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Bill Smith

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Everything posted by Bill Smith

  1. Bill Smith
    And regarding cutting, I don't have a table saw, but I've used hand saws, a bandsaw, and a circular saw for mine. All cut through very nicely!
  2. Bill Smith
    Clear packing tape makes a perfect hinge for these lids. It sticks REALLY well, and it's nearly invisible. No need for fancy hinges!
  3. Bill Smith
    I found it doesn't seem to block much light at all, but I don't have a PAR meter. 🙂
  4. Bill Smith
    I strain 'em and freeze 'em .
  5. Bill Smith
    I use these for most of my 12 tanks!
  6. Bill Smith
    I never feed my BBS live. I always freeze them immediately using the below silicone ice cube tray, and do 2 more batches over the next couple days. It makes tiny cubes! My fish all love them just the same. Then, I'm set for several weeks of feeding! Back in the day when I was keeping them alive, I mixed fresh saltwater, rinsed and water-changed them, and kept them in a shallow tupperware (covered, with a hole in the lid) in the fridge. They stayed alive for about a week.
  7. Bill Smith
    Ah, thanks. I have a couple canopies that I made, that I'm not happy with the workmanship. I will have to try yours, but without the dado work (I have no table saw). I think I can do the side supports differently. Really nice work, thanks for the inspiration!
  8. Bill Smith
    Did you have to cut holes or notches out of the back for cables and things that hang off the back?
  9. Bill Smith
    For my shell dwellers, I have had good luck with fish that prefer to occupy the upper strata: - Hatchetfish - Killies I have also had very good luck with rummy-nose tetras, because they move so much and are tight schoolers, the shell dwellers don't seem to get into conflicts with them much. Rummies look really good in this type of tank, too. Guests loved their activity. I recall @Cory mentioning in livestreams a few times that Cyprichromis worked as a top-dweller for shell-dwellers in his experience. Bill
  10. Bill Smith
    If you're referring to the fittings that go on the canisters, yes, they've worked quite well for me so far.
  11. Bill Smith
    Oh, right. If there's water in the bucket you may create an air pocket. Which could bubble back up when it tries to start up again.
  12. Bill Smith
    Very nicely laid out! Question: What's the purpose of a check valve in the bucket? You're not expecting a vertical backflow there, are you?
  13. Bill Smith
    I like it. I've done full-gown Congo tetras with blue rams fairly successfully. They stay in their respective strata very nicely. I just keep the temperature a little higher than the tetras prefer (82-83), in order to keep the rams happy. The tetras can handle it. I also found that when fed on an auto-feeder, the Congo tetras grow into adult size very, very quickly, so I suggest saving some money and buying them small! In a 75, starting small, I'd probably go with about a dozen. For the lower-strata cichlids to get enough food, you will possibly want to feed pretty heavily, so extra filtration is a good idea. Keep us posted!
  14. Bill Smith
    In my opinion, you can house a small number (maybe 3-4) in a 5 gallon tank, but they will outgrow it quickly once they start breeding. I use a 20-Long and a 10-gallon for mine, plus a 5-gallon bare-bottom grow-out tank just for fry, but once they've settled in to shells, they don't really go places. IMO, shell-dwellers are not a 1-tank proposition. 🙂
  15. Bill Smith
    As an add-on to this question, is there a good predatory fish to add to a multi tank that will help keep population under control? The parents are such fierce defenders that I'm not sure. Thanks!
  16. Bill Smith
    Hey all, We know that in livebearer tanks, overpopulation is more or less prevented by virtue of the fact that the adults eat the fry, and keep their numbers under control if they become too numerous for the fry to hide effectively. It's a nice feature: population control with nutrition built-in! I have a couple Neolamprologus multifasciatus tanks where the numbers are really growing. Does anyone know if they tend to slow down their breeding cycles if the numbers grow too high? What's your story? Thanks! Bill
  17. Bill Smith
    Yes, the unhatched eggs should be removed as much as possible; I've read they're bad for the fish, but don't know for sure. I sometimes shine a flashlight over a temporary holding container to get them to rise, then pour most of it out into another container, leaving most of the unhatched eggs at the bottom. That seems to work pretty well for me. Also, I get a MUCH better hatch rate with a heater and a light.
  18. Bill Smith
    This is a common problem for me. But lemme get this straight. Is there any chance you're saying the Keurig filter stops the unhatched eggs but lets the live brine through? 😄
  19. Bill Smith
    There are some at the link I provided above that are wired for your wall and ready to go.
  20. Bill Smith
    30 years in the hobby, accidentally swallowed my share of tank water. I've never worried about it. 🙂
  21. Bill Smith
    Mine absolutely do, yes. My first batch of 7 multies in a 20-Long spawned multiple times with a school of 10 rummy nose tetras in the tank. A later batch in a 12-gallon Fluval Edge had no trouble spawning with a Siamese algae eater, 2 bristlenose plecos, and some clown killies in the top layer. I do recommend going with tankmates that occupy the upper stratum of your tank, or your multi "parents" may find themselves constantly chasing them away. Good luck!
  22. Bill Smith
    No, sorry, never tried them. But they seem plentiful online. Here's some with power cords already attached: http://autotopoff.com/Solenoids/index.html
  23. Bill Smith
    Awesome, sounds like fun. Please keep us posted! Since you've already done the plumbing, it sounds like you will always have the option of upgrading per tank or per bank if it comes to that. So it's a pretty low-risk thing to try. It might also be interesting in your case to try "stacking" cartridges, like using 1-2 cheap carbon cartridges before the carbon block, to extend the life of the latter. Good luck!
  24. Bill Smith
    Replacement rate it is going to vary wildly by use and the quality of the incoming water. I wouldn't trust any spec sheet that indicates numbers of gallons, for the reasons: 1.They can't know the quality of the incoming water. 2. They can't know how many stages you're using, of which kinds of cartridges before that one. 3. They're going to be extra conservative, regardless. In my case, I change over 100g per week, and I have not changed the cartridges once in over a year. I test the water every 2-3 weeks with a chlorine test kit and a TDS meter. This month I'll be switching out my cartridges for the first time. As I understand it, carbon filters don't technically "remove" chloramine. They break the bond between chlorine and ammonia, leaving both free to be removed by your carbon and bio filter, respectively. And for the anecdotal side of things, I use this water to change 12 tanks and 7 ponds weekly. I can't recall ever losing a fish the same day as a water change. I am hatching multi fry weekly. I think it's worth your time! Bill
  25. Bill Smith
    Don't the lids for the Home Depot 5-gallon buckets latch tightly and have rubber gaskets? They're designed for sealing paint...
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