New tank: fluval Osaka 155

[Carrie.a.gordon]

Hi all, I have been out of the hobby for about five years now. My home is very tiny so I thought I would never be able to set up another tank. I randomly found an Osaka 155 kit at petsmart last week marked down to 238.00. So yeah, i had to buy it.

Problem is, with 725 total square feet to my house, the pressure is really on for this to be a real success. I am going to take it really slowly. I have a tiny red eared slider that has to go into the tank so I got a list of some plants they allegedly find to be distasteful and am going to give it a shot. I'm quite stymied as to the fish I want though, and am looking for any tips and ideas for this setup. I've never done a tank smaller than a fifty five before, nor have ever had a tank with no lid. Aaa!

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[hockey9999]

Thats a ridiculous deal! None of the Petsmarts in my area (Northern NJ/Into NY State) even carry them.. If I were to see one at that price.. I certainly would have picked it up too!

Good luck with it!

[discuspaul]

That's a fabulous price for the Osaka 155 ! Had one last year for which I paid well over $500. on sale, along with a few pieces of equipment. Recently gave it to my daughter, as I upgraded to the Osaka 260. Love these tanks.
Your tank will look great, believe it - and you will have so many choices for planting & stocking it. I kept a half dozen juvie discus in my 155, along with a few other dither fish tankmates. I'm a confirmed discus-keeper, and am currently raising 10 juvie discus in my 260.
Best of luck with your set-up.

[GitMoe]

That was a crazy deal.... love those tanks.

[Jadelin]

Not to rain on your parade, but red-eared sliders require at least a 100 gallon tank when full grown (the size of a dinner plate), and they grow quickly in the first few years. He might be tiny now, but he will quickly outgrow the space, not to mention regard all your fish as tasty snacks. They also produce a lot of waste and water quality would be a big issue for any fish that were too big for him to eat.

Since space is such a priority, I would definitely consider taking the RES back and exchanging him for some fish. You will save yourself a lot of stress by getting inhabitants that can happily live out their lives in your tank. (Believe me I know; I started with a comet goldfish, not knowing that they can get to be a foot long, and most of my tank upgrades and planting schemes have been planned around the needs of that fish!)

[Carrie.a.gordon]

@jadelin

[Carrie.a.gordon]

@ jadelin yeah. Seriously. I would if I could. Got conned into buying two of them by a sad eyed Vietnamese child about three years ago. One disappeared one summer (translation-was eaten by bird and or seamonsters). Now I have one in a little five gallon tank by herself. Debating putting her in the big tank. Seems like it might be a mess but also a shame not to. Tried to rehome her but my husband got upset. Apparently he is attached...

Am gonna take it slow, start with just plants and a couple tetras then will do trial periods with Juan the turtle (because Juan IS the loneliest number) and see how she does.

My main concern is really the lidless tank and the size of the tank. I have to stock with critters that won't jump out and won't outgrow it..

[fishyjoe24]

any updates did you ever get it planted, I just picked one up used for 65.00 minus filter and lighting... now i'm trying to decide if i should use a zoomed a hagen or a coralife fixture.

[gimmethatfish]

Originally Posted by Carrie.a.gordon

Am gonna take it slow, start with just plants and a couple tetras then will do trial periods with Juan the turtle (because Juan IS the loneliest number) and see how she does.

Rofl at Juan is the loneliest number. So cheesy but I love it.

[Joe S]

Due to the bulkiness of sliders they will make for one of the least desirable planted tank turtles. I will warn you, they generally will kick around and severely uproot the plants. That however could the the least of it. As noted they are messy, and love to chomp on plants and will break them.

[Carrie.a.gordon]

I'm selling it on eBay now if anyone is interested. Location is in nj near Philly. My seller name is absinthe23

[Carrie.a.gordon]

The osaka not the turtle

[rpayer]

damn that's an insane deal on that tank. I paid 800ish for mine right when they came out. just switched it back from reef to planted