My thoughts on why a kid shouldn't build a monster tank (things to consider)
- Thread starter seedubs1
- Start date
Some people have forgotten what it was like being a teenager. In any case, my best advice to Andrew is keep it honest with his dad, and I trust his dad knows what is best for him. This goes with every kid doing a large project...
I remember when in school, without telling mom, I brought home 2 Canadian garter snake home for science fair...never understood why my mom had a fit until much later
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I remember when in school, without telling mom, I brought home 2 Canadian garter snake home for science fair...never understood why my mom had a fit until much later
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In all honesty, if knew then what I know now I wouldn't have bought my tank. It's a straight money pit. In the past, I had always bought turnkey setups off of craigslist so I didn't have to buy all that much stuff. This time around, my big tank was just the aquarium, stand and sump; pretty much a clean slate. I was naive and didn't fully realize just how much money it would cost to get the tank to the way I wanted it (it's still not there and I've spent wayyy more than I ever intended to). To name a few things:
-Bulkhead fittings
-Bulkhead strainers
-PVC fittings
-PVC pipe
-Kryon Fusion Paint
-True Union Ball Valves
-PVC Glue
-Teflon Tape
-Lighting
-Power strips
-Return Water Pump
-Air Pump
-Airline
-Air stones
-Air manifold valves
-Filter socks
-Bio Media (Seachem Matrix and Bio Balls)
-Mesh Laundry bags to hold Matrix
-Substrate
-Driftwood
-Plants/decor
-Shims to level stand
-Water conditioner
-Heaters
-Ranco Temp Controller
-Thermometer
-Nets
-Materials to skin the steel stand (wood, nails, Velcro, paint, vinyl)
-Auto Feeder
-Fish Food
-Sump tubing for big DIY Python gravel vac
-Hot water spigot for water changes
-Water test kit
-Pik stick tongs (my tank is deep)
-Polystyrene rigid insulation
-Fish
All these "little" things start to add up to some serious coin. I'm pretty sure there are a few things that I've overlooked, but if you start to put dollar signs next to all that stuff, it starts to get crazy expensive. Then you get to the cost of running the tank. Water for me is cheap ($5 gets me around 800 gallons), but electricity is a whole different story. My pump costs me $33 per month to run. During the winters my heaters can cost me $100+ per month. When you add lights, you are easily looking at $150 per month in electricity.
I don't think it matters what age you are, fifteen or fifty, it's easy to get in over your head when it comes to big tanks. You start thinking that you've come this far in setting it up, what's another couple hundred on lighting here, another couple hundred on a UV sterilizer, etc, etc. Before you know it, you are standing at a freeway offramp begging for change- lol. The scary part is that my tank is just a little fishbowl compared to the setups some guys on here have. I cringe to think what it costs to run Arapaimag's 52K gallon or JohnPTC's House of Sam. Monster fish tanks = Monster expenses.
-Bulkhead fittings
-Bulkhead strainers
-PVC fittings
-PVC pipe
-Kryon Fusion Paint
-True Union Ball Valves
-PVC Glue
-Teflon Tape
-Lighting
-Power strips
-Return Water Pump
-Air Pump
-Airline
-Air stones
-Air manifold valves
-Filter socks
-Bio Media (Seachem Matrix and Bio Balls)
-Mesh Laundry bags to hold Matrix
-Substrate
-Driftwood
-Plants/decor
-Shims to level stand
-Water conditioner
-Heaters
-Ranco Temp Controller
-Thermometer
-Nets
-Materials to skin the steel stand (wood, nails, Velcro, paint, vinyl)
-Auto Feeder
-Fish Food
-Sump tubing for big DIY Python gravel vac
-Hot water spigot for water changes
-Water test kit
-Pik stick tongs (my tank is deep)
-Polystyrene rigid insulation
-Fish
All these "little" things start to add up to some serious coin. I'm pretty sure there are a few things that I've overlooked, but if you start to put dollar signs next to all that stuff, it starts to get crazy expensive. Then you get to the cost of running the tank. Water for me is cheap ($5 gets me around 800 gallons), but electricity is a whole different story. My pump costs me $33 per month to run. During the winters my heaters can cost me $100+ per month. When you add lights, you are easily looking at $150 per month in electricity.
I don't think it matters what age you are, fifteen or fifty, it's easy to get in over your head when it comes to big tanks. You start thinking that you've come this far in setting it up, what's another couple hundred on lighting here, another couple hundred on a UV sterilizer, etc, etc. Before you know it, you are standing at a freeway offramp begging for change- lol. The scary part is that my tank is just a little fishbowl compared to the setups some guys on here have. I cringe to think what it costs to run Arapaimag's 52K gallon or JohnPTC's House of Sam. Monster fish tanks = Monster expenses.
Yup I know where your coming from. I'm in the same boat with setting up my 450.. After I sold off my previous filtration set up which was 3 x FX5's and 2 x hob filters and went for a sump instead the cost setting it up was unbelievable. Everything added up and it costed me more then the cost of 5 x FX5's combined. I'd thought I would actually save money switching to a sump over the canisters. Even today my filtration system is still no where near perfect how I'd like it to be. I keep throwing more money into it trying to make it perfect. Running canister filters and hobs are easy cuz they're plug and play. Running a sump and a plumbed tank can get complicated and will cost u loads of money. Definitely not for beginners. Jmo
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^ thats very true, tank expenses do start going crazy especially if you really haven't accounted for all the bits and pieces including things as you said such as nails etc, which more often than not will happen... especially on DIY builds...
I remember when i setup my paludarium i had a set a reasonably strict budget for myself thinking it would be cheap to put together as a "for fun" project... by the time i was finished setting up the tank, and re-doing things i made mistakes on and buying extra tubes of silicon etc, i ended up spending about close to double what i was hoping to spend...
Since there is always something you'll end up over-looking or decide to add on to your tank / setup as you go...
I remember when i setup my paludarium i had a set a reasonably strict budget for myself thinking it would be cheap to put together as a "for fun" project... by the time i was finished setting up the tank, and re-doing things i made mistakes on and buying extra tubes of silicon etc, i ended up spending about close to double what i was hoping to spend...
Since there is always something you'll end up over-looking or decide to add on to your tank / setup as you go...
I'm pretty impressed by the responses earlier in this thread by some of the younger MFK'ers. Those ones do in fact think straiter than some adults out there and really have their heads on strait (I didn't when I was their age, and I was speaking from my experience). After reading a few of those, maybe this should just be turned into a general "pitfalls of a DIY monster tank." But it does seem like they agree that the really big builds are not for them since they aren't moved out yet, and don't know what would happen if they had a monster tank when they move out in a few years since some of these fish are a 15-20 year commitment.
And I really like the post above detailing all of the little things that people are forgetting about DIY builds. They just cost more than you originally will predict. PVC fittings, screws, silicone, etc... All really cheap on their own. It's incredible what happens when you add it all together. I was amazed when I added my 75 gallon up (it was $500, and I DIYed the stand, and bought everything extremely cheap). For example, my last DIY stand was $120 (including screws, wood glue, etc...), and it wasn't made out of gold.
Bottom line.....keeping big tanks is expensive. Make sure you have the funds before taking it on. And if you are younger and your parents will be funding portions of it, make sure they truly understand the cost/risks involved.
And I really like the post above detailing all of the little things that people are forgetting about DIY builds. They just cost more than you originally will predict. PVC fittings, screws, silicone, etc... All really cheap on their own. It's incredible what happens when you add it all together. I was amazed when I added my 75 gallon up (it was $500, and I DIYed the stand, and bought everything extremely cheap). For example, my last DIY stand was $120 (including screws, wood glue, etc...), and it wasn't made out of gold.
Bottom line.....keeping big tanks is expensive. Make sure you have the funds before taking it on. And if you are younger and your parents will be funding portions of it, make sure they truly understand the cost/risks involved.
OP,I'm very mad that you would single out children for building a homemade tank,I would love to do that for redtail cats,but back on track I'm mad you'd single children out.
How is this adding to this discussion.
I think it's something for parent's and kids to seriously consider. Especially ones where it's the kid that is into fish keeping, and where the parents are not fish keepers.
Some VERY valid points are made. I'm sorry you're angry, but my opinion stands. Even some younger MFK'ers have posted in this thread saying they themselves aspire to have such tanks, but realize that they will be moving on to college/work and out of their parents house, and then what happens to their tank?
I'm not making this thread to bash on kids. I made it so that hopefully kids and parents alike will read it and seriously think about the risks, consequences, cost, and time commitment. It's not a 2-3 year commitment for a RTC, TSN, etc... they can live over 15 years. And then what happens with the fish when you're at college and can't bring your 500+ gallon tank and your 4 foot long monster catfish? Are your parents going to do the huge amount of work to properly house it? You're likely not going to find a new home for it since it requires such a huge tank. And I certainly hope you're not going to release it into a river. Are you going to have the heart to euthanize it? These are things to seriously think about.
I'd like to point out that it isn't necessarily kids, but anyone, any age.
As at 17, I personally would hate to be labelled as someone who couldn't build a monster tank.
I think there is a fine line between can and shouldn't. I think I could build one with some assistance but that doesn't mean I will or should. I have had many opportunities to own monster tanks and have owned a 180 (not huge but large enough!) and after all that I decided to settle on my 135g. Not because I didn't want/couldn't afford a larger tank. But purely because in 2-3 years time I intend on going travelling. So it isn't practical.
Ultimately, we have all dreamed about these monster tanks, and some of us have even drawn up plans. But the more mature/older of us don't post it all over a forum. Thats why I believe the title reads 'kids'.
Just pointing out its not all kids, as I myself am one.
As at 17, I personally would hate to be labelled as someone who couldn't build a monster tank.
I think there is a fine line between can and shouldn't. I think I could build one with some assistance but that doesn't mean I will or should. I have had many opportunities to own monster tanks and have owned a 180 (not huge but large enough!) and after all that I decided to settle on my 135g. Not because I didn't want/couldn't afford a larger tank. But purely because in 2-3 years time I intend on going travelling. So it isn't practical.
Ultimately, we have all dreamed about these monster tanks, and some of us have even drawn up plans. But the more mature/older of us don't post it all over a forum. Thats why I believe the title reads 'kids'.
Just pointing out its not all kids, as I myself am one.
This is from the Welcome Page to Monster Fish Keepers:
"Welcome to Monster Fish Keepers
The members of this forum have come together to share our knowledge and experiences of fish keeping. We want to answer your questions, offer advice and fill the galleries with pictures of the fish we have all grown to love.
We are a unique community of Fish Keepers who seriously take our hobby to extremes and the NEXT level. The majority of our fish collections include RARE & EXOTIC Species of all sizes, BIG FISH with BIG APPETITES and BIG TANKS. It's not easy for most people or other "regular" fish keepers to understand why we maintain this type of collection and spare no expense on this fascinating hobby."
My observation is that people who do not take the hobby to extremes/the next level, or who do not have big fish with big apetites and big tanks, and/or do not spare "no expense" are the ones who define MFK as being about passion. So by their own definition, they just have more "passion" than "regular" fish keepers. What gets even more confusing to me, is that all the members on Aquaria Central seem very enthusiastic and passionate about their fishkeeping too, and many of them have gorgeous, beautiful tanks. So why are they not all on MFK with the rest of us? If it's all about passion, there should just be one forum, not two. That said, I am a member of AC, but don't spend a lot of time there, because there is not a lot of discussion about Hammerhead pumps, large sump setups, flow rates of large UV sterilizers, etc. I frequent MFK because there are members with big tanks. Their threads on their setups and equipment have been invaluable to me. I have learned much from these members--enough that I can chart my own course now in the big tank realm. Let's face it, there is a tremendous difference from a tank than can be maintained with HOBS or two canister filters, versus a tank where you deal with bulkheads, enough PVC pipe and fittings that you could open your own hardware store, different pumps, etc.
I'm on MFK because I want to see the set ups of aldiaz33, doviiman, STREETLIGHTZ, johnptc, bigrich545, VLDesign, neoprodigy, and others with large tanks. Personally, I'm not interested in threads on "My New Ten Gallon Tank", because I'm not going to glean any useful information, and even if they have a sole pacu in the tank, I'm not going to waste my time informing them that they will be needing a bigger tank. I'm on MFK because I am interested in next level and big. Don't know how passionate I am.
