Ditch Malawi's - One Reef And One Fish

[HappyGeorge]

So I was chatting to the guy at the Reef Shack who came up with another ingenious plan for my tank combo, he was just giving me a price on an ATI unit when he came up with the idea of using the 37x24x24 as a reef tank and then sell my Malawi's and use the 60x24x24 as a Fish Only marine tank and then I can put whatever I like in there..........Now I would ask what you all think but this is the marine section and I know what you're all going to say. Question is can I give up my Malawi's?

 

[seffieuk]

Not sure i would go that route, think you might regret it, thought you loved your fish?

Seffie x

 

[HappyGeorge]

I do, but the thought of putting them in my new Godiva tank seems like sacrilege. Maybe I will build the mini reef and switch the Malawis into the big one and then change it at some point in the future. Biggest problem is fish don't ever die in my tanks (I'm touching wood) so I may end up with them for another 10 years!

 

[HappyGeorge]

My tank arrives tomorrow!!!

Decided I have been so looking forward to this arriving that I want to build my reef in it anyway as that's what I have been working towards, and the 3ft just isn't really big enough for my Malawis so its reef in the 3ft and Malawis in the 5ft until such a time as I decide to move on, when it will become a fish only with Morays, Lion fish and other nasty stuff. So no more light dilemmas, too much stress just want to enjoy setting up my reef.

 

[seffieuk]

Seffie x

 

[HappyGeorge]

Change of plan again I think, but this is a really hard decision. I'm not sure I can complete the tank switchover in short enough time for the Malawi to be ok. I need to empty and move the current tank and pan was to put the fish in the bath (spare one, previous Live Rock home). Problem is once the current Rena 60x18x24 is moved I'm going to have to level the floor, as the Rena has feet that were able to be shimmed, the Godiva has a flat base and is slightly bigger and heavier and I think the floor will have to come up and put some brick pillars under the joists. I'm then going to have to build a frame and put leveling compound down and then wait for it to set. Then I need to move the 60x24x24 Godiva over and sort its terrible plumbing out as it seems to be all over the place. I think this is all going to take too long for the poor old fish to be in a bath. Not really any other place to move the Rena and stick them back in, as I have wooden floors and no more against the wall, hanger end spaces for a 500kg tank to stand. Breaking down and selling it should make me more than enough to finish the second tank off, and then slowly stock it with some more extreme marines, but I'm still torn.

 

[seffieuk]

That is a dilema indeed, I think you will regret giving up your malawis

Seffie x

 

[jock2007-]

That is a dilema indeed, I think you will regret giving up your malawis

Seffie x

i agree malawi all the way !!! lol

nah seriously , why would you even want to get rid of them ? you are clearly very good @ looking after them if they dont die, your tank setup must be good

 

[HappyGeorge]

That is a dilema indeed, I think you will regret giving up your malawis

Seffie x

I know folks but I would regret it even more if I lost any during the move, need a solution that will keep them happy and mean I don't have to stress myself silly with a tight time scale to get it all done, especially as moving tanks requires another pair of hands and taking up floors requires my 3 yr old daughter to be out of the house ideally.....................I know what I need, a 5th tank?

 

[Ostara]

Change of plan again I think, but this is a really hard decision. I'm not sure I can complete the tank switchover in short enough time for the Malawi to be ok. I need to empty and move the current tank and pan was to put the fish in the bath (spare one, previous Live Rock home). Problem is once the current Rena 60x18x24 is moved I'm going to have to level the floor, as the Rena has feet that were able to be shimmed, the Godiva has a flat base and is slightly bigger and heavier and I think the floor will have to come up and put some brick pillars under the joists. I'm then going to have to build a frame and put leveling compound down and then wait for it to set. Then I need to move the 60x24x24 Godiva over and sort its terrible plumbing out as it seems to be all over the place. I think this is all going to take too long for the poor old fish to be in a bath. Not really any other place to move the Rena and stick them back in, as I have wooden floors and no more against the wall, hanger end spaces for a 500kg tank to stand. Breaking down and selling it should make me more than enough to finish the second tank off, and then slowly stock it with some more extreme marines, but I'm still torn.

I think that's your best bet really. Honestly you may regret giving them up, but in the end what matters is what's best for them. Hanging in limbo in a bathtub probably isn't, and you'd be crushed if you lost any. I've given up fish before that I'd rather have kept but I knew it was better for them if I did. I just gave up my anti-social blue diamond discus last week because while he was gorgeous, I knew I couldn't give him his own space without other discus.

I've got to agree that that's an awfully nice tank for Malawi's too. It screams "marine" to me.