beglely
Aquarium Advice Freak
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Let us know how it goes with putting fish in there. And a "PACO" is actually pacu, as in an enourmous fish that many people severely underestimate the tank size for.
5ft Column Fish Tank (The Classic Fool)
- Thread starter PeteMakstar
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A Pacu is a very large fish that looks almost exactly like a piranha but is a shy and docile herbivore. They can get a couple feet long. It was just a joke.
I think with or without a powerhead you still have a dissolved oxygen problem. With just a few fish you'll be ok, but no amount of water movement at the surface will overcome that small area. In my opinion an air pump is a necessity. You'd need a pretty big pump to go all the way to the bottom, but an airstone making bubbles at the bottom should aerate the whole water column pretty well, and if it's well placed it could look good too.
A Pacu is a very large fish that looks almost exactly like a piranha but is a shy and docile herbivore. They can get a couple feet long. It was just a joke.
I think with or without a powerhead you still have a dissolved oxygen problem. With just a few fish you'll be ok, but no amount of water movement at the surface will overcome that small area. In my opinion an air pump is a necessity. You'd need a pretty big pump to go all the way to the bottom, but an airstone making bubbles at the bottom should aerate the whole water column pretty well, and if it's well placed it could look good too.
Sorry, Pacu is a fish that many new aquarist buy in the beginning because they are small and cool looking.
But they end up about 24 inches long!!!
I figured someone would give me grief for jokingly suggesting it.
But no bites!
I like your tank, and although it's not ideal, I bet you make it work just fine.
I long piece of PVC pipe attached to a hose would probably making vaccuming much easier.
It sounds like you have the circulation figured out!
Don't forget to post pics when you have it all Fished out!
Good luck
Dave
PeteMakstar
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
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Hey, thanks for all the responses. The reason I think it'll sell for more is I think I got lucky (well, in a manner of speaking). These tanks sell for £450+ on Ebay (Buy It Now). I'm also paying the guy cash, so no Paypal and am collecting in person so no crazy courier costs etc.
Looked up that Pacu fish, they have straighter teeth than me! They do indeed get rather large! Will steer clear of the Pacu variety! (although I've actually never seen them here in the uk???).
I think a Pacu in there would be a little bit like those obese men that Maury or Jerry Springer have to chainsaw out of their bedrooms.
Will let you know how it's going. Thanks again everyone...
Looked up that Pacu fish, they have straighter teeth than me! They do indeed get rather large! Will steer clear of the Pacu variety! (although I've actually never seen them here in the uk???).
I think a Pacu in there would be a little bit like those obese men that Maury or Jerry Springer have to chainsaw out of their bedrooms.
Will let you know how it's going. Thanks again everyone...
boogie
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Hey - I have always wanted one of these even though I know better.
It's a great piece of furniture.
Just buy a really long and good hose cleaner. You will really have to watch the water perimeters. Do weekly testing - it doesn't take that long.
Ask your local fish shop if Angel fish could handle it or some tetras.
As for getting dead fish out - I have a 3000 gallon pond and you just have to search for the right equipment. I have long grasper things I have bought everywhere from medical supply shops to hardware shops and my best one came form a 99 cent store - it's like 4 feet long and thin, so I can grab any leaf I want on the bottom.
Don't be so hard on yourself. If that's the biggest mistake you made in the fish hobby - it's really nothing compared to a lot of us.
Good luck and more pictures.....Just be patient.
Oh, and you wanna hear a real mistake??? I have an 800 - 900 gallon sw shark/eel/fish tank and I have to use a ladder to feed the fish and on and on - it's super high, so hey, I know better and still do stupid stuff.
If there is anything that can be said about this hobby, it's addictive and whenever you are an addict you just keep doing stupid stuff.....Part of the hobby/habbit.
It's a great piece of furniture.
Just buy a really long and good hose cleaner. You will really have to watch the water perimeters. Do weekly testing - it doesn't take that long.
Ask your local fish shop if Angel fish could handle it or some tetras.
As for getting dead fish out - I have a 3000 gallon pond and you just have to search for the right equipment. I have long grasper things I have bought everywhere from medical supply shops to hardware shops and my best one came form a 99 cent store - it's like 4 feet long and thin, so I can grab any leaf I want on the bottom.
Don't be so hard on yourself. If that's the biggest mistake you made in the fish hobby - it's really nothing compared to a lot of us.
Good luck and more pictures.....Just be patient.
Oh, and you wanna hear a real mistake??? I have an 800 - 900 gallon sw shark/eel/fish tank and I have to use a ladder to feed the fish and on and on - it's super high, so hey, I know better and still do stupid stuff.
If there is anything that can be said about this hobby, it's addictive and whenever you are an addict you just keep doing stupid stuff.....Part of the hobby/habbit.
beglely
Aquarium Advice Freak
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Boogie id like to see some pics of that shark/eel/fish tank you have. My goal is when i have the funding and my own place is to construct something similar to that (although a little larger) but that is years down the road!
jsoong
Aquarium Advice Addict
I would not suggest fantail or goldfish for a tank like that. Goldfish require high oxygen & you need a large surface area for that. <The recommendation of 20 gal of water per goldfish is more for the surface area of a big tank rather than the volume. A 40 breeder, a shallower tank with large surface area, can hold more goldfish than say the standard 55 gal.>
You can make the tank work, but not without a lot of work. You can for eg set up a sump & a wet/dry for your O2 exchange. But still, the depth is not that well suited for goldies.
The only cold water fish I can think of that might work in that kind of a tank is the whitecloud mountain minnow. They are zippy fish & do like swimming room, but being small, can do well enough in a restricted setup. <I had my school in a 5 gal once, & that looks like about the same surface area of your tank..>
You can make the tank work, but not without a lot of work. You can for eg set up a sump & a wet/dry for your O2 exchange. But still, the depth is not that well suited for goldies.
The only cold water fish I can think of that might work in that kind of a tank is the whitecloud mountain minnow. They are zippy fish & do like swimming room, but being small, can do well enough in a restricted setup. <I had my school in a 5 gal once, & that looks like about the same surface area of your tank..>
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loneranger
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I'd go for trops rather than goldies. You could fit a large group of guppies in there, reckon it'd look pretty cool. IME trops are easier (simpler) to care for than goldies also. Goldfish are messy buggers, so your filter would have to be top notch. Keep things simple, and things should be fine as long as the basic issues are (O2/surface area) addressed.
It coukd potentially look really good, maybe more densly planted, some subdued led light's for night viewing, guppies, some snails (different coloured apple snails, plus there's some cool snails on Aquarium Snails - Snail Shop), some shrimps.
I'd give it a go now you've got it, just watch your parameters and fish health carefully to make sure they're happy with the odd shape environment. Would love to see some pics, if you do try it.
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It coukd potentially look really good, maybe more densly planted, some subdued led light's for night viewing, guppies, some snails (different coloured apple snails, plus there's some cool snails on Aquarium Snails - Snail Shop), some shrimps.
I'd give it a go now you've got it, just watch your parameters and fish health carefully to make sure they're happy with the odd shape environment. Would love to see some pics, if you do try it.
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krap101
Aquarium Advice Addict
I wonder how a multi-level shrimp tank would work
newfound77951
Aquarium Advice Addict
I too was thinking shrimp, although they'd appreciate some live plants and I'm not sure what you could grow in there. Since everyone has been mentioning coldwater fish, and I'll admit I haven't read every post in the thread, is there a heater in this setup?
As far as O2 is concerned, as long as the bioload was very low (as it would have to be anyway), an airstone should move the water around sufficiently to keep the O2 up. It'll probably have to be a bigger air pump than you'd think, though, as that is some serious head pressure to pump through with a tank that deep.
As far as O2 is concerned, as long as the bioload was very low (as it would have to be anyway), an airstone should move the water around sufficiently to keep the O2 up. It'll probably have to be a bigger air pump than you'd think, though, as that is some serious head pressure to pump through with a tank that deep.
krap101
Aquarium Advice Addict
I'm thinking something like an inline heater coming off of a canister/pump/sump.
oh nvm. I think I see a picture of a heater on the front page, up top left. (little silvery tube thing)
As for plants, it would be extremely inefficient to light a tank like that. Probably get some riccia or something floating at the top.
oh nvm. I think I see a picture of a heater on the front page, up top left. (little silvery tube thing)
As for plants, it would be extremely inefficient to light a tank like that. Probably get some riccia or something floating at the top.
ScottS
Aquarium Advice Freak
I don't know how skilled you are nor even how difficult they are, but I've seen some beautiful column tanks with jellyfish.
timwag2001
Aquarium Advice FINatic
how high up is your ceiling?
without a 10 ft ceiling i would imagine that you couldn't get a gravel vac that would reach the bottom without sticking your whole arm down there
without a 10 ft ceiling i would imagine that you couldn't get a gravel vac that would reach the bottom without sticking your whole arm down there
jsoong
Aquarium Advice Addict
I think he is going to have to stick his hands in up to the armpits for cleaning, even with extensions .... I do that with my 2.5' tank ...
boogie
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Beglely and Asudavew
Ya, I should take pictures, but my pictures always come out horrible!!!!
It takes up my whole 1/2 wall so you can see it from one side to the other.
It's way to high - dummy on my part.
But the plumbing is excellent.
I am working on making the wood finish look better - exp tank, cheap wood.
Also, not set up as a "show" tank. Tons of rocks and hiding places for the eels and sharks and I rarely see them...
Ya, I should take pictures, but my pictures always come out horrible!!!!
It takes up my whole 1/2 wall so you can see it from one side to the other.
It's way to high - dummy on my part.
But the plumbing is excellent.
I am working on making the wood finish look better - exp tank, cheap wood.
Also, not set up as a "show" tank. Tons of rocks and hiding places for the eels and sharks and I rarely see them...
PeteMakstar
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
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Picking the tank up tonight, the guy said he's throwing in some kind of extended gravel cleaner (assume it's a vacuum) and an extended net and one of those grabbers that old ladies use (said it's good for arranging rock at the bottom, also said he'd throw in some rock for free, am intrigued to see what he's going on about as the base is tiny really). So we'll see what happens. Probably set it up tomorrow and let it run for a bit. How long would you recommend? I was going to put some kind of safe guard in before adding fish. Could you recommend any???
Have had a bit of bad luck in the past with fish and am hoping this one will turn out better. Please don't think badly of me, but I may as well tell you.
I had a great tropical tank once, got it for my 17th Birthday (I'm nearly 27 now). Full of all sorts, guppies, mollies, all very nice. My best friend Ian had an uncle that bred some kind of large black and white Cichlids? He turned up at my house with 3 of these fish for my present and without thinking I put them in the tank. I then went to Ians house for the weekend. I returned home Sunday to find most of my fish gone, there were even tiny skulls layed on the gravel where these ruddy cichlids had fully digested my fish. I sold the tank after that and gave up.
Also, I tried a coldwater tank. I live in the UK and it never really gets hot here. My bedroom was a loft conversion at the time. Tank wasn't very big but had 4 large fish in, Blackmoores, Fantails etc. I went out for the afternoon and forgot to open my bedroom window. I got home and the room was like a sauna (freak heatwave), I looked into my tank and could see no fish (the water had turned milky white) except the ones floating on the top. I think 1 survived.
Lastly, my most recent idea was to breed guppies. I had a small hexagonal tank. I happened to move in with a 'friend' who was slightly off the rails (didn't realise until I moved in with him). Basically one night when I was asleep he got really drunk, took all his clothes off, urinated on my rug in the front room then poured beer into my guppy tank. There was a head on my tank in the morning where the filter had frothed the beer overnight. The guppies were swimming in circles, upside down, all sorts. I put them in clean heated water and they started swimming normally again but died shortly after. So I gave up on that tank too.
I can only imagine the kind of response I'm going to get from this post but honesty is the best policy! And I certainly do not want to make anymore mistakes (I guess not buying a 5ft column tank would have been a start!!).
I will make it work this time, honest! (sorry if those fish stories upset anyone, they were in all instances a pointless waste of fish / life and I will be more careful in future).
Have had a bit of bad luck in the past with fish and am hoping this one will turn out better. Please don't think badly of me, but I may as well tell you.
I had a great tropical tank once, got it for my 17th Birthday (I'm nearly 27 now). Full of all sorts, guppies, mollies, all very nice. My best friend Ian had an uncle that bred some kind of large black and white Cichlids? He turned up at my house with 3 of these fish for my present and without thinking I put them in the tank. I then went to Ians house for the weekend. I returned home Sunday to find most of my fish gone, there were even tiny skulls layed on the gravel where these ruddy cichlids had fully digested my fish. I sold the tank after that and gave up.
Also, I tried a coldwater tank. I live in the UK and it never really gets hot here. My bedroom was a loft conversion at the time. Tank wasn't very big but had 4 large fish in, Blackmoores, Fantails etc. I went out for the afternoon and forgot to open my bedroom window. I got home and the room was like a sauna (freak heatwave), I looked into my tank and could see no fish (the water had turned milky white) except the ones floating on the top. I think 1 survived.
Lastly, my most recent idea was to breed guppies. I had a small hexagonal tank. I happened to move in with a 'friend' who was slightly off the rails (didn't realise until I moved in with him). Basically one night when I was asleep he got really drunk, took all his clothes off, urinated on my rug in the front room then poured beer into my guppy tank. There was a head on my tank in the morning where the filter had frothed the beer overnight. The guppies were swimming in circles, upside down, all sorts. I put them in clean heated water and they started swimming normally again but died shortly after. So I gave up on that tank too.
I can only imagine the kind of response I'm going to get from this post but honesty is the best policy! And I certainly do not want to make anymore mistakes (I guess not buying a 5ft column tank would have been a start!!).
I will make it work this time, honest! (sorry if those fish stories upset anyone, they were in all instances a pointless waste of fish / life and I will be more careful in future).
beglely
Aquarium Advice Freak
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hahahahahaha drunk guppies. Its sad the fish died but i couldnt help but laugh at the thought of that. Gotta make sure my roommates dont pull something like that on my tanks!
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