Biocube for mom? Christmas prez.

[Convict2161]

yeah that's the fixture I saw in a google pic but with the Ledtric lights... looks nice. Will that one lamp take care of everything fish/coral/live rock etc or would I need a daylight lamp too ? Moonlight sold seperately?

The Ledtric light is sweet. The full spectrum one. The only thing is if you go that route your bio cube will be lidless. Do you want that? I didn't like the look of the cube topless that's why I opted for the AI and drilled out a hole for it to fit.

There are retro kits we spoke about earlier. Or are we talking about the 10-20 gallon? Sorry I'm getting lost.

Were off the cube now? On to the 10g?

 

[Backwater]

The Ledtric light is sweet. The full spectrum one. The only thing is if you go that route your bio cube will be lidless. Do you want that? I didn't like the look of the cube topless that's why I opted for the AI and drilled out a hole for it to fit.

There are retro kits we spoke about earlier. Or are we talking about the 10-20 gallon? Sorry I'm getting lost.

Were off the cube now? On to the 10g?

Oh no, If i go the Ledtric route it would be for a 20gal low tech setup with a normal 20gal tank... If I go bio cube I'll stick with stock for mom's until one day we mack it out with something like yours.

After a good pow wow with the LFS I'm leaning back towards bio cube because 1. it's all in one 2. it's beautiful, slim, sleek top good starter lighting all for about the same price without the "backyard configuration" look to it topless and aftermarket light poles. The Cube look will appeal more for mom as a present.. I may have to stick with 14g though unless I find some more 29gallon deals closer to x-mas. I was tempted to jump on that brand new one in the box but something told me to hang loose for now.

So still on with the cube route
PS... you know i'm gonna make a tiny little plaque on the side of it that says "Collaberation by Convict2161" LOL! that would be so awesome/epic! man i'm gonna do that.. I pormise I'll give you credit due on this tank for SHO! "Advise and Collaboration by Convict2161" lolz EPIC!

 

[Convict2161]

Ok cool! The 14g can look real nice! YouTube and google them. It'll blow your mind! Nobody believes me that my tank is a BC29 running for 9 months. (knock on wood ALOT of wood!!! lol)

I've had more trouble with my FW tanks then my SW. I almost converted my 75g to SW. But I stopped myself and I'm glad I did.

 

[Backwater]

WOW DUDE you have the DR. S&S toe hole rocks!!! LOL I WANT THOSE FOR MY 55GAL Southamerican ! that's awesome!
Man that looks like a beautiful L. Malawi tank .. is it ? What's stoping you from throwing in java fern or anubias? I heard the Malawi won't eat that, "so I've heard"

wait looking at some of that rock is it a rift tank ?
Man that's beautiful! I want my 55Gal to look like that. Unfortunately atm it's a home to a single mean as **** convict fish (no offense lol) ... he's about 5.5" and pretty as all get out with long trailing fins but man he's a sumanabatchi! If my fingers are in his tank to long he will certainly let me know lol

I did not realize I could pack my tank that heavily ... I may go that route with my 55gal... lots of rock, lots of fish and minimal-no plants. Well maybe a little java fern/anubias tide tight...well on second thought .. with a tank full of S.American nippers/diggers maybe no plants and keeping all my fingers.

OMG DUDE> THAT LOOKS LIKE IRISH BOGWOOD IN THE BACK ? IS IT ? IF SO WHERE DID YOU GET IT ?

 

[Convict2161]

WOW DUDE you have the DR. S&S toe hole rocks!!! LOL I WANT THOSE FOR MY 55GAL Southamerican ! that's awesome!
Man that looks like a beautiful L. Malawi tank .. is it ? What's stoping you from throwing in java fern or anubias? I heard the Malawi won't eat that, "so I've heard"

wait looking at some of that rock is it a rift tank ?
Man that's beautiful! I want my 55Gal to look like that. Unfortunately atm it's a home to a single mean as **** convict fish (no offense lol) ... he's about 5.5" and pretty as all get out with long trailing fins but man he's a sumanabatchi! If my fingers are in his tank to long he will certainly let me know lol

I did not realize I could pack my tank that heavily ... I may go that route with my 55gal... lots of rock, lots of fish and minimal-no plants. Well maybe a little java fern/anubias tide tight...well on second thought .. with a tank full of S.American nippers/diggers maybe no plants and keeping all my fingers.

OMG DUDE> THAT LOOKS LIKE IRISH BOGWOOD IN THE BACK ? IS IT ? IF SO WHERE DID YOU GET IT ?

Haha no offense taken lol. Not sure of the driftwood I just grabbed it all from my buddy's shop. I can tell you it's really really heavy though! It's a mixed African tank. Which I don't recommend, but I did it. I have Mbuna, lake Victoria, tropheus, Botia loaches, pleco, Synodontis and a feather fin.

It was heavily planted at one time, you can check out my albums. As they matured they destroyed the plants!! All of them. So I tool the rest out then switched from natural gravel to black Tahitian moon sand.

And thanks!! I worked hard in this tank too!!

 

[Backwater]

Haha no offense taken lol. Not sure of the driftwood I just grabbed it all from my buddy's shop. I can tell you it's really really heavy though! It's a mixed African tank. Which I don't recommend, but I did it. I have Mbuna, lake Victoria, tropheus, Botia loaches, pleco, Synodontis and a feather fin.

It was heavily planted at one time, you can check out my albums. As they matured they destroyed the plants!! All of them. So I tool the rest out then switched from natural gravel to black Tahitian moon sand.
And thanks!! I worked hard in this tank too!!

Dude you inadvertently solved my 55Gal FW dilemma lol. I wasn't sure about packing a bunch of Cichlids in it with no plants but after seeing yours I'm really impressed and like the look/idea. Also, I was contemplating using heat cables and sand in the tank and making it a rainbow tank but 1. didn't really like rainbows 2. wasn't sure about the whole heat cable thing. Well you just solved it,... 1. Big cichlid tanks look AWESOME 2. they will probably destroy plants once the grow up so .. bing cichlid tank no real plants lol...cheaper on my wallet too. Substrate alone would have cost me @$100.00 plus heat cables and control unit for them

PS ... yes that's bogwood, I'd bet on it. I know from searching about it for the rainbow fish. When not schooling they love to hide under bogwood. That could have been a generic slang term/statement because some people (not knowing that there is actually an Irish bogwood) use the term bogwood and drift wood synonymously. Here's a picture of aquarium Irish bog wood. Looks identical from this angle imo. http://www.westcorkbits.com/CRAFTS-FOR-PURCHASE/BOG-WOOD-ART.html
there are some artist that will sculpt it as some pieces are anormous. Some of it is distinctively blackish and in several shades and shale rock like in appearance. The black aquarium wood to me looks like bogwood. The picture I linked may have been lacquered... Ture Irish Bog Wood is flat out awesome IMO and rare/hard to find for aquarium I believe.

 

[Convict2161]

Yup looks just like 2 of the darker pics.

Also I used 100lbs of sand.

 

[Backwater]

Yup looks just like 2 of the darker pics.

Also I used 100lbs of sand.

Omg sand is exactly what I wanted which is why I was thinking heatcables to fight the effects of compaction. Did you use less than 2" ? I guess it wouldn't really matter in a no plant tank but I did read Malaysian trumpet snails are still recommended to fight the possibility of some kind of anerobic bacteria pocket or something like that. I got some from a plant hitch-hiking couple weeks ago and didn't even know what they were till I googled the pictures for them 2 hours ago lol

Sand ? looks like blue gravel...Colored sand ?
I want to use sand with cichlids cause their diggers but also want to do a blackwater tank with sand in it for Gouramis and threadfin Rainbows

Do you know about how to use heat cables? I have 2 conflicting sites. One says gravel then laterite (or ecocomplete) in the bottom 1/3 then gravel on top but I"d replace with sand. They say the gavel/ecocomplete in bottom 1/3 helps water circulate through the substrate. but the second site recommends sand on bottom for even temp control then, ecocomplete then top gavel .. but again I'm going sand so that way sound like a sand compaction sandwich.
Ah looks like I still have the Rainbow tank with sand and heavily planted bug lol