3 questions from a novice with a 112G tank & 2nd hand fi

[Endgame319]

You have great pH which gives you many options. Just keep browsing though stores/websites, looking for that perfect fish. One fish I would reccomend is the German Blue Ram (Microgeophagus ramirezi). It is a very beautiful fish, stays small, and would thrive in you're pH. Heres some pics:

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=910&password=&sort=1&cat=534&page=2
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=1853&password=&sort=1&cat=534&page=2
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=2498&password=&sort=1&cat=534&page=2
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=3014&password=&sort=1&cat=534&page=1

 

[Frankie]

I've run around my 2 favourite lfs's armed with a printout of this topic.

The 1st question I asked of them was how often they cleaned & water changed their discus tanks.
Both said once weekly with 20% to 25% water change.
I referred them both to my printout referring to discus. They were both horrified that further maintenance should be made.

The tanks for the lfs's are:

one very heavily planted with 4 discus (smallish medium), rocks, driftwood, glass catfish, butterfly catfish, & a strange long skinny thing with catfish tendencies.
This tank is exactly the same size as mine (112g) & mimics all dimensions.

the other lfs's tank contained around 8-10 larger discus, a huge driftwood the entire length of the tank, with a huge school of gourami - sorry ... I can't remember what they were simply because they didn't do too much for me.. No plants at all.

Both tanks are pristine & well established.

I have my fish list.
I have 2 actually - one discus based & one angel based.

Both are fantastic.

But please don't groan.....

I have another question & after 4 months of planning, I thought about this but buried my head under the gravel ...

I live in a hurricane zone.
My previous hurricane plans simply made provision for a heap of water & polystyrene protection for the tank.

This last week I had problems with my little tank - so I lost my hood complete with filter & light. My plants & fish were OK without light, but without the filter my fish were stuffed. I feel that my wee 5g tank suffered more than my new 112g tank will, but nevertheless, I have potential to lose all water 1-2 days before the hurricane arrives, and all electricity around about the same time. I cannot hope to electricity restored for a minimum of 4-5 days.

As far as stocking my tank is concerned, my lfs have been quite surprising. They have spoken about the cost of the stock.

All I have said to them is .... I've just spent around $1,000 on my tank, cabinet, hood & filter .... I'm not going to cut corners on my stock.

But
I do have a wee problem about stocking with discus at high dollars, only to lose them when we lose electricity.

How do you think my fish will cope with power outages.
Which will cope better - discus or angels.
I will store enough water to manage daily 30% water changes for 4 days, but I won't have filtration or water movement. About the best I will be able to do is "shoo" them down the end of the tank & beat merrily with an old egg beater. Cripes I'll have to go & buy one. I haven't owned one for 16 years

I cannot bear to lose my fish through lack of oxygen. I do NOT care about the value of the fish, I just would prefer to know which has the greater chance of survival.

I'm not sure that any of you can help me with this.
I'm obviously going to have to run around my local lfs's to ask what they do.
I'll need heaps of ice for a start. But I think there will only be one favourite lfs who will have run into this problem. I'll also visit a chap who is fish freak & works at a local horticultural store.

 

[Frankie]

So after all the doom & gloom from the last post ....

I made my DIY cave

I bought the most amazing rock ... it's 3 cornered & really tall, & has a wonderful little outcrop for me to lift & anchor my driftwood.

Even without the fish & plants - it's looking just gorgeous.

We've got a wonderful tropical garden, so tomorrow I'm going to grab the secateurs & snip away & do a test run on the tank. I can mimic so many of the acqauria plants.

Next weekend I'm going to hit the palnt stock. My DIY cave & rocks will be cured & ready to go.

Then ... the fishless cycle.

I was naughty tonight. It was too much for me so I turned the lights on. (1 rock, 1 driftwood, 1 spare PVC cave un-pebbled).
Lookin' good.

 

[Endgame319]

That hurricane stuff really sucks To keep the water moving through a power outage, I think there are battery powered air-pumps you could use. And angels will win the hardy contest every time against discus. A mature, healthy angel is actually a very hardy fish. Just ask Allivymar who as a newbie, cycled her tank with angels 8O . Do you have a digital camera? Would it be possible for you to take some pictures of the tank?

 

[Atlarge]

If aquaclear made a batery powered filter I think all of us would have at least one. (I'd have several)

 

[Frankie]

Hi ya
Cam, I thought the angels would win on the hurricane side.
I'm not sure about the digital. I've been onto the photo gallery many times & I feel we should all try to participate.

I'm going to finish organising my rocks tomorrow. I got some slate so I'm going to build something for my plant end.

Plants & water next weekend.

Cycle for as long as I can hold out - I only have a basic test kit so I will buy a good one.





so my 2 prospective stock lists are ....

4 angels
2 flame guarami
10 rummy nose tetra
10 zebra danios (can't find leopard)
2 clown loaches
2 apple snails
(I lost my shark in this one - is he allowed?)

or

2 angels
2 blue gourami
16 harlequin rasbora
1 red finned shark
2 clown loaches
2 apple snails[center:6a7f6af421][/center:6a7f6af421]

 

[Menagerie]

There are battery powered air pumps--I used them during a two day move with my fish--just have lots of batteries around!

 

[Frankie]

Wham Oh
I'm getting really excited now.

I've placed my rocks, driftwood, DIY cave, DIY other thing. It's all there waiting for next weekend when I will place my airstones, plants, & get the water in.

There's a major setback - my husband was helping me with my filter & in the process got a bit agro ... so now one of the filter tap/valves is broken. I could see it coming & tried to settle him down. A split second before it happened I closed my eyes & then heard the awful crack.
Alan is soooo upset with himself since it isn't like him to be this way. I could have cried - for him & my tank. Hopefully I can obtain a replacement in readiness for next weekend.

I'm going to try to post a tank shot as it is. I'm usually an optimistic soul, but in this instance we'll have to wait to see what I can do.

At present the tank is a mellow buster .... I've been working sooooooooo hard for so long ... I sat this afternoon gazing at the tank & I could feel all my tenseness just melt away.

This tank will be my doctor
& of course ....
I will be the nurse for the tank & my fin-buddies.

Can't wait.
I'm running ahead of schedule - my plants & water will go in a week before Mothers' Day. Maybe that tap/valve will put me back on schedule since it may not happen until Mothers' Day.

Cam - I've been looking at the German Blue Rams. I don't think I can get them here. They are truly magnificent & I would love to have them. I'm not sure they will fit in with my stock. I don't know where you live, but I have a feeling that our potential stock is somewhat limited given the size of our population.

By the way, the lfs people are worried about just 1 gourami. They both say a minimum of 2.

No-one has come back to me about my prospective stock
Do you all think it sucks

 

[Endgame319]

Both stocking lists sound great, but the second one could fit quite a bit more fish. Harlequins are tiny fish, they top out at around 1.5" and have little effect on the bioload. They look amazing when schooling in large groups though. I'd say you could fit another large school of small fish in there (15-20), or 5-6 larger fish.

Are you still planning on a second filter? Which one?

About the gourami, maybe Christmasfish can correct me on this but Male gourami can be very aggressive toward each other when in tight quarters. But since your tank is so large, I dont think you'll have to wory about it. Also, its a hit and miss with the rainbow shark, some are great community fish, while others are aggressive and mean.

 

[Frankie]

Hi ya Cam

I think I'll go for the 2nd list & add either danios or rummy nose tetra (10).

Both lfs's think 2 gourami would be best & not give too many problems.

Re the lighting - my lfs has agreed to take my single light back.

Re the filter
Yes, I'm definitely going to get an extra one.
My present one only turns 315 gal/hr.
Cam, you mentioned I need 6+ = 672 gal/hr.
I managed to find a recommendation for 4 which means I would need 448 gal/hr.

I'm not trying to penny pinch, but are you sure about 6+

The additional filter & lighting is on my shopping list for this week ready for the weekend water

Thanks once again for all your help.[/b]

 

[Menagerie]

I'm not trying to penny pinch, but are you sure about 6+

That's standard around here. If you fully stock/overstock, or keep messier fish, you want 10x gph

 

[Endgame319]

The aquaclear 500 should do the job:
http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=22129;category_id=1721

Note that canister filters are very effiecient, and would filter better than a HOB of the same gph.

 

[Frankie]

Hi ya

I've actually managed to post a photo ... it was easy ...
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=3933

I'm missing 50% gravel, plants, water & obviously fish.
The caves & fishy swim through's are bigger than they look. The main planting area will be to the right of the tank.

Cam, I'm really chuffed you pushed me into getting the pic - otherwsise I wouldn't have had one

(All sanding, puttying, painting & staining done by me (Fairly well my first ever effort which took me 4 full days to do).

 

[Endgame319]

Wow!

One thing though, you might want to put some gravel on the inside of the cave where you can see the pvc, but other that that its great.

 

[Menagerie]

That is very nice!

 

[Frankie]

I don't like being able to see the PVC either Cam.
I was worried about the fish scratching themselves on the gravel if I glued inside too. I reckon I should buy some small smooth pebbles & glue those.

I'm chuffed you both approve.

 

[Menagerie]

The fish are no more likely to scrap themselves on a gravel lined PVC pipe than they are on the gravel substrate
You should be fine using the same substrate--and post a pic when you are done!

 

[Frankie]

Menagerie ... I've already done it.

I bought the extra gravel & washed myself silly the tank looks even better. I've got rolling gravel now & the cave is more natural looking - more so now that I've pebbled part of the inside.

Can't wait for the plants & water

Thank you both for all the help & time you have given me
I'll definitely post another pic once the fish are in - but that will be weeks away yet ... & update my signature.

 

[Menagerie]

You work fast

 

[Frankie]

It's done.

Not without minor hitches though

I partly filled my tank (Alan was brilliant - we popped the garden sprinkler into the tank so the water was gentle & fast filling) & then planted & worked on the airstones - carefully burying the tubing. Then dear Alan came along & fiddled with the filter, so I reburied. Then of course I did some replanting.

The rest of the water went in & then the driftwood floated

Then the filter sprung a leak ... teething problems - it's all fine & dandy now. Thank goodness the tank is on the patio.

Then the airstones wouldn't work. I had added non-return valves (& most definitely the correct way round). Now that the non-return valves have been removed we have bubbles

Obviously at this point all the tubing is floating again together with the airstones.
But hey ... all you have to do is:
wash some more substrate;
dig your channels;
have a glass of substate on hand;
pour;
smooth;
pop a pebble on top of the substrate near to the airstone ......
and it's done

Then of course the replanting happens again.

I popped a tiny airstone under the driftwood as far back to the big end as I could. I positioned it directly under a natural curve of the underside of the driftwood & played a little. The result (as hoped) is that the air moves up under it & comes out in gentle bubbles in 3 different places .... 2 behind & 1 in front through a crack in the wood. Awesome.

The planting looks really good.
The back looks fab, the side looks unbelievable, but the front has a wee gap.
but ....
like all good gardeners, one does not plant for today ... one plants for tomorrow. I really think that the gap will be filled by growth.

So ... I'm a happy little roo (short for kangaroo) & things just look gorgeous.

Roll on fish time

I asked my lfs if they would consider swapping my clown loaches when they grow past my preferred size. I have a deal. They are obviously very happy ... but I'm over the moon. I'm going to stock with 5 & keep them not too big. They are so playful & graceful when they are smaller ... but oh so boring when they are big.