...ha ha ha ha...So I guess I should not only look for more friends, but get my lazy bum in the gym again!
But you do have a nice tank....

 

[extremepcs]

LOL... Yeah, they are heavy. I have almost the same tank. Mine has the overflow boxes in the corners. I had to have my brother-in-law help me move it downstairs. My wife couldn't even lift one end of it. I got it on the stand by myself by putting one end up on it, then grunting the other end up and walking it on. I should have built the stand before I called my helper
Make sure you build a strong stand. Keep in mind that the tank will weigh in excess of 1200 lbs, and that's with just water in it.

 

[azfishgal]

Originally Posted by extremepcs
Make sure you build a strong stand. Keep in mind that the tank will weigh in excess of 1200 lbs, and that's with just water in it.
I agree. The stand in the lfs uses 2x4s on the corners, but my husband is going to use 4x4s. So it will be plenty strong enough. My husband has done a lot of construction with his dad, who is a general contractor, so he's pretty knowledgeable of such things. He still needs to go to Lowes and get the wood. Hope that takes place tomorow, but I'm trying not to push.

 

[extremepcs]

If you can't find non-pressure treated 4 x 4's (IMHO, I wouldn't use them indoors due to some of the nasty stuff they put in the wood), you can always screw n' glue 2 x 4's together. For lateral strength, (2) 2 x 4's with 1/2 plywood in the middle would be much stronger than a 4 x 4. Norm and Tommy say so on This Old House anyway

Not sure if it would make a difference being a vertical support though. I'm not a structual engineer... I just play one on TV

Please post pics of the stand when done. If there's one hobby I enjoy more than fish, it's woodworking.