first salt tank

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yzf450motoxrider

yzf450motoxrider

Dovii
MFK Member
Apr 15, 2009
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Hey guys/girls,
So i think im going to switch to salt and i was wondering what i would need. Things i already have:180gallon aquarium, 1 FX5, 1 rena XP3, 1 UV sterilizer. Thats about it. I was wondering what else i would need to keep a single bumble bee grouper. and how often i would need to change the water. Of course the 180 would not be his home for life i would eventually upgrade.

Thanks in advance.
 
you realize that they get up to 8 feet? thats not really a fish you should take on lightly, but if your really keen on it then I recomend talking to TheCanuck he has (or had, not sure if he still does last I herd it was sick) one and ended up upgrading to a huuuge 12' long tank for it. So he would be the man to talk to about setup for that fish.
 
Kevin8888;4141592; said:
you realize that they get up to 8 feet? thats not really a fish you should take on lightly, but if your really keen on it then I recomend talking to TheCanuck he has (or had, not sure if he still does last I herd it was sick) one and ended up upgrading to a huuuge 12' long tank for it. So he would be the man to talk to about setup for that fish.
Click to expand...

:headbang2

btw kevin i actually need your help with some stuff, i am setting up a new design for my tank. I'll pm you about it.





but yes i kept a BB grouper a little over a year. He passed away at the LFS while my new tank was being built for him....


we are talking a 20,000 gallon tank here in the end.
 
i think id just rather stick with a fish i could keep for life like the Red Louti Grouper. Are there any other groupers in the aquarium trade that will max out at around 3 to 3.5 feet?
 
Keep in mind man 3ft is a really big sized fish. We are talking maybe 600-800 depending on girth size of the fish. Then the problem is he will be so big that his tankmates will have to be HUGE not to be swallowed. Then your looking at 1,000 gallons in the future for just him and a tankmate. Its easy to house big fish, but having a community of big fish is a different story. Be sure to think about every single little thing. Its very possible to do, but please note 24inch groupers start eating subway sandwiches and sharks .....
 
I agree with TheCanuck, 3 feet is alllllot of fish, when I build my 1000gal reef I'm reluctant to add the unicorn tang that I really like because it gets to 2' and its a herbavour which is usualy cheaper to feed. Even at its cheapest foods, a 3' grouper is going to eat/cost a ton food wise. Mite I suggest going with a small grouper? Like a Spotted (Epinephelus summana)? Maxs out around 1'.

and sure canuck ask me anything and i may or may not be able to help haha, sorry to hear about your grouper :(
 
So I’ve given it much thought and I think I’m going to go with the bumble bee grouper. There is one selling at a LFS he is 15 in.

Tank set up
180 gallon aquarium
1 FX5
1 rena xp3
If needed i could do a 30 gal sump
300 gallon rated protein skimmer
100 lb live sand
50 lb live rock to start

Is this set up sufficient for 1 15 inch bumble bee grouper?

the grouper doesn’t look in perfect health his slime coat is thick and he has cloud eye can that be cleared with good water conditions and are there any long term effects of having that sickness?

Should I have more live rock?

Does live rock remove nitrates?



Now i just need to get rid of my pbass : (
 
:shakehead

I honestly think you are setting yourself up for trouble, once he out grows your 180, whats next? The cost of going large enough to house him is going to be outrageous, and finding someone who can properly house him is going to be very difficult, especially if you are trying to find someone local.

In my area, there are absolutely zero LFS that could take on a bumble bee grouper that has become too large for a 180.
 
contrary to popular belief live rock is almost irrelivent biofiltration wise, you want more live sand, id go min 150lb prefferably 200lb.

i still think its a bad idea to go with the bumble bee, and an even worse idea to buy one that is unhealthy, yes theorectialy it could be fine, but it could also become a problem. But if your set on it, get a healthy one.

And as Heathd said, the cost to build or buy a tank big enough for that fish fully grown is outragious, i think thecanuck said his tank was like 10000$ or something crazy like that? and im not even sure it was big enough for a fully grown.

live rock doesnt remove nitrates, coraline algea will remove some, but most nitrates are removed by water changes or refugiums with large macro algeas in them. live rock helps deal with 2 things only (and not as well as live sad does it) ammonia and nitrites, it turns them into nitrates (which are less toxic).

wait this is ur first salt? and you want to get one of the biggest fish in the hobby? i dont think thats wise... but again your money/time.
 
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