Ready to try again, here are my requirements

[Fmellish]

I miss having fish.

So I started thinking about all the things I HATED
about my reef tank, and I came up with a list of requirements that must be met by my next setup so that I won't want to tear it all down after 6 months.

1) Must not add more than $20 a month to my electrical bill
2) Must only require 30 minutes of maintenance every other week (basically 2 mins for feeding each day is the only interaction I want with this thing, other than viewing it)
3) Must not grow anything on the viewing surfaces
4) Must not produce any heat, I will never ever ever go to chiller + A/C route again
5) Must evaporate little to no water
6) Must not require any addition of chemicals
7) Must cost less than $100 total including live stock.

So, I was thinking about 2 neon tetras and a large fishbowl.

Can neons live happily in a fishbowl?

Do I need an air stone in there?

Can I skip on the rocks and fake plants?

Cheers
Josh

[ezcompany]

get a bowl with a betta

[euphoricgear]

+1

[gregm5]

tetra would need at least an airstone and preferable a small filter as they are not the best fish for life in a bowl. bettas are definitely a better choice

[xtm]

Fake plants, a small bowl, add some colored stones, and a Betta

[hydrahawk]

Betta.

[Fmellish]

Dudes! #7 ?


I am willing to blow up to $100 on this.

With that I may be able to get a 5 gal tank + filter + stones + tetras?


Anything but a betta fish, they are so boring.


Help me out here, what the coolest setup you can think of for $100.

Cheers
Josh

[yellowslayer13]

go with fancy guppies in a 5 gal

[epicfish]

10 gallon tank w/ hood = $30
AquaClear 30 filter = $30
Playsand from HD = $5
Airpump = $15
Airline tubing = $2
Airstone = $2
8 neon tetras @ $2/ea = $16

$100.

Or use a cheaper air pump and spend $6 for Prime as a dechlorinator. :P

[frogiii]

i can give you free 10g tank and some L/S.. lol.. put 2 beta in there if you think one is boring.

[ezcompany]

no work no glory. applies to fish tanks as well~

[Fmellish]

Thank you epicfish for the price breakdown.

Thanks frogiii for the offer.

Maybe I'll just start with a betta in a cup, like the ones you can buy at Target.

[euphoricgear]

tetras always carry ick not recommended. fancy guppies are cool too and they're live bearers so fun to see that. maybe get swordtails (orange/black tails) or mollies.

if you can get a jbj nano reef tank setup for $100 i rather get that. maintenance would be just waterchange. just have 2 really small fish and coral or just all coral and cleaners and that would be cool too.

[FishyBiz]

Get a chia-pet.

[OC CJ]

i like the chia pet idea. was i the only one that thought of sea monkeys?

[xtm]

Originally posted by Fmellish

I am willing to blow up to $100 on this.
With that I may be able to get a 5 gal tank + filter + stones + tetras?
Anything but a betta fish, they are so boring.
Help me out here, what the coolest setup you can think of for $100.

Well to be honest Josh, once you go SW, everything else feels boring. I have a planted FW tank and it feels like watching paint dry. Once in awhile a Neon Tetra darts across the tank but other than that there's nothing else to watch.

That being said, the most "exciting" setup you can get for $100 is maybe:

10 gal (Petco) - $10.00
Flourite or Eco Complete sand - $20
5 Neon Tetras = $5
HOB filter = $10
36w PC Lighting.. about $30.00
AND $25 worth of FW Plants (~about 8 pcs diff. species)
--------------------------------------
Total = $100.00

I'm sure you have some leftover stuff from your reef that you can reuse.. like heater, filter, food... etc.

BTW, all those MEET your requirements..

[Fmellish]

Originally posted by xtm
Well to be honest Josh, once you go SW, everything else feels boring. I have a planted FW tank and it feels like watching paint dry. Once in awhile a Neon Tetra darts across the tank but other than that there's nothing else to watch.

That being said, the most "exciting" setup you can get for $100 is maybe:

10 gal (Petco) - $10.00
Flourite or Eco Complete sand - $20
5 Neon Tetras = $5
HOB filter = $10
36w PC Lighting.. about $30.00
AND $25 worth of FW Plants (~about 8 pcs diff. species)
--------------------------------------
Total = $100.00

I'm sure you have some leftover stuff from your reef that you can reuse.. like heater, filter, food... etc.

BTW, all those MEET your requirements..

Sounds beautiful to me!

Thanks
Josh

[Lotus99]

For a 10g tank, I love dwarf puffers. They're freshwater, and extremely entertaining.

[rppvt]

wait- go the extra route and get yourself a fish n' flush you'll get a low flow rebate from the city and it's best at parties! put some cold water minnows in there and a couple of snails- no maintenance at all - no evaporation, nothing.

[PasadenaReefer]

how about you buy my 12g nanocube DX for 75$ and you can have some free sand and some LR and a FREE clown goby.

[Harley-J]

Less than $100 you can buy the saltwater screen saver for your computer....Plus if your gonna buy a betta keep him in the cup cause if you get a bowl it will mean bigger water changes...

[Fmellish]

I just miss fish

There's not enough hassle in my life anymore. Whenever I get into times when nothing is wrong in my life I start seeking out new and expensive hobbies. Maybe a betta in a cup can fil the void but prevent me from emptying the family bank account

[Harley-J]

Well as they say "either your tank is empty or your bank account!!" Just gotta figure which one you like looking at better

[coast2coast7390]

haha +1 for chia pet...sea monkeys are kinda hard...its like keeping a few brine shrimp in a jar

[coast2coast7390]

Originally posted by Harley-J
Well as they say "either your tank is empty or your bank account!!" Just gotta figure which one you like looking at better

IDK i wouldnt mind looking at a number followed by a bunch of zeros