Plans for building a shark lagoon

[crimzy]

Well, the time is coming to upgrade my shark into a lagoon. I'm planning to build the lagoon to the dimensions of 9 x 5 x 2, which I believe is just under 600 gallons. My 220 will be the fuge and the tangs and eel will stay in there. Not sure where the grouper will live. I will need a large skimmer and ideas on lighting. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
I may add a japanese wobbegong and not sure what else. Keep in mind that the viewing area will be from above so I will not put in any tangs or other fish that will not be displayed well from above. Stocking suggestions would be great.
Any other general opinions or suggestions are appreciated.

 

[crimzy]

Maybe a lion to two... I think they'd be cool to view from above. And now that I think of it, the grouper would provide some nice color in the lagoon too.

 

[crimzy]

OK, let me respond to myself on behalf of everyone else...
We don't care about your plans for your lagoon. If you don't have pics of it up and running with a bunch of sharks then this thread is worthless. Leave us alone so we can get back to the cycling with fish argument.

Anyone ever flamed themself before? :thinking:

 

[jr2857]

ok i'll answer. i would stock with 2 brownbanded bamboos, 1 epaullete, 2 yellow rays

 

[psusocr1]

i think your list sounds great..obviously you know i love liond and i vote for the wobbie...
other than that i got some other ideas on the blueprints i sent you... as well as some plumbing ideas

 

[ophiura]

I suggest you come over and build this at my house, so, you know, all the flaws can be worked out before you build one yourself. I consider this to be a very generous offer.

 

[pfitz44]

heres a thought....
If your gonna keep fish in your "fuge", then it really isnt a "fuge" is it???
See if you can find a 55 or a 90 used... craigslist usually has some good stuff cheep... and maye a real fuge!!
good luck!!
Any you can prototype at my house as well!! Ive got plenty of beer!!
~Fitzy

 

[dennycrane]

Make sure you build it at your parent's house, with their money and make sure you are under the legal driving age and it should work out...no experience will also help. Oh, and stock it with a blue whale. Two of 'em if you can. Or with triggers and sharks(because you just LOVE sharks)...I would suggest black tips and clowns.

:thinking:

(I feel your pain)

 

[psusocr1]

PFITZ,
for a 600 gallon tank you will need ALOT bigger than a 100 gallon fuge! and also if you have fish in their it will still be a fuge..
alot of people keep fish, inverts, and other random things in their fuges actually
DennyCrane Make sure you build it at your parent's house, with their money and make sure you are under the legal driving age and it should work out...no experience will also help. Oh, and stock it with a blue whale. Two of 'em if you can. Or with triggers and sharks(because you just LOVE sharks)...I would suggest black tips and clowns.
What exactly does all this mean? :notsure:

 

[ams153]

cant wait to see this thing when its up!

 

[crimzy]

Originally Posted by PFitz44
heres a thought....
If your gonna keep fish in your "fuge", then it really isnt a "fuge" is it???
See if you can find a 55 or a 90 used... craigslist usually has some good stuff cheep... and maye a real fuge!!
good luck!!
Any you can prototype at my house as well!! Ive got plenty of beer!!
~Fitzy

Thanks for the response but I don't get your point. As psusocr pointed out it is still a fuge. The purpose of a fuge is to keep macroalgae to break down nitrates in addition to ls and lr for biological filtration. In addition a fuge serves the purpose of creating more water volume in the system. My 220 will do both. I plan on keeping fish in it and display my fuge on a stand. I think it will look very good and will serve the filtration purposes extremely well.
That being said, feel free to ship the beer to MI. It will come in handy during construction.

 

[harndog]

crimzy, just curious where do you intend on building the lagoon? I want one bad but no place to put one my garage is the home to my 67 mustang and the house is full. also not sure garage in OK could be kept warm or cool enough in the different seasons. The Tangs will eat most all macro. there are a few but I cannot get feather calupera to grow at all they gobble it up everytime I try to introduce it. I like green plants in the tanks soa display fuge should be sweet.

 

[ophiura]

I think the point on the refugium is in the name. In theory it is a "refuge" for things like copepods and worms and such, and even the algae itself...putting a fish or other predator in their means that it isn't really a refuge by that definition. However, It can still certainly be used for macroalgae growth...just that you can do that in a main display to.

 

[crimzy]

Originally Posted by Harndog
crimzy, just curious where do you intend on building the lagoon? I want one bad but no place to put one my garage is the home to my 67 mustang and the house is full. also not sure garage in OK could be kept warm or cool enough in the different seasons. The Tangs will eat most all macro. there are a few but I cannot get feather calupera to grow at all they gobble it up everytime I try to introduce it. I like green plants in the tanks soa display fuge should be sweet.
I'm building the lagoon in the basement. Tangs will generally not eat chaeto, which is what I will have.

 

[crimzy]

Originally Posted by ophiura
I think the point on the refugium is in the name. In theory it is a "refuge" for things like copepods and worms and such, and even the algae itself...putting a fish or other predator in their means that it isn't really a refuge by that definition. However, It can still certainly be used for macroalgae growth...just that you can do that in a main display to.
True enough... I'm not intending to cultivate pods and such. Actually copepods can be harmful to sharks and rays if they latch onto their gills. But this "fuge" will satisfy my filtration needs IMO.

 

[pfitz44]

Originally Posted by crimzy
True enough... I'm not intending to cultivate pods and such. Actually copepods can be harmful to sharks and rays if they latch onto their gills. But this "fuge" will satisfy my filtration needs IMO.

Gothcha...
I was speeking in the treu deffinition, like ophiura stated... but if you are just doing a photosynthetic fuge, but all teh fish you want in there!!!
Hope you like Sam Adams!!!
~Fitzy

 

[crimzy]

Originally Posted by PFitz44
Hope you like Sam Adams!!!
~Fitzy
I can live with Sam Adams... it's not Corona with a lime, but I'll make do.

Actually I may use this thread as a step by step record of this project. I will start with a list of the necessary supplies... when it's done.
I have a question about the set up and cycling of this system. There is a theory that large systems do not cycle but I don't know this for a fact. I wonder if some with larger systems could chime in on this issue.
Also, one complication is that my 220 is stocked right now but needs to be drilled with a couple more overflows before I can use it as a filter. I will also need to add some baffles to create a separate chamber for protein skimmers. So, my thinking is that once the lagoon is set up, I will cycle it (if necessary) without the filtration set up yet... just powerheads for current. Then, at some point, I will need to transfer my fish into there to get my 220 drilled and add baffles. This should only take 24 hours and then the plumbing can be installed and the tangs and eel can be transferred back to the 220. The process is a pain in the butt but I don't see another alternative. If anyone has any feedback on this process, let me know. Thanks.

 

[dennycrane]

Originally Posted by psusocr1
PFITZ,
for a 600 gallon tank you will need ALOT bigger than a 100 gallon fuge! and also if you have fish in their it will still be a fuge..
alot of people keep fish, inverts, and other random things in their fuges actually
What exactly does all this mean? :notsure:

It was a comment in the same vein as Crim's self flame (a first I think) about so much of this forums dedication to non-existant plans of epic proportions. It was a bad joke. Sorry. Crim is one of the few people who when they say they are going to build X, they have the experience and more importantly the means to do so. There is a lot of "when I grow up" on this forum and I was just poking fun at it. Appologies.
Here, I'll flame myself in Crim's honor:

 

[crimzy]

Originally Posted by DennyCrane
Here, I'll flame myself in Crim's honor:

I love it... maybe this is going to be the new trend.

Originally Posted by crimzy
I have a question about the set up and cycling of this system. There is a theory that large systems do not cycle but I don't know this for a fact. I wonder if some with larger systems could chime in on this issue.
Also, one complication is that my 220 is stocked right now but needs to be drilled with a couple more overflows before I can use it as a filter. I will also need to add some baffles to create a separate chamber for protein skimmers. So, my thinking is that once the lagoon is set up, I will cycle it (if necessary) without the filtration set up yet... just powerheads for current. Then, at some point, I will need to transfer my fish into there to get my 220 drilled and add baffles. This should only take 24 hours and then the plumbing can be installed and the tangs and eel can be transferred back to the 220. The process is a pain in the butt but I don't see another alternative. If anyone has any feedback on this process, let me know. Thanks.
Just wanted to bring this question back up... hopefully someone who has some feedback will see it.

 

[connor]

why do you want to keep fish in a fuge when you could be givin them a huge lagoon? i would put the shoal in the lagoon if i were you i bet he would really appreciate it