Hypothetically.....what would you do?

[crazyred]

This is really a serious big **maybe** , but a friend of mine's son had to help remove a 200 gallon FW tank over the weekend and they took it someone's home that didn't really want it. I ***might*** have a chance to get it for riduculously cheap.

I don't really want to think about it since it's still a BIG if, but, somehow, I can't stop thinking what I would put in it.

So, if you had a 200 gallon FW tank, what would you stock it with? What furniture would you put? How many of your said stock list would fit in there? Whant kind of monster equipment (filter, heater, etc.) would be needed? I've never dreamed of a tank this large, so my imagination fails me at this point. I tend to lean toward a really colorful Malawi set-up, but thought I would see what the peeps at AA have to say.

 

[happygirl65]

Only in my dreams! Of course....lol....but mybe someday!

I would have a bgk, and discus....but I have been dreaming of them both since I started my love of aquaria more than 10 years ago.

I have actually stayed awake at night dreaming of how I would set up such a tank.
I think I would frame in and sheet rock the stand leaving lots of room for a very large sump type set up and have water and a drain plumbed in and an auto fill to make water changes easy.

With a tank this big I would make it a divider between rooms, but put a large structure in the middle of it with plants all around/on it so that you have a background from all sides so the light from the room didn't wash out the colors. I have dreamt of making it from styrofoam to look like a rock face, but have a couple of swim through holes and lots of ledges with bowls carved in for planting various plants. I would also make a very large cave under this mid structure for the bgk to feel secure but still be able to be seen.

Ahhhh dreams.....they are so much fun! Although with me I think I would call it more of an obsession. lol. But my one lonley 55 will just have to do for now.

THe possibilities are endless! Good luck! I hope you get it...you MUST post pics if you do!

Monster tanks are always so impressive to me.

 

[theotheragentm]

I only have a 55-gallon and I keep smaller fish. I would keep larger and fewer fish if I could. I love Clown Loaches, but your Cichlid tank idea sounds like it could be awesome.

 

[justrelax]

I think about this all the time so my answer is easy... 500 neon tetras. I don't know what, if anything, else. But I think a whole ton of neons would be an incredible site!

 

[MyCatsDrool]

Discus probably. A BGK. Maybe another different kind of Knife fish. I'd plant it without a doubt.

If not discus, a large school of schooling fish (cardinals, rummynose, von rios) and angels

large school of loaches (clown most likely) and a few pictus cats


EDIT: I take that back. Huge african cichlid tank.

 

[mugginns]

I'd probably get an arowana or two.

 

[crazyred]

I'm thinking huge African cichlid tank. I love the Malawi fish. I just can't decide which ones I like the most.

Nor would I have any idea which were compatible with what and how many I could have. The idea is daunting!!

Does anyone have ANY idea what the dimensions of a 200 gallon tank would be??? Heck, if I do get it, I'll prolly have to get rid of some furniture. LOL

 

[BrianNY]

nuff said.........these are the kings and queens of FW fish

 

[cabezon]

I think that 200 gallons is still a bit small for an arowana, check over at Monsterfishkeepers.com. wow, That would be awesome to have a tank 4X as big as my 55. that's twice as tall and twice as deep.

Also it will weigh a ton when it is set up. Literally. Make sure your floor can support that.

How do you do PWC's when you are looking at 50 gals for just a 25%?

 

[crazyred]

One word....PYTHON!!! I already have one, it will just take time to do.

My house is first floor with a concrete foundation, so weight isn't going to be an issue.

Another thing, how does one filter a set-up this massive?? Would I have to get a 2nd mortgage on my house??? 8O Hopefully, it comes with the filtration system. I need to call my friend.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Right now we have a 150 so moving to a 200 wouldn't be that big of a jump. I'd move our Africans from the 150 to the 200, add rockwork and call it a day. Then I'd move my Angels and other community to the 150. Yes, I'm so creative huh.

 

[kansei]

I found out that a large tank is not hard to stock , my 125 is full stocked and I could think of other fish I would want . As for other equipment , I run a Fluval 405 and a 304 in my tank and have 2 48 inch and 2 36 florescent lights , 2 x 20 liter pails of gravel and 10-15 deco rocks . Make sure your stand (if you make it ) will hold 2500 lbs for sure and have it on concrete or one strong wooden floor . I framed my stand the same as a house would be framed up and sheeted it with pine also it is leg bolted to the wall behind it through the studs . I can tell you it is very nice to see a group of angels swim across the 6 foot length .

 

[DepotFish]

I'd do a community. And I'd especially work in my rainbow shark. All the other fish I want (discus, midas cichlid, cherry barbs, killifish) I plan to do a smaller species only or single fish tank. I'd find it a waste to do a species only tank for 200 gallons.

 

[theotheragentm]

I found out that a large tank is not hard to stock , my 125 is full stocked and I could think of other fish I would want . As for other equipment , I run a Fluval 405 and a 304 in my tank and have 2 48 inch and 2 36 florescent lights , 2 x 20 liter pails of gravel and 10-15 deco rocks . Make sure your stand (if you make it ) will hold 2500 lbs for sure and have it on concrete or one strong wooden floor . I framed my stand the same as a house would be framed up and sheeted it with pine also it is leg bolted to the wall behind it through the studs . I can tell you it is very nice to see a group of angels swim across the 6 foot length .

Holy crap. That Pleco(?) looks like a stealth bomber flying across the tank.

 

[lyquidphyre]

Aw man! I would totally go planted. I personally like a tank where you can see a handful of larger fish but when you get up close you see the differing schooling fish. The one thing I don't like about Cichlids (as pretty as they are) is the tank has to be bare (right?), and I just love how mysterious a planted tank is.

I know this tank is well over 200gals, but I love the general concept:
http://membres.lycos.fr/lafuitedebretx/index.html

(btw, my dream is to do something like whats in that link)

 

[GouramiFanatic]

My initial answer was an Arowana because I'm fascinated with these guys. There's a huge one (about 2') at a lfs and I love going to 'visit' it. It''s so cool to be eye to eye with one of these beauties. You can see their eyes following your every move. It's kind of sureal. Of cousre, with the potential size of these guys a 200 is still a bit to small to hold an adult so that would be out.

My next choice would probably be another nice community tank with loads of varios Gouramis! I'd like to try Discuss because I think they're beautiful, but for someone who's still pretty new to this hobby I don't feel I have the experience to attempt them just yet.


kanseii - Your tank is beautiful! I've been sitting here gawking at it for the past 10 minutes imagining what I would do with such a tank. It's really stunning. You did a great job setting it up. I see that it's 6' long, what are the other dimensions?

 

[ksfishguy]

CENTRAL AMERICAN CICHLIDS!!!

 

[Zagz]

I would do an African cichlid tank. You can plant a cichlid tank with a bit of research. As far as which ones you wanted to stock with, do what I did, research by colors that you desire first then research what the compatibility is for the fish. If you go by compatibility first there are so many combinations it is mind boggling.

 

[Mosaic]

Mmmm. Royal pleco. Disticodus. Bichir.

 

[Gillie]

Cyprichromis and shellies out the wazoo! Or some really nice Geophagus. My head's starting to hurt just from thinking of possibilities.