Designing from the ground up: puffer/trigger tank

[danielevan]

Hey all --

I'm designing a system from the ground up. The main purpose is to keep puffers, triggers, and the like -- probably "FOWLR".

Restrictions are that I don't think a tank much bigger than 55g is going to fit, and that I don't want to use serious wattage.

Anyone see any problem with a 55g flat-back hexagon w/ sump, filtration by skimmer, lighting by VHO (2x36")? I'm loooking at the following products:

http://www.truvuaquariums.com/truvu_site/hexflat.html
http://www.hellolights.com/2lamvhoretki1.html

[46bfinGA]

well fortunately for you.you wont need alot of wattage for fowlr.if your limited to a 4 foot tank.why not go with a 120 (4x2x2).0r you could go with a 150 tall.a 55 is a little cramped for triggers imo.id stick with some of the smaller puffers.

[capt. insano]

55 is definately going to be to small for any puffer or trigger in the long run. If you absolutely have to go with a 55, you could do a sharpnose toby puffer, like the hawaiian sharpnose:
http://www.mauimadness.com/reef/images/025.jpg

and if you like the look of triggers, you could get away with a Hawaiian filefish (which doesn't get near as large nor aggressive as its trigger cousins)
http://www.hawaiisfishes.com/books/hawaiis_fishes/fantail.JPG

and a fairy wrasse......that would make a nice FOWLR tank in a 55

[stevebydac]

I agree with the above posters. The large arothron puffers, the porcupines, and the triggers can't be kept as adults in a 55g. Way too small. The smaller triggers (rhinecanthus species) love to swim and they get 10".

[cjvolitan]

hey sorry to hijack some one elses post but Capt. insano
do either of thouse guys eat inverts?
if now how would i keep there teeth down they both look way cool.

[Petstorejunkie]

a 55 is generally too small for any agressive fish or open swimmers in the long run. a four foot tank will eventually be too short for any triggers or non toby puffers. if you like aggressive fish you need to make more space for a bigger tank.
this is prolly overkill but i am planning a 3000gal pond for all of my fish when they reach adulthood (see my profile for livestock list)
saltwater fish come from the big blue wet thing, and mother nature has made these fish appropriately sized. large arothrons and porkys and box puffers need at least a 210 when fully grown and most triggers will appreciate this amount of space as well, although most triggers will do well in a 6 ft tank if the triggers full legnth only reaches 10 inches or so.

[golden samuri]

I was just at store that had a 120 on display this tank seems perfect I'm considering upgrading maybe even a in wall that would be sick with depth of the 120...for the money I'd do a 120 tho there not much more and in the end you'll save from the amount you loose when you try to sell the 55 and upgrade once you get the bug ;)

[danielevan]

As much as I'd like a 100g+, my choice of home is in a land where real estate is going for around $700 per square foot, making a 7.5 square foot 100g cost around $5,250 to park.

Or to put it another way, my girlfriend doesn't want me taking up the whole living room with yet another aquarium! :)

[stevebydac]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6621103#post6621103 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by danielevan
As much as I'd like a 100g+, my choice of home is in a land where real estate is going for around $700 per square foot, making a 7.5 square foot 100g cost around $5,250 to park.

Or to put it another way, my girlfriend doesn't want me taking up the whole living room with yet another aquarium! :)

So, in other words, you need a new girlfriend! :smokin:

[pisomojado]

I am quite curious as to what mystical land this $30,000,000 per acre exists at :P

May i suggest selling your dwelling and moving to the country, where land is $.34 a square foot ?

[danielevan]

Not only that, my land is on top of two other plots of land (i.e. multi-level building).

Are you a reef dweller, or are you an open-water dweller? :)