Building an Mbu Tank

[xxSarahxx]

I'm hunting on the internet at the moment as I read an article on Practical Fishkeeping's (magazine in UK) website about a guy who did kinda this..... the article would be increidbly useful as he talked a lot about his filtration and so on. I'm doing searches right now for you.
Another option. Get somewhere with an indoor swimming pool..... I've seen a few swimming pools transformed to amazing fish tanks!
Another issue with rays and puffers is the rays eyes can look a lot like snails to a puffer and then you'll end up with a blind and damaged ray!
Good luck with all this!! Where abouts are you located??

[zombiefetus]

I'm hunting on the internet at the moment as I read an article on Practical Fishkeeping's (magazine in UK) website about a guy who did kinda this..... the article would be increidbly useful as he talked a lot about his filtration and so on. I'm doing searches right now for you.
Another option. Get somewhere with an indoor swimming pool..... I've seen a few swimming pools transformed to amazing fish tanks!
Another issue with rays and puffers is the rays eyes can look a lot like snails to a puffer and then you'll end up with a blind and damaged ray!
Good luck with all this!! Where abouts are you located??

Let me know if you find the article- I'd love to read it.
I thought about the swimming pool idea, but it seems like it'd be too hard to see the fish inside it- I'd have to build it up, and it just seems like more work than building my own tank from scratch.
And I'm in Crystal Lake, Illinois (about an hour from Chicago).

---

I've been thinking of buying a 155gallon (I can get one for about $75 ) tank to keep one in until I can get my 1800gallon built and running (I'd buy a really small Mbu and of course- way over filter it). Then use the 155gallon as a SW tank for my GSP (my GSP is my baby, and I'd love to see him in a 155gallon).

[groovitudedude]

Wait, you're planning on keeping one < six inch fish in a 155 Gallon tank? Or are you gonna put other fish in w/ it?

[zombiefetus]

nope, he'd be all alone. He's really active, so I know he'd appreciate the space. <3

[manutius]

I agree the Mbu would love that tank and there is less chance of stunting too.

I've seeen the article that sarah is refering too, I'll see if I can fnd it too

[manutius]

ere you go

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/p ... cle_id=586

[CoreyK]

ere you go

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/p ... cle_id=586

Impressive though that may be, it is very sparse, as are most of these privately owned giant tanks.
I understand the difficulty of creating complexity in such a big space, but sometimes I think people get so caught up in size that sometimes they overlook quality; those fish are now in a nearly bare concrete box, albeit a large concrete box. Is that really a suitable environment?

[SpockthePuffer]

That article is AMAZING!!! I love that he swims around in there to clean the tank! I would be terrified! Its bad enough moving decorations around in my small tanks and having the fish run into my hand, it always scares the crap out of me!

[manutius]

I have to agree with you Corey, I thinkt he real skill is not just providing the space but providing the richness of environment. Thats why these fish are not ideal for "greneral sale" IMO

[zombiefetus]

That is an amazing article.

I was thinking of building my own decor for the tank. Kind of like how people use styrofoam and sealants to make backdrops, only on a larger scale. That, some big pieces of driftwood, and as many fake plants as I can get a hold of.
Would I be able to use those silk plants made for household use as plants in the tank? They might be easier to get a hold of on a large scale.

[xxSarahxx]

I couldn't agree with you more about the need for enrichment especially with the very intelligent fish like puffers and bettas. My bettas for example play with ping pong balls and love them!!
The need for adding more decor is certainly there in reference to the tank in the article found on PFK's website (manutius - how did you find that? I searched for ages!!) but I thought the info in it about filtering and maintaining might be useful to you.
155g would be good to get the mbu in to begin with and the chances are it will be a tank much bigger than what he is currently in although I also like your idea of getting a larger mbu that needs rescuing.
Decisions decisions decisions!!

[groovitudedude]

I still can't believe that when the Mbu moves out of the 155, you're gonna use it for one fish that's really small in it. Don't you think you can get at least one other brackish/low end marine fish to put in there? Just seems like a waste to those of me with smaller tanks. Good luck!

[zombiefetus]

I -might- get a few tomato clowns, but I don't know yet. I'd prefer to keep him by himself. I don't think it's fair that he got stolen out of his natural habitat to be kept in some tiny 29gallon aquarium. I'd like to see him swimming around in a huge tank all to himself. Like I said, he's my baby, and I want him to live a long and happy life. He's already been through so much, he's a tough little guy. I have no idea how he survived this long, especially since when I first got him and I was a n00b he lived in a 10gallon tank for a few months. So now I just want what's best for him. He's my little buddy.

[groovitudedude]

Cool- Hey, it's totally up to you, and you can do whatever you want.

[Pufferpunk]

There are a few folks at http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com that have large tanks like you are planning.