[GDominy]

Ok guys... I need some idea's. I have a line on a 330 gallon aquarium for a price I simply cannot turn down. The tank is already drilled for overflows... so I will be using my 135 gallon tank for a sump to hide my equipment.

I am just not sure if I want to make this a freshwater tank, or use this to break into the marine side of the hobby. If its a freshwater tank it will become my new planted project, probably for some large fish like some quality imported arrowana's or discus, maybe even stingrays.

If I go Marine, then it will most likely be a fish only with live rock display with some larger fish with personality.. possibly rays, or a single octopus...

I need ideas... I want this tank to be something different.. something I can showcase my fishroom/business with so it has to really stand out.

What would you do?

 

[epicfish]

Fish room/business? What do you do? Custom design tanks, setup tanks...or what? Say your business is for custom aquascapes, then you should go with the planted tank to show off your scaping.

It also just depends on what's pleasing to your eye. I have a SW tank in the same room as one of my FW tanks and it's a great contrast.

 

[daveonbass]

don't do a cephalapod tank (the octo) Too much of a hassle...and the thing will die in a year. (short lifespan) If I were you and had it drilled with overflows already I would do a reef and maybe leave the center open for a ray. The blue spot ray is a beauty. But if you want it to really catch an eye then a tank with a large school would be my pick. If fresh then a school of discus and cardinals. If salt then I would look into some of the more peaceful anthias, or maybe a small school of bannerfish...like 4 or 5. Either way it's gonna be your choice of tastes...and although a tank with a ray or shark, eel, or even a octopus is cool to think of...they don't DO much most of the day. Schools of fish that swim around a lot are more eye catching in my opinion.

the thing that worries me is that you mention that it's for your "fishroom/business". I hope that is meant to imply that they are seperate. casue if you have a business in the fishkeeping world and have never tried Marine...then you're in for a big new first step.

Good luck.

 

[spypet]

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/

 

[Betowess]

Something like Tom's big tank full or a zillion Cardinals and Rummynose with easy to keep Crypts and such! Now that will make for some "wow factor" in your business. Reef sounds like a lot of money!

 

[unirdna]

A tank that big - I might consider a paludarium. Lots of rock and fern islands.

 

[GDominy]

I had thought about the paludarium idea.. but this tank is "perfect" for a ton of heavy rockwork. Its made from 1" laminated glass (2 sheets of half inch glass laminated together, all sides and the bottom). It can support a ridiculous amount of weight, so it's just begging for a unique stone display.

the thing that worries me is that you mention that it's for your "fishroom/business". I hope that is meant to imply that they are seperate. casue if you have a business in the fishkeeping world and have never tried Marine...then you're in for a big new first step.

They are seperate, but related. My current planted tank is what I show off, but this monster tank is going to be a fixture in fish room thats more interesting to look at then the racks of tanks for breeding fish/shrimp. I work in an aquatic outlet that deals in a ton of marine equipment and livestock too, so I have access to a lot of help for this project. I know its a big first step, but being exposed to advanced reefkeeping every day has definately got me learning pretty fast.

Something like Tom's big tank full or a zillion Cardinals and Rummynose with easy to keep Crypts and such! Now that will make for some "wow factor" in your business. Reef sounds like a lot of money!

Yeah, I priced out roughly how much it would cost to convert this to a full blown reef, but after I hit the $30,000 mark I stopped counting. I know I can turn this into a really cool display, even if I don't go the full blown reef route.

If I did end up with a reef setup I probably wouldn't go with the typical wall/shelf look, but actually make 2 or 3 "pillars" or "islands" of live rock that would feature several large plate corals with open space in between for larger fish to swim. This would allow me to spotlight the pillars of rock with some heavy duty Halide pendants, and go a little lighter on lighting for the open areas