29 gallon FW build log
- Thread starter forrestcook
- Start date
Okay - so here's the gear list so far:
Got a nice white bulb for the light hood, though eventually i'll have to replace it, I think... the light isn't very bright. something like 20 watts
Aqua Clear filter rated for 70 gallons
Black plastic heater
Digital thermometer
40 lbs of Eco Complete substrate
1 big piece of pre-sunk driftwood (with plenty of nooks and crannies for fish and plants)
rocks (my bro the geologist has been collecting them for me... i'll pick them up soon)
test strips (6 in 1, until they get a liquid kit in stock)
bio spira + "cycle" to kick start the process... I've decided I'm very impatient to get this going.
de-chlorinater
Pics will be coming later when I bust out the big gun camera (the point and shoot just isn't cutting it)
When the tests start coming up okay, I'm going to get a few snails, maybe some ghost shrimp and a Pleco to get the tank on it's feet.
Next will come 8-12 silver tip tetras.
Then i'll be picking up a few gouramis (gold or pearl if I can find them) and returning the jerks until I find two that can co-exist. They tell me that when they get them in they're too young to sex properly... 2" or so. I'm not dead set on a breeding pair (though that would be nice). I just want two that will get along.
Next an Angel.
Along the road will be some plants, tall grasses for one side, anubias to grow in the driftwood and some sort of low lying carpet type plant for the ground.
Reactions to the plans?
Currently, the heater, filter, thermometer etc are running. The driftoowd and substrate are in, as well as the water, which got de-chlorinating treatments. Then an hour or two passed before I put in (still cold) bio spira and cycle. The water is clearing up, but the light is dim so it's still not terribly easy to see everything.
Got a nice white bulb for the light hood, though eventually i'll have to replace it, I think... the light isn't very bright. something like 20 watts
Aqua Clear filter rated for 70 gallons
Black plastic heater
Digital thermometer
40 lbs of Eco Complete substrate
1 big piece of pre-sunk driftwood (with plenty of nooks and crannies for fish and plants)
rocks (my bro the geologist has been collecting them for me... i'll pick them up soon)
test strips (6 in 1, until they get a liquid kit in stock)
bio spira + "cycle" to kick start the process... I've decided I'm very impatient to get this going.
de-chlorinater
Pics will be coming later when I bust out the big gun camera (the point and shoot just isn't cutting it)
When the tests start coming up okay, I'm going to get a few snails, maybe some ghost shrimp and a Pleco to get the tank on it's feet.
Next will come 8-12 silver tip tetras.
Then i'll be picking up a few gouramis (gold or pearl if I can find them) and returning the jerks until I find two that can co-exist. They tell me that when they get them in they're too young to sex properly... 2" or so. I'm not dead set on a breeding pair (though that would be nice). I just want two that will get along.
Next an Angel.
Along the road will be some plants, tall grasses for one side, anubias to grow in the driftwood and some sort of low lying carpet type plant for the ground.
Reactions to the plans?
Currently, the heater, filter, thermometer etc are running. The driftoowd and substrate are in, as well as the water, which got de-chlorinating treatments. Then an hour or two passed before I put in (still cold) bio spira and cycle. The water is clearing up, but the light is dim so it's still not terribly easy to see everything.
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yeah the LFS guy says it comes in refrigerated and brought it out from a back refrigerator for me... nice and chilly.I was looking at getting a Bushy Nose pleco... L144. They stay pretty small.
As far as spelling it with an *, as if pleco were a curse word - is there something I should know before I go buy one? I always thought they looked nice...
As far as spelling it with an *, as if pleco were a curse word - is there something I should know before I go buy one? I always thought they looked nice...
well, I got a few snails and a rubber lip pleco, no bushy noses anywhere, lately. I came home and ID'd these snails... and I think I'll be returning them. Of course, the ones I buy have to be the semi-aquatic apple snails that lay 200 eggs at a time... I think they look cool, but being that they aren't totally aquatic, I don't think my tank is the best environment for them. I also don't want a fleet of snails.
just went to the lfs to finish out the tetra herd... I had 2 males and 3 females so I requested 1 male and 4 females to get a nice 2 to 1 ratio (roughly). I get home and the guy got me 3 males and 2 females.... 1 to 1. Sucks for my boys. I guess that I can take some males back at some point... I don't think they'll be very happy with the odds.
A java fern, some kind of onion type plant tat wasn't labeled and an anubias are my three new plants... here they are! I wedged my java fern into my driftwood, it'll grow into it eventually, right? or do I need to plant it in the substrate? the LFS had it on driftwood is why I put it there. Also, the anubias was in a little plastic pot of sorts with some foam-type thing surrounding the roots. for this one, I took the pot off and tore the foam away from the roots bit by bit. is this the right thing to be doing, or should I be leaving it on there? Finally, the onion had a nice bulb at the bottom with long stringy roots... I buried the bulb and shoved the roots under the substrate where they naturally laid down.
Also included are pics of the glass bowing... is this more than usual? Or is this a common amount of bow for a 29? I live in an upstairs apartment and would hate to blow a seal and drench my neighbors...
Also included are pics of the glass bowing... is this more than usual? Or is this a common amount of bow for a 29? I live in an upstairs apartment and would hate to blow a seal and drench my neighbors...
Attachments
The next update is to introduce the new guys/girls.
four juvie angels (waiting for a pair or two that will coexist)
One regular banded angel named "fifteen to twenty"
One black angel with one white eye and one white fin named "Phantom"
One mostly black angel named "MB"
and one named "Marble Cake" or "MC"
four juvie angels (waiting for a pair or two that will coexist)
One regular banded angel named "fifteen to twenty"
One black angel with one white eye and one white fin named "Phantom"
One mostly black angel named "MB"
and one named "Marble Cake" or "MC"
Attachments
Okay - the aggression is already showing... Lady Hobbs?
MB has nipped at all three of the others, and Phantom has nipped at MC. 15-20 has not nipped anyone from what I have seen, so I think that one might be a keeper... I just didn't think I'd have to start watching out for aggression this early on. I might be returning 2-3 before very long!
MB has nipped at all three of the others, and Phantom has nipped at MC. 15-20 has not nipped anyone from what I have seen, so I think that one might be a keeper... I just didn't think I'd have to start watching out for aggression this early on. I might be returning 2-3 before very long!