anewbie
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Posts posted by anewbie
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On 5/12/2024 at 5:56 PM, FLFishChik said:
Well, no, it isn’t. It’s a very good tool and starting point for beginners to help with knowing how much you can fit in a tank, how much filtration you have and if certain species are compatible with others. It does err on the conservative side, which for brand new aquarists is a good thing until they gain more experience.
Well then.... i guess we will have to disagree on numerous points regarding the tool.
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aqadvisor is stupid; the tank is fully stocked esp when the bn get larger. Theonly thing i would consider is another 1 or 2 peppy cory but that is just a number. I'm also concern about the conflict in temp between the pleco and white cloud. For the pleco and cory you will probaby want around 76 but the white cloud are going to prefer a temp closer to 70.
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On 5/12/2024 at 10:28 AM, DBrown918 said:
How often do you have to change water to maintain a TDS of 30? Also, with kH at zero what does your pH settle at and how do you keep it stable with no buffering?
The actual tds was closer to 45; my group is in a large aquarium (16inch x 48 inch x 65 gallon); but i do weekly water changes of 30% to 45% as a matter of routine.
They are over priced right now because most of the ones in the trade came from the same wild group but given how easily they breed i would expect prices to come down in a year or two.
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They seem more hardy than some of the other fishes i have. Mine were suppose to be juvi so i have them @ 81 per recommendation of the seller but given @Desktop Aquatics comment I'll probably lower the tank temp a few degrees. I'm unsure of the status of the frys - they were eggs on monday on an exposed leaf i could see but i think the mother moved them to a cave where they are no longer visible. The moving part is very normal for dwarf cichild but without visible confirmation i can't comment on their state. I would expect them to be wrigglers at this point so in a week or two i'll see if she brings them out or goofed (which is not unusual for young adults). I'm not horrible excited as i have too many other fishes breeding at the moment and they were suppose to be juvi a while longer before considering a family.
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What I can say from my experience is they breed incredibly easy. My set started breeding a month after i purchased them (I have 7 in a 65); my condition is kh 0 gh near 0; tds is probably below 30 but ii should measure it; temp is 81. My understanding from others who keep them is they will do fine in harder water but breeding might be an issue. They colour up when brooding but i'm not sure about colouring otherwise as my group is very young. I don't have an exact age as that data was not available but my guess is less than a year. While the parents defend the brooding location otherwise violence is rather mild.
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Messy is relative; this is my frogbit:
This is my hornworth:
This is my perl weed:
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Very nice aquarium.
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This little lady spawned. In theory she is only 1/2 size of full grown adult:
Sadly she is very nervous first time spawner so she wont' sit still for a nice sharp picture.
This is a typical mistake only a newbie like myself can make; putting floaters in a 20 long:
Once it discovers there is a bottom it is all over.... poor fishes.
See if you can find mr and mrs a. lineata in here:
This fellow wanted to know what i was doing:
And yes the a. cripus has grown more since my last picture and now touches the top (this is a 24 inch aquarium top to bottom). The purple shade has also gotten more pleasing.
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On 5/3/2024 at 7:22 AM, gardenman said:
If money is no object, you can bypass the sock issue entirely by using a roller filter for a sump. They're a neat filtering option that uses a roll of material for the water to pass through and then when the water level starts to rise in the roller filter housing as the material clogs, (or it can be activated by a timer) a motor gets triggered to advance the filter material so a clean section rolls into place and old dirty section gets removed from the water column. The issues are they're expensive to buy and the replacement roller filter material can be pricey.
I made my own many years ago (2016, photo below) that I'd advance manually each day and I simply used some cut-down quilt batting as my filter material. This was for an above-tank drip filter system with a water pump in the tank moving water up to the roller filter, but the same thing can apply to a sump. I'd feed the fish and advance the filter material. You can see the dirty batting on the left and the clean roll on the right. I built in an overflow so if the material clogged the water would bypass the roller sections and go straight into the drip tower, but it never failed.
I just used a cheap Sterilite container, a couple of capped pieces of PVC pipe for the roller, acrylic rods to hold the rollers, and some plastic cross-stitch material for the bottom. I had plans to automate it later on using either a float or water sensor to monitor the water level in the box, but I never did. Water came in from the side between the two rollers, then drained through the material, trapping the debris. Each day I'd just move fresh material into place. The drain was covered by a piece of plastic cross-stitch material and it worked well. It was a lot cheaper than the commercially available units. My cost was maybe $25 to make it. A very cheap, effective way to filter debris and take it out of the water column completely.
The problem is how to retrofit it to the existing tub - the tub is quite large but funneling the inflow into the roller might be more work. If you are going to replace the tub then i would just do what i did and put sponges in a glass container. In my case it is already setup and it is a lot of work and cost to do it so i'm reluctant to do it for the other tanks though also the water isn't quite as clear and i'm not 100% sure what is happening there - my last sponge in the chain is 30 ppi and i suppose i could get a 40ppi one - last but least these large sponges are not cheap i think they cost close to $400 for the set for the 600 gallon aquarium. Each sponge is 3 inches thick so don't underestimate the total volume if filtering. Actually I'm not sure if there is a loss in clarity - i'm looking through 10 feet of water when i make my comment.
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Anything as small as a pygmy cory or kubotai rasbora is going to be able to get into the sump. The survival rate in the sock is low for various reasons from finding the fish in there (you don't check them every day) to the force required to get them out. What i'm thinking now is putting a sponge over the top which is how they get in - the side grill is small enough - but how to fasten the sponge to the top is a problem and the thickness has to be limited do the gap between the top of the grill and the lid. I rather not use rubber bands but i might try one just to see if it works. What i'm finding is plant matter easily blocks the side grill esp over time and the water begins to flow over the top where the fishes can easily get in or if they jump just a tiny bit over time they get trap. I've had pygmy cory get in; some of my pencil fishes; some rasbora... and a couple of otto though they were on the smaller size.
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On 5/2/2024 at 3:31 PM, OnlyGenusCaps said:
Absolutely true! The cups are not expensive and are designed to fit into the holes for the socks. The Poret can be cut down to size and you can select the porosity you want. I'm almost certainly going to go this route as I change over to my new tank/sump. At the very least, it'll be a cheap thing to try, which might work better.
Not sure - i looked at some and they are not very large relative to the sock used by custom aquarium. For a small sump they are probably fine but for larger system i'm not sure they have space for enough surface area for effective mechanical cleaning. In my case the sump itself is 80 gallon and the flow rate is around 3300 gph (600 gallon aquarium). If you look at the picture above of my sump the surface area of the sponges i'm using must be 30x-60x what i could get in one of those small cups.
True I would have 4 cups but still it doesn't look that promising to myself. The socks themselves are more than 4x larger than a cup. True the cup would have solid media vs an open container so not a good comparison but the cups are tiny.
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On 4/9/2024 at 7:46 PM, FLFishChik said:
The Aponogeton Ulvaceus was very sad when it arrived. All the leaves melted but there’s a new leaf growing in, so there’s hope!
You have to understand that this is a lovely plant that will frequently hibernate; i've found that i didn't have to remove the bulb during hibernation but it can hibernate for over a year and at random times will respawn as long as the bulb doesn't rot. You can remove it and it might do better long term if you do so but there are strict guidance if you remove it. Also if you look on the internet for rules remember that different species of Apongeton have different requirements based on the native region of the plant. I know that cripus does not have a hibernation period but i'm not sure if there are other similar species.
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I think i might have a solution for the small fish issue but it will take me a while to test it - that is to replace the plastic thing they provide with an elbow and large sponge (think prefilter); it won't look pretty but it will also solve the issue of plant matter blocking the small slits which is also an issue if you have a large amount of floaters like this:
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On 4/29/2024 at 11:21 AM, Markp2483 said:
Maybe the Medo LA-28B. I have the LA-45 but use it for airlift pumps on a pond
Interesting pump - reading the specs - the watt usage is a bit high at 29 for 28 LPM but has the advantage of being linear piston.
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On 4/29/2024 at 11:09 AM, Markp2483 said:
I think Alita makes some in that flow range
Lots do - and if i go with alita it would be the ALITA AL-25M which is rated at 25LPM @ 23 watt but i'm looking for options from someone who has used larger pumps in case there is something more interesting out there. Most linear piston models start around 34LPM which is a bit high.
There is also some interesting models like dapphx25 which is 26LMP @ 17 watt so more efficient.
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On 4/27/2024 at 3:23 PM, madmark285 said:
Another forum member, @OnlyGenusCaps, is thinking about using poret foam in the filter sock holders. Bulk reef supplies sells plastic cups which fit in the sock rings. He has a saltwater tank and needs to change the sock every few days. His logic, rinsing out sponges is easier than washing the socks all the time.
I'll have to take a look at these holders one day - they are only going to work if they force all the water through the cup and then you would need tight fitting sponges - else the water will try to flow around the sponges. My problem with the sock is on the one aquarium it had micro algae forming that clogged the socks weekly and once clogged the water doesn't pass through them - also there was some height issues that made accessing them a pia - there is a lot more room now between the top of the stand and the sump. A final issue is i'm deealing with 6 aquariums between 180 and 600 gallons so the work load was quite high - the other 5 tanks only need cleaning of a single sock one to eight weeks so it is more manageable. I would do all the tanks with the sponges if i was starting over (of course once i have to clean the sponges i might think differently) but since i already paid for the tubs i might as well as use them where manageable.
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There is another benefit to this design if small fishes get trapped into the sump - with the sock they almost certainly die - though the tank i did the sump replacement has no small fishes but something to consider if starting from scratch.
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@xXInkedPhoenixX If you think of a clever way of keeping small fishes out of the socks let me know as that is still an issue i face.
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I've found that my current air pump is not quite strong enough (it is a al-6A); which is rated at 10 LPM @ 1.5 psi
I'm looking for something in the 18-30 range - i'd like it to be efficient (watt usage); long term reliable and quiet. I'm seeing pumps rated between 20 and 40 watts in this range. Most (all) of the linear pump are on the high range of what i need though my understanding is they are quiet and durable - anyway any suggestion on specific models would be helpful.
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On 4/27/2024 at 2:24 PM, madmark285 said:
I just toss the socks into the washing machine with a little bleach and a second rinse. I have multiple sets, I wash all of them every few weeks. Washing the socks by hand would be a pia.
I found the washing machine did diddly to clean my sock (and yes i turned them inside out before washing). My machine is an LG front load (not sure if front load makes a difference vs top load); so i gave up on the washing machine and clean them via strong water flow through a sprout (think chest level tub sprout with full flow). I suppose if washing machine would actually clean them it would be alittle easier though turning them inside out is still a pia.
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I can see the sponges as the doors aren't on the stand yet and for the past month the sponges are definitely not being clogged. As you saw from the picture i have a 5 so if it begins to flow over one there is time to clean it before it clogs the next.
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Your point about waste break down and nitrate is an interesting one i had not known nor considered. To be honest that is one thing i hate about the CA setup as the filtration is top heavy and one aspect i had debate for a long time was drilling the tanks from the bottom. In the end i skip the bottom drill because i thought it was one less thing to go horribly wrong (gasket failing at the bottom - if it is at the top yea 50 to 100 gallon will drip out but that is a lot better than 600 gallons.
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On 4/27/2024 at 8:21 AM, madmark285 said:
Cool sump!! I hate sponges but with your system, you don't have to clean them often.
This is my latest sump. It is somewhat complicated because I like building things. The sump currently under construction will be much simpler.
The white panel with the 2 blue dashes is where the water exits into the return pump chamber. I added a couple more inches to it after testing the sump. Similar to HOB filters, this panel is sloped so the water slides down it ie: this eliminated the waterfall which can be very noisy.
For the fluidized bed chamber, the water inlets are the 1" PVC pipes (both have air stones on top), the outlet is the box structure. The white panel labeled "top" was added just in case the box didn't work. It was not needed. Both work fine.
Can you show a picture of the running sump i can't visualize how the k1 works in it. Also I'm a bit confused - you hate sponges but yet you use socks. My problem with socks is they required frequently cleaning and were very painful to clean. While the sponges will be painful to clean instead of once a week it will probably be once a year. (What makes the sponges pain to clean is their raw size; for smaller sponges they are a lot easier to clean than socks).
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You will also want a DC pump and not the pump CA normally sells with thier aquarium. They are a million times quieter. The JEBO DCP are not only much much quiter they are also very inexpensive:
https://www.amazon.com/Jebao-Sine-Water-Return-DCP-2500/dp/B078WHWG2Y/
The flow rate is fully control - the amount it shows when setting is % of max. I'd recommend one size larger than you think you need. On one of my aquarium i'm using 5000 but most of the aquariums have 3500. I tested various pumps (none of the super expensive ones) in a pail in the bath-tub to see the difference in noise. Other than one aquarium that came with CA's kit i purchased my own pumps.
The pump is EASY to change after the fact so you can wait and swap it later if noise is an issue.
I just noticed your tank is drilled at the end instead of the middle. I wonder how well it will work and am interested in seeing pictures of the water flow after you set it up. I sort of wished i had done one my aquariums that way - to be honest I didn't think about where to put the overflow and just did what the sales person recommended.
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Couple of new photo:
a. ortegai:
Naughty PSO:
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On 4/26/2024 at 4:45 AM, Lennie said:
That's one of my bedroom tanks. So my observation is very limited. That is also a community tank so I don't even know if they ever tried breeding. All alone there are 3 SAEs and 4 juvenile super red bristlenoses as well as so maany MTS and one L199.
Even if they ever laid, at best, at night time, all the eggs would be easily eaten during night time with such nocturnal activity. So I don't know if they ever bred really
I doubt they are a pair - and i doubt one is a female as frequently two females will lay eggs and pretend they are pair - none of the fishes you listed are likely to go after the eggs - the sae are the only fish large enough to compete with the angels but they aren't forceful. I don't know about your SAE but mine got quite large maybe 5+ inches and good size diameter. Of course tank size and diet play a role here.
Anyway it is not the behavior i would expect if two males but i guess it could happen. You can try to reintroduce it after a few weeks - males tend to be more forgiving but i have my doubts. Alternatively you could see if the petshop will allow you to trade it for another angelfish. If you get a small one the big one will chase a bit for a few days but usually after that leave it alone.
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On 4/26/2024 at 10:23 AM, madmark285 said:
A few years back Amazon had a 1" version of this value, ProLine Stop Valve PVC, for around $15. I can't find it anymore. The Seamless sumps are not cheap, not sure why they don't offer a gate value.
Margins. The tanks are actually well priced compared to competition; the sumps are a bit pricey - i forget what the containers are made of - i don't think it is polyp but seems similar (polyp is very expensive). The problem is they are a 'custom' part with relatively low volume. To be honest i much prefer doing the sump without them now that i replaced one - this is the picture (i think it is already in this thread):
(original)
replacement (there are pro and con of both approaches - one con is the below one are glass and can break - though you could do it in acrylic - i'm not going to list all the pro/con but if i were starting over i would do all of them like the one below but find someone to make them out of acrylic instead of glass.
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Anyway the valves are a pia to adjust but once adjusted they are not too bad. I did not realize how bad they were or look into alternative until after i had the system setup and mine are glued in - though i could insert a 2nd valve directly into the tubing if i cared enough to do it (the valve has a slip glued into and that is glued into the overflow box and if you don't glue them they will leak).
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On 4/26/2024 at 4:05 AM, madmark285 said:
I tried a 1" PVC ball value, a complete disaster. For the final fine tuning, I am just nudging the gate value. I can no longer find cheap gate values (1" or large) on Amazon, the Spears 1 1/5" cost ~$100 at BulkReef.
Yea i just looked up prices from your comments. Of course for @xXInkedPhoenixX s/he will only need 1 - my aquariums are already setup so it would be a fair amount of work and expense to replace the valves - to be honest there are only 2 of my aquariums that could really benefit from finer adjustment.
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On 4/25/2024 at 9:33 PM, Lennie said:
I checked my gallery and saw that I got them on March 31 last year and they were around the size of a coin. So they are probably around 14-15 months old right now
the main tank I keep them in is a 100x40x40cmh
Not sure they are full adults and have been full adults for a while - if they had paired and then breeding was unsuccessful for a period of time it is not non-normal for the female to 'break' up with the male and seek a new male but from what you've said they have never attempted to breed.
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On 4/25/2024 at 7:21 PM, madmark285 said:
On making it quite, the Herbie drain system with a gate value is the way to go. Of course there the Bean Animal drain system which is better but at minimum, I hope your sump has a Herbie system with a gate value.
It is a herbie design but i think the valve is a ball valve which really does suck for fine tune adjustments. Of course @xXInkedPhoenixXcan run to the store and try to find a 1.5 inch gate valve before they put things together.
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Enough fish or can I have more?
in General Discussion
Posted · Edited by anewbie
I hate the word depth 😉 Deep depth; width depth....
I'm not the @op but having a large number of aquariums from 10 gallon to 600 gallon I will just note that the 29 (at least before the pandemic) was the cheapest 'large' aquarium and certainly after the 40B you start talking serious money. Not just the aquarium but a quality stand; risk of water damage et all.
Having said that i always prefer wide tanks to tall tanks or long narrow tanks. 55 is among the worse dimension for an aquarium despite how popular it is - 75 is pretty decent. There are some less common aquariums in the 60-65 range.
The op has quite a few problems with his aquarium he will have to think about but those are out of scope with regards to his question but I will note with regards to stocking a lightly populated aquarium usually results in healthier fishes all else being equal by a wide margin. Water changes are good and highly recommended but they don't replace sparse stocking. My nice 29 has 7 fishes - a pair of a. winkelfleck and a few left over pangio of various species. We can consider the pangio virutally no bioload even the large myersi but i still do a 50% water change once a week. Gotta scrub those fishes clean else they get dirty.