Autumsky's Congo's Lazy River 80G

[Autumnsky]

Hahaha, yes basically no sleeves, and using a 2 step ladder when I really could have used a 3 step stool.

And thinking next month might buy one because I only have a painting ladder which is too bulky to be hauling in and out of the family room.

And after bemoaning the issue of the tank not being level, my DD reminded me that we had to move the tank over just a couple inches. No doubt that is where I erred. Didn't recheck the level - now I remember. It's been so long!

Let's see how far we get today.

 

[Autumnsky]

Some progress has been made!

It SEEMED the tank wasn't going to clear.

Nearly a week back Clarity wasn't making the tank that much more clear - I was trying to get the API Accuclear but it wasn't available around me at about 5 stores. So I added more Clarity. More bulk filter pads - twice and the other Fluval FX-5.

All those things helped.

Today it looks better than before so I plan to do a rinse on the FX-5 in hopes of rinsing out debris and mess from the tank, so it can do it all again.

Water Pumping Power

There are 2 full size pumps in the back of the Innovative Marine blowing in I think I recall being told 350G/ p/h (could be 500) each, one had been upgraded and one had not, - since it is a used tank, was happy they both worked!!!

About a year and a half ago I remembered which pumps they were and then FF to now and I didn't really pay attention to which size they were. Once it was up on the stand it was too far back for me to look at. One worked better than the other, the one near the point on the CK DW is stronger.

There are 4 out flows for those 2 pumps.

The idea of flow is from the tall side of the DW to the low side

Then to kick it up to RIVER I put the Fluval FX-5. The seals / o rings were broken where the intake and outflow snap / qwik click onto the top.

Had to order them - info said a week for them to arrive. Perfect and pretty quick came a day less than a week I think.

The placement of the intake and out flow were on my mind for a long time.

The tank has a media space in the back and I wasn't sure what was going to happen and how.

The intake is in the back media space. The outflow was put near the center towards the low end / down flow of the RIVER. Mainly for now was to clear up the tank so I could see to do more scaping.

FX-5 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My HUGE scare happened when the FX-5 canister filter didn't fit into the cabinet. At all!

Mini panic. It seemed that the 1.5 years back it was going to work, now it didn't even com close to sliding inside. There isn't an alternate location for the FX-5.

The center cabinet door had to be removed and canister had to go in with the handles kitty corner. So it is underneath, by a 1/4 inch or .64 cm. Canister is 15.25" and cabinet opening is 15.50".

Impossibility averted but the problem isn't solved as I need to figure out the door issue.

First hope is that I can get a toggle style nut instead of the screw to make removing the door easier.

I'm leaving it off until I can get the silty-ness out of the tank and for sure all cleared up after re-scaping.

Problem of big annoyance is the DW wants to bob sideways like a cork. Saddle bag of heavy stones almost isn't enough to hold it down!!!

Option will not be keeping a white bag with stones in it lol.

So not using it would ruin my vision for the tank but it would still be nice.

I have a couple plants already to add in behind to the DW area.


Media thoughts
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The idea of using K1 media somehow in the back is very intriguing. What I hear is it takes up to 6 months to develop the coating to create the best cycling ability. Which means I would keep things stable with the FX-5.

 

[Autumnsky]

Live stock
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The goal is to have a big space for the Clown Loaches for their next growth stage. And a great space for the 11 Congo Tetras.

This leaves me with a couple other ideas. A couple more Clown Loaches. I have 4 now I lost one not long after QT the 3 I bought.

Have been looking for over a year now to adopt some from a hobbyist whose tank they are out growing.

Have made a few offers and in one case they just wanted too much money for the 6-10" fish and it was a large group.

The other was 4 or 5 and they were hoping to rehome all the fish with the tank and not split them up and were able to find that option.

Others were like one fish and too far for me to drive, as I could just buy them locally.

Have been keeping my eye out for a reasonable deal on a larger /longer tank, for the next stage of growth 6-8" but I have certain ideas about the tank and price, not found the right combination yet.

Guppies and Endlers Since I have a zillion of these - Endlers colony particularly, I am added them to the 80G.

The adults should be fine for awhile as they are bigger than the Congo Tetras would normally eat. The Clown loaches are 1 appx. 6" and 3 about nearing 4" Will be keeping my eyes out for 2-4.

Have Endler Fry in there now with no Congo's for a little bit.

When I get the scaping more like I am hoping for, then I will add the bottom fish Clown Loaches, and 5 Dwarf Petricola Synodontis Catfish (Synodontis lucipinnis) which hide all the time and rarely see.

Before moving the Congos in, I will pull the small Endlers fry giving them a couple weeks still to grow up now, was tired of having them in the QT tank.

Then trying to decide on one more fish group, I have about 6 standard and longfin Serpae Tetra and thinking of adding them in and either Flame/Von Rio Tetra - Lemon or Kitty Tetra, something else with some bright color, and not torpedo shaped.

Share any ideas.

Also I have the net top for this tank but need to get a new set of clips to hold them on. And need to do something to allow the DW to come out of the tank with the plants.

Endlers Fry

More Endlers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The 72G will be a big tank of smaller and nano fish, so can't leave any small-fish, eaters in there.

Any ideas would be great. Please share thoughts and comments.

 

[Fishlegend]

Hijak thus threa sorry

Lol you said comment .
So if you have any aquarium stuff you don't want anymore would you pm I could send you some snails to sell / help feed in exchange for anything
Also free shipping would be nice but if I have to pay shipping on my end would you pay your end? Sorry way off topic I just need anything aquarium related because I have so many breeding tanks it gets costly to buy every thing new. Please PM

 

[Autumnsky]

Aquarium Clubs and Aquarium Society as well as local hobbyists and incl. FB & CL, are possibilities.

Atm am in the middle of redoing all the tanks and will be whittling the supply closet down, probably summer to fall accordingly. Will let you know if there are any things in excess.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The river tank is looking good still.

After seeing a video clip of a member's friend's tank, there were 30ish Clown Loaches and they were awesome. Deciding to up the number of Clown Loaches after saying yesterday to do the minimum group. NOT 30 but maybe 10.

Will start scouring for adoptions but will likely get a group of small ones by April. I won't be spending $40 for a 6 inch fish (cost at the lfs when they get them in).

Small ones will be ~2-3". And still cost 8.99 to 14.99. Box store vs. private lfs. Local box store is not selling fish right now, maybe the Clown Loaches will be bigger after a month + in QT.

The Endler Fry look 2x as big in 3 days! Tomorrow will probably move some stones around. Considering moving a big DW from the 72G over into this tank/ 2 options have Anubias growing on them for 5 years.

 

[Fishlegend]

Ok thanks!

That's impressive to keep a plant like that alive that Long times two! Sounds like your committed to your plants

 

[Autumnsky]

The little fry in the previous up a few posts and now there are new tiny fry yesterday.

The bigger ones are the tiny babies from before, growing quickly. Seriously, they are everywhere!!!

Concerned I won't be able to move the Congo's very soon. I could move the smallest fry over to the grow out, but that thing is pretty full too!

Put out a email for someone with 6 Clown Loaches for sale /rehoming. Waiting for details.

Also ordered my acrylic clips from IM for the screen top.

 

[Autumnsky]

3 month update

Been quite awhile since an update.

Tank looked exactly the same as previous pics except perfectly clear water.

Other than moving a few stones around.

And having the Hornwort start half melting on me and it being relegated to a 5G bucket outside.

The Endlers population went bonkers, "lost" the Clown Loaches, more on that, link/story below.


There was this Clown Loach situation
https://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/curious-clown-loaches-long-story-warning-373665.html

FF to a few days back.

A few days ago found a Endler female covered in Ich.

No other fish looked to have Ich.

As of now still no Ich seen on the fish fins.

So anyway did a big 70G rolling water change. 15 5G buckets.

The water left the tank via the exit valve on the Fluval FX-5 and as it left I would add more water in.

2 reasons, the first is that the canister intake is in the back of the media section of the tank, the small overflow holes are only a few inches from the top, so more than 3-4 inches down on water in the tank no more water goes into the back. And the other is because the difference in water between tank and tap water would have been quite a lot so it worked out for the best.

The fish hadn't had a pwc in near 3 weeks because I was out of town, and very busy.

Needing to get the FX-5 cleaned out today as well because I just got my 2L of Prime in the mail. Ran out last night!

 

[Autumnsky]

The next thing was that I couldn't catch the fish with the Ich with all the plants and DW which was in there.

That meant removing the huge DW Cypress Knees and several other pieces. And the plants.

Some plants went back in.

Big Cypress knees didn't go back in yet. I put it in the kiddie pool and it is soaking to stay wet.

It really allowed the Congo Tetras to swim around more so I can see them. It looks better to see the fish, so I thought up a new idea for the DW to sit on some rods, maybe acrylic, maybe SS. Above the water, maybe.

It was easy to think up a crazy idea, not as easy to make it work.

And that is where it stands.

Before going on my trip a friend came and picked up about 100+ Endlers from that tank. Thankfully!

 

[Autumnsky]

Got a 40G pwc done today.

Moved over a couple big DW from the 72G covered in Java Ferns.

It is too much for the space and will probably put back the largest one.

Hoping to move the Endlers over to a new home soon and to either add the male Guppies, or I have requested a group of 20-25 Cardinal Tetras and not sure when I will get them.

A few pics

These 2 are the 1-1.5 inch baby Clown Loaches which have doubled in size.

Top right is a Congo Tetra staring forward.

 

[Autumnsky]

203 days since an update ????

Well probably more has happened than I remember, lol.

The Guppy Endlers became a problem and then they were thinned out 2 times majorly. Then left some but emptied out the majority of all males, and all females I could capture, and left just about 10+.

Found a couple more females and caught and moved them.

There ended up being a few Guppy Endlers escaped into the overflow in the back of the filter compartment and they had babies. Tried capturing them several times and unfortunately didn't get them. (Caught 4 today since they were a little bigger, still some left). Also today moved the females I could catch over to the Waterbox.

Also moved the Red Tail Shark over to the Waterbox tank perhaps temporarily???

He was harassing a Congo Tetra to the point of illness or could have been ill and got chased. Either way RTS needed a time out. Tried catching him a couple times previously but did not.

There were so many rocks and DW and other fish it was impossible - needed to get the things out of the way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So the big news is that the Yoyo Loaches are moving to a new home. Had to take everything out to catch the wiggly eel acting, able to hide sideways and flip out of the net .

They are getting picked up tomorrow.

There were just too many bottom fish. In the near future I could be moving and not really have enough room for all the tanks and fish. So one thought was to just close down this tank.

After a long time of considering it, I really love the Clown Loaches. And like the Congo Tetras as well. But the issues are that the tank, although quite beautiful gives me some problems.

I need new tubes for the pumps - they just fall off sometimes. It causes water to bubble out the top back and I don't always realize this until it is flooding out from under the tank on the floor.

The tank has a factory net on top to keep the fish from jumping out, but rimless and it evaporates like crazy.

It is really tall basically as tall as I am. And I need a ladder for anything other than feeding. I bought a 3 step ladder and I still can't reach all the way to the back bottom of the overflow/ pumps.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Did a 40G water change on the tank and rearranged the items left out about 6 big river stones and 3 DW pieces one XL and 2 smaller.

The tank got really silty and a bunch of muck got stirred up.

I turned on the filters and ended up with an air lock in the FX5 filter.

Tried 3 times to turn it off and back on. Then decided I would remove it but as I pulled it out, I guess one of the tubes had a bit of a kink, and when I moved it to unhook the tubes, I heard all the water pouring back in.

Happy it was that rather than the impeller or motor went out.

By removing the 6 very large Yoyo Loaches (and RTS), it will ease up the bioload and help reduce the need to do as large of water changes.

Added 2 fine filter pads to the 2 filter overflows to help clean up the silty stuff that came out from under all the stones I picked up and moved.

 

[Autumnsky]

And the update of this beautiful tank is that I ended up moving earlier this year and really didn't have the wall space to keep it and sold it to a SW fish keeper. I love that tank, it was really pretty, but so many tanks in the world. I will be getting smaller ones.

The Endler population was was distributed out and left with very few.

Clown Loaches got a new home in my 72G tank and mostly sand substrate which they liked. I ended up adopting 2 6" Clown Loaches and really am back to where I need a longer tank to replace the 72G or find a new home for the biggest ones, as I do not think I will be getting them a 120G, 150G or 200G tank in the next 1-1.5 years. Not quite a perfect space for it.

Probably will try getting a new handful of little ones, and maybe in a couple years we'll have more space for them, as they grow.

Congo Tetras found new homes with a couple of different people, a friend of mine, and someone the lfs knew wanted some.

I saved all my stones and the Cypress Knees DW, just in case...

The end.