MTS found to be incurable - 40 breeder coming up!

[Rokuzachi]

As a few of you know, I cashed in like others here on the dollar per gallon deal at Petco. Equipment is on the way and will be here by the end of the week. The pine Ikea chest of drawers is just as stable and level as my overpriced wooden stand that was designed just for my other tank. Sigh.

The tank -
40g Breeder

The Goodies -
Hagen Glo T5HO double 39w 36" fixture with Glo-Life II bulbs
2x Fluval C4
A bunch of Seachem Matrix to fill the spot where the carbon would go in the C4s

Substrate -
~60/40 separated layout of Eco Complete & PFS (see the horrible lit, badly butchered picture of the tank in leak-test mode below for the type of layout). The reason for the PFS is that I enjoy fish who play in the sand and would like to have it in there in the event that I stock something that does.


Thoughts:

I'm looking forward to trying out the C4's. Aquaclear have never failed me but I felt like trying something newish, and canisters weren't an option in this particular spot.

I was going to get a Fishneedit fixture for this thing (the double 39w or a 150w MH pendant) but they still don't have them in stock as of my writing this and I'm tired of waiting. I love Hagen though so in a way I'm excited about the light.

The Eco Complete areas will mostly be occupied by a few large plants near the far corners with driftwood branches behind/among them. I may also have to find a large chunk of petrified wood to straddle the divide between PFS and Eco on the left to offset the balance even more. Thinking about putting a few nana in the foreground.

As for the actual divide, I'm on the fence between molding acrylic dividers or just using some of these nifty layered rock pieces I have that sort of interlock.

I'm going to run the silent cycle like I usually do, with about 12oz of bio-max from other established tanks to kick things off. Not entirely sure what residents this tank will have, but I am sure that it will be an odd crowd. Not in terms of individual selections, but as a whole. First guy to go in is a very misbehaving cichlid that is in a tank which is getting torn down in favor of this one.

MTS is contagious, I hope you all get a strong case of it from me

 

[CleverBs]

Nice, I just bought a 40 gallon breeder lastnight from petco to help my MTS I went from 1 tank about 2 1/2 months ago to now having 4 tanks 10,29,40,75. Im putting a pair of Firemouths and a Pleco in my 40gal

 

[redsea]

Congrats on your new tank! It is always so much fun getting a new setup!

 

[HalfMoon B]

Following! I like the mixed substrate idea!

 

[Rokuzachi]

I came home tonight from a double shift to find that the UPS man left all of my equipment on my doorstep... granted, they are ahead of schedule, so that's nice, but they're in plain sight of everyone, in a community that is currently dealing with a rash of theft! What can brown do for you? -_-

I went on a wild search today for my substrates but came up empty handed. I'll have to settle for looking this weekend, so in the end, nothing really got pushed forward by the early delivery.

Now I'm sitting here, looking at one of my two Fluval C4's, and I can only conclude that someone on the packaging line in their factory has no idea how to do their job well.

The outside of the filter is filthy. Not only that, but it looks like some type of "warehouse" dust, filled with abrasive particles which have scuffed and scraped the plastic outer of the filter along the sides and back. The intake tube even has this dust on it. It looks like someone grabbed the dustiest model they could off the line and jammed it in a box without cleaning it. Why you gotta be like that, Fluval?

I'm going to keep it, assuming it's in working order, and send their CS department an email.

At least my Seachem Matrix is intact... shocker there, and my mini-thermometer.

Edit: So, what the dust actuall is... is a bunch of loose particulate from the biomax they ship with it. The bag that contains it leaks the dust, and the box that it's in isn't wrapped in any sort of way, so all the dust just floats around inside the box and scratches up your filter.

 

[steez]

I get really frustrated when I see packages at my doorstep left by delivery trucks. I just don't get it, you really think that it's safe leaving my product on my doorstep? How do you know what is inside the package and it's ok to just leave there for anyone to drive by and grab it.



Sounds like bad luck with the Fluval too, I just picked up a used Fluval 304 filter and it sounds like it's in better shape haha.


I recently ordered a AQ110 on amazon with overnight shipping, they shipped it inside of another box (obviously) without any padding. So it slammed around the whole time during shipping. When I picked it up I could already hear all the broken plastic parts inside the package. So I called them and got a return, they say they will only do ground returns. 2 weeks later they get the product and ground a new one back to me. 3 weeks later it's finally on my tank. So uh...wheres my refund on the shipping? Oh wait, there's none..


Oh also.. what plans on stocking do you have?

 

[Rokuzachi]

Good times steez, lol. Amazing how unaccomodating some companies can be.

This tank is probably going to end up having an Oranda in it, a Bristlenose and maybe 2 mediumish sized catfish (probably M. thoracata) to keep the substrate churned.

If the Oranda doesn't go in here, I'm thinking two Keyhole Cichlids, a small school of something and a few small cats.

Or... possibly, maybe (but most likely not, even though I'm DYING to do this because I've finally seen them at an LFS and they look amazing), a brackish tank with a couple mollies and 8-10 Neovespicula depressifrons.

 

[steez]

Nice. I'll keep checking this thread for updates

 

[Rokuzachi]

On the upside, the filters do actually function (Fluval C4). I wouldn't exactly say they're quiet, though. The two of them together produce more noise than my AC110 + Fluval 405. Granted they're in a room with very little other noise, so that may be making them seem louder.

 

[CleverBs]

On the upside, the filters do actually function (Fluval C4). I wouldn't exactly say they're quiet, though. The two of them together produce more noise than my AC110 + Fluval 405. Granted they're in a room with very little other noise, so that may be making them seem louder.

No hob filter is quite imo. My fluval 405 is extremely quiet

 

[Rokuzachi]

No hob filter is quite imo. My fluval 405 is extremely quiet

Yea, my AC110 isn't exactly quiet, but I feel like it actually produces less noise for the same-ish amount of water it's putting through. It may just be me though, my girl says she doesn't think they make much noise. At any rate, it's not loud enough to disrupt sleeping 4 feet away from the tank

 

[mr.waffles1842]

i have MTS... i got it when i bought 2 tanks to add to my 1 i already have. im planning on geting a 40 gallon soon lol.

 

[Rokuzachi]

i have MTS... i got it when i bought 2 tanks to add to my 1 i already have. im planning on geting a 40 gallon soon lol.

Should call up your local Petco and see how long they're running the $1 per gallon sale. Even if you aren't ready for it, you could still store it and save a good chunk of money

 

[Rokuzachi]

Welp. Chronic MTS is acting up again.

Time to get a 20g stand/combo to go beside the 40, for the sole purpose of housing those little brackish wasp fish. First time I've ever seen them at any of my 6 LFS, so I'm gonna jump on it and pray they're still there in a few weeks.

 

[Rokuzachi]

When I was cleaning out the Fluval 405 on my 56 I decided to go ahead and seed the media in the 40. I pulled out about 6oz of bio-max, split it between the two, and bagged the portions with 1/3 liter of Seachem Matrix each in a mesh bag. I then shoehorned it into the former carbon slot; it complained a little but ultimately over-filling it didn't seem to cause any issues.

Ammonia reading was .50 so I guess I'm on the way. Substrate should be in by Saturday or Sunday along with the cycling plants followed shortly by the tank's first resident.

 

[Rokuzachi]

The Hagen Glo showed up today... naturally, on my front porch, in plain view of the community for the better part of the evening

This thing is awesome! The construction is very solid. The reflector seems very good. 78w from this fixture easily feels brighter than the 96 from my 4x24w. Maybe it's the bulbs? 2x 39w Hagen Glo-Life II 6700k vs 4x24 6700k Fishneedit. Looks pretty sexy too!

In the end it cost $115 including the bulbs, but my initial impression is that the extra $32 over a Fishneedit fixture was worth it. We'll see if time changes that.

 

[CleverBs]

I was going to get a fixture from fishneedit.com but read that they dont have very good bulbs/reflectors. Im sure the hugan glo puts out alot more light and

 

[Rokuzachi]

I was going to get a fixture from fishneedit.com but read that they dont have very good bulbs/reflectors. Im sure the hugan glo puts out alot more light and

I think they're decent, but you do get what you pay for. No problems with the one I do own (the 4x24w), grows plants well in my 56g. I think my main beef with it is the dual external ballasts (which were hard to find a place for in my setup).

I'm still eager to try one of their MH pendants, so I'll probably buy from again in the distant future.

 

[CleverBs]

I think they're decent, but you do get what you pay for. No problems with the one I do own (the 4x24w), grows plants well in my 56g. I think my main beef with it is the dual external ballasts (which were hard to find a place for in my setup).

I'm still eager to try one of their MH pendants, so I'll probably buy from again in the distant future.

Yeah Id like to get one of those aswell
I got my fixture from Catalina, 3x 54watt 48inch and its very nice I am really happy with it, It was a bit more then the Fishneedit fixtures.

 

[Rokuzachi]

First fish destine for the 40 has hit quarantine as of today.

"Pachi" the Oranda, my girl has named it. Of all the Orandas there, she picked the one with the strangest coloration. I wanted the bronze and silver ones, but what can I say?

Seems to be in good health though. Already munching my various planted stems I keep in the Qt for growing out.

I may have to change my double-substrate idea, which makes me pretty sad. I think what I'll do instead is buy some large PVC plugs, drill out some holes in the bottom and fill them with fluorite or eco-complete when I do eventually find it, and plant the few things that will be in this tank in them.