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ChemBob

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Everything posted by ChemBob

  1. ChemBob
    In addition to your fish shed, I'd love to see pics of your monitor room build!
  2. ChemBob
    If I had the sieve for 75s when I got my 40s, I'd have been all over it. I wouldn't be sordid any the size. If anything, it should stabilize the water conditions as you build out.
  3. ChemBob
    I'm in Louisiana. I did nothing other than make sure my lilies are at the bottom of the pond. It looks like everything overwintered fine. Sorry I'm not more helpful for you!
  4. ChemBob
    I was just thinking the same thing myself. The filters fit together perfectly. And a powerhead may be the way to go. I run a sponge in all my tanks as a easy way to add a bit of filtration and an air stone. My canister intake and output are circled on the left. Sponge filter on the right. Both are relatively non obtrusive in this tank.
  5. ChemBob
    Time for a long overdue update! The Mbuna Tank is doing great. They have not destroyed the vallisineria and appear to be allowing the floating Pogostemon Stellatus Octopus and water wisteria toilet. They do pick at the duckweed quite a bit, so that probably keeps them full and from harassing the other plants. It is extremely entertaining to watch them interact with each other and move around the sand im the tank. One of them likes to dig around the rocks in the front right. The planted tank is doing much better. I pulled the wood and rocks and scrubbed the BBA off. Combined with lower light for a couple of months has really gotten things under control. I now have the stems well established and have increased light intensity and CO2. I've also adjusted the fertilizer regime. Every other day with Easy Green and the opposite days with Brightwell Aquatics Florin Multi, which is a micro only fertilizer. The plants are really liking this. I have to trim back the stems weekly if I want them under control, and the crypts look great. Except the pink flamingo. It can't decide if it likes me. Finally, I got Melanotaenia sp Kali Tawa from Dan's Fish! I pu them in the display tank yesterday. I can't wait for them to color up. This is my first foray into Rainbowfish, and excited to see how it goes. Until best time, cheers!
  6. ChemBob
    @Jawjagrrl one thing you could consider to start would be sponge filters. Not the prettiest, but get the job done to see how you like them. You can add sumps or canisters later (though drilling gets harder, but not impossible). Certainly the simplest option, especially if you are going planted in both. The other thing working well for me is the overhead sump. Easy to access and relatively cheap to build. It did take me a bit to find a container I liked for it.
  7. ChemBob
    I am definitely checking out your 40x40 journal tomorrow! I'm going to have to update that one soon. I haven't done that in a while, but got some new plants i should post.
  8. ChemBob
    I like canisters. Lots of people hate them. Haven't used sump, but they seem really easy assuming you have good access. Based on research I've done, it seems like lids for sumps are highly recommended. I would also end up with a drilled tank for a sump, whereas with a canister, I don't need to worry about losing the overflow siphon. On substrate, I use the @Bentley Pascoe lasagna method with Brightwell Rio Cafe and red Eco Complete. I am a fan. I really like the buts of Eco Complete coming up now as well. It provides a nice texture and look in my opinion. I wouldn't mess with sand personally, id just expect it to get mixed in with the way my tanks go. Totally a personal preference though. Can't wait to see this develop! Good luck!
  9. ChemBob
    Bentley Pascoe recommends either mixing them, or layering them in lasagna method, with a layer of half the stratum on the bottom, the eco complete on the middle, the the other half of the stratum on top. I am using the lasagna method and am liking it. Some is getting mixed up as I move things around, but not too much.
  10. ChemBob
    Algae scrubbers.
  11. ChemBob
    Good choice. I know I'm a bit late, but I'll echo what @Guppysnail said, definitely choose the reptile or amphibian first. A crested gecko was my entry back into reptiles after 15ish years. I went bioactive, and love the terrarium. It has been up for about 5 years now. I put an umbrella tree in, and it is to the point I need to do some major trimming. I also need to refresh the soil a bit, it's just broken down over the years. Definitely do research, and decide what you are willing to feed. I haven't had gargoyles, but I understand they tend to want insects a bit, whereas crested geckos can get by on the gecko diet alone, though will take insects. Also, is your family going to allow insects? I keep a culture of dubia roaches now for my viper geckos, but keep it tucked away so my wife doesn't have to deal with it. Just another consideration. Good luck, and let us know if you have any questions!
  12. ChemBob
    I'll second the Fluvals. I have 2 7 series and they are running great.
  13. ChemBob
    What variety of angels are those? They are gorgeous!
  14. ChemBob
    Decided to go Pro with my Fluval 3.0 on the Planted Tank. Been off this week with our newborn, so watched several videos on optimizing a planted tank. The result is a change in lighting based on @Bentley Pascoe's Day Sim settings and a shake up in fertilization. I am dosing a nitrate and phosphate free all in one fertilizer daily, as the tank is relatively heavily stocked and has plenty of these macros. I also ordered a few new plants, but more on those when they arrive. Here are the light settings in now using. If I could make an improvement to the Fluval app, it would be too allow me to type the number in. Trying to dial in the exact numbers in the slider was quite the task... but I got it.
  15. ChemBob
    This reminds me of the awesome night scenes from Avatar with all the glowing plants. Such a great tank! Thank you so much for sharing.
  16. ChemBob
    I personally think this would be awesome. And I would have the same issue with spousal approval. 😆
  17. ChemBob
    Been a while since I've updated, so here goes. The Mbuna Tank The Mbuna Tank is doing well. It was stocked with a group of Chindongo saulosi about 3 weeks ago. As these are the only fish in the tank, they are being quarantined in place. Everyone seems to be getting along well. I have some Pogostemon Stellatus Octopus floating, mostly to see how the mbuna would do with it. I have seen them picking at it to eat, and have definitely seen them eating some duckweed. We'll see how it goes to up, at least until I get tired of it. The overhead sump on the Mbuna Tank is doing ok. The crypts have melted back with minimal growth. The creeping Jenny also appears to be doing just ok. I suspect the humidity is too low for both, more the crypt though. The pothos is doing well, establishing roots and starting to put out new leaves. The Planted Tank I've been fighting aglae in the Planted Tank, mostly hair algae. All the inhabitants are doing well, though. The pencilfish moved right back in without issue once the Mbuna arrived. As far as algae goes, I tried reducing feeding, then reducing ferts, and then slightly reduced lighting intensity. I did one at a time over several weeks. The reduced light really seems to be helping. I ordered phosphate and potassium test kits to see if one of them was off. Phosphates measured between 1 and 2 ppm. Potassium was reading non detect. I am now wondering if I'm under dosing micro nutrients. First, more research on what a good phosphate and nitrate number really are. I have also ordered some algae crew members to help. I know it's not the solution, and that search will continue, but I wanted these guys anyway. A clown pleco and a reticulated SAE are currently in quarantine. They came in with the saulosi cichlids, intending to QT separately. Not great pictures, but here's what I could get. Anyway, if you read that overly long post, thanks for checking in, and see you next time!
  18. ChemBob
    I'm assuming we need to allow access to the youtube account on login?
  19. ChemBob
    @Streetwise is that the tank from your other thread that has been at your parents?
  20. ChemBob
    I planted the overhead sump today. Broke up some lava rock and added creeping Jenny, pothos, and crypt wendtii. This picture is about 2 hours after planting, and the crypts leaves are already super dry. They were previously floating in the planted tank. Curious to see how they handle the transition to emersed. Here is an update of the mbuna tank. I'll be ordering the saulosi in a couple weeks when my QT tank opens up. It is currently holding kuhli loaches for my 20 gallon. Here is the planted tank. I am currently having a hair algae outbreak. I've vut back feeding to see if that helps. Trying to keep ferts stable, but had to leave town for a few days unexpectedly a week ago, so that didn't help. Slow and steady on this one.
  21. ChemBob
    This is to distribute the weight of the rocks so that there isn't a sharp point of the rock pressing on the glass, especially of it settles. The concern is if a corner of the rock presses on the glass, the full weight if that rock and the rocks on it will create a single point of high stress resulting in breaking the glass. I've seen this in aquarium and terrarium builds. It tends to be recommended for heavy rock scapes from what I've seen.
  22. ChemBob
    Changed one of the 1/2" returns to 3/4" and tightened all the bulkheads. Fired up the pump, and everything has been water tight for about 2 days. Will be adding more media and plants when I get time, hopefully this weekend.
  23. ChemBob
    @H20CultureLabs are those pink flamingo?
  24. ChemBob
    I'm assuming Karma is the turtle? What kind?
  25. ChemBob
    I agree with this. Don't even have ti be huge. A few cory sized river stones around the base of the plant will help until they root. After a few months, they can be removed if desired.
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