# Saltwater pond anyone?



## johnharper (Mar 14, 2010)

Would it be possible to set up a pond for like koi but have saltwater fish in it instead?  I saw some touch tanks that got the wheels turning in my head at the Georgia aqaurium.

John


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## reverendsterlin (Mar 15, 2010)

sure, but it would probably need to be indoor or possibly covered, rain and/or evaporation could probably rapidly change the salinity. Winter/summer extreme temperatures would probably limit what species as well. Cover those problems and the rest should be easy.


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## ShawnH (Mar 15, 2010)

Salt doesn't evaporate but if your water level goes up enough it could be diluted to a dangerously low level.  Also if your level goes down enough the water will become too salty.  I would say if your going to try this , use species of fish that can be found commonly in tide pools.

Edit: Rev beat me to the punch on this one.  sorry for the same advice twice.


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## dtknow (Mar 15, 2010)

Also, if the pond floods you are going to kill your garden. I'd highly reccomend this be done indoors or in a tub pond type setting.


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## ShawnH (Mar 15, 2010)

I just think a really nice saltwater fish tank can be made for the same amount of effort and you will actually be able to see your fish.  But keep in mind I only have done freshwater tanks, saltwater can become very expensive and requires for the most part a more complex setup with a protein skimmer and stronger lights if your using living rock.  If your dead set on a pond I would just make an elaborate koi pond with a lot of live plants and a waterfall or something.


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## whitewolf (Mar 15, 2010)

reverendsterlin said:


> sure, but it would probably need to be indoor or possibly covered, rain and/or evaporation could probably rapidly change the salinity. Winter/summer extreme temperatures would probably limit what species as well. Cover those problems and the rest should be easy.


I'd agree with this since the salty changes so much in our water levels on the coast. Sometimes you have higher levels, sometimes brackish, sometimes more fresh depending on rain fall, evaporation, and tide. If you closely monitor it just might work though with some very tolerant fish of course. I kinda hope you do it, it would defiantly be something neat to see. I'd try but never did salt water really and we flood too much.


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## johnharper (Mar 17, 2010)

I am mostly interested in anemones, seah horses, puffers, triggers, octapus, sharks , lion fish and rays. The thought of getting hit by a lion fish or a string ray is still unsetteling to me. I used to keep sea horses many years ago. Would an anemone tank be good for someone whos getting back into the hobby?

John


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## cacoseraph (Mar 17, 2010)

my bro cried when he got stung by a sting ray... and he is about as tough as i am =P


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## Lucas339 (Mar 18, 2010)

i have seen pond type set ups in peoples homes and they don't really look good.  you can't really see the animals in the pond from the surface like you imagine.  with the filters pumping water, you get a ripple effect over the surface of the water making it difficult to see the animals.  there is no way i would set one up out doors unless you have a serious cover over it.  even then, you will need an automatic top off system to keep the water level and salinity in check.  this would need to be hooked up to an RO system to keep nuritents down.

anemones, sea horses, octopus and sharks are all not in the beginier or getting back into the hobby category.  

anemones need a tank that has been cycled for a while.  at least a year.  they also need a rocky set up where they can be somewhat blocked form water flow yet have just enough to make them sway.  if you dont' have a set up like this, they can detach and float around the tank usually ending up behind the rocks, out of site.  

sea horses require three feedings a day.  usually live brine but some have been able to get them to eat frozen food.  many available in the industry are wild caughts and do take well to frozen foods.  

octopus are escape artist.  i personally know how to prevent this but i am not going to share as i feel they dont' make good "pets".  they cannot be sexed and females will die after their first breeding season weither they have mated or not.  we had one at the lab/aquarium that we kept living for a few months after she had unfertile eggs but she eventually died.

sharks require large tanks with a lot of floor space.  unless you are ready to get a 210 gallon tank with minimal decor, then sharks are not for you.  there are some smaller sharks that could possibly be kept in smaller set ups but you are still looking at 100 plus gallons.  and don't think "ill just buy a baby and keep it until it out grows the tank".  this will happen in a matter of months.  sharks grow fast during their first year of life for obvious reasons.

my suggestion is to stick with the more common and hardy fish.  certain species of puffers will fall in this (sharp nose types) catergory but many will not.  stay away from box puffers/spiny puffers aka bur fish.  dog face puffers are hit and miss.  triggers are hardy but you have to watch what you put with them.  some are less aggressive such as the niger and blue jaw triggers.  the others are pretty nasty and will pick on your fish unless you have an aggressive tank.


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## aracnophiliac (Mar 19, 2010)

It is possible..And to have a  good looking one!!!! the issue with this is it is at a HUGE expense...I have seen these in huge Garden shows and competitions....the issue with them is the person who had one that I talked to had an outbuilding made with Vats and so forth and many many gauges and meaters and all sorts of other stuff set up to make sure all the levals remain proper.All this ata  rediculas expense..not to mention ther are not "kit" you would have to become very creative and mabey have the assistance of a saltwater specialest...


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## Tunedbeat (Mar 21, 2010)

A saltwater pond sounds ridiculously expensive.  I just started up a 28G nano, and I've already spent close to two grand.  :8o


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## sharpfang (Mar 21, 2010)

*Go w/ a Bio-Cube 8, 14, & 29 gallon sizes*

I have Bubbletip anenomes split in mine....and the True Perc clownfish *pair* are Perfectly happy and breeding!

Built in wet-dry.....Pretty, and easy to Maintain, w/ out extra equipment and expenses.
I have put about $500 worth of various corals, etc. in over the 1st year.
[YOUTUBE]<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pwyLeRxd_G0&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pwyLeRxd_G0&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE]
 - Jason


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## Tunedbeat (Mar 21, 2010)

sharpfang said:


> I have Bubbletip anenomes split in mine....and the True Perc clownfish *pair* are Perfectly happy and breeding!
> 
> Built in wet-dry.....Pretty, and easy to Maintain, w/ out extra equipment and expenses.
> I have put about $500 worth of various corals, etc. in over the 1st year.
> ...


Nice, I purchased a pair of true percula clowns last week and picked up a green bubble tip yesterday.  Have your pair hosted the anemone?  I have the 28g led cube from JBJ.


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## sharpfang (Mar 22, 2010)

*Changed her Tune!*

Not @ 1st man.....OHhhhhhhh, so frustrating......She came from 100 gallon aquarium.....and into a 14 Bio-cube....I was worried, that was a little Cruel.

So....I watched her.....she bossed around two fish.

I got a LTC bubble.....that does Not look that green in Pics...But is. It had split from others in a *nice* reef.....there were like 4 -or- 5.
In about 5 - 6 months....It split.......1 Fire Shrimp and 1 Trochus Snail 10 crabs also.

Oh - that's right....I was gonna say: It took her a few weeks to go in......I forced/coaxed her.......and then she was Fine...and Happy. Added male
about 4 months later - It was love at 1st sight  they each share Anenomes.
I expect slightly larger Anenome to SPLIT again by this early Summer  - JJ


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## Lucas339 (Mar 22, 2010)

yeah reef tanks can be money pits!!  i had the 12 gallon cube for a while but went bigger with a 30 gal.

clowns are great!!  i have a maroon that hosts in a hammer coral.  my perc did that too when i had it in a 15 gal reef.


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## aracnophiliac (Mar 22, 2010)

I agree it would be ridiculously expensive..but that was not the question...The question as I understood it was would it be possible?




Tunedbeat said:


> A saltwater pond sounds ridiculously expensive.  I just started up a 28G nano, and I've already spent close to two grand.  :8o


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## sharpfang (Mar 22, 2010)

Lucas339 said:


> yeah reef tanks can be money pits!!  i had the 12 gallon cube for a while but went bigger with a 30 gal.
> 
> clowns are great!!  i have a maroon that hosts in a hammer coral.  my perc did that too when i had it in a 15 gal reef.


I actually preffer Maroons......especially Gold-bandeds. True-Percs are like the kids favorite Movie though :razz::razz:



aracnophiliac said:


> I agree it would be ridiculously expensive..but that was not the question...The question as I understood it was would it be possible?


It is possible......That's what Tom Cruise would say......just challenging and costly  This message....Will SELF-DESTRUCT in 5 seconds 
Miss ya Danielle


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## Lucas339 (Mar 23, 2010)

aracnophiliac said:


> I agree it would be ridiculously expensive..but that was not the question...The question as I understood it was would it be possible?


it is possible.  the Waikiki Aquarium has one that has corals and clams all out in the open with no roof over it.  they use a flow through so there is a huge difference there.  if you had a $10k or more to spend, you could have a really nice set up that is near maintenance free.  IMO though, it would not be worth it as the animals might be hard to see but if you took that same money and put it into a aquarium, the possiblities would be endless.


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## sharpfang (Mar 23, 2010)

*"Lord Knows I am We-eeak, Won't some-body get me off of this...REEF"*



Lucas339 said:


> it is possible.  the Waikiki Aquarium has one that has corals and clams all out in the open with no roof over it.


That sounds So *nice* :razz: I wanna go to Hawaii, and watch chameleons Too! - Jason


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## Lucas339 (Mar 23, 2010)

here is a reference pic link
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Kf0LCnlP0BE/R83UOsjEZtI/AAAAAAAAAHc/xW9YN_iW3Fw/IMG_3972.JPG


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## johnharper (Mar 23, 2010)

Does anyone have any experience with bamboo shark eggs? I have seen their eggs for sale on Live Aquaria. I really want to set up a tank for a bamboo shark after I move out of the first house. The thing that concerns me with buying an egg is it not hatching lol would it be better just to buy one already hatched out?

John


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## Lucas339 (Mar 23, 2010)

if you look at the egg closely, you should be able to see the shark. if it is moving around in the egg, it will probably hatch unless you let the water quality go.  while they hatch small, they grow fast.  even though they are a smaller species, they require a larger sized tank.  i would not reccomend keeping it in anything smaller than 150 gallons and even that is somewhat small for them.  they rest on the ground and need more groud clearance than other animals but not as much as say a ray species.  

i also don't reccomend keeping this animals in a small tank with the thought of getting rid of it later on.  sharks can stress easily and even when every precaution is taken, bad things can happen in transport.  we once lost a 8 foot hammer head that we were shipping from our aquairum to another.  they shipped it on a semi truck that had a full filtration set up and chiller on it for the animal.  it died in transit.

i have had some experience with this type shark.  the fish store i worked at long ago got several eggs in.  they all hatched and lived fine.  they take a while to start eating but once they do, they eat everything in sight.  well most things i should say.  every now and again a fish would go missing.  they grew very fast once established and shouldn't be kept with any fish smaller than the shark or they might become a meal.


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## johnharper (Mar 23, 2010)

Would it be better to place the egg on the bottom of the tank or clip it to the side i once saw a pet store that had one clipped to the side of the tank and with in a week of having it hatched out.

John


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## Lucas339 (Mar 23, 2010)

i have always attached them to the side of the tank.  what size tank do you have?


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## johnharper (Mar 24, 2010)

Right now I currently do not have a salt water tank but i want to get one after I move.

John


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