Huge Tank Stock List?

Travis L. Stevens · 12/06/2006, 11:34 AM

Paul and Pamela's large 500+ gallon tanks have got me wondering. There are so many possibilities of animals that you could stock in a tank like theirs it would be an endless combination. But, everyone has different tastes. So, if you had a large tank in the range of size that they have, what fish would you keep in it? Feel free to pretend that you are actually upgrading and putting some of your livestock in it. Money is not an option, and neither is hardiness. I'll go first. This would be my maximum amount. I'ld most likely have less.

Peaceful Tank Setup
A Shoal of Green Chromis (20-30)
A Harem of Lyretail Anthias (10-15)
A Harem of Flasher Wrasses (10-15)
Pair of Striped Mandarin Fish (2)

Aggressive or Non-Reef Safe Tank Setup
Black Volitan Lionfish
Blue Face Angelfish
Striated Anglerfish
Japanese Dragon Moray Eel
Polleni Grouper
Map Puffer
Niger Trigger

papagimp · 12/06/2006, 11:38 AM

wow, that's a loaded question. What would I put in a tank that large.

anything 500+ I would try to keep a pair of banded cat sharks. I don't have a clue what they could be kept with, but since money isn't an issue here, I could figure something out, lol. Preferable kept with corals and a large cave for em.

Travis L. Stevens · 12/06/2006, 11:45 AM

I knew I forgot something on my Agressive list. I've always wanted a Banded Cat Shark.

papagimp · 12/06/2006, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Travis L. Stevens
I knew I forgot something on my Agressive list. I've always wanted a Banded Cat Shark.

Now if I could get me a 1000+ gallon setup (man, almost hurts wishing that much) I would try for a nurse shark or some shark larger than a catshark. But I think I stand a better chance not loosing a hand if I stick with smaller sharks. Jess has already given her blessing for a shark tank if ever we can afford a large enough tank. I had a really nice looking shark tank the last time I played zoo tycoon with the marine expansion pack

Travis L. Stevens · 12/06/2006, 12:17 PM

Here you go Adam: Building a 1700 gallon Shark Tank

papagimp · 12/06/2006, 12:27 PM

YES! HAHA, that's so freakin' awesome! nice link Travis. Now let's see what all I need to get......

Wow, nothing else to say...WOW

Pamela · 12/06/2006, 01:03 PM

Hey Travis
I too prefer multiplies of my favorites instead of lots of singles. I really enjoy watching them hang out togather and it just seems more natural to me. My clans are made up of yellow and blue tangs, royal grammas, cardinals and my most favs, banner butterflys. Of course we do have the singles that don't play well with others that I couldn't live without, hawk ect but you get the idea. We have added a 55 to the loop from the 540 that is now home to the rosies we are keeping and with the 250 gal refugium we're getting close to the 800 mark! We feel like the fish are comfortable with the square footage and I get excited everytime I walk in their room

Pamela

Travis L. Stevens · 12/06/2006, 01:08 PM

Are the fish in the tank yet?

OUBrook · 12/06/2006, 02:29 PM

Whoa! I just looked at that shark tank... I can't believe that! I couldn't possibly imagine how much that cost. It was amazing though. Good for him!

Travis L. Stevens · 12/06/2006, 02:32 PM

*pfffft!* That's nothing. While this is only freshwater, I can sure imagine it being a reef tank: Building My 50,000 Gallon Monster Mega Tank

OUBrook · 12/06/2006, 02:38 PM

Sheesh!! 10,000 gallon water changes every week?!? And what's that "I was working on a budget" business?? That's his back yard! Man.. my little seahorse tank looks really stupid now...

Radcat · 12/06/2006, 02:49 PM

10,000 gallons a week seems a bit much.

Travis L. Stevens · 12/06/2006, 03:06 PM

That's only a 20% waterchange weekly

Radcat · 12/06/2006, 03:26 PM

Which is too much

papagimp · 12/06/2006, 04:02 PM

OUbrook, i'm sure the tank doesn't look stupid now......just really really really small. lol.

I don't see somebody with the funds to build and maintane a 50,000 gallon setup as having to be on a budget of anykind.

Ya think with a setup that large that you could possibly get away with fewer water changes? Since alot of the micro life that we lack in a smaller setup would be in more abundance? Provided they didn't over stock the tank. Heck, may be cheaper to run a fixed water line to the ocean and just suck in 10,000 a week for his water change. lol.

OUBrook · 12/06/2006, 04:19 PM

Haha, no kidding. It was freshwater, however. But I also thought that the bigger the tank, the fewer water changes and supplements you had to do. Guess not. So what do aquariums do? Could you imagine the water they'd need for water changes? Anyone know the answer to this? I couldn't believe the $15 admission price to The Dallas World Aq. could pay for all that they need, plus salaries. And to think, I thought $15 was a little steep...

Travis L. Stevens · 12/06/2006, 04:37 PM

A lot of public aquariums that are based on the coast use natural sea water. But, places like the Georgia Aquarium use Instant Ocean by the butt load. In fact, the OKC Aquaticus center had a couple pallets back there when we were touring.

According to How Stuff Works

Quote:

To salinate the water for the marine exhibits, the Aquarium used 1.5 million pounds of Instant OceanÂ® sea salt. Keeping the water salinated requires very little additional salt.

SoonerFan732 · 12/07/2006, 06:26 AM

Concerning the original question about stocking a tank of that size:

I would try 6 to 8 spiny box puffers in that setup! That would be pretty cool. Perhaps see if I could get the species to propagate successfully in a home aquarium.

Alternatively I would also consider a tank full of RBTAs with some with a group of clowns. Of course I already have a decent sized tank full of RBTAs so maybe that's not a good answer

Kevin

Travis L. Stevens · 12/07/2006, 08:33 AM

I agree Kevin, a large tank like that filled with some sort of Anemone would be awesome!

papagimp · 12/07/2006, 08:47 AM

heck, a very large maginifica about 40inches across would look awesome! And a whole harem of clowns to go with!

If they used 1.5 million lbs of salt, what do they consider to be "very little" to keep in salinated..? lol.

Pamela · 12/07/2006, 10:16 AM

Yeah Travis, at least half of them have been in there for several weeks anyway. We're expecting the rest shortly. We have a true die hard in a 2 " blue tang that Phillip found plastered to one of the tunses. He had to peel the little thing off and thought it was dead. But the little trooper shook it off and has been staying clear of it so far!

Pamela · 12/07/2006, 10:27 AM

I agree on a tank full of rosies is a sight to see as we had a 250 full of them. However it becomes very difficult to have anything else in it. Ours took over the entire tank and for years it was enough but as time has gone by we want to try other things. Of course we have added several of them to the new tank but have added a 55 to the system and confined the majority of them there where we can continue to raise them to help pay for things we want to put in the new one without them overrunning everything else.

SoonerFan732 · 12/07/2006, 07:10 PM

I understand what you are saying about the anemones taking over the tank. Since I moved my RBTAs into my 240 they have started killing the other corals. I have already moved quite a few corals out of the tank to keep them from the RBTA's. The anemones are still my favorite non-fish that I keep!

12/06/2006, 11:34 AM	#1
Travis L. Stevens Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Perry, OK Posts: 13,946	Huge Tank Stock List? Paul and Pamela's large 500+ gallon tanks have got me wondering. There are so many possibilities of animals that you could stock in a tank like theirs it would be an endless combination. But, everyone has different tastes. So, if you had a large tank in the range of size that they have, what fish would you keep in it? Feel free to pretend that you are actually upgrading and putting some of your livestock in it. Money is not an option, and neither is hardiness. I'll go first. This would be my maximum amount. I'ld most likely have less. Peaceful Tank Setup A Shoal of Green Chromis (20-30) A Harem of Lyretail Anthias (10-15) A Harem of Flasher Wrasses (10-15) Pair of Striped Mandarin Fish (2) Aggressive or Non-Reef Safe Tank Setup Black Volitan Lionfish Blue Face Angelfish Striated Anglerfish Japanese Dragon Moray Eel Polleni Grouper Map Puffer Niger Trigger __________________ Travis Stevens Current Tank Info: Restarting 28g Bowfront

12/06/2006, 11:38 AM	#2
papagimp COMAS Rocks! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 8,185 Blog Entries: 2	wow, that's a loaded question. What would I put in a tank that large. anything 500+ I would try to keep a pair of banded cat sharks. I don't have a clue what they could be kept with, but since money isn't an issue here, I could figure something out, lol. Preferable kept with corals and a large cave for em. __________________ 58g Softie & 75g Stoney Member, Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society Current Tank Info: 58g Mixed Reef Project - Started June 2011

12/06/2006, 11:45 AM	#3
Travis L. Stevens Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Perry, OK Posts: 13,946	I knew I forgot something on my Agressive list. I've always wanted a Banded Cat Shark. __________________ Travis Stevens Current Tank Info: Restarting 28g Bowfront

12/06/2006, 12:17 PM	#5
Travis L. Stevens Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Perry, OK Posts: 13,946	Here you go Adam: Building a 1700 gallon Shark Tank __________________ Travis Stevens Current Tank Info: Restarting 28g Bowfront

12/06/2006, 12:27 PM	#6
papagimp COMAS Rocks! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 8,185 Blog Entries: 2	YES! HAHA, that's so freakin' awesome! nice link Travis. Now let's see what all I need to get...... Wow, nothing else to say...WOW __________________ 58g Softie & 75g Stoney Member, Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society Current Tank Info: 58g Mixed Reef Project - Started June 2011

12/06/2006, 01:03 PM	#7
Pamela Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Jones Oklahoma Posts: 576	Hey Travis I too prefer multiplies of my favorites instead of lots of singles. I really enjoy watching them hang out togather and it just seems more natural to me. My clans are made up of yellow and blue tangs, royal grammas, cardinals and my most favs, banner butterflys. Of course we do have the singles that don't play well with others that I couldn't live without, hawk ect but you get the idea. We have added a 55 to the loop from the 540 that is now home to the rosies we are keeping and with the 250 gal refugium we're getting close to the 800 mark! We feel like the fish are comfortable with the square footage and I get excited everytime I walk in their room Pamela

12/06/2006, 01:08 PM	#8
Travis L. Stevens Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Perry, OK Posts: 13,946	Are the fish in the tank yet? __________________ Travis Stevens Current Tank Info: Restarting 28g Bowfront

12/06/2006, 02:29 PM	#9
OUBrook Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Norman, OK Posts: 520	Whoa! I just looked at that shark tank... I can't believe that! I couldn't possibly imagine how much that cost. It was amazing though. Good for him! __________________ Brook Breitenkamp www.craseokc.com Conference for Reef Aquarists and Saltwater Enthusiasts Educational Officer - Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society (COMAS) Current Tank Info: 120gal reef, 60gal frag tank (3 20 longs stacked) -cmc0814's

12/06/2006, 02:32 PM	#10
Travis L. Stevens Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Perry, OK Posts: 13,946	pfffft! That's nothing. While this is only freshwater, I can sure imagine it being a reef tank: Building My 50,000 Gallon Monster Mega Tank __________________ Travis Stevens Current Tank Info: Restarting 28g Bowfront

12/06/2006, 02:38 PM	#11
OUBrook Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Norman, OK Posts: 520	Sheesh!! 10,000 gallon water changes every week?!? And what's that "I was working on a budget" business?? That's his back yard! Man.. my little seahorse tank looks really stupid now... __________________ Brook Breitenkamp www.craseokc.com Conference for Reef Aquarists and Saltwater Enthusiasts Educational Officer - Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society (COMAS) Current Tank Info: 120gal reef, 60gal frag tank (3 20 longs stacked) -cmc0814's

12/06/2006, 02:49 PM	#12
Radcat Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Jenks Posts: 187	10,000 gallons a week seems a bit much.

12/06/2006, 03:06 PM	#13
Travis L. Stevens Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Perry, OK Posts: 13,946	That's only a 20% waterchange weekly __________________ Travis Stevens Current Tank Info: Restarting 28g Bowfront

12/06/2006, 03:26 PM	#14
Radcat Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Jenks Posts: 187	Which is too much

12/06/2006, 04:02 PM	#15
papagimp COMAS Rocks! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 8,185 Blog Entries: 2	OUbrook, i'm sure the tank doesn't look stupid now......just really really really small. lol. I don't see somebody with the funds to build and maintane a 50,000 gallon setup as having to be on a budget of anykind. Ya think with a setup that large that you could possibly get away with fewer water changes? Since alot of the micro life that we lack in a smaller setup would be in more abundance? Provided they didn't over stock the tank. Heck, may be cheaper to run a fixed water line to the ocean and just suck in 10,000 a week for his water change. lol. __________________ 58g Softie & 75g Stoney Member, Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society Current Tank Info: 58g Mixed Reef Project - Started June 2011

12/06/2006, 04:19 PM	#16
OUBrook Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Norman, OK Posts: 520	Haha, no kidding. It was freshwater, however. But I also thought that the bigger the tank, the fewer water changes and supplements you had to do. Guess not. So what do aquariums do? Could you imagine the water they'd need for water changes? Anyone know the answer to this? I couldn't believe the $15 admission price to The Dallas World Aq. could pay for all that they need, plus salaries. And to think, I thought $15 was a little steep... __________________ Brook Breitenkamp www.craseokc.com Conference for Reef Aquarists and Saltwater Enthusiasts Educational Officer - Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society (COMAS) Current Tank Info: 120gal reef, 60gal frag tank (3 20 longs stacked) -cmc0814's

12/07/2006, 06:26 AM	#18
SoonerFan732 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Norman, OK Posts: 656	Concerning the original question about stocking a tank of that size: I would try 6 to 8 spiny box puffers in that setup! That would be pretty cool. Perhaps see if I could get the species to propagate successfully in a home aquarium. Alternatively I would also consider a tank full of RBTAs with some with a group of clowns. Of course I already have a decent sized tank full of RBTAs so maybe that's not a good answer Kevin

12/07/2006, 08:33 AM	#19
Travis L. Stevens Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Perry, OK Posts: 13,946	I agree Kevin, a large tank like that filled with some sort of Anemone would be awesome! __________________ Travis Stevens Current Tank Info: Restarting 28g Bowfront

12/07/2006, 08:47 AM	#20
papagimp COMAS Rocks! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 8,185 Blog Entries: 2	heck, a very large maginifica about 40inches across would look awesome! And a whole harem of clowns to go with! If they used 1.5 million lbs of salt, what do they consider to be "very little" to keep in salinated..? lol. __________________ 58g Softie & 75g Stoney Member, Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society Current Tank Info: 58g Mixed Reef Project - Started June 2011

12/07/2006, 10:16 AM	#21
Pamela Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Jones Oklahoma Posts: 576	Yeah Travis, at least half of them have been in there for several weeks anyway. We're expecting the rest shortly. We have a true die hard in a 2 " blue tang that Phillip found plastered to one of the tunses. He had to peel the little thing off and thought it was dead. But the little trooper shook it off and has been staying clear of it so far!

12/07/2006, 10:27 AM	#22
Pamela Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Jones Oklahoma Posts: 576	I agree on a tank full of rosies is a sight to see as we had a 250 full of them. However it becomes very difficult to have anything else in it. Ours took over the entire tank and for years it was enough but as time has gone by we want to try other things. Of course we have added several of them to the new tank but have added a 55 to the system and confined the majority of them there where we can continue to raise them to help pay for things we want to put in the new one without them overrunning everything else.

12/07/2006, 07:10 PM	#23
SoonerFan732 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Norman, OK Posts: 656	I understand what you are saying about the anemones taking over the tank. Since I moved my RBTAs into my 240 they have started killing the other corals. I have already moved quite a few corals out of the tank to keep them from the RBTA's. The anemones are still my favorite non-fish that I keep!