designing tank for museum

[chefjamesscott]

ok so earlier this week I got the full access package and have 24/7 entry, so went in tonight to do the first round of water tests to see where we are at. I will dispense with the many pictures but will post one since all the tanks came in at almost the same Nitrate way off the top, Ammon 1.2 ppm, Nitrite 0.8.

my camera washes things out so the real picture is far worse than this

when I shared this in chat the only thing they had to say was this WHAT IS DEAD IN THAT TANK? I do not desire to try to make the previous dude look back, suffice it to say his handiwork speaks for itself.

Just sick to my stomach when I walked in the fish closet to find the turtle dead. I was pretty sure it was a goner when I picked it up when I did the precursor walk through.

I did a 50% wc on both the feeder tank and the bichir grow out tank, switched out the calcium crusted filter on the feeder and put a filter on the bichir grow out as well as a heater. I so hope these two tanks dont crash as a result of my attempt to repair them, I will be going to dose the tanks with prime tomorrow morning in an attempt to neutralize the nitrate level.

Now we had a very funny moment happen tonight. So here is my daughter and her friend with me, headed to the gar tank to test it. Got the bare minimum of lights on and we are walking through the museum to the tank turn the corner and see this as the motion sensor sound track goes off

needless to say my daughter and her friend peaked lololololololololol

So when I actually get to work on the gar's tank I make sure to talk to her and reassure her that I am here to make it all better and that I will make sure she never has to swim in this again and it is like she actually is understanding because she just hangs out on the top of the tank lookin at me, and she let me pet her as well. I personally believe my fish understand my emotion and intent for them.

the undergravel filter system is a good design

though I have a full seasoned rena xp4 that I am installing on this tank this weekend as well. The only concern I truly have is about the tank crashing as I try to recover it to where it should be. To this end I will not add a single resident to this tank until the tests come in as they should be.

 

[Will Hayward]

Chef. There is no way the Fluval FX5 will be too strong for that tank. I think you'd have done good with it. I'll have 4 of them on my 220 soon as I complete a trade I'm waiting to make. Also, it looks like the Under gravel filter system is using 1" tubing, which might allow you to put the FX5 inline. 1" tubing is appropriate when putting the FX5 into a hard piped system.

 

[EllieGreene]

Hi.

How much of a water change are you going to do before you swap the filter? I'm a little worried that the ammonia in the water column + all the crap you pull up with the gravel are going to cause a bloom in the filter and jack the nitrites up even higher than they are.

Good Luck,
Great Gig.

 

[chefjamesscott]

well with the main gar tank i have not really done a big wc yet, from what I understand its like handling nitro glycerin, I need to be real careful or this tank will blow up.

the feeder tank no big loss if the feeders die, the bichir grow out tank im being more carefull with, the main gar tank I am being extra careful with. I did a top up with fresh water to replace the 6 inch of evaporation that had taken place last night. This afternoon I went an dosed all the tanks with seachem prime and waste reduction. I want the gar tank to go through a circular of the chemicals I just put in for at least a day, I will be going back tonight to begin the clean up the fish room. Will do the first water change on sunday to try to bring this back on track.

What is going to be the biggest challenge with this gar tank is the the refil water is straight outta the pipe without a choice of cold or hot so temperature variants is going to be an issue. Will have to see how it goes gonna check if there is a way to get it plumbed to a hot water source from its destination.

When I get the water tests to register within acceptable level I will power on the new filter that I have been getting seasoned on one of my tanks here.

 

[chefjamesscott]

African Butterfly Fish, Bichirs, Gars and possibly an aro as the show fish. If you cant see the gar much I would take it out. No point in having something you cant see

Oh you will be able to see this gar already since I have begun to work on the tank it is active. As I posted earlier my philosophy with fish is that they are very understanding of who is keeping them and how they are being kept.

here is a pic of the wonderful coffin for the red ear slider

here is a possible future resident for the tank he is in a 20g tank

and here are a few shots of the displays around the tank to give an idea of the setting it is in

this is right behind the tank the access doors to the tank are just to the right

since the idea that seems to take lead on stocking is saskatchewan fossil record tank, the one picture above is softshell turtle fossil, so, I might even be able to get one of them in the tank

 

[EllieGreene]

If you are concerned about the temp difference could you get a Brut(tm) trash can and pre-heat the water with one of your spare heaters? They are available with lids too.. Remember to put a No trash/No Basura sign on it.

On the ancient fish front, have you ever seen a Triops? http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/science/75ab/ I'm not sure if they will work in your situation though.. IIRC, they only live 3 months or so and the other fish might eat them.

I wonder if our Natural History museum needs a fishkeeper? I'm is tennessee so we'd have to stock the tank with Bass, bluegill, perch, and beer bottles.

 

[Eric A]

Wow! This is truely a dream job.

You are doing a swell job at the moment! need help, you can always come here. I would love to help you my mate.

 

[HarlanAshmore]

that filter is gnarly

 

[Eric A]

I'd do Gar, Clown knifefish, Black arowana and a South American Lungfish.

 

[Noto]

That's a huge job, and I'm glad to see someone as concerned as you is taking it over.

As for tankmates, I would avoid softshells (they require a basking area, may snap at fish, and are susceptible to injury themselves). A sterlet might work, but most other available sturgeon are too big and too demanding for the tank. Bowfin are awesome and should go well with the gar. In my opinion, the gar and one bowfin would be all the big fish the tank needs.

For smaller fish, you might try a few goldeye (Hiodon alosoides), a local native. They are a living fossil much like the gar. The closest living relatives of the goldeye (besides its congener the mooneye) are the arowanas and knifefishes. I know their fossil record in Montana and Wyoming is pretty extensive, going back about 50 million years, so I would guess their fossils are present in Saskatchewan as well.

If you have a smaller tank available, some southeasterly groups once represented in northwestern North America such as the pirate perch, siren, amphiuma, and mudpuppy might be fun to have.