# My future Oscars :)



## MarcoOscar (Aug 23, 2010)

Hello fish lovers!

Where I can find a Tank for my future tiger Oscars ? I can buy a 125 Gallon, 72 long tank at pet smart for 280$ that include ugly stand and some light but I'm afraid its to small.

I have been in almost every store in Chicago and all i can find is 180G for 1400 dollars =D> LFG show me an item on craigslist http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/for/1868801967.html What do you guys think? I think it has everything i need. 
My knowledge isn't good so i decided to post here. All i want is nice tank for my fish. I really don't want to break their little harts in the future when they grow larger. I hope 200G will be enough.

Here is 2 main species that will be in my tank:

2 Tiger Oscar (male and female that will swim together)
1 Jack Dempsey or a pair (male and female)
And 5 to 10 smaller fish. Right now i don't know what kind of species will survive with tigers :wink: but i am sure i will find many useful information here!

I must tell that for the past month i learn a lot here but still can't figure out a wet/dry sump and pvc overflow  I guess i'll have to read some more.. This will be my first tank. I hope some of more advanced users will show me the right patch..

Sorry for my English! I was born in Poland :wink:


----------



## Bearbear (May 8, 2010)

http://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/for/1907094589.html
http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/for/1914958518.html
http://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/for/1915592091.html

http://www.glasscages.com/?sAction=ViewCat&lCatID=2
180 Wide 72 x 24 x 25 Tall	$607 + stand and accessories
240 Long 96 x 24 x 25 Tall	$690 + stand and accessories

Be patient with craigslist if you dont mind a used tank, lot of nice stuff popping up recently here but I'm stocked up for now.


----------



## MarcoOscar (Aug 23, 2010)

Yesterday i bought used clarity plus 240gal tank (8x2x2) in horrible condition, stand, quiet one 6000 pump, plumbing and some other junk for 700$  I already ordered novus 123 to remove scratches from the acrylic

How can i fix this? Is there any automatic sander that i can use? What kind of overflow to i have? >


----------



## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

That's an impressive sized acrylic tank.  
Looks like it's been used pretty hard, though. 
From the pictures I'm not too sure what sort of over-flow you have. Is there an overflow box in the middle/back wall of the tank? Plus, I don't exactly understand how those two overflow fittings work. I can see though, that neither has threaded bulkhead mounts on them. If you want to use them, that may be something you'll need to look into.
Hopefully, you've just got a lot of cosmetic work to correct on this aquarium. 
Plus, you'll need to either purchase, or build a sump for this tank to use the overflow system. I'd recommend getting as big of a tank as you can get, that will still fit down under inside that stand. Cosmetics don't matter then at all, and if you get a badly scratched up (but still watertight) 55 or 75 gallon aquarium for free, or next to nothing in price? You've got a really great foundation to make your own sump system with.


----------



## MarcoOscar (Aug 23, 2010)

An overflow box is in the middle/back wall of the tank. Previous owner setup this tank for saltwater and that overflow supposed to be pretty QUIET 

I can get 70gal glass tank for 25$. But i don't know anything about cutting glass. Without that skill i cant do anything with it 

I'm worried about that crack on top and sanding the inside of the tank by hand 

Thanks for help


----------



## MarcoOscar (Aug 23, 2010)

Well the tank has been sanded and polished. Today i pick up Proclear 300 wet/dry for 100$  
I want to use 2 fx5 in closet-loop but i don't know how to do it? I don't want to drill any holes in the back wall. 
Can i drill 4 holes on the bottom? If yes then what size? What size for the drain?

Btw. I was in aquarium adventure yesterday. and that 20inch red tail catfish is still in the 55gal tank, It's so sad..

Thank You


----------



## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

A Proclear 300 wet/dry sump? Wow, looks like you're going all-in on this one!
Questions for you, so I can hopefully get a better idea of what you're trying to do.
- You want to use 2, FX5 canister filters in 'closed-loop'? Closed-loop to what? The Sump?
- Drill holes? I'm still not following you exactly here. Does the tank overflow box have two holes down in the bottom of it? If so, the possibly smaller one is the discharge from the sump TO the tank. The possibly bigger one will be the drain from the tank to your Proclear sump.

IMO the sump will provide plenty of biological filtration for the tank. Especially if you use matrix rock instead of bio-balls for the bio-media. Plus, getting canister filters will sort of defeat the beauty of your simple-to-clean sump system. Canister filters, especially the really big ones, are not much fun to clean and maintain. :?


----------



## MarcoOscar (Aug 23, 2010)

OK sir i want to do something like this on both ends of the tank. One hole will suck dirty water into the fx5, other will flow clean filtered water back to the tank. I don't know where to drill holes and what sizes?

Since i can't find cheap fx5's i will probably buy 2 Fluval 405.

overflow box have four holes (2 small and 2 big). This is not the problem. 2 bigger holes will ovverflow water from the tank to the sump, smaller one are the returns i think 

Here is an sketch in paint lol










Thanks for help.


----------



## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

Love the paint picture! 8)

1) Canister filters: If you're dead set on using these in this tank..... I recommend just using the supplied, plastic fittings with each filter. These go just basically up and over the back of the tank. I would not drill holes in this tank to accommodate the intake and discharge fittings! If you need to get creative, I would just build up some PVC fittings, to adapt what you need.
-
2) Sump system: I'm still not seeing enough of this sump system you have planned for the tank. I have 2, complete DIY sump systems running now on a 150G and 180G aquarium, and have built many more. One of the best things you can provide from a sump system is discharge water through an under gravel jet system (UGJ),

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ug_jets.php

UGJ will provide an amazing amount of - Oscar Proof - water circulation throughout an aquarium (Oscars can destroy power heads). The only problem I've found with UGJ, is surface water agitation to remove film build up in dead spots. To fix this, my 150 has a bubble wand. The 180 has a single Emperor 400.


----------



## MarcoOscar (Aug 23, 2010)

Well after 3 weeks i regret that i didn't listen to You  All of the poop are lying on teh sand.. Will FX5 and 405 fix this problem? Is there some magical way to hide those ugly gray tubing that i have to put into my tank (plastic tubing from fluval 405)?

I modified my sump, welded 22x12x11H on top of biobals chamber. Now i have 13 gallons of Bio Balls. Yesterday ordered on amazon 2x 36inch DB marineland LED light, Fluval FX5. Today at Aquarium adventure (Hoffman estates) I purchase Fluval 405, 10inch Fire eel, Huge driftwood. They have huge clearance (FX5 for 210$ 40to60%off most fish..)

How can i reduce aggression in my tank? My bigger Aro is constantly picked on by smaller one and 2 Oscars - Watch video. Why can she defend herself like the smaller one? Why Oscars attack bigger fish and yet don't even look at the tiny spotted Pike?

Another problem is food. 
Spotted pike did not eat for 5 days (hes 4inch)
Arowanas (4" and 5") and Tiger Oscars (2" and 2 1/2") only eat medium crickets.

I already try cichild gold, bloodworms, brine shrimps and beef harts..

Here are couple of pics taken with my crappy phone 



























Btw. In February most likely i will upgrade to 96x36x30, discharge through UGJ will be the firs think that i'm going to do 

Thank for any help


----------

