Project Log - 95 Gallon Hexagon Aquarium

[rickztahone]

Thats also what i considered but was concerned about getting the stuff under the top layer of substrate, Aquasoil allows for all sorts of things to settle in it!

since the tank is so deep, I cannot easily place a powerhead inside to keep the substrate level circulating, unless i can find a powerhead i can stick to the wall and point straight down...

though i do need a good strainer either way to keep the shrimp from being sucked out whether or not i go canister or straight siphon

the detritus also settles pretty quickly once the circulation is turned off so i thought a canister would be the best way to go to cover all the above points while keeping the shrimp and tetras safe. If they happened to get through the strainer, i could get them out of the canister just fine. A canister i can also run all night until things are spotless on the substrate.

I will see what i can do to simplify this, but I am trying to avoid buying any new stuff, bought the UV, bought a 100 pack of cardinal tetras, and I am to buy your turqs! much money...

Where did you get the tetras from?

[kris2341]

John at Freshwater Tropicals! they should be here tuesday...

good guy but not exactly speedy with the emails

Much cheaper than any local source i can come across.

[rickztahone]

Good to know. I have bought Cardinals from Rainbow aquatics (I don't believe they are called that anymore) in Arleta, as well as chili rasboras.

[kris2341]

They are now Rainbow Aquarium and Pond, but still rainbow...

they are still fairly pricey on their fish, but the store is very well kept, much better hospitality and livestock than the likes of Aquarium City

[rickztahone]

The discus they carry, or at least use to carry years ago come from Hans.

[kris2341]

Really? if so I should ask them, but I am not too sure about how they go about maintenance.... It doesnt look like they do daily water changes, seems like they only add some kind of general medication to the tank and let them sit there....

All the discus tanks tend to be tinted green with medication so that turned me off a bit to their fish... If they are treating the tanks with formalin/malachite green or something to cut corners with the fish, they definitely aren't ok for discus in my book...

Of course, they bring in new fish frequently but if thats the case, they need more room for discus...

[rickztahone]

They just have that one area to the left as you walk in for discus. When they come in, they look good, but after a while of no sale, they start going downhilll a bit. If it is still the same two brothers running the store, they use to put an upside down sticker on the tank when medicating and a date on when they could be purchased. I know the treat all fish as soon as they come in, especially their tetras/neons and small dither fish.

I've never really liked LFS, but the two brothers did have good knowledge, I just always figured that their discus didn't do too well because they never focused on them, which is a shame.

[kris2341]

I forgot their names but yea, its been the same two brothers at the top of the place for a long time, they are knowledgeable to the point that Rainbow is arguably one of the best general LFS in the area, though they seem a little spread thin. Other than them, everyone else seems to just be a hired hand, no real passion.

Their discus would be amazing if they gave them more proper care, the tanks are 220 gallon holding tanks with FX6s and sand bottoms. If they were given daily water changes and at least some freeze dried blackworms, they probably would look great!