It's a set up!....

[HawgHunter]

Finally....the hardest part of the move is done....The Tank.


It's old and beautiful....much heavier than the newer tanks by a couple hundren pounds due to the thick slate bottom. Each time you leave it empty long enough to dry you will have leaks when it is refilled....the slate and old black tar sealant has to 'absorb' the water, expanding until just about a week after filling before it finally stops dripping....it has been this way my whole life. The stand it sits on is iron....every few years we have to strip it down and to knock off new rust, then we reprimer and paint it black. It was just done 3 years ago, but looks to need it again....that will just have to wait till the next big clean.


Cleaning a tank of this size and weight isn't simple. No scrub....rinse....tump....repeat. Oh no....first you need a helper (who you trust) then you need a 10 gallon wet/dry shop vac. You rinse the inside and suck out all the pebbles and such so as to not scratch the tank when scrubbing. After you have scrubbed it down....without any type of cleaner that could soak into the slate....you have to clean and dry the outside. Then you set the tank on the back of your truck so you can set the stand up inside....

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/hawghunter74/The%20tank/HPIM0662.jpg



Once you have the stand and tank set up, the real fun begins. Do you realize how much gravel you need for a tank of that size. And being as picky with my tank as I am I don't just simply rinse the gravel in large quantities. I have an old screen strainer that holds 2 two handed scoop's of gravel just right to be rinsed thouroughly. That's ALOT of 2 handed scoop's! But well worth it....

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/hawghunter74/The%20tank/HPIM0664.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/hawghunter74/The%20tank/HPIM0665.jpg

[HawgHunter]

And then the filling begins....the use of a water hose makes this job simple enough. But in our old place (townhouse) we had no water hose hook-up. So, I was using a one gallon pitcher to fill it when cleaning. Talk about alot of back and forth.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/hawghunter74/The%20tank/HPIM0669.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/hawghunter74/The%20tank/HPIM0671.jpg



You notice the buckets under the tank....the dripping has begun....

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/hawghunter74/The%20tank/HPIM0672.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/hawghunter74/The%20tank/HPIM0675.jpg

[HawgHunter]

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/hawghunter74/The%20tank/HPIM0709.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/hawghunter74/The%20tank/HPIM0711.jpg

This rock (holey rock / sandstone) came from a small town out in East Texas....my pawpaw picked it up to put in my Banny's (Grandma) cactus garden. It sat there for a number of years till my Pawpaw bought this tank. It's been a permanent fixture in it every since. Little did we know that besides providing great and attractive hiding area's for the cichlids the sandstone it is made of naturally keeps the water at a higher PH level....something cichlids need. Most aqaurist have to buy chemicals to get their water right....I never have. For now, this will be the only rock in the tank....had to turn the rest of my rocks into garden borders. They were all granite. Pretty rock, but it weighs alot. i usually try to make a natuaral enviorment, but I believe I'm going to give those aquarium ornaments a try. I spotted a nice roman ruins collection that are big enough to look good and provide caves and such for my fish....

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/hawghunter74/The%20tank/HPIM0713.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/hawghunter74/The%20tank/HPIM0714.jpg

[HawgHunter]

And now the fish....

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/hawghunter74/The%20tank/HPIM0730.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/hawghunter74/The%20tank/HPIM0731.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/hawghunter74/The%20tank/HPIM0732.jpg

[greyloon]

Nice looking tank. That metal stand has some style. Looks to be a 55 gallon. Used to have a 20 in the same style. Your fish are beautiful.

[Ole Bill]

now thats a nice fish pond if ya ask me when can i come fish in it bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh but it looks like ya got more of them yaller ones than ya do of them blue and orangey colored ones ya need ta give us the names of them fish i know ya said cichlids but what kind are they heck a tilapia is a cichlid,

[HawgHunter]

I belive it's a 100 gallon. 6' long, 20 1/4" tall and 18 1/2" thick are deminsions. The fish are cichlids....:icon_wink:

The orange ones are Red Zebra (Pseudotropheus estherae)
The yellow ones are Electric Yellows/Yellow Labs (Labidochromis caeruleus)
The dark blue ones are electric Blues (Sciaenochromis ahli)
The grey ones are the female electric blues
The 2 catfish are Synodontis eruptus

[tylerdan]

Impressive and a lot of commitment on your part!

[HawgHunter]

Here's my 5 year olds tank. She started off with 5 fish that dwindled down to 2....a male and female guppy. This is the outcome....

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/hawghunter74/The%20tank/HPIM0739.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/hawghunter74/The%20tank/HPIM0740.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/hawghunter74/The%20tank/HPIM0741.jpg

[LuckyBass13]

Cool!! I had my 55 gallon tank for 7 years and theres 2 fish who still there since I first got my tank and fish 7 years old now!, they both was 2 inches long and now they are about 13 inches long!! I also have 2 catfish, 1 bass and 1 bream from Lake!! Those fish from lake been in tank for almost year now. I have only total 6 fish in my 55 gallon tank.

[john]

Nice tanks HH..Does your daughter take care of hers?Thats alot of work setting them up.Now get out and fish.

[HawgHunter]

Nice tanks HH..Does your daughter take care of hers?Thats alot of work setting them up.Now get out and fish.

Take care of it she does....try feeding them and you'll get yelled at. She changes the filter, adds water and, although she didn't get to this time, she sets up the decor.
I'm hoping to get out and do some fishing this weekend....but I still have 2 more tanks to clean and set up. A 20 gallon sick tank and a 30 gallon nursery tank....cleaning the nursery is almost pointless being I promote algae growth for the babies to munch on....only thing that won't have algae is the front glass. The work is well worth it....i have 50-60 baby electric blues in the nursery right now....they average $20 each and go up to $45 for the prime specimens. And those are from just one female....I have 4 more:icon_wink:

[Ole Bill]

in all seriousness i am glad ya give me the names to the fish now i can study them and add the knowledge to my library of fish and other aquatic life.... i know the cichlids species is quite vast and there are so many sub phylums to that family... i also know that they are expensive to buy like TD said it is quite impressive and shows a lot of commitment on your part your daughters tank is really neat and i bet she would cut yer arm off if ya messed with her fish. i wont ask you for all the names of the guppies as i see some fancies in there. i love aquariums but dont have the time or space anymore for them maybe with the new house i will

[mikechell]

Pretty tanks there, people. I used to have a 50 gallon tank with bass and blue gill in it. Your pictures are making me want to set another one up. I thank you, my wife will not be so thankful ... it's going to cost some money. he he he

[Scotta]

Very nice hh. Thanks for the pics and the play by play

[kingwoodcatfisherman]

Hey Hawgunter ! That's some expensive looking bait !!!! :) :) :) :)