My Black river biotope proyect

[MikeFish]

Hi!!

This is my first message here! and i feel that i must inform you that im not a excellent English speaker and writer jejeje so if you don’t understand any word that i write, please...tell me and i´ll try to explain what did i want to say:D in the same time i will ask you the things that i didn’t understand in order to get the information better .

I’ve an aquarium of roughly 112 gallons)already installed with some gold fish that I’m caring for my cousin because he’s looking for a place where put them. But obviusly the aquarium is not acondicioned to house the discus. the water is from de ignition key (ph 7.6, kh 16, gh 24 or more), the chippings is too big. the filter is only an Aquaclear 500. it hasn´t enough light. My cousin will come for the goldfish in one month approximately..

At this moment I´ve the dry/humid (is correctly writed?)filter , im waiting a water bomb ATLAS 2000 that i bought in the internet yesterday, so almost is bought, only would lack the light, the sand and the trunks....After that i´ll save money in order to get the discus. I know that the dudes will appear while the proyect advance.

I want to recreate the black river as near as possible, no plants, no chipping, yes endemic fish, only trunks , discus, cardinals? and corydoras. What do you think?

Bye!!
I promise i´ll stick the pictures of the proyect!!

[Ed13]

Welcome to Simply discus Mike!

So far you sound like you have things well thought out. Would you be disinfecting the tank after the goldfish are gone?
I would ,goldfish are filthy little creatures that carry all sort of pathogens these days from a lot of mishandling!

BTW, where is Merida located?:confused:

[MikeFish]

Hi Ed.

Thanks for your comments. I really hadn´t thought about desinfecting the tank..i have thought to empty the aquarium and let it to dry one week, will it be enough??:confused:

Merida is near to Cancun, Yucatan´s peninsula México;) Ill edit mi profile jejeje

Bye!

[Ed13]

Hi Ed.

Thanks for your comments. I really hadn´t thought about desinfecting the tank..i have thought to empty the aquarium and let it to dry one week, will it be enough??:confused:

Merida is near to Cancun, Yucatan´s peninsula México;) Ill edit mi profile jejeje

Bye!
Drying it is not the same as disinfecting it. Many pathogens can resist drying out and worst. There may not be a need to do bleach, alcohol or others but, you know what, I'do it! I can't sleep at night knowing that I spent ~$50 each for six discus, that could go wrong!:mad:
Then again when the paranoid voice in my head starts talking,......:p

Entonces eres Mexicano?

[MikeFish]

Ed. Si,soy mexicano :) :D

Con qué puedo desinfectar la pecera? con alcohol? no entendí muy bien esa parte man jejeje.

Im really grateful with your answers, thank you. Tomorrow i´ll stick a pictures , but i must say you that the aquarium wont look very good :( jejeje .

See u!

[Ed13]

Ed. Si,soy mexicano :) :D

Con qué puedo desinfectar la pecera? con alcohol? no entendí muy bien esa parte man jejeje.

Im really grateful with your answers, thank you. Tomorrow i´ll stick a pictures , but i must say you that the aquarium wont look very good :( jejeje .

See u!

I Sent a PM:)

[MikeFish]

Hi!!

Thank you for have answered de PM Ed, now I´ve more knowledge about desinfecting aquarium and i´ll desinfect it;) all with the purpose to have a healthy discus :) .

Now i´ll stick u a picture that I´ve of the aquarium, is mi first time sticking photos so i don´t know if this will appear jejeje

Lets try!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/Cortazar/DSC02431.jpg

This is the future amazonic biotope...Now like u can see is really ordinary, is nothing special there, I´ve the gold fish inside. I´ll put it a wood tap on. With day light bulbs inside the tap and a fans in order to mitigate the high temperatures in summer.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/Cortazar/DSC02432.jpg

Here is the wet & dry filter... is a lil big, isn´t it? jejeje it has 32 gallons capacity. it has five compartments, the first and the second compartment will have mechanical filtration (Idont know the name of the product in english, sorry), the thirth compartment will have half mechanical and peat the other half) in the fourth compartment will accommodate the biological filtration, and finally, the fifth compartment will only return the water to the aquarium, ahhh i was forgeting to mention to u...the water will be carried to the filter by a power head sunny sph 2000 (500g/d).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/Cortazar/Cabezadepoder.jpg

Finally i'll show u the reverse osmosis that i bought 3 months ago but is not installed yet .:(

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/Cortazar/DSC02434.jpg

What do u think? tips?suggestions?Tell me please!!:D

BYE

[Ed13]

Looks good so far!
I assume you are getting adult wilds right? If so you can go ahead and change the gravel to sand, that is if you really want to keep the biotope theme going. It will be easier to clean than gravel too!
One thing to consider is that discus are way easier to maitain in barebottom tanks for several reasons, if you don't mind you can set it up with wood only and once the fish are adults change to sand or a pebble/sand combo with the pebble being< 3mm. Almond leaves on the bottom might make it more biotope like! Most rivers in SA are either sand or mud in the bottom and other stuff like rocks, wood, leaves, and plants will vary depending on the river or tributary. Smooth river rocks are usually found in faster current rivers and is usually associated with loricariidae biotopes.

I normally don't use sumps, but when I do use them I really like them oversized, sometimes as much as the tank they'll be maitaining or more. I'm just not used to seeing such a high sump/aquarium being used!;)

As for the return pump, I'm not familiar with the one you posted. It looks like a powerhead and not a pump. That being said powerheads are normally rated at zero head gph, meaning that they are not usually designed for pushing water up rather moving water horizontally. While it may do the job, and I confees that I've used Resun powerheads/pumps(these do have a head pressure rating though) as returns with really good results I would return it and look for a pump design for your needs. This will save you some troubles in the long run!

[mmorris]

Hi Mike, welcome to Simply Discus! I'm sorry you didn't pop on a few months ago. I was in Merida in January. I would have loved to stop by, say hello and show you where you could put those goldfish!:D Martha

[MikeFish]

Hi Ed!!

You´re very fast answering!:D you wont believe me but i was thinking to change the gravel to sand in the aquarium store (business), by the moment I can´t do it because the fish are living there:mad: .

I don´t like the barebottom(desnudo?) tanks, my intention is to build a attempt of a black river south american. The sand is important :D . I had decided put almond leaves (here the almond tree is abundant) in order to get a more realist biotope;)

I dont remember if i had mentioned it...but the wet & dry filter wont be under the tank, it´ll be on the tank. this is more handy if we would have a power cut.

Yeah, you´re right..This is not a pump, is a power head...but i hope it works because i dont have more money!:D .Plus, the power head will only carry on the water approximately 40cms.

Thanks for your help!!

[MikeFish]

Hi Martha!

It´s a shame:confused: i would have showed u my gold fish tank :D I´ve a water pond too:) .Doesn´t matter....the next time that you come:) so...What do you think about Merida after have visited us?:D

Bye!!

[Ed13]

Hi Ed!!

You´re very fast answering!:D you wont believe me but i was thinking to change the gravel to sand in the aquarium store (business), by the moment I can´t do it because the fish are living there:mad: .

I don´t like the barebottom(desnudo?) tanks, my intention is to build a attempt of a black river south american. The sand is important :D . I had decided put almond leaves (here the almond tree is abundant) in order to get a more realist biotope;)

I dont remember if i had mentioned it...but the wet & dry filter wont be under the tank, it´ll be on the tank. this is more handy if we would have a power cut.

Yeah, you´re right..This is not a pump, is a power head...but i hope it works because i dont have more money!:D .Plus, the power head will only carry on the water approximately 40cms.

Thanks for your help!!
Desnudo?LOL its a great way of describing barebottom tanks! Technically if you are going to use Almond leaves is not going to be desnudo LOL. I do suggested it because I know that it'll be easier for you and healthier for the fish, of course not a biotope but....

Will the filter be inside the tank or on top of the tank? If its inside how a you making it a Wet & dry? If the media is all submerged, wouldn't be easier and cheaper to run a power filter or canister? I'm just curious, btw

BTW, if I understand your concept correctly then the powerhead will be ok

[mmorris]

What do you think about Merida after have visited us?:D


Loved it, of course. I stayed at the youth hostel on Calle 62 and it has to be the best hostel I have stayed in anywhere in the world. It was such an oasis. What's with all the frenchfries (chips) in the town center? I was fortunate to be there for the anniversary celebration, but then I hear people in Merida celebrate a lot. :D Is that true? Martha

[roclement]

Hello Mike,

Welcome! I was in Merida many years ago, back when there was a huge eartquake and Mexico City was in ruins, visiting Merida is what saved my life because our hotel in Mexico went down! Beautifull town and friendly people, one thing I remember well were the people in the city holding on to two car battery cables and one would increase the current, whoever held on the longest would win...or fry his brain... : )

I am from Brasil, Viva Latinos!!!!

Rodrigo

[Ed13]

I hear people in Merida celebrate a lot. :D Is that true? Martha
Martha, uh???:confused: You serious?:confused: Read this it will help you understand!:D :D



I am from Brasil, Viva Latinos!!!!


WE LIKE TO PARTY, A LOT, EVEN AT MINISCULE EVENTS!!!

VIVA LATINOS!!!

[roclement]

This IS an EVENT...! We are all here!!!!

VIVA LATINOS!!!!! Tequila!!!! Cachaca!!!!! PISCO!!!! RUM!!!!

Join the fun!!!

Rodrigo

[mmorris]

You misunderstood Ed. I wasn't using an American standard here! From what I heard, Merida people could put you partiers under the table! :D Martha