edit - the link is fixed now

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709585&forum_id=2:#48840878)

I've been thinking about a similar set up

Tell about what's been involved in it, and the costs

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709585&forum_id=2:#48842321)

the maintenance isn't as much as you might think. the smaller tank is easy: i change out like 10 gallons of water per week, which takes like 30 mins. you need to use RODI water so you'll need a filter system or you can buy water from a fish store.

the big tank is a huge undertaking. first, i had to get an engineer to test my floor to make sure the tank wouldn't fall through (it's 5,000 lbs). i also don't change the water myself bc my RODI water is downstairs and it would take me forever to lug up dozens of gallons of water and change it out. i pay these guys $500/mo to do that.

costs for small tank: $3500-4000 to get it started. you'll likely lose a lot of fish early on, and they're expensive. figure like $750 to sock it initially and then you replace as needed. monthly costs are essentially zero.

big tank: $25,000 for the system, probably another $3k to stock it. then $500/mo to get the water changes done.

remember: you need a fresh water top off reservoir. when water evaporates, the salt stays behind so you have to replace the evaporated water with fresh water you only use salt water when you are doing a water change and sucking water out/replacing it. this is probably obvious to many people but i never thought about that and for about a month i was replacing evaporated water with more salt water. obviously lost a number of fish.

for you, i would recommend about 100-150 gallons. i like the 50 gal but it's too small for lots of stuff (for instance, you really can't keep tangs in it, and tangs are 180). that would be a good tank that you can keep most anything you'd want in.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709585&forum_id=2:#48842369)

Are there any animals in there other than fish, that we can't see in the video?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709585&forum_id=2:#48842329)

i have one massive snail that's about the size of a kid's fist. it only comes out at night.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709585&forum_id=2:#48842360)

i decided to try again and i got an even better deal: $950. i put it in one of those fish boxes with suction cups and figured i'd acclimate it to the tank and let it out after a month.

the fish escaped in 3-4 days and got killed

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709585&forum_id=2:#48842373)

They're cool as hell

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709585&forum_id=2:#48842397)

i settled on a predator tank. i have a couple triggerfish, a clown (they are mean af), a small puffer and an eel.

related: even though the tank has a cover on it, the eel got out last week. my wife woek me up last sunday at 8 am and said the eel was on the floor. i threw it back in and it was fine. i would have thrown it outside, but i know they can live outside the tank for a long time. my mistress told me that when her husband was in med school he had an eel jump out and dry up like a pencil. he threw it back in and it was still alive. so i figured mine would be okay. he was gasping for air for a couple hours but he's fine now.

i decided against octopus bc they are too intelligent and you have to keep them occupied or they killself. plus they get out even if you have a very secure top. although they are smart enough to know to go back in. i've seen stories of them leaving their tanks, hunting for shit and going back.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709585&forum_id=2:#48842410)

I've always thought that if I ever get ultra rich, I'll get a truly massive tank for an octopus (maybe more than 1, idk if they enjoy company) so they can roam around and do engaging stuff, and hunt live prey that I throw in there

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709585&forum_id=2:#48842446)

come to think of it, i haven't seen the lobster in weeks. maybe it's dead.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709585&forum_id=2:#48842382)

i was a marine tank bro for many years. once your fish reach critical size/too big for tank, pls donate them to local zoo/aquarium or whoever has a 1,000,000 gallon tank for them. once your over that, stick to mini saltwater fish like clownfish, wrasse, goby and their associated corals, and maybe some crustaceans. also, be careful with the eel, they are smart. but you probly already know all this.

anyway, congrats on the beautiful tank.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709585&forum_id=2:#48842420)

i have two gobies, a purple firefish. i also have a mandarin wrasse. he goes around all day hunting for copepods.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709585&forum_id=2:#48842448)

here is a new video i just took. i put seaweed sheets in, and the fish are swarming them. i love watching them eat seaweed.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709585&forum_id=2:#48842508)

the maintenance isn't as bad as you'd think, but the water changes for the big one are too much for me.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709585&forum_id=2:#48844698)