What shark do you reccomend, How do you take care of it?

[AquariumMan]

Hi,

So I can't do a planted tank anymore because of lighting costs.
So I was thinking "Shark Tank", What would be the best shark, and how
could I take care of it?

[TampaReefer79]

How big of a tank do you have?? (and by that, I mean footprint not gallons)

[jd474]

If cost is a concern for lighting a planted tank, I'm not sure properly caring for a shark is much less of a financial burden.

[yukonblizzard]

If cost is a concern for lighting a planted tank, I'm not sure properly caring for a shark is much less of a financial burden.

Good point, Shark Tanks can get expensive!

[AquariumMan]

Its going to be a 300 gallon aquarium.
what do you mean by shark tank costs

[mthomp]

as in taking care of it. they dont eat goldfish food.
and when you say 300 gal, what is the actual footprint of the tank? i could have a 300 gal tank yet it would only be big enough to hold guppies.

[AquariumMan]

as in taking care of it. they dont eat goldfish food.
and when you say 300 gal, what is the actual footprint of the tank? i could have a 300 gal tank yet it would only be big enough to hold guppies.

what do you mean.
I'm saying, if I built the aquarium with the dimensions I have, and filled it up
with water, it would be 300 gallons.

[mthomp]

and we are asking for those dimensions aka footprint.

[AquariumMan]

and we are asking for those dimensions aka footprint.

Ok, sorry.
36" wide
66" long
29" tall

[mthomp]

i dunno that under 6ft long. im not sure any shark would do imo

most of the home aquarium sharks ive looked at grow to be 3.5-4ft when grown. personally in order to fully appreciate the shark id want the tank to be at least 3x its total length.

[AquariumMan]

i dunno that under 6ft long. im not sure any shark would do imo

ok, Thats what i've been hearing from everyone,,, "if its a large aquarium it should at least be decently long".

[namxas]

BTW, there are plenty of macros that don't require a lot of light. if you want to grow true seagrasses, yes, you need a lot of light AND at least 4" of substrate, except for oar grass.

for instance, this tank was lit w/220W of PC (50% 10k, 50% 03 actinic):

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll73/hixphotobucket/volitan%20tank/lionfish_tank.jpg


this tank is lit with a single 50/50 96W powerquad PC:

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll73/hixphotobucket/50g%20seahorse/swfthree.jpg

maybe you DO want a planted tank...

[AquariumMan]

BTW, there are plenty of macros that don't require a lot of light. if you want to grow true seagrasses, yes, you need a lot of light AND at least 4" of substrate, except for oar grass.

for instance, this tank was lit w/220W of PC (50% 10k, 50% 03 actinic):

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll73/hixphotobucket/volitan%20tank/lionfish_tank.jpg


this tank is lit with a single 50/50 96W powerquad PC:

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll73/hixphotobucket/50g%20seahorse/swfthree.jpg

maybe you DO want a planted tank...
but Power compact lights still cost like $150
from what I've been looking at.
And I'm basically rejecting all lights more powerful than a basic light because
It took me 4 months just to get a ballast for my metal hailde for the reef
tank.

I didn't know that they didn't need so much lights though.
Maybe I could do an all scorps planted tank?

Edit on: Whats the anemone in the first picture?

[AngelsAnonymous]

If your worried about a $150 PC light,then a shark tank definitely isn't for you. You need the water quality of a high SPS tank, which means expensive equipment!

[jeepguy242]

no to mention that sharks neet to be in tanks that dont have 90 degree corners, sharks have to keep swimming, in square tanks they will hit walls and hurt themself, leave shark keeping to the pros like sea world and other large aquariums like that

[saltyguy51]

What kind of sharks are you talking about? Catsharks, Bamboo Sharks, Smoothhounds, Blacktip, Nursesharks, Swellsharks, Greatwhites? Give us an idea of what your looking at. Some of the hobby sharks top out around 2' that dont have to be left to the pros like seaworld and public aquariums.

[AquaKnight]

no to mention that sharks neet to be in tanks that dont have 90 degree corners, sharks have to keep swimming, in square tanks they will hit walls and hurt themself, leave shark keeping to the pros like sea world and other large aquariums like that
While some of that might be true of pelagic sharks, the sharks most aquarists keep, those in the "cat shark family," are demersal, meaning they spend most of their time, just laying still on the bottom, very similar to a FW catfish.


Though I hate to keep drilling this again, but really, if $150 in lighting is too much, you do know it's going to be like, $100 in just salt costs to fill the tank? Let alone any weekly maintenance.

[viggen]

I wouldn't even consider a shark if my tank was under 120x60x30. Anything smaller to me it just not going to work, the shark will outgrow it & it's very difficult to find someone who would have the room for a large animal. Putting a shark in a 6ft tank isn't a smart idea especially when you look at not wanting to spend $150 on PC.

Do a FO tank.... cheapest way to get into the hobby & you do not need fancy lighting. There are quite a few fish you could put in the tank you mentioned.

[agreeive?fish]

Iam gonna jump in here and agree with people that are saying that if $150 for lights is an issue you might want to look at diffrent stocking options.. sharks are big waste producers and are very prone to getting sick/dieing in under less than perfect water conditions which means more than $150 for a skimmer and you would need to do a 20% water change weekly with a shark and that computes to aprox
60g a week= 3,120g a year divided by 200g box of salt =15.6 boxes @$48 each=$748.80 year (if you buy all at one time and its not including shipping double that if you buy it at the lfs)= aprox 62 amonth for salt(cheapest on line salt)

[JHemdal]

"You need the water quality of a high SPS tank," - sorry not true, I typically see 20ppm mg/l Nitrate-nitrogen in my shark tanks, and they do just fine, but I would never find an SPS to survie that.

"sharks neet to be in tanks that dont have 90 degree corners" - also not true, I've kept a Pacific blacktip in a rectangular aquarium for almost 21 years now.

Saltguy51 is on the right track - I can think of two species of shark that would do fine in a 300 gallon; an epaulette or a coral catshark. Forget ALL of the others though.

Jay

[saltyguy51]

Save your pennies and you can find the equipment you'll need at a fair price (used) and you can find deals on saltmixes, I pay 36.00 for a 200 gallon box. Also if you are going to make the tank go alittle shorter like 24" tall and then you could add some length to it. Alot of people said Rays would be hard to keep, I know they are not.

[cham]

Save your pennies and you can find the equipment you'll need at a fair price (used) and you can find deals on saltmixes, I pay 36.00 for a 200 gallon box. Also if you are going to make the tank go alittle shorter like 24" tall and then you could add some length to it. Alot of people said Rays would be hard to keep, I know they are not.

Let some of us other reefers know your salt secrets!!! I want salt for $36 :lol2:

[AngelsAnonymous]

I wouldn't feel comfortable keeping sharks in a tank with 20ppm of nitrates, but do whatever you think is right. Just because their alive doesn't mean their "just fine".

[saltyguy51]

Let some of us other reefers know your salt secrets!!! I want salt for $36 :lol2:

Its no secret here in Chicago, you just have to know the right people. LOL

[saltyguy51]

I wouldn't feel comfortable keeping sharks in a tank with 20ppm of nitrates, but do whatever you think is right. Just because their alive doesn't mean their "just fine".

Where in the world have you heard that 20ppm of nitrates would harm a shark? :lmao:

[Hoyden]

You could easily keep a pair of chain cat sharks in a tank that size, but if you don't want to spend $150 on lighting, you sure aren't going to want to pay for a chiller...

[lostintheocean]

your tank is too small for a shark. if you can not afford 150 dollars for lights then i see no way of you keeping up with a 300 gallon shark tank or any other large tank. get a small tank and soem used lights. this hobby is not cheap

[saltyjp]

I have a coral cat shrk in my standard 180g. All it does is hide in the rocks during the day and comes out when it is completely dark or feeding time.

Takes VERY little maintenance, besides the normal skimmer, sump, food, water changes, etc..

But ya if you cant afford $150.00 then this is the wrong hobby for ya! My Marbeled Cat Shark alone cost me $90.00, which was a good deal, they usually run a bit higher depending on the size.

[JHemdal]

I wouldn't feel comfortable keeping sharks in a tank with 20ppm of nitrates, but do whatever you think is right. Just because their alive doesn't mean their "just fine".

Pleeeze - how many sharks have you kept? Have you kept one for over 20 years? What exactly would be the problem? Certainly health and longevity is not affected at all! It might make you "uncomfortable" but there is no basis for that.

Jay

[Xgame2k]

coral cat or chain catshark (if you want to save up for a chiller)

[moogoomoogoo]

I think this must be one of those April Fools Day post and we have all be suckered in!

[saltyguy51]

Replies to the guy that started this thread have absolutly done him not one bit of good, harping on his statement about what he could or could not afford. Does anyone maybe think he is doing alittle (buying) at a time and that once he has all the pieces he can start the setup? So now after all the negative posts he doesnt even want to ask anything else.