evolving 180g

[Kyla]

cant seem to find a set up that im happy with in the 180g. i keep adding and removing and playing with it, but i am starting to think that being perpetually dissatisfied with a tank is normal...

added this wood not long ago and its OK, but its soft and sheds pieces everywhere. its also a crud magnet and 10mins after i vacuum the bottom the debris is back. tried vacuuming the wood itself but its hollow and i can never get all the junk off/out. plus it takes up a lot of swimming space and some discus that lay eggs behind the wood every week only come out for food, so i don't get to see them. soft wood isnt ideal, but we dont have nice hard wood around here. what would u do? ditch the wood? what about the plants? just throw a bunch of cones in? strip it completely bare? leave it alone and try not to perseverate?

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/44B42FD5-3026-4341-A5FA-B4471960EB7C_zpsj1ts9xnw.png (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/44B42FD5-3026-4341-A5FA-B4471960EB7C_zpsj1ts9xnw.png.html)

[CrazyAngels]

First of all I love your tank. I'd like to know what kind of wood is it? did you verify it to be safe for fish before adding it? I only ask cause there are so many woods that are not safe for use.

[Kyla]

no idea what kind of wood it is... i bought it years and years ago from a pet store that used it in their in-store pond. i've often wondered what kind of wood it was.

its been in my 210gal and i've lost 2 fish in that tank over the last 7 or 8 (?) years so i just figured it was prob safe for the discus. with soft wood another issue that concerned me was rot deep within the thicker areas. maybe that risk alone is enough of a reason to ditch it?

[jmf3460]

looks safe. if you've had it in there 8 years and it hasn't decomposed then its probably a hard wood and is safe.

[Kyla]

looks safe. if you've had it in there 8 years and it hasn't decomposed then its probably a hard wood and is safe.

maybe it is hard wood then? i assumed it was soft wood because it was always shedding little pieces and if i tried, i bet i could crack the spikes off with my bare hands. the other types of wood i have had were hard as a rock. i assumed those were the "hard" woods everyone was talking about

[Phillydubs]

I have to say the tank looks great as it... Maybe too much would might be my only critique. Have you tried one piece more in the middle w the plants on the side?

Has to be annoying w the shedding though, the wood I have are with substrate so it blends and isn't as much of a visual nuisance. Have you tried manzinita and something a bit more branchy?

One thing I will say and suggest is to figure out what you like, what is best to clean and the look you want and be happy and leave it that way... In the past, like you, I used to constantly fiddle with my tanks or I would get them one way and love it then it was time to clean had to move stuff and I could never get it back to the look I wanted. I would take pics before hand and try and re-do and something was always off... It is sooooo frustrating and really takes away from the joy of the tank! Especially after you busted your hump to clean it and then you sit there like no I am not happy...

With my current tanks, I played w placement to start, yet once I got to where I like it, it has stayed that way. For instance my 55 has 3 pieces of drift wood that I kinda connect in a way to look like one and create hiding spots for my pleccos. It is super easy to pull out vac, clean, wipe down the tank add water and out it right back in exactly... Now that I am used to it and happy with it, it is just my tank and how it is and I love it and the stress of the constant change is gone! Now when I want change, I end up with a new tank haha...

Just sharing what has worked for me, might not for you but can't hurt to try it. In the end you need to be happy and enjoy, but the constant unsettling feeling gets frustrating and taints the hobby if you ask me, since I scaled back with that I am much more relaxed with it all and enjoying it ten fold.

[farebox]

I'm kinda like you guys, allows changing around my tank. Well the other day other during cleaning, just removed anything that was always being moved during the cleaning process. Ended up with an "keep it simple" look I like and now for all WC/cleaning there will be nothing in the way, but still has the look I like. Just hope it can stay this way for awhile, really digging my BB 125G tank.

[Kyla]

I have to say the tank looks great as it... Maybe too much would might be my only critique. Have you tried one piece more in the middle w the plants on the side?

Has to be annoying w the shedding though, the wood I have are with substrate so it blends and isn't as much of a visual nuisance. Have you tried manzinita and something a bit more branchy?

One thing I will say and suggest is to figure out what you like, what is best to clean and the look you want and be happy and leave it that way... In the past, like you, I used to constantly fiddle with my tanks or I would get them one way and love it then it was time to clean had to move stuff and I could never get it back to the look I wanted. I would take pics before hand and try and re-do and something was always off... It is sooooo frustrating and really takes away from the joy of the tank! Especially after you busted your hump to clean it and then you sit there like no I am not happy...

With my current tanks, I played w placement to start, yet once I got to where I like it, it has stayed that way. For instance my 55 has 3 pieces of drift wood that I kinda connect in a way to look like one and create hiding spots for my pleccos. It is super easy to pull out vac, clean, wipe down the tank add water and out it right back in exactly... Now that I am used to it and happy with it, it is just my tank and how it is and I love it and the stress of the constant change is gone! Now when I want change, I end up with a new tank haha...

Just sharing what has worked for me, might not for you but can't hurt to try it. In the end you need to be happy and enjoy, but the constant unsettling feeling gets frustrating and taints the hobby if you ask me, since I scaled back with that I am much more relaxed with it all and enjoying it ten fold.

yah that's what im looking for, a set up that is simple and that i can just be happy with. i think its too much wood too. i like it, but it kinda takes over the tank. the discus arent the main attraction. i think i will try pulling out half of it and see where that goes :)

[Kyla]

I'm kinda like you guys, allows changing around my tank. Well the other day other during cleaning, just removed anything that was always being moved during the cleaning process. Ended up with an "keep it simple" look I like and now for all WC/cleaning there will be nothing in the way, but still has the look I like. Just hope it can stay this way for awhile, really digging my BB 125G tank.

yah simple is the goal i think. ive come a long way... selling off and giving away plants has been a very slow process. it is so hard to part with them!!!

but every time i work up the courage to remove one or two plants i do find i am pleased with the result. take a look at this original mess!

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps6n4f1ivv.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps6n4f1ivv.jpg.html)

just when i had removed most of the plants to simplify the tank i panicked and added the wood... maybe it was a subconscious effort to complicate the tank again lol

[Kyla]

def less complicated

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/A02F8F55-2DF4-4F95-A0A2-DAEABA6E46A8_zpsol2qjisu.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/A02F8F55-2DF4-4F95-A0A2-DAEABA6E46A8_zpsol2qjisu.jpg.html)

[Jack L]

Do you have a look you are after?

I think it would be hard to have a foot in the bb camp and the planted camp.

[DJW]

Kyla, I like all of those tanks so I'm no help.

[ktm4us6]

I think your tank looks great.

[Kyla]

thanks! i am happier with it for sure. it's easier to clean the floor of the tank with less wood and the fish seem to like the additional swimming area. i see a lot more "schooling" type swimming with the wide open spaces.

another change is that i removed an api xp4 canister and added an fx5 filter to the tank. the water clarity is INSANE. i was worried that the discus wouldnt like the current but they dont seem phased one bit. i wish i would have added the larger canister a long time ago.

although i like canister filters for their silent operation, i sure dont look forward to cleaning them out. and the fx5 are a pain to clean. i will have to make sure this doesnt lead to slacking on filter maintenance.

but a bonus is that by hooking up a drain hose to the fx5 output and turning it on i can drain the tank for a water change in no time.

[Kyla]

another change: im moving the angelfish out today. i dismantled another tank and tried to place him with the discus for a bit, but he is too dominant. i have never really had success mixing angels with other cichlids. he will like the cooler water temps of his new home anyway. i will miss him, he was a happy little dude.

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/F5334557-B15A-4BE1-8228-B5CA11F7A12F_zps4wmqqmie.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/F5334557-B15A-4BE1-8228-B5CA11F7A12F_zps4wmqqmie.jpg.html)

[Kyla]

After fiddling with the tank some more things r coming along nicely. I decided to try a thin layer of pool filter sand and see how i liked it. I also pulled all the rest of the plants (byebye plants!! finally let them go!), removed a pair of BN plecos, random tetras i'd been holding onto, the smallest of the discus and the back-up api filstar canister filter (only running a single fx5 on the tank now).

I love vacuuming the sand and making new patterns on the floor of the tank, it is so meditative, so satisfying! and my kuhlii loaches r lovin it too.

simplifying the tank and getting rid of equipment clutter and misc items accumulated over years has been fun and has given me back cabinet space under the tanks :)

here's a blue night-light shot from my fav evening couch spot

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/7BB7FF5B-86C0-41C1-A692-BAB981D1493E_zpsascha1sp.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/7BB7FF5B-86C0-41C1-A692-BAB981D1493E_zpsascha1sp.jpg.html)

[two utes]

def less complicated

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/A02F8F55-2DF4-4F95-A0A2-DAEABA6E46A8_zpsol2qjisu.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/A02F8F55-2DF4-4F95-A0A2-DAEABA6E46A8_zpsol2qjisu.jpg.html)

Ah evolution! Like this one the best.....it's great that you can change things along the way

[two utes]

.....Have you though of adding a very light layer of white washed sand? It would cover up those beams from your tank stand....Oh wait...l just re read your last thread an noticed that you have done that...sorry

[Ryan925]

After fiddling with the tank some more things r coming along nicely. I decided to try a thin layer of pool filter sand and see how i liked it. I also pulled all the rest of the plants (byebye plants!! finally let them go!), removed a pair of BN plecos, random tetras i'd been holding onto, the smallest of the discus and the back-up api filstar canister filter (only running a single fx5 on the tank now).

I love vacuuming the sand and making new patterns on the floor of the tank, it is so meditative, so satisfying! and my kuhlii loaches r lovin it too.

simplifying the tank and getting rid of equipment clutter and misc items accumulated over years has been fun and has given me back cabinet space under the tanks :)

here's a blue night-light shot from my fav evening couch spot

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/7BB7FF5B-86C0-41C1-A692-BAB981D1493E_zpsascha1sp.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/7BB7FF5B-86C0-41C1-A692-BAB981D1493E_zpsascha1sp.jpg.html)

Very nice. My tank is a work in progress as well. I've slowly been simplifying it and have removed the majority of the plants.

[Kyla]

.....Have you though of adding a very light layer of white washed sand? It would cover up those beams from your tank stand....Oh wait...l just re read your last thread an noticed that you have done that...sorry

yes, i just recently added a bit of pool filter sand and the bars are hidden now, which looks much better. i gotta take some more pics soon. i like how clean the BB is, which is why ive been holding off on adding sand. but i really enjoy vacuuming the bottom while i listen to audio books lol, so i am always in there with a siphon and hopefully the water quality isnt too negatively affected.

[Kyla]

Very nice. My tank is a work in progress as well. I've slowly been simplifying it and have removed the majority of the plants.

thanks! its been hard letting the plants go, but the tank is def cleaner without them, and there is more room for the fish now. i sometimes see beautiful planted tanks and i miss my plants but then i remember all the debris they collected and im glad for the simplicity. i just picked up some sweet spider wood today and i cant wait to swap that big log out and try these pieces out!

[Kyla]

excited to get this in the tank!

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/CA86F082-B77A-41A9-8FCB-A64BE018EEE5_zpsbxna75t7.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/CA86F082-B77A-41A9-8FCB-A64BE018EEE5_zpsbxna75t7.jpg.html)

[Ryan925]

excited to get this in the tank!

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/CA86F082-B77A-41A9-8FCB-A64BE018EEE5_zpsbxna75t7.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/CA86F082-B77A-41A9-8FCB-A64BE018EEE5_zpsbxna75t7.jpg.html)

Very nice. I also scrapped my big pieces of driftwood for some manzanita branches. The fish really seem to like the manzanita

[Kyla]

yah im hoping they will like these pieces too! i used a dremmel to round off all the points so they r nice and smooth and swaped the spider wood into the tank. its still boyant so ive wedged it in under the glass canopy to waterlog it a bit before trying to decide on positioning. although i was planning to rest it on the floor of the tank, hubby wants me to have it hanging down into the tank like roots now that he has seen it in the upper tank regions. the discus were quite interested in it last night, mouthing it and checking it over. i love watching them explore new decor


http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/591A6500-6552-42F3-8FB8-382FB0F9201D_zpseyjn2m35.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/591A6500-6552-42F3-8FB8-382FB0F9201D_zpseyjn2m35.jpg.html)

[Ryan925]

yah im hoping they will like these pieces too! i used a dremmel to round off all the points so they r nice and smooth and swaped the spider wood into the tank. its still boyant so ive wedged it in under the glass canopy to waterlog it a bit before trying to decide on positioning. although i was planning to rest it on the floor of the tank, hubby wants me to have it hanging down into the tank like roots now that he has seen it in the upper tank regions. the discus were quite interested in it last night, mouthing it and checking it over. i love watching them explore new decor


http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/591A6500-6552-42F3-8FB8-382FB0F9201D_zpseyjn2m35.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/591A6500-6552-42F3-8FB8-382FB0F9201D_zpseyjn2m35.jpg.html)

Lookin forward to seeing the final layout

[Jack L]

Looking good
TFS

[Kyla]

thanks! here's a pic of the new wood with the light on. its so bright!

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsdgupwpey.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsdgupwpey.jpg.html)

[Ryan925]

thanks! here's a pic of the new wood with the light on. its so bright!

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsdgupwpey.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsdgupwpey.jpg.html)

Looks very nice. Beautiful group of fish as well

[Kyla]

contrast pic showing how much the discus tank has changed. stubborn but steady progression from a tank with deep, filthy substrate and plants to a thin layer of pool filter sand and spider wood.

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/F05A336E-FCD4-447B-A95E-75E3068BA1DA_zpsin7r86hs.jpeg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/F05A336E-FCD4-447B-A95E-75E3068BA1DA_zpsin7r86hs.jpeg.html)

[Ryan925]

contrast pic showing how much the discus tank has changed. stubborn but steady progression from a tank with deep, filthy substrate and plants to a thin layer of pool filter sand and spider wood.

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/F05A336E-FCD4-447B-A95E-75E3068BA1DA_zpsin7r86hs.jpeg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/F05A336E-FCD4-447B-A95E-75E3068BA1DA_zpsin7r86hs.jpeg.html)

Looks great that is the direction mine is taking

[RDFISHGUY]

I think the wood has too many smaller branches and its a little distracting to me. You could cut a few off. They are nice pieces but they need a trim.

I also liked the plants but did not like seeing the glass cups. I think it would look better if the glass was behind the wood and some rocks placed so you can't see the glass but still get the plants. If you are like me it won't stay the same for long anyway. Rearranging the decor keeps you interested in the hobby.

[Kyla]

yah they r super branchy. they were pointy too and i did end up taking some of the smallest branches and points off when i was dremelling it smooth but i think i was worried about trimming it too much. maybe next time i pull it out ill see if i can muster the courage to take a saw to it. its starting to get that thin slimy film on it. the plecos r doing a great job of clearing the slime but it will be a while until its gone i think. nothing endures but change, thats for sure. its starting to grow on me, looks kinda like a dali painting, a living art piece in the basement lol i miss the plants but i think im done with them now. ive got one huge jungle val left in the 210g which is taller than me, but that's it. ive tried to hide its glass pot behind the wood but at some angles u can still see it. it has black substrate in it, which is a pain cuz the clowns knock it out and mix it with the white sand so it always looks dirty. ill have to cap it or just dump and repot it eventually, and then change out the pfs for some clean stuff

[Kyla]

the new spider wood that ive added to the tank is sliming up pretty good and the plecos are eating it fairly well. as far as i know the slime isnt harmful and will go away on its own eventually, eh? i think ive read about ppl bleaching the wood to prevent the slime but ive never tried this.

anyone know what species this pleco is? adopted him long ago but never figured out the species name, he is a good little cleaner. he doesnt seem to mind the discus temps and is active with fins up all the time, but for all i know he may like cooler temps...

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/8281698F-D977-4672-A420-6087357C1945_zps4ep0mdf4.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/8281698F-D977-4672-A420-6087357C1945_zps4ep0mdf4.jpg.html)

[DJW]

As far as I know that fungus is harmless. There must be a nutrient leaching out of new wood that encourages its growth. I throw oak branches and leaves in the tank sometimes, and it grows on the twigs. When I collect manzanita, I pick up pieces that are already dried out, and don't get much fungus on those.

[Jack L]

Do you have a photo from front of the catfish?

[Kyla]

the fungus either cleared on its own or the plecos ate it all up. branches look nice but I havent had a chance to trim and place them in the tank properly yet. the discus love hanging out in the branches. very pleased with the new decor.

also finally got my water aging barrel going on a reg basis now. the pump was a but overkill but it works great and fills the tank SO much faster than the tap. still gotta insulate the barrell and find a better air pump to roil the water around more (the little one i have isnt cutting it) but at least now im ready for the city to start adding sodium chloride to our water supply in 2017.

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/9F04EF48-62CD-409B-BF24-D18C28A0583C_zpstzndi8bi.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/9F04EF48-62CD-409B-BF24-D18C28A0583C_zpstzndi8bi.jpg.html)

[Kyla]

Do you have a photo from front of the catfish?

been too busy to take pics lately but next chance i get ill see if i can snap some at a different angle.

[LostSouth]

also finally got my water aging barrel going on a reg basis now. the pump was a but overkill but it works great and fills the tank SO much faster than the tap. still gotta insulate the barrell and find a better air pump to roil the water around more (the little one i have isnt cutting it) but at least now im ready for the city to start adding sodium chloride to our water supply in 2017.

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/9F04EF48-62CD-409B-BF24-D18C28A0583C_zpstzndi8bi.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/9F04EF48-62CD-409B-BF24-D18C28A0583C_zpstzndi8bi.jpg.html)

Why don't you just plumb a loop back to your barrel from your water pump and use it to turn the water over.

[Kyla]

i dont know, its a really strong pump, i dont think id want to leave it running like that. it is a possibility tho, even just laying the end of the white hose back into the barrel. my friend has a diaphram pump she really likes, i might try one of those. i envision turning on the heater and the air pump when i go to bed and having water prepped for the next day

[Altum Nut]

anyone know what species this pleco is?

You got yourself a nice Whiptail catfish. They are adapted well in Discus aquariums because they come from the same region. Good algae eater.

...Ralph

[jmf3460]

the fungus or biofilm as I call it, is a really good food source for your beautiful pleco there. he is a beaut and looks to be doing fine in the discus temps.

[Ryan925]

You got yourself a nice Whiptail catfish. They are adapted well in Discus aquariums because they come from the same region. Good algae eater.

...Ralph

Does look like a whiptail. Had a red whiptail. Loved that fish. They can be fun to watch swim from area to area to feed

[Kyla]

thanks everyone! the whiptail is a super cool little dude, and he sure keeps busy on the logs :)

so i went to do a wc today and the wc barrel was HOT when i opened the lid. looks like my brand new marineland visi therm submersible heater stuck in the ON position all day! been fishkeeping for 25 years and ive heard many horror stories of heater malfunctions boiling entire tanks of fish, but never had it happen to me before. thank goodness it was just the wc barrel. my fear of this happening is exactly why i switched to heaters with controllers in my aquariums - for peace of mind. marineland has been amazing re: customer service for previous equipment malfunctions so fingers crossed they replace it.

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/BA71AB21-F1F1-499A-8B26-CD6828A0791F_zpsxwckjv25.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/BA71AB21-F1F1-499A-8B26-CD6828A0791F_zpsxwckjv25.jpg.html)

[Ryan925]

Kyla buy an inkbird. Super cheap and very reliable. You can either set it to desired temp and allow it to power your heater off and on or like I use it is set it to a Max you would want in your tank and let it kill your heater if it ever gets that high.

[Kyla]

wow are they ever cheap! thats exactly what i needed here. im def gonna pick one up.

heck i could even keep using this heater of doom with one of those lol but dont worry i wont cuz im scared it will explode since it also looks like there is some water inside of this heater

[Ryan925]

wow are they ever cheap! thats exactly what i needed here. im def gonna pick one up.

heck i could even keep using this heater of doom with one of those lol but dont worry i wont cuz im scared it will explode since it also looks like there is some water inside of this heater

Lol @ heater of doom.

Im loving the inkbird it is a great device for the price. I used a couple digital thermometers to calibrate the temp probe. After that it was set and forget. I also love the bright display. I pop open cabinet door and there is temp nice and bright and easy to read

[Kyla]

i lost another heater on my 210gal, looks like the controller on the jbj true temp titanium malfunctioned. its been a bad month for heaters. luckily there were 5 days left on the 1 year warranty so jbjlighting.com is sending a replacement controller. and the local pet store is replacing the marineland heater. cant complain. except maybe about snails. ive got these tiny little buggers everywhere in the discus tank, some kind of mini-snail species that only grows a few millimeters in length. they get in the filter and look terrible in the sand. been battling them for a while and am almost ready to copper the tank.

[Jack L]

Ponds snails became a plague in my tank. I tired the lettuce trick, pulled hundreds out a night.. I gave up and got assassin snails. They took care of it and I like the look of the assassin that remain

[Kyla]

its prob not the best method but i ended up dosing copper and all the snails dropped to the floor of the tank. did a huge wc and cleaned the tank real well and removed the dead snails... not sure whether the copper got 100% of the snails but it sure was effective and i havent seen a single one since. strong stuff, didnt even need a full copper dose...

[Kyla]

got my inkbird in the mail, great little device! I removed 5 kuhlii loaches and the last misc loach. i love the look of the sand but its so much dirtier than BB and i still have little discus in the tank so ive removed the sand for now.

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/4B8C5723-1023-4CD7-8ACE-2FC81CFFA416_zpsz5tvwvmp.png (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/4B8C5723-1023-4CD7-8ACE-2FC81CFFA416_zpsz5tvwvmp.png.html)i

[Ryan925]

got my inkbird in the mail, great little device! I removed 5 kuhlii loaches and the last misc loach. i love the look of the sand but its so much dirtier than BB and i still have little discus in the tank so ive removed the sand for now.

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/4B8C5723-1023-4CD7-8ACE-2FC81CFFA416_zpsz5tvwvmp.png (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/4B8C5723-1023-4CD7-8ACE-2FC81CFFA416_zpsz5tvwvmp.png.html)i

Looks great Kyla. Love that red eagle. I wanted one so bad but Kenny sells them out so fast

Is that a huge heckel cross way in the back?

[Kyla]

yah its a blue moon heckel. i loved it, but i put it down just before christmas because something real weird was going on with it. half its body went black on just one side, and it swam like it was drunk?? i let it stumble around for a while but it completely stopped eating and was losing weight so i pulled out the Aquased and let it go :(

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/A19932AD-5253-48BD-B3CE-E207C6797CBD_zpsw3yp89d3.jpeg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/A19932AD-5253-48BD-B3CE-E207C6797CBD_zpsw3yp89d3.jpeg.html)

looking forward to 2017. i sold the last of my other fish tanks... the 210gal went to a guy with a baby croc! (i think he's gonna need an upgrade soon) so now i can devote more time to these discus. i miss all the other tanks but i am loving having just the discus. they are getting 50-80% wc every 1-2 days (finally) with aged, aerated, heated water. they've never looked happier. hope i can keep it up... kind of scared to see how this affects the water bill.

*now* is when i should be purchasing my first discus... so i could do things the right way from the start. if i had gotten my act together long ago when it really mattered i wouldnt have stunted my little guys so badly. they r beyond hope for reaching even close to their potential now. moving forward, its a good leason learned.

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/BA358EC1-DD2D-4AC2-89AC-22C5CE89916B_zpswlk2s0mt.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/BA358EC1-DD2D-4AC2-89AC-22C5CE89916B_zpswlk2s0mt.jpg.html)

[Kyla]

Loving the new Aquatic Life Edge LED light. It turns on/off slowly over 2 hrs so there's no more spooking at lights-on. Also set up the new Eheim auto feeder (filled with loose FDBW), so the fish can have meals while im at work. it works awesome! wish I woulda gotten one a long time ago!

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/ACDBE5E2-4FC4-492B-B282-1E86838E1F37_zpsu72egjd3.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/ACDBE5E2-4FC4-492B-B282-1E86838E1F37_zpsu72egjd3.jpg.html)

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/4BF20061-87A8-4DC5-B9EE-98679B1C3562_zpsrbv7pcjg.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/4BF20061-87A8-4DC5-B9EE-98679B1C3562_zpsrbv7pcjg.jpg.html)

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/5EF04791-9E6B-413F-AF79-E8AF57B95DF9_zpscrjwz88u.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/5EF04791-9E6B-413F-AF79-E8AF57B95DF9_zpscrjwz88u.jpg.html)

[jmf3460]

fish look great under the new light kyla. it especially makes the blues look electric don't it.

[Kyla]

yah its a great light! the colour is not as "yellow" as the Marineland Double Bright LED and it really gives the blue and whites a shimmer, u can see in the pic below the difference on the fish and the whole tank + background

Left side = old light
Right side = new light

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/kylasfish/Mobile%20Uploads/0C74A12E-DD64-4710-AC2E-F68440C6CC18_zpsmticct1p.jpg (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/kylasfish/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0C74A12E-DD64-4710-AC2E-F68440C6CC18_zpsmticct1p.jpg.html)

[DatDiscusDude]

Gorgeous, what a difference... From drab and dreary to pretty and clear!!

[hboute]

is that a glass container you use to grow the vallisneria?