Who wants to help me chose the inhabitants of my shark tank???

[aw2x3]

Originally Posted by psusocr1
ANDY
email me please i lost your address and wanna talkt o you about something

I dont think I have yours anymore, either.
garnera80@hotmail.com

 

[slofish]

Originally Posted by Madman33
lol did you go into the comertial aircraft field or the military aircraft? If you went into the military work on getting the highest security clearence and then go shopping around for jobs and see who will pay you the most because after you get ur top security clearence there are alot more high paying jobs available and also i believe it costs something like $2000 for each level of clearence so if you get that at one company then the other doesnt have to pay for it except the, annual fee,and it makes them happy that they dont have to spend all that money to get you to where they want u to be. If you went into more of the comercial/freight airlines field then i cant really help you much lol.
Gladly went where all the fun stuff is at... military A/C and working in an advanced design group for one of the major aero companies. No TS level yet, but im still young

and got many years ahead of me. Ill definitely keep your advice in mind for the day when my TS comes in(2015 haha

).
Again... cant wait to see this behemoth of a tank when it gets installed. And i thought i had a big project on my hands by trying to put together a new 180 ..

 

[madman33]

Originally Posted by AW2x3
My point is...you havent thought this thru.
i have thought this through more than you think...i dont post everything on here that i am thinking about
Originally Posted by AW2x3
You say you already ordered the tank, but in the same paragraph you say you dont even know how you're going to power it.
i dont have a problemm powering it i just said i was trying to find a way to make it a littel cheaper but either way it wont run me out of money
Originally Posted by AW2x3
You're going to take delivery of this tank and then realize that this could've never happened from the beginning and then you're gonna have a giant acrylic box sitting around in your yard, that you can use as a swimming pool when it fills with rain water.
this is why i dont like this web site because people like you who have no idea what exactly is going on and try to but in and think they know everything that is going on where as people like ophiura take a better aprouch IMO and arent so negative about the whole thing. I dunno u are the kind of person that makes me want to just forget this whole site and go to another where there are more people that have more expierence and arent so negative...i understand u are just trying to help but still...
Originally Posted by AW2x3
Is this going into an existing house?
No the house is being built currently...
And btw if you would have actually been paying atention to the very first post of mine you would have seen
Originally Posted by Madman33
Anyways all im looking for is a list of good canidates in ur mind and then ill look throuh those run em by some ppl and then start the major research i DO NOT need help with any of the equipment or any of that stuff i have professional help with all of it

 

[ophiura]

LOL...do be careful though of the 'professional" help. The facility I worked at was designed by people who, well, design aquariums...and the systems were HORRIBLE. I mean, I have no experience working with systems, plumbing, etc and **I** could see the problems. I mean, there are tanks where they never considered how they would change light bulbs. Yes, divers have to take the bulbs in bags underwater....and this was designed by "professionals" in this industry. They were a problem from the day they went in, and were constantly being rebuilt, reworked, abandoned, torn out, etc, etc.
Even "professionals" can get it wrong. WAY wrong.
So it does not hurt to provide any specs of the system for review by more people. Even in our cursory design discussions here, there have been things that have come up that were interesting points. This is what such boards are about. But I think it is important to note that several people on here do have experience, and do have concerns that you may not be addressing exactly what you will need. This is not to flame you, this is, in the end, to save you money and heartache. We also had VASTLY inefficient water mixing capacity, so there is experience as well....so I think it is worth taking note that there are some things that are red flags to those who have worked on such systems....at least as far as I can extract from postings. I personally feel it is worth hearing when people find possible issues. You don't owe us any money. We have no stake in getting this done in a certain way.

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by AW2x3
The Shedd Aquarium, in Chicago, just recently installed a 400,000gal. shark exhibit (Wild Reef) and I was privy to be apart of moving in the sharks, groupers, and other fish as well as regularly diving that tank for cleaning, feedings and moving animals. Have you ever seen people trying to move a 10' Sand Bar Shark or a 400lb Grouper? You're gonna have to have a vetrinatian almost on 24 hour call, for animals once you start talking about keeping large species sharks. How much do you think it's gonna cost to have a small team of vets come out and treat one your large sharks?
.

From experience, this is 100% true.
Just read some of the threads as well...I don't understand about the "tank being delivered?" :notsure: Or is this just start of construction or delivery of the acrylic?
I, personally, would not bother with LR in the display. I would go with prefab structure common in large public tanks, or just artificial stuff. Easy to scrub clean, less wasted investment, personally. LR in the main display in a tank of this size is of limited, if any IMO, value. Huge biotowers are the norm for large shark systems. I'll take the nitrate problem over the ammonia problem any day when such value is involved....but that is where large capacity water mixing comes into play as well.

 

[madman33]

what i mean by delivery is they will start delivering the peices of it and start putting it together and i agree that even though they are professionals that they can make mistakes too but they often have more expierence of what will work and what wont then the average person and its not that i dont like being critisized its more of these type of comments that make me mad
You're going to take delivery of this tank and then realize that this could've never happened from the beginning and then you're gonna have a giant acrylic box sitting around in your yard, that you can use as a swimming pool when it fills with rain water.
IMO thats just being an{edit-language} cause yep u know it im just going to have a giant gaping hole in my house and a huge box in my back yard thats filled with nasty rain water...

 

[madman33]

all im saying is i dont think those kind of comments are appropriate... i dont mind people going over the spec etc... but its just that well i dunno those kind of things just make me mad. I dont know how else to put it. As for lr i was putting it in for the extra biological filtration but i agree it would be far cheaper to just have an artificial reef made.

 

[aw2x3]

Nothing that I said could be considered rude, nor was I being an {edit-language}, as you so kindly put it.
No reason to "just forget about it and go to another site". I was just giving my advice/opinions just like everyone else. Ophuria and I have quite a lot in common and we've been in agreement with just about everything in your thread.
I couldnt have said it better myself...
Originally Posted by ophiura
But I think it is important to note that several people on here do have experience, and do have concerns that you may not be addressing exactly what you will need. This is not to flame you, this is, in the end, to save you money and heartache.
....so I think it is worth taking note that there are some things that are red flags to those who have worked on such systems....at least as far as I can extract from postings. I personally feel it is worth hearing when people find possible issues. You don't owe us any money. We have no stake in getting this done in a certain way.

This isnt like setting up a 180gal. reef, pumping $50,000 into it and the sitting around and letting someone clean it for you, like most rich people do.
Home owners insurance doesnt cover fish tanks. Have you even checked into whether or not you'll be able to have home insurance?...I bet you havent. Again...just trying to point out all the things you havent thought of, to help.

 

[whitey]

-Madman
If you've been on this site for any time at all you will notice one common thread, AW thrives on pointing out others flaws and making statements that will irritate many.
Regardless if he is right or not, which I will admit, he seems to have a good amount of experience with the saltwater hobby, he will take the time to post comments reminding you that he knows more than you. It's just what he does. Go through his previous posts and you'll see that 90% or so are comments telling people what they can't do, or that they screwed up. And it's not what he posts, it's how he posts it. It gets very old, but just ignore it. Let him get his fix.
As for the tank, in a thread like this where you're talking about building a museum-like aquarium, you're going to have skeptics including myself. It would be a phenomemal accomplishment, and if it is your dream I hope it works out. But I've found with the exception of a few members, this site is the best one out there, and we hope you don't leave. We hope to see your progress. If at some point you choose to do something smaller and possibly more practical, you will not be judged here. Most of us in this hobby have dreamed of owning a tank like the one you're planning.
Good luck with the tank, and most of us hope you're here on this site to post your progress and pictures.

 

[aw2x3]

Originally Posted by Whitey
-Madman
If you've been on this site for any time at all you will notice one common thread, AW thrives on pointing out others flaws and making statements that will irritate many.
Regardless if he is right or not, which I will admit, he seems to have a good amount of experience with the saltwater hobby, he will take the time to post comments reminding you that he knows more than you. It's just what he does. Go through his previous posts and you'll see that 90% or so are comments telling people what they can't do, or that they screwed up. And it's not what he posts, it's how he posts it. It gets very old, but just ignore it. Let him get his fix.

And see...here I was thinking that you'd grown up...guess I'm only right 99% of the time, huh?
I, in no way, told him he couldnt do this. I, along with other people, are only giving experiances/opinions and advice.
You call me out and then in the same breath flat out say you're skeptical? Pot, meet kettle...kettle, this is pot...nice to meet you.
Originally Posted by Whitey
As for the tank, in a thread like this where you're talking about building a museum-like aquarium, you're going to have skeptics including myself. It would be a phenomemal accomplishment, and if it is your dream I hope it works out.

Go back to the kiddy table and when us adults are done talking, you can come back over and pretend to be a grown up. It's people like you, who make it a habit of getting threads locked, that we dont need or want here.

 

[ophiura]

I want to step in here now and say that it would be a pity if this thread became a "bash" whatever member. While I think AW could have avoided certain comments (um, like the post I just say above this....AW please!?!/), let's not get others coming in and saying "AW always does such and such....." SO please stay on the topic, everyone!

Now the vet, insurance, electricity, costs, specs, discharge of huge amounts of saltwater (often it is not something you can just pump into the sewer line), access to water in general (of course there is a lot of wastewater from an RO unit) etc, etc, etc are all things that had better be sorted out in advance, IMO. You can't spend too much time on this, or get too many opinions, IMO. This is not the time actually to worry about the animals in the system. And the cost of buying those animals is totally insignificant compared to the cost of this tank. Long term planning about size of animals, feeding of the animals, medical treatement of the animals, does have to be considered. You may very well have to move a 7 or 8 foot shark into a QT system...and a few thousand gallons will not be sufficient. At least thing 10,000 -15,000 IMO for a QT system if you are planning on keeping anything sizable long term.
You will need professional aquarists to capture, transport and handle these animals - not just a certified volunteer scuba diver. An average scuba diver has no business capturing and handling such animals, though I imagine it would be a thrill before they drown. Depending on the shark, you may very well need shark suits in such a case. At my last facility, 2 people ended up in the ER in the last year for shark tank encounters. One was just an idiot. And there are idiots everywhere. Even professional one's....
And the cost of a mistake.... Often if you start filling a tank like this, that is it, there is no turning back or doing over. A few red flags - big red flags- have come up in this thread for me.
Personally, and frankly clearly, I don't trust professionals in this business. Because I've seen several poorly designed faciltiies designed by professionals - serious professionals. Professionals who didn't take into consideration some basic principals of physics, or who seemed to know nothing about the animals that would end up in the tanks in the future. But in those cases, the corporation could handle the expenses (or lawsuits)...with a staff whose job it was to care for, and as necessary, rebuild these systems.
Simple question: What are the impellers in your pumps made of? Because the "professionals" designing ours put in pumps with brass impellers. And what does brass do in a system? What is the impact on sharks? Leaving it to professionals could be a huge mistake. YOU really have to know what they are doing. I would seek advice and take questions to the people designing this facility...and sometimes...sometimes even the least experience among us can ask a really important overlooked question.

So I am concerned, but understand that you have no reason to explain these things on a website. It is a valuable resource, and I have concerns about some of the stock list as well...but even though that was the original point of the thread, the design and stock list can not really be seperated so easily in my mind.

 

[whitey]

https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/data/smilies/bowdown.gif[/img]

AW

 

[whitey]

And it's not what he posts, it's how he posts it.
Big difference in saying you're skeptical, and posting the things you do.
It's what you do, you know it, everyone here knows it. You live for it. It's hilarious.
I'm not hijacking this. Just want to put you in you in your place. Sit there, think of something witty. I feel bad for you. This is all you have. You own these threads.
Madman, continue your plan, don't let these almighty morons dampin your goal.

AW
done.

 

[ophiura]

And I give a big

for these skimmers...add a couple....note that these were not the original skimmers on this system (this is much smaller than a 200,000 g system BTW). Nor was the large white object in the background the original biotower. Note that even the replacement biotower has blue metal bars - restraining bars - to keep the bowing of the sides under control. Even the replacement has issues. But there is a life support staff on site, 24hours a day.

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by Whitey
Madman, continue your plan, don't let these almighty morons dampin your goal.
I'm glad your done. Thanks for your comments considering some of us actually have experience and reasonable concerns.

If there are any futher unproductive comments from anyone - you, AW, etc - consider the thread closed, or at the very least, all your posts will be deleted. Like SOOO many others in the past, where you BOTH (yes, BOTH) had to have it out.
You don't like each other....just leave it at that. Please leave it at that :help:

 

[aw2x3]

Originally Posted by ophiura
And I give a big

for these skimmers...add a couple....note that these were not the original skimmers on this system (this is much smaller than a 200,000 g system BTW). Nor was the large white object in the background the original biotower. Note that even the replacement biotower has blue metal bars - restraining bars - to keep the bowing of the sides under control. Even the replacement has issues. But there is a life support staff on site, 24hours a day.

Those RK2 Skimmers are beasts!! I went on a backstage tour of Sea World, last weekend and they had some of the same models, along with some bigger and smaller. I wish I could find my pics of the skimmers Shedd uses for their 400,000gal. tank. They're aprox. 15' tall, with an 8' circumference...truly the biggest, baddest skimmers I have ever seen...and they used 2 of them, just for that one tank.
RK2 models run upwards of $10,000 each...I cant image what the skimmers Shedd uses would cost.

 

[ophiura]

They are awesome skimmers. I think that there is some internal light and a choir of voices singing "aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh" whenever you look at them. The original skimmer was an ICM, very large, but exceedingly ineffective in comparison to RK2's. I think this system is well under 100,000g if I am not mistaken. All the systems were redesigned in some way...every single one...and continue to be, now several years after construction. The problems are laughable. Control panels with limited ventilation would overheat. No check valves were installed in some areas leading to overflowing sumps if a system was shut down. The problems were amazing, frustrating, laughable and tragic. A little bit of everything. And this is what I don't want to see repeated for a private owner.

 

[fishnerd]

Now I need to jump in, not to bash anyone, but a specific RK2 product. I feel they are highly overrated.
My workplace has (3) RK2 model RK1000PE skimmers that cost app $20,000 each.
The plumbing consists of ABS Plastic and Schedule 40 PVC. When selling a unit for that much money, one would think they would have spent the extra $150-200 and used Schedule 80 PVC, especially on unions and ball valves. Maybe things wouldn't be breaking so often.
I am a big fan of RK2, but these units are not up to RK2 quality.
This is my personal opinion.

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by fishnerd
Now I need to jump in, not to bash anyone, but a specific RK2 product. I feel they are highly overrated.
My workplace has (3) RK2 model RK1000PE skimmers that cost app $20,000 each.
The plumbing consists of ABS Plastic and Schedule 40 PVC. When selling a unit for that much money, one would think they would have spent the extra $150-200 and used Schedule 80 PVC, especially on unions and ball valves. Maybe things wouldn't be breaking so often.
I am a big fan of RK2, but these units are not up to RK2 quality.
This is my personal opinion.

No problem with that opinion and even specifics - I would agree with you if that is the case with that model (!!!!), but after what we originally worked with, man, this was a HUGE step up.

 

[clown boy]

***)