Belated "Hello" from northern Middle Tennessee

[Tazalanche]

Hello all. My apologies for not posting when I finally joined a couple months ago, after lurking for ages. I've been on other aquarium related forums for nearly a decade, but was getting tired of the "same 'ol, same 'ol", plus so many of them now have very little traffic. Then I found this one, where things are still pretty active & I appreciate the business philosophy of Cory & how he wants to help the hobby, so here I am.

As stated in the title, I'm in northern Middle Tennessee. I've been in the hobby off & on since 1994, but fully active since 2012. I suffer from multi-tank syndrome & can't seem to deal with less than 2 aquariums at any given time. From about 2013-2018, we bred various fish, ranging from discus, angelfish, sterbai corydoras, ancistrus (marbled, with albino & longfin traits), endlers, guppies, assassin snails, & neocaridinia shrimp for various LFS in our region. Since my wife & I both have full time careers, it became too much effort when it basically only paid for itself. Because of that, we started shutting everything down to just what we wanted to enjoy that were easy to maintain & care for. When we made that decision, I think we had 305 gallons worth of aquariums that were being used for breeding.

Since our move in September 2021, I've managed to keep it down to the two aquariums listed below, but have another dozen in storage... just in case. 😇

I am currently running a 55 gallon "low tech" planted "nano" aquarium that contains neocaridinia shrimp, nerite snails, pygmy corydoras, celestial pearl danios, emerald dwarf rasboras & chili rasboras.

I'm also running a 135 gallon "high tech" planted aquarium that contains assassin snails, cardinal tetras, congo tetras, sterbai corydoras, kubotai loaches, various types of ancistrus (longfin, albino &/or blue-eyed lemons), some rams (2 German Blue Rams & 2 Electric Blue Rams) & our old striped Raphael catfish pair. I say "old" because the female is 18-20 years old & the male is 11-13 years old. We inherited them from 2 different former fishkeepers that were shutting everything down. We got the female about 9 years ago & the male about 7 years ago.

This is my current setup, from late April. It's mostly the same, but without the hornwort. The shedding was just too annoying & reminded me why I stopped using it many years ago. I still need to finish cleaning up the appearance of the wiring & get more automation going on them. Maybe even running some waterchange plumbing to the bathroom that is on the other side of the wall behind the 135. Right now it's a 75 foot hose attached to a python style setup. 

Edited June 19, 2022 by Tazalanche

[Fish Folk]

Lovely! You’re new-old-pros. Doing things all right from the get-go.

You ever try snorkeling in the mountain rivers out there in TN? So much beauty. I just watched “Hidden Rivers of Southern Appalachia” put out by Freshwater Illustrated. Made me want to move to TN straightway.

I’m working with Rainbow Shiners and Saffron Shiners from down your way. Just spectacular US Natives.

Edited June 18, 2022 by Fish Folk

[Patrick_G]

Welcome! 

[Torrey]

Welcome!!!

Everyone complains bout the hornwort shedding, it's temperamental until its calcium needs are satisfied, then it's fry paradise, lol. Milfoil is a less temperamental alternative with roots, if you like the look.

Nice looking tanks!

As I read this, I looked over at my tank with my assassins and found they are feeling frisky, I'm sure all the bachelors are jealous, lol (this is my bachelor pad grow out tank)

[Tazalanche]

On 6/18/2022 at 6:34 PM, Fish Folk said:

You ever try snorkeling in the mountain rivers out there in TN? So much beauty. I just watched “Hidden Rivers of Southern Appalachia” put out by Freshwater Illustrated. Made me want to move to TN straightway.

I have not ever snorkeled in the rivers, but have spent over 4 decades exploring in the rivers and creeks. The thrill of turning over a rock, the right way. Will you find a crawdad, salamander, spider, or snake? I've taken that love of the hunt for different species and passed it down to my daughters.

My oldest has been teaching her sons what I taught her & they now beg to get to go to the creek down the road.

This Fall, my youngest will be a senior in college, working toward her degree in biology, specializing in ecology toward reptiles & amphibians. She can't wait to check out the hellbenders in eastern Tennessee.

As to local native species, I've considered setting up a local biotope since the late 1990's, but never got around to it. Since I live in a rural area, I just go to the nearby creeks to "get my fix". LOL

Edited June 19, 2022 by Tazalanche

[Tazalanche]

On 6/18/2022 at 8:01 PM, Torrey said:

Welcome!!!

Everyone complains bout the hornwort shedding, it's temperamental until its calcium needs are satisfied, then it's fry paradise, lol. Milfoil is a less temperamental alternative with roots, if you like the look.

Nice looking tanks!

As I read this, I looked over at my tank with my assassins and found they are feeling frisky, I'm sure all the bachelors are jealous, lol (this is my bachelor pad grow out tank)

Thank you. We had to run meds in the 135 about a month ago & the remaining plants are just starting to recover. It's about 20% of what it was on the scape in that photo.

I couldn't remember why I had been avoiding hornwort (traumatic brain injury in 2002 messed up my memory retention), so I had bought it for the shrimp babies to have additional hiding spaces, if needed. I think I'll just leave the 55 with amazon swords of varying types, anubias nana, java ferns, crypt parva, crinum, & java moss. I'm at the point in my life where long term easy is more important. 

Edited June 19, 2022 by Tazalanche

[Tazalanche]

Here are some of the ways I've set up the 135 gallon aquarium over the last decade or so.

[Torrey]

I'm ORD (out of reactions for the day), I love that piece of wood!

Fellow TBI survivor that wasn't helped any by a covid stroke last year.

I can't imagine having to run meds through a tank that size, I used to keep a UV filter for the big tanks. I don't have any more big tanks, and don't have the UV filter.

And... looking at how gorgeous this tank is, I miss my big tanks lol

Keep doing whatever brings you joy, that's the point, right?

[Tazalanche]

Thank you & absolutely @Torrey !

That's actually 2 pieces of driftwood. I just loved the look with them in that position. I had a 36 watt UV filter on it back then, but it was always having issues with the seals leaking. I would just get more & more frustrated at having to replace seals multiple times per year, so I tossed it when the bulb died.

[Jawjagrrl]

Welcome! I started in the 90s also and was active in forums back then, but didn't really get back into fishkeeping again until last year. Starting up tanks 6, 7 and 8 this summer, and my first angels arrived this morning - your 135 pics get me excited to think of what's to come as they grow up.

I'm in Northern GA, similar environment to you and have also considered natives, especially since we have 2 creeks on the property 🙂 Lots of nano fish with the newest being some rocket killies that are a real pleasure to watch. But our current favorites are the school of congo tetras that will be the outlier in otherwise larger SA setups (my side by side journal). The old 55 is proving more resilient as a planted community tank than it's 90s life as an african cichlid setup.

My current favorite fry hiding spot plants are my water sprite (loves to break off and float) and the P. Stellatus 'Octopus' that threatens to take over everything! I am QTing a lot of the same plants you are using for one of the 75s that will hopefully be a lot less maintenance - I can feel that maintenance "wall" fast approaching.

Look forward to seeing more from you, neighbor! My husband lived for years in Cookville and we have extended family closer to Nashville. It's a great state to call home.

[John Henry]

Glad to have you onboard.  We Middle Tennessee residents need to support one another!