Life Any fishkeepers here? Saltwater or freshwater - Page 27

Silock · 11-16-2011, 04:02 AM

I'm looking at starting up a saltwater tank. Is there a good fish store in the KC area without driving out to Lawrence?

Fish · 05-03-2012, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

I cannot wait to get my aquarium back up and running. I have a really cool 65 gallon that is an awesome shape. Really tall and deep but not too long (3ft instead of the 4ft usual for 55 gallons). But apartment living is not too condusive to an aquarium of that size.

I love aquariums shaped like that! Very versatile. You can create different "levels" to coincide with the type of fish you have and how deep they like to swim. And like you say, it doesn't take up as much room. Only problem is that you almost have to get in it to reach the stuff on the bottom...

htismaqe · 05-03-2012, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC Fish

I love aquariums shaped like that! Very versatile. You can create different "levels" to coincide with the type of fish you have and how deep they like to swim. And like you say, it doesn't take up as much room. Only problem is that you almost have to get in it to reach the stuff on the bottom...

All the more reason to throw in some low-light slow growers like Anubias and forget about the stuff on the bottom.

Fish · 05-03-2012, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

All the more reason to throw in some low-light slow growers like Anubias and forget about the stuff on the bottom.

The varieties of fish I keep have never allowed me to have living plants in the tank for more than a few days. Which makes me sad..

mr. tegu · 05-03-2012, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

A 36" long 65G? How freaking deep is it?

Sounds like a perfect reef tank...

I want to say its about 30" tall, 36" wide, and 20" deep. Somewhere in there. I would have to check it later. The only dimension I am positive about is the 3 ft width.

mr. tegu · 05-03-2012, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC Fish

I love aquariums shaped like that! Very versatile. You can create different "levels" to coincide with the type of fish you have and how deep they like to swim. And like you say, it doesn't take up as much room. Only problem is that you almost have to get in it to reach the stuff on the bottom...

You are right about reaching the bottom. It was a pain when I had it set up for fish to clean down there. I have never had a live planting tank but I will try to do it next time I finally get it set up.

htismaqe · 05-03-2012, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC Fish

The varieties of fish I keep have never allowed me to have living plants in the tank for more than a few days. Which makes me sad..

If you have Cichlids, plants don't last unfortunately. However, they might be hard-pressed to destroy an anchored Anubias on a lava rock.

Fish · 05-03-2012, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

If you have Cichlids, plants don't last unfortunately. However, they might be hard-pressed to destroy an anchored Anubias on a lava rock.

Really? I'm gonna give that a try then. Thanks.

**Iowanian** · 05-03-2012, 12:37 PM

I'm finding fish to be a pain in the ass and I'm about ready to use them as bait.

htismaqe · 05-03-2012, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iowanian

I'm finding fish to be a pain in the ass and I'm about ready to use them as bait.

You just started. Trust me, it gets better!

**Lumpy** · 05-03-2012, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

At least one female (she already has eggs, can't see the eyes yet though).

They were $4 each.

$4 really isn't that bad considering that they're not usually available at fish stores and places like liveaquaria.com has them listed for around $5 plus S&H. I'm getting ready to rehome some of mine, (which is why I asked what you paid).

I hope they do ok in your tank! If everything goes well, you will have a nice colony in no time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

The plastic won't but I'd bet the paint will...

The painted plastic on the figurines. Yeah, that was what I was meaning.

I haven't checked the guy's tank log lately, so I don't know for a fact that everything is going well. I hope it is though. He put a lot of work and creativity into it.

Silock · 05-07-2012, 12:24 AM

Held out and got a better deal. Bought a new 125 with a stand for $400 out the door today. They're gonna drill it for me, too. Aquarium Wholesale in Olathe at the Great Mall.

Now I just have to decide what to do. Fresh or salt.

Silock · 05-18-2012, 07:37 PM

It's a dirted tank, so the plants will have actual dirt to grow in, and I won't have to dose fertilizers all the time, which is kind of a pain in the ass.

Setup:
30g long
Miracle Gro Organic Potting Soil
Potash
Dolomite
Red Clay Powder
Black Blasting Sand
DIY Carbon Dioxide Reactor w/Nano Diffuser

I already detailed the light conversion I did, so here's the setup for the rest of the tank:

The edges were oak (bleh), so I taped off the glass and repainted it black.

Just a bit of potash in the bottom (provides potassium):

Dolomite (for calcium and magnesium):

Lined it with the washed sand so that you don't see the layers of dirt from the front:

Mixed the powdered clay in with the potting soil and set to aquascape it a bit:

Got some manzanita driftwood to put in it. Had to tie down the big piece with some rock that I put under the substrate so it wouldn't float off.

View from the top after I covered the potting soil mixture with the blasting sand (the sand keeps the dirt from flying all over the tank and making muddy water... and it looks better):

Quickly placed the plants in there before they dried out:

Hairgrass, crypts, Argentine swords, red ludwigia and hygrophilia:

Final setup w/fish (the sponge filter on the right is from a mature tank, and will be taken out as soon as it seeds the new filters):

The plants are melting away a little bit, which is to be expected right now. The leaves that are on there will die away as the plant puts down new roots, and new growth will take their place. In the meantime, I've got laaaaaaarge water changes every day to keep the nutrients down. That will subside in a week or two. And when the dwarf hairgrass in front grows out, it should carpet the whole bottom of the tank very well. The floating plant is some hornwort that will be removed, as it's ugly and messy. I'll replace it with some java moss that will be attached to the front right driftwood, so that it looks like a tree.

Fish stock, since you can't really see them:
Green neon tetras (a lot more blue than other neons or cardinals) x 20

Celestial Pearl Danio x 6

Purple Eraser Pencilfish x 6

Bloodfin Tetra x 6

Clown Loach x 5 (need to get rid of soon, or rehome... they are getting too big for the tank)

Betta x 1 (mine looks almost identical to this)

**Lumpy** · 05-18-2012, 08:18 PM

That looks beautiful! Nice job!

I really like the driftwood. Hopefully it will get waterlogged soon.

Fish · 05-18-2012, 11:19 PM

Doesn't the betta assassinate the other fish?

**Easy 6** · 05-18-2012, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC Fish

Doesn't the betta assassinate the other fish?

Bettas only fight with other bettas, alone in community tanks they're usually the ones getting nipped on all of the time.

Thats a great tank, he must have mega-overkill filtration on it to keep that many fish.

11-16-2011, 04:02 AM
Silock MVP Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Overland Park Casino cash: $10020882	Any fishkeepers here? Saltwater or freshwater I'm looking at starting up a saltwater tank. Is there a good fish store in the KC area without driving out to Lawrence?
Posts: 19,908

05-03-2012, 12:37 PM	#398
Iowanian Supporter Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Utopia Casino cash: $4818454	I'm finding fish to be a pain in the ass and I'm about ready to use them as bait.
Posts: 61,511

05-07-2012, 12:24 AM	#401
Silock MVP Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Overland Park Casino cash: $10020882	Held out and got a better deal. Bought a new 125 with a stand for $400 out the door today. They're gonna drill it for me, too. Aquarium Wholesale in Olathe at the Great Mall. Now I just have to decide what to do. Fresh or salt.
Posts: 19,908

05-18-2012, 07:37 PM	#402
Silock MVP Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Overland Park Casino cash: $10020882	It's a dirted tank, so the plants will have actual dirt to grow in, and I won't have to dose fertilizers all the time, which is kind of a pain in the ass. Setup: 30g long Miracle Gro Organic Potting Soil Potash Dolomite Red Clay Powder Black Blasting Sand DIY Carbon Dioxide Reactor w/Nano Diffuser I already detailed the light conversion I did, so here's the setup for the rest of the tank: The edges were oak (bleh), so I taped off the glass and repainted it black. Just a bit of potash in the bottom (provides potassium): Dolomite (for calcium and magnesium): Lined it with the washed sand so that you don't see the layers of dirt from the front: Mixed the powdered clay in with the potting soil and set to aquascape it a bit: Got some manzanita driftwood to put in it. Had to tie down the big piece with some rock that I put under the substrate so it wouldn't float off. View from the top after I covered the potting soil mixture with the blasting sand (the sand keeps the dirt from flying all over the tank and making muddy water... and it looks better): Quickly placed the plants in there before they dried out: Hairgrass, crypts, Argentine swords, red ludwigia and hygrophilia: Final setup w/fish (the sponge filter on the right is from a mature tank, and will be taken out as soon as it seeds the new filters): The plants are melting away a little bit, which is to be expected right now. The leaves that are on there will die away as the plant puts down new roots, and new growth will take their place. In the meantime, I've got laaaaaaarge water changes every day to keep the nutrients down. That will subside in a week or two. And when the dwarf hairgrass in front grows out, it should carpet the whole bottom of the tank very well. The floating plant is some hornwort that will be removed, as it's ugly and messy. I'll replace it with some java moss that will be attached to the front right driftwood, so that it looks like a tree. Fish stock, since you can't really see them: Green neon tetras (a lot more blue than other neons or cardinals) x 20 Celestial Pearl Danio x 6 Purple Eraser Pencilfish x 6 Bloodfin Tetra x 6 Clown Loach x 5 (need to get rid of soon, or rehome... they are getting too big for the tank) Betta x 1 (mine looks almost identical to this)
Posts: 19,908

05-18-2012, 11:19 PM	#404
Fish Ain't no relax! Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $2368919	Doesn't the betta assassinate the other fish? __________________
Posts: 47,455