stucolls
Fishaholic
Morning all!!
Well after much deliberation I decided last week that I wanted to venture into the world of Marines. I have kept FW tropicals for around 4 years now fairly sucessfully and have always fancied marines.
Well after doing a little research (and I mean a little, I have a lot to read still!) I decided to go for a smaller tank to avoid massive LR costs. My turtle (who the kids named Norris) was in a 24 gal cube and I also had 6 corys and a silver dollar in a 5ft 195 litre tank.
My first thought was to use the 5ft tank and rehome the few tropical fish I had left, but then I decided that Norris actually needed a better home than i could offer so decided to try and rehome him and use his tank.
Anyway, I was looking in the paper for anyone who may want tobuy a fish tank or was selling one and I spotted what was advertised as an Orca 90 litre nano marine with full set up for £100. I text the guy who had advertised it to find out if it had sold and it hadnt, he was happy to drop to £90 for it, BUT I didnt have any money available until id sold the 5ft tank, by coincidence he was also looking for a 5ft tank to house his 2 turtles!!! Good times!!
I offered him the 5ft tank, Norris, and Norris' accessories, so lamp, basking station, food,and also an Eheim external filter in exchange for his nano cube......he accepted!!
So yesterday morning I set about the following.......Emptying Norris' little cube and cleaning it out (Norris was in a poly box during this time to stop the cats getting him!), then filling the cube with substrate and water (50%) from the 5ft tropical tank, I then rehomed the 6 corys, silver dollar and bn plec in the cube and added heat and filtration. It was pretty murky at this point as the pics will show but atleast that was half a job done, fish rehomed!
I then had to goto town so put Norris into the 5ft (now fishless) tank to swim and play until I got back. On return I emptied the tank of water and any remaining substrate and had to pop Norris in his box again. After emptying the tank the Mrs and I took it outside ready for collection. In between this I had to clean out the external filter and tidy up the house ready for the kids halowwen party!
After a few goodbyes from me, the other half and our little one, Norris said his final goodbye and I took delivery of my new nano marine cube. Now it was advertised as an Orca 90 litre nano marine, but it says on the booklet JBJ Nano-Cube, the ultimate curved glass biotope. It looks pretty much identical to an orca though.
So heres the plan.....I now have a nice little tropical cube and an empty marine cube, I need to get my hands on 10kg of live rock (I have been offered sme locally at £5kg from a tank break down), some sand - how much should I buy??, RO water (salted obviously) and a refractometer.
I want to do all that as soon as I can and will probably have to wait a while then before I can afford to add any corals or fish but as long as I have the LR in place im happy!!
This thread may take some time to come to fruition but I was so pleased with yesterdays efforts I felt I had to start it!!
In terms of stocking, I have absolutely no idea what corals to go for, I havent researched them at all, but I know I would like a pair of clowns, then some damsels or gobies, possibly a dwarf fuzzy lion or some humbugs, and I also like mandarins, but again, I havent researched yet into stocking levels and compatibility.......now hopefully my photos will upload!!
Stu
Full 5ft tank
5ft starting to empty
5ft now empty
murky new tropical tank (was home to the turtle)
crystal clear new tropical tank
http
/i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm92/StuColls/P01-11-09_0735.jpg
the new nano cube
http/i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm92/StuColls/P31-10-09_131301-1.jpg
new nano cube in place
http/i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm92/StuColls/P31-10-09_1313.jpg
Nikkie saying bye to Norris
http/i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm92/StuColls/P31-10-09_124501.jpg
me and Chelsea saying bye to Norris
http/i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm92/StuColls/P31-10-09_1244.jpg
Well after much deliberation I decided last week that I wanted to venture into the world of Marines. I have kept FW tropicals for around 4 years now fairly sucessfully and have always fancied marines.
Well after doing a little research (and I mean a little, I have a lot to read still!) I decided to go for a smaller tank to avoid massive LR costs. My turtle (who the kids named Norris) was in a 24 gal cube and I also had 6 corys and a silver dollar in a 5ft 195 litre tank.
My first thought was to use the 5ft tank and rehome the few tropical fish I had left, but then I decided that Norris actually needed a better home than i could offer so decided to try and rehome him and use his tank.
Anyway, I was looking in the paper for anyone who may want tobuy a fish tank or was selling one and I spotted what was advertised as an Orca 90 litre nano marine with full set up for £100. I text the guy who had advertised it to find out if it had sold and it hadnt, he was happy to drop to £90 for it, BUT I didnt have any money available until id sold the 5ft tank, by coincidence he was also looking for a 5ft tank to house his 2 turtles!!! Good times!!
I offered him the 5ft tank, Norris, and Norris' accessories, so lamp, basking station, food,and also an Eheim external filter in exchange for his nano cube......he accepted!!
So yesterday morning I set about the following.......Emptying Norris' little cube and cleaning it out (Norris was in a poly box during this time to stop the cats getting him!), then filling the cube with substrate and water (50%) from the 5ft tropical tank, I then rehomed the 6 corys, silver dollar and bn plec in the cube and added heat and filtration. It was pretty murky at this point as the pics will show but atleast that was half a job done, fish rehomed!
I then had to goto town so put Norris into the 5ft (now fishless) tank to swim and play until I got back. On return I emptied the tank of water and any remaining substrate and had to pop Norris in his box again. After emptying the tank the Mrs and I took it outside ready for collection. In between this I had to clean out the external filter and tidy up the house ready for the kids halowwen party!
After a few goodbyes from me, the other half and our little one, Norris said his final goodbye and I took delivery of my new nano marine cube. Now it was advertised as an Orca 90 litre nano marine, but it says on the booklet JBJ Nano-Cube, the ultimate curved glass biotope. It looks pretty much identical to an orca though.
So heres the plan.....I now have a nice little tropical cube and an empty marine cube, I need to get my hands on 10kg of live rock (I have been offered sme locally at £5kg from a tank break down), some sand - how much should I buy??, RO water (salted obviously) and a refractometer.
I want to do all that as soon as I can and will probably have to wait a while then before I can afford to add any corals or fish but as long as I have the LR in place im happy!!
This thread may take some time to come to fruition but I was so pleased with yesterdays efforts I felt I had to start it!!
In terms of stocking, I have absolutely no idea what corals to go for, I havent researched them at all, but I know I would like a pair of clowns, then some damsels or gobies, possibly a dwarf fuzzy lion or some humbugs, and I also like mandarins, but again, I havent researched yet into stocking levels and compatibility.......now hopefully my photos will upload!!
Stu
Full 5ft tank
5ft starting to empty
5ft now empty
murky new tropical tank (was home to the turtle)
crystal clear new tropical tank
http
/i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm92/StuColls/P01-11-09_0735.jpgthe new nano cube
http
/i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm92/StuColls/P31-10-09_131301-1.jpgnew nano cube in place
http
/i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm92/StuColls/P31-10-09_1313.jpgNikkie saying bye to Norris
http
/i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm92/StuColls/P31-10-09_124501.jpgme and Chelsea saying bye to Norris
http
/i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm92/StuColls/P31-10-09_1244.jpg
in a years time you come back and read it all and see how far you have come 
