What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.

Any Aquarium guys? (1 Viewer)

We use to have a really nice tank--nothing big but we had a gar and 2 golden sharks that just were huge. We had to bury them when they died they were so big.

We haven't had an active tank in probably 7 years, but I have been itching to get back in and now I have an excuse. Our 4 year old daughter is hyper (nothing that requires meds or anything), but she just is busy. What we have noticed is that aquariums are a huge interest of her's. When we go to store, she has to see the fish. When we go to my sister's house, she will literally sit in front of her tank the entire time we are there and not move (we are talking hours).

We are going to buy a tank but I am torn between getting something in the 30 range or just bite it and go for the 55. Craigslist has them for way cheap, but I am leary of getting a tank that leaks. I was pricing them at Petsmart today and it was in the $300 range for just the tank, hood and stand for a 55, and then there is probably the $100 plus I am looking at for pumps, heaters, decorations and starter fish.

Any other good source of getting a tank (itself) on the cheap?

 
Courtjester said:
We use to have a really nice tank--nothing big but we had a gar and 2 golden sharks that just were huge. We had to bury them when they died they were so big.We haven't had an active tank in probably 7 years, but I have been itching to get back in and now I have an excuse. Our 4 year old daughter is hyper (nothing that requires meds or anything), but she just is busy. What we have noticed is that aquariums are a huge interest of her's. When we go to store, she has to see the fish. When we go to my sister's house, she will literally sit in front of her tank the entire time we are there and not move (we are talking hours).We are going to buy a tank but I am torn between getting something in the 30 range or just bite it and go for the 55. Craigslist has them for way cheap, but I am leary of getting a tank that leaks. I was pricing them at Petsmart today and it was in the $300 range for just the tank, hood and stand for a 55, and then there is probably the $100 plus I am looking at for pumps, heaters, decorations and starter fish.Any other good source of getting a tank (itself) on the cheap?
Click to expand...
I just sold my 55 on the GL. $200 for a Nature's view, tank top, light and the 4 inch higher stand than normal. I also gave them the heaters, filters, black sand gravel, the fish, etc. Even threw a can of food in the mix. I just don't have time for 3 tanks, a house, a website, a Toddler, etc. If you are worried about a tank that leaks, put the tank in your garage and fill it up. Leave it there for a week. If it has a leak along the top, no big deal. That is easily fixed with some silicone. A 30 is a nice tank. I don't recommend anything smaller than a 30 for a first timer and nothing bigger than a 75. 55 is right in the sweetspot.
 
Any advice on how to get rid of algae on the glass? I've got several patches of green spots that just won't come off. Scrubber can't get 'em, I've got a couple of otos in the tank (a 30) but they don't seem to do much. Put the whole tank under a black canvas tent for two weeks with zero light and it didn't even weaken the grip this stuff has on the sides. Anyone have a trick that works without killing the fish?

 
flourish excel does a nice job killing algae. I've found that spot treatments kill some types. i just soak a toothbrush in it and scrub.

Some people are using h2O2 as well with similar success.

If you dont have plants, a blackout might not be a bad idea.

 
Philo said:
Any advice on how to get rid of algae on the glass? I've got several patches of green spots that just won't come off. Scrubber can't get 'em, I've got a couple of otos in the tank (a 30) but they don't seem to do much. Put the whole tank under a black canvas tent for two weeks with zero light and it didn't even weaken the grip this stuff has on the sides. Anyone have a trick that works without killing the fish?
Click to expand...
I used expired Credit Cards to scrape algae when I need to. Usually though, algae growth belies a larger issue....
 
Philo said:
Any advice on how to get rid of algae on the glass? I've got several patches of green spots that just won't come off. Scrubber can't get 'em, I've got a couple of otos in the tank (a 30) but they don't seem to do much. Put the whole tank under a black canvas tent for two weeks with zero light and it didn't even weaken the grip this stuff has on the sides. Anyone have a trick that works without killing the fish?
Click to expand...
Razor bladeCheck your LFS for metal scrappers
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Here's an update on my Malawi Mbuna cichlid conversion project on my 55gal. Current stock list:

8 Yellow Tail Acei

6 Yellow Labs

5 Rusties

3 Saulosi

2 BN Pleco (1 albino)

All fish are Juviniles 2" or under. They were selected primarily on color, temperament and small adult size. Following overstocking recommendations from local cichlid & Aquarium club experts. I expect to thin out Acei population, and possibly eliminate a species all together depending on water quality and aggression as they mature. Haven't had any notable issues with health or aggression yet.

I have zero intent to participate in the breeding or fry grow out. I anticipate some of these fish to spawn on their own (I observed a Saulosi laying eggs alone and eating them 2 weeks ago), and expect few if any fry to survive. I almost hope they don't, as I don't want to be stuck trying to offload potential hybrids.

Pictures are from 1 month ago. Since then I've done minimal re-decorating, but did add an Emperor 400 HOB. I didn't need the extra filtration yet, but wanted some piece of mind if the other filter (Whisper 60) failed while my family was on vacation. With some DIY modifications to these filters, I anticipate being able to support the bio load of this "overstocked" tank.

The behavior of these fish is fascinating to watch with the fin flashing, tail shaking, chicken playing and sand moving. As of today, I'm very happy with the state of the aquarium.

Front View

Rusty Closeup

Side View

EDIT TO ADD: despite what the pictures may look like, the rock structure is stable and not touching the side glass. Base rocks are supported by buried rocks as well to combat the excavators.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
rsanford said:
Here's an update on my Malawi Mbuna cichlid conversion project on my 55gal. Current stock list:

8 Yellow Tail Acei

6 Yellow Labs

5 Rusties

3 Saulosi

2 BN Pleco (1 albino)

All fish are Juviniles 2" or under. They were selected primarily on color, temperament and small adult size. Following overstocking recommendations from local cichlid & Aquarium club experts. I expect to thin out Acei population, and possibly eliminate a species all together depending on water quality and aggression as they mature. Haven't had any notable issues with health or aggression yet.

I have zero intent to participate in the breeding or fry grow out. I anticipate some of these fish to spawn on their own (I observed a Saulosi laying eggs alone and eating them 2 weeks ago), and expect few if any fry to survive. I almost hope they don't, as I don't want to be stuck trying to offload potential hybrids.

Pictures are from 1 month ago. Since then I've done minimal re-decorating, but did add an Emperor 400 HOB. I didn't need the extra filtration yet, but wanted some piece of mind if the other filter (Whisper 60) failed while my family was on vacation. With some DIY modifications to these filters, I anticipate being able to support the bio load of this "overstocked" tank.

The behavior of these fish is fascinating to watch with the fin flashing, tail shaking, chicken playing and sand moving. As of today, I'm very happy with the state of the aquarium.

Front View

Rusty Closeup

Side View
Click to expand...
Great tank. Great color combo. Now all you need is some synonondotis cats. Get some multipunks or petricolor (false multipunks)
 
rsanford said:
I have zero intent to participate in the breeding or fry grow out. I anticipate some of these fish to spawn on their own (I observed a Saulosi laying eggs alone and eating them 2 weeks ago), and expect few if any fry to survive. I almost hope they don't, as I don't want to be stuck trying to offload potential hybrids.
Click to expand...
Less than 24 hours after I post this my Saulosi spawned, now I have a holding female. Good luck momma/fry. You're on your own.
 
A couple updates in the last 2 months.

1. I've had 4 spawns from the saulosi. Spawn #3 was held to term, but due to my lack of intervention, fry were eaten by tank mates when spit. Spawn #4 happened this past Tuesday. Around day 18, I'll take a little more active role and try stripping the fry. I want to give the fry to the guy who gave me these fish as a thank you. He was going to stop by with spawn #3, but he was a day late.

2. Added a second 55 gallon to the house for native fish. My 2 sons caught 2 pumpkinseed and 2 bluegill sunfish for it. I bought some crappie minnows (small fatheads), but they were pretty diseased and most died within a couple days. After 5 days we were able to get the sunfish to eat freeze-dried bloodworms. Hopefully I can get them to eat pellets next.

Built some minnow traps with my boys, and struck out so far trying to get some native minnows, only some water beetles were caught. Will try again this weekend. Also going to try to catch some crayfish for the tank as well.

Minnow trap -- We used a single bottle by cutting off the top and reversing it, and used staples to attach things. My 3 & 4 year old are a little young for the plastic melting method. Made a door on the side to get the critters out.

I'll also be playing with some aquatic plants in this tank as well. Will be trying the El Natural method as documented by Diana Walstad Ecology of the Planted Aquarium: A Practical Manual and Scientific Treatise for the Home Aquarist. She's active on the forum at Aquatic Plant Central.

Check state laws before transporting fish, critters, plants or even just water from local lakes & rivers. Minnesota is pretty liberal with children 16 & under when it comes to panfish and non-invasive minnows & critters, except when it comes to anything taken from known invasive species infested bodies of water. Plants, even non-invasive ones are completely off limits.

 
Bringing this thread out of the woodwork...looking to get back into the bizness. I had a tank in FL, 55 gallons. Looking for something similar hear. I'd imagine I'll need a heater. I also wanted to look into Piranhas. They are illegal in FL so harder to come by, is there a reputable site to obtain?

 
I have an 8 year old who wanted an aquarium. To see how serious he was I bought a 10 gallon setup and we ran it for about 2 months. It was pretty basic and had plastic plants and just 3 Black Skirted Tetras and 5 Zebra Danios. My son really loved it and spent a lot of time pouring over books, looking at info on the Internet, and taking care of the tank.

So, we started watching Craigslist and I read through this entire thread. Great info and advice here guys. Thanks a lot. We ended up buying a used 65 gallan with a Magnum 350 Marineland canister filter with bio wheels. It also came with a heater, a UV filter, gravel, rocks, light, nets, and a few other misc. items. We paid $200 for everything.

We thoroughly cleaned everything, filled the tank, put in plastic plants, bought a few more rocks and replaced the old colored backing with a solid black backing. Great advice on the black backing! It looks fantastic.

We ran it without fish for a week and then put in our 3 Tetras and 5 Danios. We waited another week and added 3 more Danios. After another week we added 6 Rasboras. No casualties yet and all the fish have colored up beautifully. We've been feeding them pellets and flakes, and occasionally give them a brine shrimp treat.

We made a few mistakes along the way. First, I put in the cartridge filter insert instead of using activated carbon. After two weeks I noticed in the manual that the cartridge is only used on occasion to get the water sparkling clear. I've since changed to carbon. Next, I had a lot of air in the canister. I would get rid of it, but then it would come back. I finally figured out that my aerator was under the filter intake and it was shooting air bubbles into the filter. I moved the aerator and that problem is now solved.

We plan to keep using plastic plants because I don't think my 8-year old will do the work to take care of live plants. Next, we plan to add 6 Cory Cats. In general, we're going to keep focusing on peaceful, community fish, but aren't sure what we'll add after the cats.

We have well water and it's very hard. On the other hand, it has zero chlorine. The PH is on the high end, but the fish seem to handle it well. I was planning on following the advice in this thread about just using the water as is, and having the fish adjust to it.

Lastly, my son is very good about vaccuming and water changes. He loves doing those things.

So, what are we doing wrong? What changes should we consider? Any suggestions on fish we should consider after adding the cats? Are we making a big mistake by not having live plants?

The entire reason I'm doing this with my son is as a learning experience, so we're open to any ideas or suggestions. Thanks.

 
I used to be into aquariums a few years ago, but moving from rental to rental took its toll and I packed it all up. FF to about 4 months ago, and the wife convinced me to bring back our 90g since we're finally settled into the house we built last year. We went with a mbuna tank and everything's going great... It's all so addicting :excited:

std 90g with fluval FX5 - this thing is great, especially for the African tank

4 yellow labs

3 red zebras

3 cobalt blues

3 rusties

1 kenyi - was told he was a peacock. He's on borrowed time (he's very aggressive).

1 unidentified mbuna - was told he was a peacock too when I bought the kenyi. Beware of uninformed LFS workers.

 
Ned said:
I used to be into aquariums a few years ago, but moving from rental to rental took its toll and I packed it all up. FF to about 4 months ago, and the wife convinced me to bring back our 90g since we're finally settled into the house we built last year. We went with a mbuna tank and everything's going great... It's all so addicting :goodposting:std 90g with fluval FX5 - this thing is great, especially for the African tank4 yellow labs3 red zebras3 cobalt blues3 rusties1 kenyi - was told he was a peacock. He's on borrowed time (he's very aggressive).1 unidentified mbuna - was told he was a peacock too when I bought the kenyi. Beware of uninformed LFS workers.
Click to expand...
I rent. How bad of an idea is this? I'm on the 6th Floor. I had a fresh water tank in FL, 60 gallons. Pretty solid.
 
shake zula said:
Ned said:
I used to be into aquariums a few years ago, but moving from rental to rental took its toll and I packed it all up. FF to about 4 months ago, and the wife convinced me to bring back our 90g since we're finally settled into the house we built last year. We went with a mbuna tank and everything's going great... It's all so addicting :goodposting:std 90g with fluval FX5 - this thing is great, especially for the African tank4 yellow labs3 red zebras3 cobalt blues3 rusties1 kenyi - was told he was a peacock. He's on borrowed time (he's very aggressive).1 unidentified mbuna - was told he was a peacock too when I bought the kenyi. Beware of uninformed LFS workers.
Click to expand...
I rent. How bad of an idea is this? I'm on the 6th Floor. I had a fresh water tank in FL, 60 gallons. Pretty solid.
Click to expand...
I just got sick of moving an active tank ever year or 2 when we moved. It's a ton of work and the stress adds up on the fish. Unless your building is a crickety old POS, I wouldn't worry about a 60g.
 
Ned said:
shake zula said:
Ned said:
I used to be into aquariums a few years ago, but moving from rental to rental took its toll and I packed it all up. FF to about 4 months ago, and the wife convinced me to bring back our 90g since we're finally settled into the house we built last year. We went with a mbuna tank and everything's going great... It's all so addicting :towelwave:std 90g with fluval FX5 - this thing is great, especially for the African tank4 yellow labs3 red zebras3 cobalt blues3 rusties1 kenyi - was told he was a peacock. He's on borrowed time (he's very aggressive).1 unidentified mbuna - was told he was a peacock too when I bought the kenyi. Beware of uninformed LFS workers.
Click to expand...
I rent. How bad of an idea is this? I'm on the 6th Floor. I had a fresh water tank in FL, 60 gallons. Pretty solid.
Click to expand...
I just got sick of moving an active tank ever year or 2 when we moved. It's a ton of work and the stress adds up on the fish. Unless your building is a crickety old POS, I wouldn't worry about a 60g.
Click to expand...
I'm more concerned about the wtf I'd do in a year or two if we moved. I don't envision trying to move the fish themselves. Possibly the tank. A tank that large seems like a huge PITA. I'm leaning >30...
 
moving my 75 wasn't all that bad. Of course, it was only a 20 minute drive, there were no stairs to traverse and i had my 2 younger brothers to help me.

Plus, we also had a test run a few months earlier when i was still living at home and my mom painted the downstairs (had to move the tank from the living room to the dining room after they painted the dining room).

5 gallon buckets with lids (bought for $4 a piece from home depot) are your friend.

1) turned off and removed the filters and put the media in buckets

2) Pulled all the plants (put in a bucket with tank water)

3) pulled all the wood/rocks (storage container)

4) drained the tank down to about 3 inches of water.

5) used 2 nets to corral the fish and put them in buckets according to species and temperament (kept the cory's and tetras together. Put the rainbow fish in one bucket, the loaches and red tail black shark in another).

6) scooped out all the substrate using big flat plastic beach shovels i bought at K-mart

All the fish survived and i didn't have any sort of mini cycle or anything. Even my male apisto(who i thought had been dead for 3 weeks but was just hiding in the rocks to escape his rival) came through without a scratch.

If you plan it out, have the proper equipment and a couple of friends to help, I don't think moving anything up to 125 gallon would be a total disaster. A 6 hour job? Absolutely. But very doable if you take your time.

 
TLEF316 said:
moving my 75 wasn't all that bad. Of course, it was only a 20 minute drive, there were no stairs to traverse and i had my 2 younger brothers to help me. Plus, we also had a test run a few months earlier when i was still living at home and my mom painted the downstairs (had to move the tank from the living room to the dining room after they painted the dining room).5 gallon buckets with lids (bought for $4 a piece from home depot) are your friend. 1) turned off and removed the filters and put the media in buckets2) Pulled all the plants (put in a bucket with tank water)3) pulled all the wood/rocks (storage container)4) drained the tank down to about 3 inches of water.5) used 2 nets to corral the fish and put them in buckets according to species and temperament (kept the cory's and tetras together. Put the rainbow fish in one bucket, the loaches and red tail black shark in another).6) scooped out all the substrate using big flat plastic beach shovels i bought at K-martAll the fish survived and i didn't have any sort of mini cycle or anything. Even my male apisto(who i thought had been dead for 3 weeks but was just hiding in the rocks to escape his rival) came through without a scratch.If you plan it out, have the proper equipment and a couple of friends to help, I don't think moving anything up to 125 gallon would be a total disaster. A 6 hour job? Absolutely. But very doable if you take your time.
Click to expand...
I'm so inclined but what a pain in the but if I move in 2 years. But it'd be fun for 2 years...I need to be persuaded on how easy it'd be to get the tank upstair, etc.
 
I've just inherited a ~140 gallon marine aquarium and am trying to get up to speed on all of this. It's at an office we just bought and the former owner had some guys come out once a month to clean, do the water changes, etc. My partner and I would like to be able to do this ourselves. I had the son of one of our patients come by yesterday and he and I drove to the local aquarium store for supplies. After spending 45 minutes in there, I can already feel the addiction setting in.

The fish we inherited are:

2 tangs of some kind

1 4-stripe damsel

2 tomato clownfish

And yesterday, along with some hermit crabs and snails, we picked up a lawnmower blenny for maintenance purposes.

I want to get another couple of fish to add some good color in there but have ZERO knowledge of compatibility, etc. While I think something like a mandarinfish would be cool for our patients to watch, this goofy teenager told me yesterday I would need to get a certain type of grass in the tank and then wait another year before bringing in a mandarinfish.

Any suggestions on fish that might get along well with those listed above?

 
ironic that this got bumped, as i'm currently re-doing my entire tank. (literally, i just finished planting a whole bunch of chain sword 2 minutes ago) Long story short....i had an incident with a filter that started a chain reaction killing EVERYTHING in my tank. Fish and plants all got wiped out by some sort of fungus and my sand was a complete mess (tons of anaerobic pockets, rotting roots). It happened very quickly and it was VERY ugly.

So i'm starting over. Gonna start a fishless cycle this afternoon. (aided by plants to help soak up some of the ammonia). Decided to go with Eco-complete substrate this time, as the sand always looked dirty, got the aforementioned aneroid pockets and didn't help the plants at all. I have a lot of awesome driftwood that will be going in eventually. (soaking in a tub now). Will post pics once it really gets going.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
YSR said:
I've just inherited a ~140 gallon marine aquarium and am trying to get up to speed on all of this. It's at an office we just bought and the former owner had some guys come out once a month to clean, do the water changes, etc. My partner and I would like to be able to do this ourselves. I had the son of one of our patients come by yesterday and he and I drove to the local aquarium store for supplies. After spending 45 minutes in there, I can already feel the addiction setting in.The fish we inherited are:2 tangs of some kind1 4-stripe damsel2 tomato clownfishAnd yesterday, along with some hermit crabs and snails, we picked up a lawnmower blenny for maintenance purposes.I want to get another couple of fish to add some good color in there but have ZERO knowledge of compatibility, etc. While I think something like a mandarinfish would be cool for our patients to watch, this goofy teenager told me yesterday I would need to get a certain type of grass in the tank and then wait another year before bringing in a mandarinfish.Any suggestions on fish that might get along well with those listed above?
Click to expand...
with a salt water thank that size, and you being a beginner, i'd be tempted to let the service do the cleaning and changes for a few months until you do your research and get up to speed. Good luck though. Post pics.
 
YSR said:
I've just inherited a ~140 gallon marine aquarium and am trying to get up to speed on all of this. It's at an office we just bought and the former owner had some guys come out once a month to clean, do the water changes, etc. My partner and I would like to be able to do this ourselves. I had the son of one of our patients come by yesterday and he and I drove to the local aquarium store for supplies. After spending 45 minutes in there, I can already feel the addiction setting in.The fish we inherited are:2 tangs of some kind1 4-stripe damsel2 tomato clownfishAnd yesterday, along with some hermit crabs and snails, we picked up a lawnmower blenny for maintenance purposes.I want to get another couple of fish to add some good color in there but have ZERO knowledge of compatibility, etc. While I think something like a mandarinfish would be cool for our patients to watch, this goofy teenager told me yesterday I would need to get a certain type of grass in the tank and then wait another year before bringing in a mandarinfish.Any suggestions on fish that might get along well with those listed above?
Click to expand...
PM meI can help you out :confused:
 
YSR said:
The fish we inherited are:2 tangs of some kind1 4-stripe damsel2 tomato clownfish
Click to expand...
Hermits snails and blenny should be good and helpful. The fish you inherited are somewhat aggressive. Hard to say about the tangs, got any pics? So you may be limited to dottyback/pseduochromis (and only 1 as they will fight). If its a FOWLR and not a reef there are some other choices like triggers, some wrasses and a few othersReefcentral.com is one of the best resources out there for help. You should get a handle on what kind of filtration you have and lighting. Do you plan on keeping coral? Because they will bump up the filtration and lighting requirements and limit new fish choices.If the tank is established it may be ok to add a mandarin, hard to say but you do not need a grassbed.
 
TLEF316 said:
YSR said:
I've just inherited a ~140 gallon marine aquarium and am trying to get up to speed on all of this. It's at an office we just bought and the former owner had some guys come out once a month to clean, do the water changes, etc. My partner and I would like to be able to do this ourselves. I had the son of one of our patients come by yesterday and he and I drove to the local aquarium store for supplies. After spending 45 minutes in there, I can already feel the addiction setting in.The fish we inherited are:2 tangs of some kind1 4-stripe damsel2 tomato clownfishAnd yesterday, along with some hermit crabs and snails, we picked up a lawnmower blenny for maintenance purposes.I want to get another couple of fish to add some good color in there but have ZERO knowledge of compatibility, etc. While I think something like a mandarinfish would be cool for our patients to watch, this goofy teenager told me yesterday I would need to get a certain type of grass in the tank and then wait another year before bringing in a mandarinfish.Any suggestions on fish that might get along well with those listed above?
Click to expand...
with a salt water thank that size, and you being a beginner, i'd be tempted to let the service do the cleaning and changes for a few months until you do your research and get up to speed. Good luck though. Post pics.
Click to expand...
Believe me, I plan to ease into this. I realize it's a larger undertaking that I'm prepared for at this point. I'll try to get some pics soon.
 
Zoomanji said:
YSR said:
The fish we inherited are:2 tangs of some kind1 4-stripe damsel2 tomato clownfish
Click to expand...
Hermits snails and blenny should be good and helpful. The fish you inherited are somewhat aggressive. Hard to say about the tangs, got any pics? So you may be limited to dottyback/pseduochromis (and only 1 as they will fight). If its a FOWLR and not a reef there are some other choices like triggers, some wrasses and a few othersReefcentral.com is one of the best resources out there for help. You should get a handle on what kind of filtration you have and lighting. Do you plan on keeping coral? Because they will bump up the filtration and lighting requirements and limit new fish choices.If the tank is established it may be ok to add a mandarin, hard to say but you do not need a grassbed.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the insight. Yeah, the kid mentioned that the clownfish in particular are pretty territorial. I'll try to grab some pics of the whole setup sometime this weekend and get information on the filtration and lighting (the best I can tell you is that there are two purple lights and one regular light and the kid suggested that at some point we switch out the purple for a couple of blues which are a higher number of some sort). I promise I will be consulting the local aquarium place around the corner before making any major moves, so don't get freaked out by my sentence above about the lighting. ;)
 
YSR said:
Zoomanji said:
YSR said:
The fish we inherited are:2 tangs of some kind1 4-stripe damsel2 tomato clownfish
Click to expand...
Hermits snails and blenny should be good and helpful. The fish you inherited are somewhat aggressive. Hard to say about the tangs, got any pics? So you may be limited to dottyback/pseduochromis (and only 1 as they will fight). If its a FOWLR and not a reef there are some other choices like triggers, some wrasses and a few othersReefcentral.com is one of the best resources out there for help. You should get a handle on what kind of filtration you have and lighting. Do you plan on keeping coral? Because they will bump up the filtration and lighting requirements and limit new fish choices.If the tank is established it may be ok to add a mandarin, hard to say but you do not need a grassbed.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the insight. Yeah, the kid mentioned that the clownfish in particular are pretty territorial. I'll try to grab some pics of the whole setup sometime this weekend and get information on the filtration and lighting (the best I can tell you is that there are two purple lights and one regular light and the kid suggested that at some point we switch out the purple for a couple of blues which are a higher number of some sort). I promise I will be consulting the local aquarium place around the corner before making any major moves, so don't get freaked out by my sentence above about the lighting. :thumbup:
Click to expand...
ehhh,I'd skip the LFS (local fish store). Too many try to sell people crap they don't need. Really check out the website I listed. No one is selling anything and they can really help. Like the FBG of fishYou really gonna need to figure out what kind of lights you have. Do you know if they are T5s or Power Compacts (PC)/
 
Been a while since I posted an update.

Long story short, my entire tank crashed in July. The fish and plants all started getting coated with some sort of white film/fungus and everything died in a week. Water changed only made it worse. No idea what happened. I suspect that the water company might have flushed the system with something, but i really have no idea. I also had a filter go out around the same time (busted impeller) but it shouldn't have made that much of a difference since i had a backup and the tank was heavily planted.

But anyway, the whole thing turned into a blessing in disguise as it allowed me to break the tank down and rebuild it. Used Eco-complete for my substrate and i was able to paint the back of the tank and the filter intakes for a total black out. I think it really makes everything pop. Anyways, here are some new pics.....

Current stock-

7 Denasoni Barbs

8 Congo Tetras (re-stocked today as i lost a couple)

8 Emperor Tetras (re-stocked today as i lost a few)

Pair of Apistogramma cacatuoides double red (just bought today)

7 albino aenus corys (they lay eggs after every water change, but none are hatching)

~ 8 ottos (hard to tell exactly how many)

Full tank shot

congos

Apisto male

Corys

Barbs

Left

Right

 
Anyone have experience with the smaller, rarer more colorful plecos?

Been thinking of adding one to my tank

 
So my 5 year old is on us for a pet, we are finally breaking down.

We asked her to tell us what she wanted most

Cat was number 1 fish number 2. We are not ready for having a cat as a pet so I think we are going to get a fish for her.

Read through most of the thread, I don't want to go too big or shell out huge $$$ for this original venture, if it goes well than maybe I'll invest.

Thoughts / help??

TIA

 
Just get her a beta and keep it in a bowl.

It will be colorful and easy to care for and should cost almost nothing.

Plus if it dies you could probably replace it and she'd never know

 
'TLEF316 said:
Just get her a beta and keep it in a bowl.It will be colorful and easy to care for and should cost almost nothing.Plus if it dies you could probably replace it and she'd never know
Click to expand...
Thanks, it looks like they have a 2.5 gallon "tanks in a box" you get light/tank/food/filter etc for like $30 beansLooks like the plan
 
Last edited by a moderator:
HELP!!!

I'm trying to setup the tank we just got. http://www.amazon.com/Marina-Cool-Goldfish-Aquarium-Purple/dp/B003RDV4E8

When you set up the filter, this is a totally dumb noob question....

Is part of it supposed to be sticking out of the top of the water? I have no idea how this works. Does water get "sucked in" through the filter and then com back out the top section ?

2nd question - it says to take 10% out weekly, do I just scoop out 10% of the water with a cup? then fill up with tap water? then add the nutrafin stuff in

3rd - can I replace the filter when I do the 25% monthly replinsh or do I have to do that at a different time.

and I think last - what can I use to take my water in for testing to see if I'm ready for a fish? water bottle ok?

Don't even have a fish yet and I'm already panicked and mildly addicted - all for one goldfish :lol:

 
'TLEF316 said:
Been a while since I posted an update.

Long story short, my entire tank crashed in July. The fish and plants all started getting coated with some sort of white film/fungus and everything died in a week. Water changed only made it worse. No idea what happened. I suspect that the water company might have flushed the system with something, but i really have no idea. I also had a filter go out around the same time (busted impeller) but it shouldn't have made that much of a difference since i had a backup and the tank was heavily planted.

But anyway, the whole thing turned into a blessing in disguise as it allowed me to break the tank down and rebuild it. Used Eco-complete for my substrate and i was able to paint the back of the tank and the filter intakes for a total black out. I think it really makes everything pop. Anyways, here are some new pics.....

Full tank shot
Click to expand...
sorry to hear about your crash bud, but your tank looks great right now.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
'belljr said:
HELP!!!

I'm trying to setup the tank we just got. http://www.amazon.com/Marina-Cool-Goldfish-Aquarium-Purple/dp/B003RDV4E8

When you set up the filter, this is a totally dumb noob question....

Is part of it supposed to be sticking out of the top of the water? I have no idea how this works. Does water get "sucked in" through the filter and then com back out the top section ?

2nd question - it says to take 10% out weekly, do I just scoop out 10% of the water with a cup? then fill up with tap water? then add the nutrafin stuff in

3rd - can I replace the filter when I do the 25% monthly replinsh or do I have to do that at a different time.

and I think last - what can I use to take my water in for testing to see if I'm ready for a fish? water bottle ok?

Don't even have a fish yet and I'm already panicked and mildly addicted - all for one goldfish :lol:
Click to expand...
sorry bell, can't help with all of it, but #2, they make little vacuum suction tubes and it's good to suction out all the sand bed where all the waste is rather than just scoop out water from the top.you don't want that stuff building up.

good luck to you.

 
'belljr said:
HELP!!!

I'm trying to setup the tank we just got. http://www.amazon.com/Marina-Cool-Goldfish-Aquarium-Purple/dp/B003RDV4E8

When you set up the filter, this is a totally dumb noob question....

Is part of it supposed to be sticking out of the top of the water? I have no idea how this works. Does water get "sucked in" through the filter and then com back out the top section ?

2nd question - it says to take 10% out weekly, do I just scoop out 10% of the water with a cup? then fill up with tap water? then add the nutrafin stuff in

3rd - can I replace the filter when I do the 25% monthly replinsh or do I have to do that at a different time.

and I think last - what can I use to take my water in for testing to see if I'm ready for a fish? water bottle ok?

Don't even have a fish yet and I'm already panicked and mildly addicted - all for one goldfish :lol:
Click to expand...
they tell you to replace the filter because they want you to spend more money on filter cartridges. Beneficial bacteria that process fish waste live in your filter. When you throw away that sponge and put in a new one, you lose that good bacteria.

May not matter too much in a tiny little tank with just a beta, but it's a good lesson to learn if you ever go deeper into the hobby.

google "the nitrogen cycle" or "aquarium cycling"

 
Recently got back into this after quite a long tenure as a cichlid enthusiast...currently have a 50 gallon high with a fairly large Frontosa in it...plus three small managuense cihlids...(I'm trying to breed them). Also have a nice hi-fin pleco.

Well...two of the managuense WERE small. I believe two paired and are growing very, very rapidly, along with the pleco. The Frontosa is liking his company less and less. I'll be setting up a 125 in my basement soon; building it into a bar. The managuenses will go in there.

If anyone wants a small managuense cichlid, let me know. I'd figure out a way to ship it.

Be warned...these suckers are extremely nasty, and will grow as large as 18" if given enough room.

 
'TLEF316 said:
'belljr said:
HELP!!!

I'm trying to setup the tank we just got. http://www.amazon.com/Marina-Cool-Goldfish-Aquarium-Purple/dp/B003RDV4E8

When you set up the filter, this is a totally dumb noob question....

Is part of it supposed to be sticking out of the top of the water? I have no idea how this works. Does water get "sucked in" through the filter and then com back out the top section ?

2nd question - it says to take 10% out weekly, do I just scoop out 10% of the water with a cup? then fill up with tap water? then add the nutrafin stuff in

3rd - can I replace the filter when I do the 25% monthly replinsh or do I have to do that at a different time.

and I think last - what can I use to take my water in for testing to see if I'm ready for a fish? water bottle ok?

Don't even have a fish yet and I'm already panicked and mildly addicted - all for one goldfish :lol:
Click to expand...
they tell you to replace the filter because they want you to spend more money on filter cartridges. Beneficial bacteria that process fish waste live in your filter. When you throw away that sponge and put in a new one, you lose that good bacteria.

May not matter too much in a tiny little tank with just a beta, but it's a good lesson to learn if you ever go deeper into the hobby.

google "the nitrogen cycle" or "aquarium cycling"
Click to expand...
ok thanks, any help with the other noob questions? Hate to put the fish in and it die instantly :)
 
'TLEF316 said:
Anyone have experience with the smaller, rarer more colorful plecos?Been thinking of adding one to my tank
Click to expand...
I'm a sales rep for a tropical fish wholesaler. Lots of choices for plecos that aren't grossly inappropriate for most tanks like the standard plecos. If you haven't checked out Planet Catfish, definitely look at that site. It's one of the more accurate sites online for fish info.Hypancistrus species are a great choice. Most of these are from Brazil, and Brazil took them off their white list (meaning banned from export) a couple years ago. There are a number of these that are now Florida raised; I regularly have Orinoco zebras, chocolate zebras, king tigers, and a couple of other types. Tank raised means more expensive, probably retail for at least $60 at about 1.5"Lately I've been getting in L-129 Colombian zebra plecos, a nice dark brown and cream colored, mottled pattern, small species. Hold up great, and a fraction of the price of tank-raised fish. I also get the L-46 true zebra pleco, but even at a low markup they're going to retail for well over $200.Green phantoms are in season right now, olive green with yellow spots. Get a bit larger, but still max out at a reasonable size, ~6".Gold nuggets and orange seams should be coming in again soon, we've been trying to get a Brazil shipment for months but the numbers haven't been available. Black with bright yellow/orange spots, and they stay relatively small.Keep in mind many of the fancy plecos available now are not strict algae eaters, they are omnivores and need more protein in their diet than the standard plecos.Feel free to send a PM and I can give you my contact to pass along to your local stores. Let me know where you're at, I may have customers there already.
 
'belljr said:
HELP!!!

I'm trying to setup the tank we just got. http://www.amazon.co...e/dp/B003RDV4E8

When you set up the filter, this is a totally dumb noob question....

Is part of it supposed to be sticking out of the top of the water? I have no idea how this works. Does water get "sucked in" through the filter and then com back out the top section ?

2nd question - it says to take 10% out weekly, do I just scoop out 10% of the water with a cup? then fill up with tap water? then add the nutrafin stuff in

3rd - can I replace the filter when I do the 25% monthly replinsh or do I have to do that at a different time.

and I think last - what can I use to take my water in for testing to see if I'm ready for a fish? water bottle ok?

Don't even have a fish yet and I'm already panicked and mildly addicted - all for one goldfish :lol:
Click to expand...
#1 - Do you have a pic of the filter? There's usually an intake that will get submerged in the tank.#2 - Since you're only putting 1 beta in there, I think weekly water changes are overkill. You can use a cup if you want, but you could also get a siphon and siphon it into a 5 gallon bucket. Make sure to treat the water before you put it back in (dechlorinate, etc).

#3 - Is the filter a carbon filter or just a pad? If its just a pad, I'd recommend just rinising it monthly using the water you siphoned from #2 above.

#4 - Read up on tank cycling and get your own test kit. It's super easy to do. link

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Ministry of Pain
So I bought into a "Craft" Beer n Wine store with a Drive-Thru
2
Replies
54
Views
2K
parasaurolophus
parasaurolophus
V
Career Advice - New Job Choice and Exit Strategy
Replies
21
Views
1K
Hawks64
Hawks64
GordonGekko
Do You Believe That The Modern "Tipping" Culture Has Gone Completely Out Of Control? (1/30)
6 7 8
Replies
358
Views
10K
eighsse2
eighsse2

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Top