Enough room for growing out?

[CanadianGuy]

I'm rebuilding my fishroom and need to know if I have enough tank space for growing out the fry.

When it's finished it will have the capacity for:
11 pairs - 1 pair per 29g

For growing out:
2 - 120s
4 - 75s
2 - 35s
some 10s if needed
and a 55 that can be converted if I need more space.

Is this enough room for all of the fry if I ever get up to capacity??
Remember this is my maximum capacity....I don't have to have 11 pairs...that's just the amount I can fit within the odd size dimensions of the room.

Thanks!

James

[Abercrombie6202]

Hmmm.. so your only buying pairs? I think you should keep 10 29 gallon tanks for breeding and inbetween those tanks keep a 125 gallon or 2 55 gallons! That way they don't always have to be in pairs, plus your going to need more tanks, because what if they don't breed? Plus you might want to get more discus!!

For growing out tanks, i'd say you should have atleast 850+ as high as you CAN Gallons of tanks, which means not a 850 gallon tank, just like 4 tnaks that make 850+ or others and stuff, i think a lot of 55 gallons would be good!! or a lot of 75 glalons or alot of 120 or 125!!

It's up to you that's what i would do if i was going to get 11 pairs, but pairs are expensive!! I don't know, do whatever you want to do!!

[Tkuemmet]

i dont think that you will have enough room for babies. To me it sound like overkill on the pairs and not enough on the room for offspring. Keep in mind that mixing fry is unadvisable, because you cant keep track of which parents has what offspring.

as my convictions hold, i LOVE 120's for growout.

[CanadianGuy]

Sorry, I didn't explain properly...I don't intend to buy all pairs....it would be far too expensive, plus not as fun as raising them up yourself!....I want to get a bunch of juveniles and will put them in the 12os and 75s to grow out and pair off....then as they form pairs I'll move them into thier own 29g tank and sell off those that I don't want or need!...

The reason I chose the tank sizes that I did are because I'm working with what I already have and what can easily be added(by stacking)...my basement is divided by small block walls that are shoring up the main walls...so I'm limited on my placement of tanks....

I already have a 120(6' long) so to make the best of the space that I have stacking another on top makes the most sense....I also have 3 75s, so to add another to make 2 stacks of 2 is the best use of space..

All of the 29s I mentioned would fit in the remaining odd spaces in the room...one stand with 3 shelves with 2 tanks placed ends out on each, and another with 5 tanks placed ends out over my water storage barrels.(these 5 tanks could be replaced with a 55 or 75 if need be)

As I stated before, I do not need to have 11 pairs...that's just what I can fit at maximum capacity....obviously I don't want to end up with more fry than I have room for....tho that is a problem I won't mind dealing with!!! :D

So basically what I need to know is, how many pairs can I keep if I have 600-700g to grow out fry?? (that is if I can even get them to breed?? ;D)

James

[Carol_Roberts]

It sounds like you are off to a great start. :thumbsup:

[John_Nicholson]

I normally keep 4 pairs going at a time. The pairs that I keep would keep all of your growout tanks full. If you want 11 pairs you should need a lot more growout room. Now you could keep 4 or 5 pairs and use the other 29 gallon tanks for the small fry and probably do alright.

-john

[CanadianGuy]

Thanks, John

4 or 5 pairs sounds like a good start to me!


James

[Willie]

Canadianguy;

Aren't forums great for advice?!!

The key to designing a fish room is to decide on your objectives FIRST, not how many tanks can be jammed into a given space. That's why this thread is so great. Once you decide how many pairs you want to handle, then you go through and figure out

how many grow out tanks will you need to raise adults,
how many adult tanks for pairing off,
how many breeder tanks, and finally
how many grow out tanks for the spawn.

Note that for every productive pair, you need more than one grow out tank. Once a pair is going, its usual to have 1/2 inch fries in one tank and 1 1/2 inch fries in another tank. Fortunately, its tough as hell to get them to spawn. ;)

Since this is going to work out to 15+ tanks, you should start with water storage and conditioning, drains for water changes, working area, refrigerator for food, etc. Again, this should be done FIRST. By then, you may decide that 3 - 4 pairs are more reasonable given space constraints and expenses. You'll find that the tanks is the smallest expense. Do this logically and you'll find the hobby so much more enjoyable.

Good luck, Willie

[CanadianGuy]

Thanks, Willie!



James

[April]

i agree on less pairs and more growout tanks. even with 4 pairs going..you willl have a ton of work. feed vacuum , feed ,vacuum, next batch of bbs. etc etc.
well we;d love to see your setup when your done it.

[Smokey]

Just my Loonies worth::::

The infrastructure, of a fish room, is - mpo, really important. Like Willy mentioned.
Without it - you will become frustrarted, time will be wasted, neglect may occure ... MPE

Water in / Water out, first priority ...
Electrical - right up there
Tanks - on the floor - NOPE, not a good idea.
The stands and plumbing.

I started out with a single tank, a 33G. This led to a 135 gallon, which led to a couple of fifty fives, which led to a 230 gallon tank. Plus an assortment of various sizes - spread around the room.

Then, one day it dawned on me; get organized. This is how it stared for me.

Today, or actually at the end of the month I will be building and setting up a new dedicated fish room. [ # 8, I believe.]

The room will be arranged so I can store "ready water", a work table, storage for misc. equipment and parts and a desk - along one wall.

Along the other - long wall - will be the stands.

Since I design and build my own tanks - all the tanks will have 1" "bulk-heads", with ajoining sumps. Some sumps/tanks will be dedicated to particular fish rearing. Other sumps/tanks will be for general use.

Larger tanks - will be for growing out the fry - and to let the discus socialize, as they mature.

These tanks will have very large sumps. Maximum capacity, Maximum filtration. maximum water change capability.

Breeding tanks - generally I use a size of 20 gallons cap. The dimensions are 24 x 15 x 15. Presently, I have 6 of these tanks. Each breeding tank can use - in sieries - communial sumps; be totally isolated; or isolated to use a single dedicated sump.

It is all in the plumbing. I like to use the white "CPVC" PIPE AND FITTINGS FOR THE OVERFLOWS/BULKHEADS. Inexpensive and available.

At this stage - I like to build the stand with 3 shelves.

The lowest shelf is for the sumps. The sumps contain - 250 watt heaters, Mechanical filters, bio-logical filters, and the submeragable pumps. I like sub. pumps.

The centre shelf - at about 36 inches high, is for the tanks.
The tanks are bare bottom, each may have a backup heater; or a dedicated heater - depending on the tanks use.
Each tank is drilled and fitted with a continious bottom cleaning system, and an overflow, for continious surface water cleaning. Just one simple hole in the top back corner of the tank does it all.

The top shelf is for the "BIO-LOGICAL" wet dry/filters.
I aslo build my own filters. And to hang the flourscent lights from; [ if I every deceide to go with the overhead light idea.].

In short, the tank water follows a cycle/ a circle.

Starting in the sump, the water is pumped up to the top bio-towers.
From here - " GRAVITY DOES ALL THE WORK" . Did I mention - I love gravity!!!
Never walked inot a fish room, to find no "GRAVITY".

The water flows into the tanks; through the tanks; exits via the bulkhead, through the cpvc pipes, into a mechanical filter; through a biological filter; past the heaters; where it is received and pumped, once again , into the top wet/dry bio-towers...


AND it is just that simple.

As for pumps, yup - been there - bought them all; at one time or another.
Little Giant - a 4mdqx - for trasfering the water from the stroage containers to the sumps. Still one of my favorites, and most expensive.
Supreme submeragable 500's and 750's. In my opoin.. they are bullet-proof! Over 5 years of continious use ... never a problem.
Hagen 803 - nice little pumps, good head height/flow rate. I use them when I need to quartene a tank and still use the bio-tower.

An array of submeragable pumps - little giants. Other pumps are so old I do not know what brand they are. However - they pump water, at a great rate.
These older pumps I use to empty the sumps; then remove them, to sterlize and dry.

For what is is worth, That my story.

smokey
{sitting in a snowbank, watching the sky fall}

[Mykiss]

All the info regarding tank setup and such is very good, however, trying to picture what all this looks like is hard. For the people who already have these set ups, can you please post a few pics so that we can better visualize/understand? thanks
pt

[Smokey]

Naw, that would be tooo easy. Hahahahahahahahaahhhha , can you see the evil in my eyes???

Unfortunatly, I do not own a digital camers.

However, since I setting uo a completely new dedicated fish room, I am very tempted to get one ; just to document my efforts.

Smokey

or "borrow" one ... please send all donations to

" sitting in a snowbank .. watching the sky fall . com" lol.

Or if anybody has a secondhand digital [ 3 meg or better} to sell; please e-mail me.

Thank you.

[April]

smokey you have boxes full of cameras. slr work great.

[Smokey]

Yes ,Mam. I will have to find one of them and get my butt in gear.

Smokey
[but , but, I want a new toy. lol].
Hmmm, or perhapd, I just need to convince myself it is for the welfare of the discus. Ahhh - thats it ... I need a digital camers for the discus.

'Pril - thanks for all the snow and rain you have been sending me., I apprecieate it all. Fall time in the mountains - beautiful country.

JAMES - see what happens when you ask a simply question on Simply Discus .. hahahahaha

good luck on your new setup.

Smokey

[discuskrib]

James - are you building the fishroom yourself or having it done professionally? if you can use an extra hand, i'd be happy to help. just send me a message.

[CanadianGuy]

Thanks for all of the responses!

All of this information does get a little confusing....so many things to consider....so many different ways to do things....so many ideas running thru my little head!!! :D

The more I learn the more interested I get. First was the challenge of just keeping fish and now the designing of future fishrooms, filtration systems, and water changing systems...it just gets better and better!...I still don't know what the hell I'm doing, but at least I'm having fun doing it! ;D

I'm selling off some of my fish so I can concentrate on discus and angels...the fish room will be constructed in parts since I will still have fish I need to work around. I have most of the racks planned but will be back for more help with all the plumbing I'm sure!

And Dave I'll definately keep your offer in mind!...You can't take it back now!!! HAHAHA :crazy:


James

[CanadianGuy]

ooooooweeeeee....I finally found a big enough filter for my fishroom!!!!!

[discuskrib]

looking forward to it!

[Smokey]

Only in you dreams, buddy!!