Shark Tank at the LFS
 

Guys, this LFS has had a large sand shark for years. As it grows, they build a bigger tank. This is what they put together, and it has been running for a month.

The tank holds 2200g!

http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/09/shark_tank1.jpg

http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/09/shark_tank2.jpg

http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/09/shark_tank3.jpg

http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/09/shark_tank4.jpg

http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/09/shark_tank5.jpg

The tank is divided up with a reef zone that overflows into the shark's sandy section. There is also a spot to the right of the reef that is like a sink hole, just a space for larger fish to escape to in case they are on the run from Piggy.

http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/09/shark_reef1.jpg

http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/09/shark_reef2.jpg

http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/09/shark_reef3.jpg

http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/09/shark_reef4.jpg

http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/09/shark_reef5.jpg

schweet...

Very nice setup.

And while I have your attention, here are a few more images.

My urchin made it into the shark tank!
http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/09/mine.jpg

Here's one of the owner's personal tanks. It is 400g, with an OM 4-way on the back.
http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/09/tins_tank.jpg

And here are a few tanks on the sales floor, set up like reefs.
http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/09/display_tank.jpg

http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/09/display_tank2.jpg

http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/09/seahorse_tank.jpg

And this one caught my attention.
http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/09/trapped.jpg

These guys are in every freshwater overflow. I really can't believe this is their existance. They are freshwater prawns, and when they get huge enough, I guess they just eat 'em for dinner. I'd have trouble with that myself, considering all they've eaten the entire time is fish poo. ;)
http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/09/trapped1.jpg

wow, that is an awesome setup.. next time i am in the area i need to stop by there..

seems like the sharks swiming area is a little small isnt it? Great idea using part of it for a reef though. Do they grow out colonys there to frag?

I didn't measure the tank for length x width, as it was just too cool to stand there and enjoy the livestock. The shark sees amazingly well, and swims lazily in the sandy area. The sand looks like they put it in yesterday, but its been running for a month.

There's a 100 bags of Caribsea sand in there!

so is there a glass divider between the reef zone and sand shark?

I dig the Sargeant Majors in the big tank. Those are cool fish.

No, no divider as you've described. Instead they put some mesh in the rockwork to keep the tiny fish in their section, the larger fish can go from the shark side to the 'tidepool' area, and the shark can't get to either zone.

The water is circulated with a single huge pump, and flows into the reef, which overflows into the shark/tidepool section.

In the images, you'll see some LPS, SPS, a BTA, gargonians and more. They are using a couple of MH lights to provide the reef with light, and they are Hamilton 14,000K bulbs.

They are going to plant mangroves along the reef crest to divvy up the tank a tad, and I think that'll look pretty cool.

hey marc- there's an lfs up here in Ohio (that's right home of the buckeyes;)) that has a 10k gallon shark tank with two black tip reef sharks. i forget how many years they said they have had them, but i know it's been a while. here's the site, sometimes their videos on there work and sometimes they don't. They look so awesome, just watching the way they move...and to think my dad and i were only a hundred yards or so away from like 10 of them in Hawaii last year while we were snorkling...

Marc,

Cool pics....I like the shark tank a lot.

Hey I love mushrooms and look what they use to make them grow. :lol: That doesn't mean I'd like to farm them THEN eat them though. :rolleye1:

Link me - Link me. :)

Sweet LFS! Man I wish we had that around here.

Wow... Thats amazing!

oh, my bad... i thought i posted the link. sorry lol

http://www.aquaticsandexotics.com/

there ya go...the site isn't too spectacular, but the sharks definitely are!

Thanks. All the video links go to a 404 page. :(

Marc,

I get to the DFW area every so often.... Where is this tank? I would like to stop by next time I'm in the area.

That would be Fish Paradise, in s/w Ft Worth. I have their address on the LFS page on my site.

I wish we had a LFS like that down here in Tucson.

My LFS has a 90 gallon display!

...yeah...

I was wondering what they made that tank out of. ANyone know how they sealed it?

Wow those are some great photos! Thx for sharing.

Any shark police around ;) ?

I have to admit I don't know much about shark but if we can't keep a yellow tang in less than a 3' 75G tank, I wonder how we can justify keeping a shark that big in a swiming area only twice his lenght. It seems like the same ratio as having a tang in a 10G tank.

The tidepool - lagoon effect is very nice though, I like it a lot.