Sati
Aquarium Advice Addict
Ohhhh, I think I know what you mean! :] What tool did you use to cut them in half?
GSP puffer questions
- Thread starter Electrobes
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
well I haven't yet, but I think you can split them if you make minor incisions outlines where you want them to split..
Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
Does anyone know how much crushed coral (what pound bag) to fill a 45 gallon tall tank with? Also how many inches of crushed coral should I have?
snapcrackler
Aquarium Advice Addict
loganj said:
Now that would be a way cool fish.
cdawson
Aquarium Advice Freak
Electrobes said:
1 lb per gallon. Or more if you want, You could mix it with silica sand and that looks very nice. However, you'll need lots of current to keep waste suspended in the water column. Puffers love alot of current anyways so it's a bonus. Trust me when I say that alot of filtration is needed with puffers.
Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
Heh don't worry, I've got a Filstar XP3 on it! Muwahaha! Do you think I should still add a power head or something? If so how should I point it?
Do you think I should still add a power head or something? If so how should I point it?cdawson
Aquarium Advice Freak
filstar xp3s are crap, you're gonna need way more filtration. The current on those things is like nothing. I thought that mine would be enough and I wasn't even close to being right.
Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
you think they're crap?? Its been doing really well on my tank as it has with others, why do you think they're so bad?
cdawson
Aquarium Advice Freak
I've got large fish (scats and monos) in with my puffer and they eat roughage which truly shows how crappy the xp3 is because it clogs up at least once every two weeks because of the romaine lettuce waste (unavoidable, they need to eat veggies). Also if you get any algae growing in your hoses it's pretty much impossible to clean out. When you turn up the current, only then can you get any dead algae out and it sprays right in your tank. You should always have a HOB filter when using canisters anyways (unless it's a planted or reef tank).
Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
wierd I have to larger oscars in my tank and a plec, and it has yet to clog at all, the current is pretty strong thus far, and I feed them often.. pellets worms, cichlid sticks, algae wafers, peas, etc... I also don't havealgae growing on the tubes either. Maybe the motor on yours had some trouble or something?
Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
do GSP's like a lot of current?... well In my 45 tank I decided to add back the Tetra tec P150 that I had laying around, put in two bags, one filled with zeolite granules and the other with pourous rock. On top of that there is the XP3 on full blast like I mentioned before mostly filled with pourous rock and foam, oh and some "biostars". Would this be enough filtration and movement when I add in silica sand and crushed coral (thanks cdawson for the suggestion! 8) )? Should I add a powerhead to this too???
I love the idea of having sand in the tank with the crushed coral to help with buffering! Can't wait till I get the tank actually set up with the new stand and canopy!
I love the idea of having sand in the tank with the crushed coral to help with buffering! Can't wait till I get the tank actually set up with the new stand and canopy!
madasafish
Aquarium Advice Addict
Cdawson:
Romaine lettuce waste shouldn't be this big a problem. If you're feeding fish a veggie like this, you should be using a "veggie clip" in the tank. This secures the lettuce and makes sure that parts of it aren't sucked into the filter. Of course, there are bound to be some small bits that do...
Electrobes:
I find that 1 lb per gallon is a little more than needed. In my 55 I have about 35 lbs of gravel (and coral pieces are larger per unit weight--lower density). In my 29 I have 15 lbs of gravel. Any more could become a liability with waste buildup and cleanup. I'd stick to less crushed coral unless you have lots of live plants to root in it.
One 25 might be enough, try that first, then get some smaller bags if you need more. On the advice of a bonehead Petco employee, I bought 75 lbs of gravel for my 55 a while back. Total overkill! I still have well over 1.5 bags left. Ah, well. It's useful for any further tanks I get!
Romaine lettuce waste shouldn't be this big a problem. If you're feeding fish a veggie like this, you should be using a "veggie clip" in the tank. This secures the lettuce and makes sure that parts of it aren't sucked into the filter. Of course, there are bound to be some small bits that do...
Electrobes:
I find that 1 lb per gallon is a little more than needed. In my 55 I have about 35 lbs of gravel (and coral pieces are larger per unit weight--lower density). In my 29 I have 15 lbs of gravel. Any more could become a liability with waste buildup and cleanup. I'd stick to less crushed coral unless you have lots of live plants to root in it.
One 25 might be enough, try that first, then get some smaller bags if you need more. On the advice of a bonehead Petco employee, I bought 75 lbs of gravel for my 55 a while back. Total overkill! I still have well over 1.5 bags left. Ah, well. It's useful for any further tanks I get!
Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
thanks madas, I was wondering if I needed that much... I think I definately want to go for the silica sand and crushed coral mix, I think I have enough filtration running... still not sure if I need a power head or not though... I do have a 45 G tall, so not sure if the downward blast of the XP3, and the P150 tetra tec filter will be enough... heck I better ask this while I remember but will a GSP like any of this movement-wise??
madasafish
Aquarium Advice Addict
enough to...? Filter the tank, disturb the sand/coral?
If the latter, don't hope for a filter that disturbs the substrate. You'll need to stir it fairly often to avoid anoxic pockets--lethal.
If the latter, don't hope for a filter that disturbs the substrate. You'll need to stir it fairly often to avoid anoxic pockets--lethal.
Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
Heh.. enought o agitate the substrate... but n/m on that! bugger it - what to do what to do!? Sheesh, all these decisions and not one decision I can actually make! Oh well guess I'll stick with the emdium size natural gravel, the filtartion should be much more than adepquate considering I now have both an XP3 and the Tetra P150 running together (thanks again cdawson), I feel a little better with that than just having the XP3 running alone, even though its a 45G tank. Thank you too Madas!
- what to do what to do!? Sheesh, all these decisions and not one decision I can actually make! Oh well guess I'll stick with the emdium size natural gravel, the filtartion should be much more than adepquate considering I now have both an XP3 and the Tetra P150 running together (thanks again cdawson), I feel a little better with that than just having the XP3 running alone, even though its a 45G tank. Thank you too Madas!madasafish
Aquarium Advice Addict
Well. If you want about a substrate that will increase your pH, by all means get crushed coral. Just don't get the mix of the coral and sand. Crushed Coral will not be small enough, and tight-packed enough to form anoxic spots. Just go with that. I've seen coral sold by itself quite often. You should be able to find it in Petcos/Petsmarts, and in most LFSs.
Sati
Aquarium Advice Addict
madasafish said:
Lethal substrate? I've never used sand or coral, but I had no idea... There is no oxygen in the sand because it's so tightly packed and then? How does this work exactly?
madasafish
Aquarium Advice Addict
Have done some work on this... but not enough...
In benthic environments (mud at bottom of river, ocean etc.), different types of bacterial resporation occur. The first is plain-old oxygen respiration. This happens at the very surface of sediment. When this is buried, or when oxygen is no longer able to enter the area because of closely-packed particles, different sorts of bacteria take over repiration. These bacteria produce potentially toxic gases such as methane (roughly H20+C6H12O6-->H20+CH4) and nitrogenous compounds (perhaps Carbon Monoxide?).
Here's where I get a little shaky. I do know that there are several types of respiration, but can't enumerate them--my brother is a microbial ecologist, so I'll try to get the info from him. Suffices to say that these chemical products of methanogenesis and other types of repiration can be toxic if allowed to off-gas into the tank water.
In order to combat this potential problem, most SW enthusiasts buy MTS, malaysian trumpet snails. These constantly disturb the sediment, preventing anoxia.
That's the best I can do. Is it Sweets who has the chemisty degree around here? Perhaps she can add more to this.
In benthic environments (mud at bottom of river, ocean etc.), different types of bacterial resporation occur. The first is plain-old oxygen respiration. This happens at the very surface of sediment. When this is buried, or when oxygen is no longer able to enter the area because of closely-packed particles, different sorts of bacteria take over repiration. These bacteria produce potentially toxic gases such as methane (roughly H20+C6H12O6-->H20+CH4) and nitrogenous compounds (perhaps Carbon Monoxide?).
Here's where I get a little shaky. I do know that there are several types of respiration, but can't enumerate them--my brother is a microbial ecologist, so I'll try to get the info from him. Suffices to say that these chemical products of methanogenesis and other types of repiration can be toxic if allowed to off-gas into the tank water.
In order to combat this potential problem, most SW enthusiasts buy MTS, malaysian trumpet snails. These constantly disturb the sediment, preventing anoxia.
That's the best I can do. Is it Sweets who has the chemisty degree around here? Perhaps she can add more to this.
Sati
Aquarium Advice Addict
Thanks a bunch Madasa! I understand what you're saying. I had never thought about that and it wouldn't have occoured to me to be cautious of such a thing so I'm glad I read this post. I didn't know a MTS was such a little digger either :]
Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
Alrighty I guess I'll just have the substrate be all crushed coral, buffering-wise it'll be for the best plus it'll be neat to have an all white ground, always had the natural gravel I'll prob get 25 pounds of that then to start off. Acclimation wise.. whats the best way to get him/her from FW to brackish conditions? I;ve heard of the drip method.. or just adding a certain amount of teaspoons per day, etc... what do all of you think? Thanks guys you are awesome!!!!
I'll prob get 25 pounds of that then to start off. Acclimation wise.. whats the best way to get him/her from FW to brackish conditions? I;ve heard of the drip method.. or just adding a certain amount of teaspoons per day, etc... what do all of you think? Thanks guys you are awesome!!!!
