The Puffer Forum

I'd love to have an Mbu. More to the point, I'd love to have a tank capable of housing an Mbu well into adulthood. Since I can't actually do it, I'll just day dream instead, maybe you can help me out.

What sort of specifics would be needed? What sort of things would you do given ample free time and limitless money?

What would the ultimate Mbu tank system look like?

For me a Monaco-style tank so that the side walls are invisible and the back has a "vanishing point"'; something over 1000 gallons capacity, hard plumbed to a large 24/7 (or dual opposed-cyle) planted refugia; automated daily water changes. Simple, proven technology, and it would even fit in my tank room.

All it would take is money - lots of that. Plus getting rid of all the other tanks there now.

Pardon my asking , but what is monaco-style?
What sort of dimensions would the tank have?
What kind of filtration specifically? How large is "large" for the refugia?

the ultimate mbu tank....

how about a gigantic cylinder going through all the floors of a house? that way the mbu(s) could follow you from floor to floor! i beleive ive mentioned this idea somwhere before. in more detail. would be a pain to cleanthough, espaiecally with a mbu in there hehe.

I'd love to be able to have a room (and the house to go with it) this size with a tank like this.

http://www.acrylicaquarium.co.uk/pf13.html

I wouldnt have the background and the tank would be the wall between the 2 rooms. Wouldnt want an Mbu restricted to 1 room, he might get bored.

Wow. I can see my future living room taking shape right before my very eyes.

...any suggestions on how to make 6 figures with philosophy and political studies degrees?

Monaco-stle tanks have no visible side walls (they angle out just beyond the index of refraction), generally have at least 5 sides such that the back walls have some vanishing pont (frequently lighted) implying further depth beyond what can be seen. Suface is commonly spotlighted to heighten ripple effects at the surface and in the depths, the tank base generally slopes up away from the viewer (another artificial perspective). Many of the tanks have enough border on the face such that the fish can eithert swim out of sight or almost so.

http://www.pbase.com/emmerich/image/53585503

http://www.pbase.com/emmerich/image/25789336

x0rtrunks wrote:...any suggestions on how to make 6 figures with philosophy and political studies degrees?

Yes, but they are all illegal, immoral or both! rimshot

RTR: very cool. thanks for the info. Those tanks look great. More things to dream about.

yBe: lol

It would be cool if you lived in a tropical region to have a lake with a Mbu in it that would be something else

I love the idea of the cylider tank. If I ever hit the lotto I will consider it

id like a lake right next to my house, with a glass viewing panel in the basement! how cool would that be? lol i could have all the mbu's i want then!

I haven't done the math, but I would think the cheapest way to build a large tank for an Mbu would be to build the whole tank out of wood and then to use a pond liner on the inside. Approximately 10' long, 4' wide and 3' deep would be close to 900 gallons. It wouldn't be pretty to look at but if you had it in a garage or basement it wouldn't really matter and of course you'd only be able to see the Mbu from the top. I dont know what the rule to keeping two Mbu's together would be but if increase the length to 12' and the depth to 4' you get around 1400 gallons. I'm guessing you'd have enough free swimming space for two Mbus at that point.

Of course you would still have to sink alot of money into filtration and as RTR says you would be best off with a refugia and an automatic water changing system.

As a former engineer I used to work with always said - "Anything is possible with enough time and money!".

MP

Yup! Agree w/MP.

But fiberglass coated wood or concrete would be safer long-term, and allow for a view window.

I think a viewing pane is a must. As much for the Mbu as for you. Small waterproof TVs and some sort of a fish sofa too!

x0rtrunks wrote:I'd love to have an Mbu.

"I'd love to have a Mbu"

sorry, i just had to say something, ever time i come into this thread that bugs me! pet peeve, and i'm and english major so..... yeah

as for an awesome tank.....

going with the cylinder that goes thru all the floors in the house, as an extension have, how to describe it, fingers on different floor in different room that all connect to the central tube but have their own aqua-scaping. there'd have to be a block of some sort to keep substrate from falling to lower levels, and it would have to be large enough that a diver could get in to clean it all. each finger would need to be fully enclosed, meaning no opening top except at the top of the cylinder. each finger would have its own light source above the top of the finger. i would go with acrylic instead of glass for it too, just to reduce the risk of shattering. the actual math of making something that size to withstand all those different pressure points would be phenomenal though, not to mention the cost of actually constructing and maintaining it, too. but this is supposed to be a dream right?