Day 141

Ok, let the games begin! This is tank #20, about 3pm I added female from tank #11. Her color was very black, her tube dropped. The first 10 min he chased her around, then the dance began. Alot of cleaning now, I added a piece of flat rock from her tank, she layed eggs on it before. These are Flowerhorns in case you didn't know. I will watch and hope for eggs.

Day140 night

My favorite tank? 180gal. Red Devil colony-tank #17, 8-Devils from seperate stores, as fry, now they are 3-4 inches.

Didn't get to the 140 panel, bon fire instead. Flowerhorn(female) in tank #11turned black, she might lay eggs again. On Wed. I might put her in with male in tank #20 and see what happens.

Day 140

Vacuumed gravel and 25percent water change in tanks #18-#20. Going to clean silicone off back panel of leaking 140 gal, front panel to go then assembly. Thinking about building enclosed fish room in basement with door to access back of tanks, like a fish work room. Viewing would be from front only, like a picture frame on the wall. Put all live plants in 380-gal sump, divided from african cichlid because he would mess them up.

Day 139

Did water changes in four more tanks today, tanks #14-#17 vacuumed gravel too. Just a question...What is the most expensive part of this hobby? The tank and stand and light to purchase? Buying your favorite fish? Believe me start keeping track, it's the ongoing maintenance. The cost of food, water, electricity, light replacement soon passes your initial cost of set up.Careful planning and set up are important to reduce maintenance cost. Key is to not overstock your tanks, trust me I've lived this for years and still have trouble overstocking tanks. Just clean a filter with one fish in a 55 gal., then clean a filter with more fish(10-20) in the same size tank. It's unbelievable.

Day 138

Two of the three Pacus in 380 gal., growing fast. Moved large Pitcus catfish from tank#5 and sailfin Pleco from tank#6 to 380 gal.

Started today still trying to take apart broken 90 gal. with the purple silicone, it was the hardest tank to date that I have taken apart. Purple silicone was worse than glue, but it is apart. I'm going to use broken pieces to practice cutting 1/2" glass. Did water changes and vacuumed gravel in tanks#2-#12 today, water changes should be 25percent of water, and done monthly or 10 percent weekly.Vacuum gravel monthly also, to remove fish waste. Filter changes(floss change or wash out sponge) should be done monthly too. When I vacuumed gravel in tank#7 with the new Oscar there was about 100 eggs, white and fuzzy in gravel. This fish may be a female, or last fish in tank was. I'm going to watch for a while, this may have been the trouble Nic was having with the aggression in this fish. Went to petco today also and got a dozen goldfish for Knife in tank#14, he ate them all. Knife fish only will eat live, I've tried other things for years(shrimp, pellets) no luck.More tomorrow.

Day 137

Cleaned filters on tanks#17-#20, start water changes tomorrow. Switched 300W heater in tank #7(55gal) with 200W heater in tank#17(180gal).

Day 136 continued

Large Oscar donated by Nic tank #7

Day 136

Happy Thanksgiving! This is a Zebra Turkey fish.

Day 134

Got a call from John who got my number from Petsmart, he had 2 African cichlids wanted to donate. Nice fish very healthy, they will share tank#5, divided from others until I figure out their aggression. Purple colored with orange-yellow fins. Thanks John and wife for the fish and extra food, check in occasionally for an update on them. When you need that 55 gal. contact me, thanks again...Joe.

Day 132

Picked up 13" Oscar from Nic today, great set up hes got. Fish was very healthy, adjusting well to 55 gal (tank#7). Thanks again Nic, I'll post pictures soon. Cleaned filter in tank#16.

Day 130

Saw an add on craigslist for 13" Oscar, got a hold of Nic, picking up Sunday. Will put Oscar in tank#7 temporally to see his aggression level and eating habits, move Red Devil to tank#6, split with Flowerhorn. Introduce Oscar to 380 gal. slowly, thanks Nic.

Day 129

Stocked up on food today, shrimp, pellets. Did water change and vacuum gravel in 380 gal.(tank#13). Filter changes in tanks#14 and #15.

Day 127

Thought I would check Google headquarters building on-line, they have a fish room! It's an office where the employees get to relax, check out the shimmering floor, I wouldn't mind working at the Google building. Did filter changes in tanks #6-#12, added a bigger filter to tank #12.

Day 125

Found a fish on craigslist, Red Devil 11" in New Haven. Very healthy fish, thanks to Shane and wife and kids. Also gave me a 1" fry from this Devil and female Jaguar, thanks again they are in a good home. Put Red Devil in tank #9 with divider, and fry in tank #4 with divider. More filter cleanings tonight.

Day 124

Cleaned filters in tanks #2-#5 today. Noticed Red Devils in Tank #17(180gal) spawned, eggs on middle rock, seperated parents and eggs with a divider from rest of tank. Post pics tomorrow. More filter cleanings tomorrow. Update-Male Red Devil ate all eggs within 30 min. of moving fish and eggs, gonna leave male out, just move female and eggs next time.

Day 121

Busy weekend, female Flowerhorn in tank#11 ate all eggs, they turned white. Did water changes and vacuumed gravel in tanks #18,19,and 20. Got an offer of $120 for 55gal. cherry wood stand on e-mail from craigslist, told him I would take $135, asking $150. Might start filter changes tonight and work on other blog http://www.giantfishtanks.blogspot.com/

Day 117

Talking with Rob about Flowerhorn female in tank#12 last night, dark color, acting weird. He looks and says "you got eggs!", took a look, one flat rock full of eggs. First time this has happened for me, gonna sit and watch, if they turn white they die. This male and female are separated by a divider, except there is a small opening in bottom of divider. Could these eggs have been fertilized? I'll let you know in days to come, no white ones this morning. Tank#12 at 84*-86*F.

Day 116

Nothing today, just feedings. Buddy Rob coming over, talk fish and drink vodka.

Day 114

Built a 52" wall, out from door, this will give me a 30' enclosed wall to line up tanks.

Power outage last night again, breaker tripped. I feel the overload this time comes at night when all my heater come on. Electric sensor is broke on boiler to heat  floors, I will order this part this weekend and install. I feel this will help to keep basement floor warm and keep heaters from coming on all night long. I lost 3 tropicals in outage last night in tank #8, did water  change, R.I.P. Did a water change and vacuum gravel in tanks #14 thru #17.

Day 113

Room for fish is now framed , electrical next. Lights, ceiling fan, exhaust fan, and plugs at 12" and about 48". The higher plug is for the triple tanks, top tank cords from filter and heater don't reach a standard plug. Drywall and ceiling after electrical, acid stain floor also. Had a power outage about 8 hours before I got home from work, this was a ground fault trip so a fish must have splashed a power strip through the night, reset and all was good. I keep drip loops on all tanks to avoid a electrical fire. 90 gal. with purple silicone is the hardest tank I've taken apart, still working on bottom black molding. Its cracking and splitting the whole way.