I want an aquarium....a big one.

[Kev]

Seeing that i have to find some new digs, and most apartments don't allow pets. I'm thinking i would like to get a aquarium. Not one of those 5 gallon ones but a 100 gallon aquarium or bigger. Maybe i'm trying to compensate for something. LOL However i don't know anything about them and feel i might be biting off more than i can chew. The closes i get to fish is on my dinner plate.

Am i living a pipe dream for wanting something i don't know anything about? Don't tell me to start off smaller. That won't fly.

Can anyone recommend an aquarium shop that has there shit together and can answer all my questions?

Whats the cost for a large aquarium?

Why do i want an aquarium you ask. I'm not sure. I think its my fatherly nature taking over. I want to nuture something. I wonder i fish can feel the love?

Okay SG what ya got? --- Kev

 

[Verb]

do your research first.

if you don't, fish can die really easy.

I got a 80 gallon tank and it is a bitch trying to change the water in a apartment.

I always find Big Al's in Richmond to be very good with their customers and great place to get info....

 

[Massagegirl]

Hi Kev. I've got a couple freshwater tanks but only 30 gallons(3 feet long, 1 1/2 feet high) which still takes up a lot of room. I would get one a little taller but that is all that condo's/apartments allow due to potential water spillage which is unlikely. It did happen once, when the pump went wonky and pumped 1/3 of the tank onto the floor overnight. No biggie!

The best IMHO Aquarium shop in Victoria is Creatures at 562 David Street. This year I bought a "wholesale access card" for $40(I think) cuz it gives you a much better price on fish, which makes it not so bad when they all die!! I recommend it for beginners as lots of things can happen to wipe them out. Even in the best case, freshwater fish only have a lifespan of 2-5 years. With many exceptions I'm sure.

They have whole tank kits there and are very knowledgeable, especially the owner. I have never looked at the price on anything that big, I'm guessing $700-1,000.

Be prepared to kill a lot of fish before you learn everything. There are a lot of far fetched things that can happen. Last year my water heater went haywire and raised the temperature to warm soup. My first clue was all the neons floating upside down. Now I check the temperature twice daily, just in case.

If money is no object, then go with a saltwater tank! They have their own idiosyncracies but are easier to maintain once they are stabilized, which I've heard takes a month or 2. The fish are 10X prettier and live longer I suspect. Plus there are wicked corals and anemonies!! And pretty striped shrimp!! Good lord, the fish range from $30 to over a $1,000 but what fun!

Good luck!

 

[Kev]

Ya thats it duff. I want it BIG.

VERB...

You have to change the water in a aquarium? Sheesh that sounds like work.

Ty Massage for the input.

Okay this aquarium thing is not looking very good. It sounds like alot of work and it can be expensive. What about gettin a snake? --- Kev

 

[deke]

I had a salt water tank for many years. Had to check salt water concentrations, ph levels etc. It becomes alot of work. It also gets very costly and could cut into your pooning budget. If you let it slide, it starts to get to be an eyesore. Get a big picture of fish, and a few bottles of booze.

 

[The Lizard King]

Big Al's Richmond (Chris) or Burnaby(Ian). If you go saltwater, also try a guy named Bob downstairs in the fish area at King Ed's on Kingsway in Burnaby.

I have 2 tanks, 38 gallon freshwater and 72 gallon saltwater. Go saltwater if you can afford the $$$ but a planted community freshwater tank can be fun too. Watch out where you put it as cleaning and ambient light (algae) could be an issue. For cleaning and water changes, you'll want to use a python assembly. It's easily adaptaple to kitchen faucets and comes with various hose lengths.

Have fun...

 

[Kev]

Kev,

Just a question....and I`m BY NO MEANS trying to dissuade you from buying fish.....but are you sure?

I know I`m the last person to ask (christ....I`ve got 3000 sq feet for one person and I`m running out of space) but just make sure

HFS

Ya i know HFS. I here ya. But this is different because what i want is living and my other worldy possessions are just things.

You have a dog. Thats what i would get if i could. However dogs are out so i have to consider other options. --- Kev

 

[OTR2]

When I lived in a condo I had a chia pet. Does that count?

 

[zlmmm]

How much to get a tank big enough you can have some gifted SPs do "shows" in?

There is a great, 1930's grand ballroom style club in San Francisco called Bimbo's 365 (Rita Hayworth once was a show girl there). Starting around the 60s and up until maybe 10 or 12 years ago, they had topless "mermaids" swimming in a 1000+ gallon tank behind the bar. That added some fantastic ambience!

 

[Cock Throppled]

What about a girl friend? They feed and clean themselves. Can be left for days or weeks at a time with no worries. Never soil the carpets. Can fetch the newspaper and drinks. They keep the bed warm, are fun to watch and you can take them out to show to your friends. They can be taught simple tricks and some are relatively easy to tame.

 

[Verb]

. Can be left for days or weeks at a time with no worries.

I don't think so unless you plan to sleep on the couch...

 

[skyboy]

I got a 40 gallon one from a friend of mine who was moving away. I tried salt water fish but i didn't realize how much work it was to get it going. I had all the equipment and I had already spent well over a grand and I still didn't have fish in it yet. I went to Big Al's in Richmond they were very helpful.

 

[qwerty]

I got a 125 gal tank (should cost you about $500 fer the tank, and another $500 or so for stand acessories etc.) with 9 hungry red bellied piranhas. They provide tons of entertainment but are a lot of work to keep care of. The best place I know of where the people are truly knolegable about fish, is a place called Fish World. It's on 64th and scott road in surrey.

 

[spaceghost]

Kev...

There is an Aquarium Store on Fraser Street around approximately 27th and Fraser (I believe it's called Fraser Aquarium).

IMHO... they are one of the best in the city. (Note: haven't been there in over a year tho)

Shop is clean. Tanks are always clean (very important). Husband and wife owners give discounts to regular customers and regular prices are often very reasonable, if not best around.

Aquariums are A LOT of work. You have to deal with keeping it clean, measuring ph balance daily, adjusting ph balance, cleaning filter system, etc.

If you are just starting off and you want a larger tank, you would be best to go with a fresh water setup and a 33 gallon elongated tank. This is a big tank, but not huge. It will allow you to get into tackling the chores involved with keeping up a bigger tank, but not be overwhelmed.

IF you hunt around, you would ideally only pay $1 per gallon for your actual tank. However that involves significant hunting and patience for a really great sale. If not, about $100.

A stand will range from $40 - $100 (a 33 gallon tank full of water is very heavy)

A florescent light canopy (only way to go for good lighting which is so important) will run around $100.

Gravel is gonna cost about $30 - $40 (dont forget to wash and rinse gravel before putting it in tank), a filter system that is decent is $60 - $100. A good air pump $100. You can drop another $200 - $300 EASY on additional supplies.

Then there are the fish.

I would recommend something as simple as goldfish, black mollies, swordtails and the like to start.

That way if they die ('cause you screwed up the ph balance or something), it is no big loss financially.

The most beautiful fish are in saltwater setups. However these are exponentially more work, and money, to maintain.

Get the freshwater one down to a routine for a year or two, then you can consider tackling a saltwater setup.

Hope this helps.

PS... some apartment complex's have rules against aquariums (fear of water damage if it breaks or if air pump fails and causes a drainage.) Also check you insurance to ensure you are covered as well for any mishap.

 

[Kev]

TY space and the rest for your contributions....

I'm thinking with comments i'm reading to this thread an aquarium is more than i'm willing to commit to.

I want to nuture something but i don't want to work at it. --- Kev

 

[Cock Throppled]

Guess that kills the GF idea, too even though they usually smell better than most pets.

 

[Kev]

Guess that kills the GF idea, too even though they usually smell better than most pets.

No it doesn't. Having a GF is something i would be willing to work at, "really".............and having a dog. --- Kev

 

[LonelyGhost]

one other thing that can go wrong with aquariums ...


they can break:

well, this is from the fishes' perspective ...

 

[tongue]

Are you a neat freak?

I'm wondering about some of these expert aquarium owners.

Does one have to be a neat and tidy kind of guy to keep his aquarium clean and fish alive?

Is it possible for slobs, like me, to be good aquarium owners?

 

[LonelyGhost]

sure ... some fish can survive anything ... but there's not much to see if you let it go and its covered in ugly green and brown slime and the fishies are all doing the back stroke ...

it really requires about 1/2 an hour per week to change out some water (10% min of total), to vacuum the gravel and to scrape some algae (even algae eaters need a day off!).

and as in life, so too in aquariums, bigger is better. the more water, the more dilution of toxins and algae and the less that can go wrong. a 10 gallon tank can keep you hopping more than a 100 gallon will.

oh, live plants are great in aquariums and keep the algae down and the fishies happy and look great at night when wrecked and listening to the Go-gos ...