# New craigslist steel!!!!



## eddy (Jan 16, 2009)

I just bought a 180 gallon on craigslist for 150$ came with a fluval 404 and 72" t5 50/50 lights. Anyway I am putting it in the wall in my basement. I'm not new to the hobby by any means but I wanted to get ideas on here because I want to make sure I make the right setup/stock choices the 1st time. (I'm sure many of you know it sux to set up an aquarium that big only to decide you should have gone a different direction. :roll: )

I am also putting a 120g that I already have in the basement wall. It has Oscars and dempseys in it.....but I have considered putting them in the 180 and redoing the 120 with africans. So in short I have a 180 and a 120 and am already committed to oscars and dempseys...what would you do?

Pictures of similar setups or ideas would be appreciated. I will post pictures of the tank tomorrow......it is raining and it is still in the back of my truck.


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## emptyhead (Apr 16, 2007)

That is a steal! Complete with lights and everything!

I'm in the middle of enjoying large groups of smaller fish in larger tanks - so that is the direction that I would go, but you gotta do your thing. Here are my thoughts:

You could really take some time and set up the 180 exactly how you want it to look for a NW cichlid tank. If your lights are powerful enough for plants, you could try some large potted plants. You could also add some nice large pieces of driftwood. Really make a neat NW setup, then move your oscars and jack dempseys.

Your 120 could house 2 large groups of mbuna. Maybe 30 demasoni and 15 johanni or msobo?


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## clgkag (Mar 22, 2008)

I would put the Oscars and Dempseys in the 180 and setup your 120 for africans. Great pickup :thumb:


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## eddy (Jan 16, 2009)

emptyhead said:


> That is a steal! Complete with lights and everything!
> 
> I'm in the middle of enjoying large groups of smaller fish in larger tanks - so that is the direction that I would go, but you gotta do your thing. Here are my thoughts:
> 
> ...


 The lights are saltwater lights and there were old pieces of hard coral left in the tank so I think I could grow any freshwater plants.....I will be a rookie as far as live plants go but I for sure would like to put some in there if I can keep the oscars and dempseys away from them. You ideas are pretty much exactly what I had in mind at this point.


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## eddy (Jan 16, 2009)

Here is a picture of just the bare tank... I will update pictures as I go. It will be a long process though[/img]


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## theBIGone2087 (Jan 26, 2009)

Nice steal dude! 
I am going to say put the Oscars and Dempsies in the 180 and make the 120 an african tank. Those oscars can get mighty grumpy if they dont have their space :fish: so the bigger the tank for them, the better (I used to have 2 of them).


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## non_compliance (Dec 4, 2008)

I just came here to say I hate you.  Nice find! Can't wait to see the pics!


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

I would definitely fill it up and check for leaks! Good luck and keep us posted


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## eddy (Jan 16, 2009)

Dj823cichild said:


> I would definitely fill it up and check for leaks! Good luck and keep us posted


 Yeah I am planning on it leaking for now......if I don't have to reseal it I will just consider it a bonus. They said it holds water but you know how that goes. I got the feeling that the guy bought the house and it was just left behind by the previous owners and he didn't really know anything about it.......I can't figure out any other reason why someone would sell a 180 with t5 HO lighting for 150$


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## eddy (Jan 16, 2009)

painting update


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## pupdawg (Jul 20, 2009)

If the lights work and the tank doesnt leak/ looks to be in fair condition, then I'd assume the seller just looked at it as "just an aquarium" and had no use for it. Thats a steal and a half! haha. Oh well all sales final.

Lookin good btw :thumb:


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

Cool it's coming along nicely. I don't want to jinx you so I won't say it sigh.... Crosses his fingers for you!!!!!!!!!!! :wink: :thumb:


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## eddy (Jan 16, 2009)

Ha Ha the lights work great but between the saltwater lights and the rebel xs dslr camera you can see every little swirl from me wiping it down. I will wait until it is full to clean the inside better. I put a couple inches of water in and no leaks so far. I'll have to wait until I get my stand built to fill it all the way up.


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## discusfreak2005 (Apr 11, 2005)

sweet score!


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## TheBanker (Jun 14, 2008)

looks good, lets see this thing filled.


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## eddy (Jan 16, 2009)

TheBanker said:


> looks good, lets see this thing filled.


 LOL I'm working on it. The stand will be finished tomorrow.


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## jfly (Feb 17, 2009)

w2g.... NICE find.. my craigslist is always "250 bucks for almost new 20 gallon" :lol:


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

Did you hear what happened to the one guy who bought something off Craig's list? He rented a Uhaul to pick up whatever he bought and when he showed up 2 guys robbed him and locked him in the uhaul. The cops had to come and cut off the lock and save him. So Please Be Careful everyone!!!!!! :-? :-? It was on the news here in Philadelphia Pa yesterday. I'm not sure of the town though.


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

Dj823cichild said:


> Did you hear what happened to the one guy who bought something off Craig's list? He rented a Uhaul to pick up whatever he bought and when he showed up 2 guys robbed him and locked him in the uhaul. The cops had to come and cut off the lock and save him. So Please Be Careful everyone!!!!!! :-? :-? It was on the news here in Philadelphia Pa yesterday. I'm not sure of the town though.


Wow. But if you think about it, craigslist is the perfect front for that kind of thing. You know they'll have cash when they arrive. But you still can't beat craigslist. and the best part of it is you cut the government out.


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## matt-the-geek (Jul 8, 2009)

Wow you got an amazing deal. I'm checking craigslist about two times a week for deals like that but so far none have come my way. I'm looking forward to seeing this set up, I agree about moving the oscars and dempsey to it.


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## eddy (Jan 16, 2009)

Just filled........lots of air bubbles


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## eddy (Jan 16, 2009)

Things are going pretty slow right now. Letting the tank sit full while the bubbles disperse and making sure it's not going to spring a leak.

So I'll describe what I am doing. My basement is unfinished and this is my first step towards finishing it. The aquarium will be in the wall behind the bar when I am done and the 120 will be in the wall in the family room area of the basement.

To pass time here are picture of some of the future inhabitants.(they are in the 120 now.


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## jfly (Feb 17, 2009)

why wont anybody kidnap and lock me up


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## eddy (Jan 16, 2009)

warning: this method of acquiring substrate may lead to divorce.

It was cheaper this way and the only dark natural gravel I could find.


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## eddy (Jan 16, 2009)

So I found my center piece today.

Any one got any advice for prparing this monster?

It is 4 feet long.

I wish I had one of them great big black kettles(like the witches use in movies) I could just put it in a fire and boil it.










Hoping to start building the wall around the aquarium this week.


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## fishhead228 (Sep 1, 2009)

That is an awesome piece of driftwood, you have some great luck going on right now, you must have impeccibly good karma...lol


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## eddy (Jan 16, 2009)

Well I finally got the wall roughed in today. Ignore the extension cord hanging down in the middle of the picture.









Still gotta lot of work to do :roll: Convicts have already stated a family and I don't even have the **** thing up yet.

On top of everything I found a deal I could not pass up for my next basement project.....$200 for this monster. *** been looking for a 84" tank and could not pass it up









84X24X24


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## non_compliance (Dec 4, 2008)

Nice! I love extra long tanks...


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

man i wish i could find stuff like that on craigslist, i can barely find small tanks, mostly 20's and 55's and way too costly for used, nothing huge and cheap


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## non_compliance (Dec 4, 2008)

cjacob316 said:


> man i wish i could find stuff like that on craigslist, i can barely find small tanks, mostly 20's and 55's and way too costly for used, nothing huge and cheap


the good deals go fast.. you have to check several times a day.


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

or since i live in a small area there just aren't many deals, although i did just find a deal on a 55 stand for 35, cheaper than i can build one, so i might pick it up


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## Liam_Doherty (Sep 8, 2009)

Wow those tanks are huge. Great finds. I can't wait to see finished pics of them all.


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## marik (Sep 15, 2009)

roxana huh? i'm just outside of bethalto :thumb:


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## eddy (Jan 16, 2009)

marik said:


> roxana huh? i'm just outside of bethalto :thumb:


 No kidding? I'm actually in that little strip that is not actually in roxana not far at all from bethalto. There is still a **** of a deal on CL for a reef ready 210 gallon tank brand new still has stickers and cardboard on it with a 100 gallon sump for $500.

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/for/1408657663.html

What kind of fish do you keep?


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## marik (Sep 15, 2009)

eddy said:


> marik said:
> 
> 
> > roxana huh? i'm just outside of bethalto :thumb:
> ...


i've got just a few acei and yellow labs in a grow out right now. I'm working on getting a 55 gallon fixed up. After that's up and running i'll throw in some demasoni along with a few more yellow labs


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## eddy (Jan 16, 2009)

marik said:


> eddy said:
> 
> 
> > marik said:
> ...


 Where do you usually get your fish?


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## marik (Sep 15, 2009)

you should check out malawi aquatics in florissant


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## eddy (Jan 16, 2009)

marik said:


> you should check out malawi aquatics in florissant


 Yeah that is my favorite by a long shot. I just left there with like 14 fish a couple weeks ago.


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## eddy (Jan 16, 2009)

Got the bar partially done today.....I have $350 in this so far  . Not including the filters and heater I already had.(there will be lots more aquascaping once the bar is done.


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## 06ram (May 26, 2008)

eddy said:


> painting update


so.... maybe its just me, but does anyone not notice that there is no bottom trim, and isnt this a bad thing??? Im just asking never seen a tank like that


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

eddy said:


> Got the bar partially done today.....I have $350 in this so far  . Not including the filters and heater I already had.(there will be lots more aquascaping once the bar is done.


Looking good eddy can we christen your new basement and fish tank at your bar once you get it all up? Fish party haha! Good luck and it's looking great bro :thumb: =D>


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## TheBanker (Jun 14, 2008)

nice finds, i would get that 210 if i was closer. Nothing ever that good around here.


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