Viable - or - Stupid Idea

[Cosmo]

Just got my 90 gal up and running yesterday (first one up in my new, almost complete, fish room) and wanted to get the bio filters kick started, but, didn't have any ammonia in the house. Went to Walgreens, but all they had was lemon scented ammonia, which I didn't think would be a good idea, soooo...... dropped a cube of Wattley's Discus Food in figuring I'd let it rot and give the little guys (the bacteria) something to eat on until I could get to the store and get the straight ammonia (tomorrow).

As expected, the cube broke up and the little pieces are clinging for dear life (?) t the prefilters rotting away.

My Discus won't have anything to do with the stuff, so figured this may be a way to at least use some of it since it ain't that cheap. Might be the only use I ever have for it :)

Planning on doing a complete water change and filter cleaning before any fish go in, so don't think it could do any harm, and, at least in theory, it should start the little colonies growing.

So, was this a totally assinine idea, or, is my theory valid??

Jim

[kaceyo]

Well Cos, can I call ya "cos"? It will work but is kinda pointless if your getting ammo tommorow. Also part of the point of a fishless cycle is to avoid bacteria that feed on fishy fleshy stuff, unless I,m mistaken. If it were me I,d clean that stuff out and go 100% clean ammo. Kacey P.s. Sorry about the smartass humor, I,m in a wierd mood!!!

[Howie_W]

Hi Jim,

Bad idea...uneaten food will rot and foul your tank.

If you haven't already done so, siphon it all out, and make sure none of it is clogging up your filters.

It could be worse...you could have gotten the lemon scented ammonia, and started cycling a tank of death. :(


Howie

[Cosmo]

Kaceyo - can I call ya Kac? feel free to call me Cos :) Have to agree w/ you about the bacteria, the bad ones that is, but, do plan an a complete change of water and cleaning of all filters - plus - gonna start up the UV tonite (wanted to wait a few days to get the good bacteria up and multiplying in the filters first - to start killin off them little varmints.

Howie - figured the same about the tank of death - but hey, the carcasses would have smelled pretty nice though huh?

Oh well, thought I had found at least one use for Wattley Discus Food - now it's totally useless like I originally though... lol

Thanks all
Jim

[kaceyo]

Hey Cos, heck, you can call me K if ya want, just don't call me late...nevermind. I've never used a UV but it may go a long way to lower the bug count if used right. Don't feel too bad, I,ve read about people using food as a source of ammo. before. Some think it's better than using a live fish. Have fun with that new tank, Kac

[Cosmo]

Hey K,

Don't feel bad at all... just now I have absolutly no use for this Wattley Discus Food except helping to fill a trash bag :(

Oh well, live and learn
Jim

[kaceyo]

Hi Cos, Glad to hear you'r takin it well. Don't toss it out yet. You never know when you'll get some fish that love it. Or an ANTFARM! Yah, dats da ticket. A life time supply of ant food. :o K

[Cosmo]

K,

Better Yet - I'll use it to bait the mouse traps!! Rotting Beefheart would have to work better than peanut butter don't ya think? Doubt if I'll ever have a fish that will eat the stuff - they watch it drop to the bottom and look at me as if to say "what are you, nuts? you expect us to eat this s*#$?"

Decided to take the easy way out - have three established eheims on my big show tank, so gonna swap one of them with the eheim on the 90 and instantly have an established tank :) Just have to run a couple of sponge filters inside to seed them for the hosptial tank then, and, I'm DONE?

cool huh

later K
C

[kaceyo]

Hi C,(sounds like an artificialy flavored fruit drink) after all this you've had 3 primed canister filters the whole time? Ohhh kayyy. ::) I still say go with the antfarm. You can feed the fish food to the ants and feed the ants to the fish! It's a win win sitchuation. By the way, what are you putting in the new tank? K

[Cosmo]

Hey K,

Am I a dumb s%#& or what??? Actually, was so focused on trying the ammonia bit didn't even think of swappin out a cannister ... as my kids used to say... DUH! Didn't want to wait two weeks for it to work either, so that got me thinking (thank god something did)

Planning on putting Discus in the new tank... geeezz ::) :o :)

Ok, you knew that... planning on ordering some fish from Cary next week so I'm waiting awhile before I do the cannister swap. Talked to him yesterday and he has some varieties available that I don't have yet so works out perfect. Planning on having them here a week from tomorrow.

Used to have a Wattley distributor within driving distance so most my fish are ... Wattley's ... Used to get my fish there but he closed up shop a couple months ago. Hmmm, strange... Wattley Discus that won't eat their daddies special formula food ??? What's this world coming to ;D

Still thinking the wattley beefheart would make good bait in the mice traps though... guess the ant bit could work, but, ummm... didn't know Discus ate ants... guess it's true, you really do learn something new every day :)

C

[kaceyo]

Hi C, It's the Wattley Beefheart that your guys wont eat? Mine LOVE it. And I got them from Danny Ng. Yours are probably just rebeling against their DAD, Jack. Oh, so your gonna put DISCUS in it? Whooda thunk it? So far I've only got Discus Fantasy fish but I've been thinkin real hard on where to get my next batch from and what strains to get. There are just too many to choose from! What are you getting from Cary? K P.S. I wonder if red ants will bring out spots?

[Cosmo]

Hey K... knew I'd catch you by surprise by putting Discus in the tank :) Cary has 5 or 6 varieties and I'm thinking of getting one of each (if the wife doesn't rebel). Then they can grow up as one big happy family together in the 90.... awwwww Looking at
Golden Melon
Red Melon
Tangerine
PB Snake
Blue Snake
Maybe a Red Rose
Maybe a Gold and Yellow

upstairs in the big tank I've got;
Red Panda
Red SS (his name is Pliskin... get it :) (hint: escape from NY)
Deep Red Marlboro - named "smokes" ain't I clever :)
Snowflake
Striated REd Turq
Red Turq
Blue Diamond
Platinum Gold


Non wattley's are
Red Melon (don't think he is really - pretty fish though, more orange with bright red under his Dorsal and Anal fins w/ the fins themselves black)
Checkered Red Turq (for lack of a better description)
Thai Yellow (well, that's what he looked like when he was 2in - he's about 4 inch and looking more like a PB variety... thinkin of telling everyone he's a PB Dragon...lol Actually, that would fit his looks and character ;D
Last but not least - Red Spotted Green

The Marlboro and the Snowflake have paired and spawned as have the RT and the RSS. The so called Red Melon and the Red Panda are starting to go thru the motions, so.... I"m puttin up 4 breeder tanks in the basement (never can tell who's next) and then... guess I"ll be needing more fish upstairs too.... damn :)

Try the red ant thin and let me know- you might be on to something there

C

[kaceyo]

Mornin' Cos. I like the theme you got goin' man. One of each. You can call it the "Why Can't We All Just...Get Along!" tank. Though I gotta tell ya, I'm jelous. You have more types than I have fish. I've got 4 Maze (that look more like reg. RT's, but X-tra nice) 4 leopardskins and 2 Spotted Eruptons. All from Danny. :)have a nice day :) K PS, I'd have gotten the Pliskin/snake connection even w/out the hint. Not cuz im smart, just a big Sci-Fi fan

[Cosmo]

Evenin K,

Used to have a real cool turquoise Leopord, had a yellow face, bright blue body, and lots of red spots. Lost him about a year or so ago ( actually, I didn't lose him per se... he died :(

Hoping once these bad boys and girls start making little ones for me I'll end up with some exotic strain and become rich and famous... yeah, sure... hey, I could do without the famous ;D

Have a great weekend
Jim

PS. You know if we keep this thread going it's gonna get flames as a hot topic and everyone will be wondering who could be so stupid about what hahahaha

[Cosmo]

Hey K, Danny being as who? Gulfcoast??

[kaceyo]

Evenin Cos, When ya get one of those Marlboro Blue Snake Skins, you know, the spotted kind, put me down for some F1's. Yah, this thread has kinda takin on a life of its own. I guess we're both the kinda guys that lie to get the last word in :'(. Danny as in Discus Fantasy with Wayne Ng's fish from Hong Kong. Beautiful non-hormoned (no...really) leps and LSS's and a whole lot more. And great prices. No I'm not working for him. I'll have pics in by next weekend. Later, K

[Cosmo]

Hey K,

Sounds like you have some beautiful fish... looking forward to seeing them.

Didn't I warn ya though... geez, this topic has flames on it now so everyone will read it wanting to know who was stupid... thanks alot bud :)

Signed up for the Discus Fantasy website the other day but haven't done much looking around. Safe to say you reccommend Him as a source ??

Families here for a big bash so gotta run, have a great weekend
J aka C

[kaceyo]

Hey Cos, Thats a big YES on the reccommendation. Having seen many pics and read alot of posts about peoples new fish shippments I,d say it would be hard to do better and Just as good only if you go to the right people. I'd match my leopardskins against many at twice the price. The spotted eruptions(lss) are getting prettier every day, and neither are hormoned. My one and only problem was that I ordered "maze" RT's and got some closer to the Bing Cherry RT's on Wayne's euro. site in France. Since they are still among the nicest and brightest red I've seen I didn't complain. :o Have fun With the fam, K

[Cosmo]

Hey K,

Needed a break - just checked out the DF website, and REALLY like the Spotted Eruptions and Violet Reflections... think I'm gonna have to order some of them too :) Did you get them shipped airport/airport :( or, do they do door to door as well?? Not really up to driving to the airport, but, just could happen.

About how much was the freight? Seemed to be an absence of information on that particular topic.

Well, now not only does this thread have flames, but it's at the top of the list.... just what I needed :( :(

Later
C

[kaceyo]

Hi C, Yah, I like the VR's too. But I think if I were going to order solid blues I'd go for the Blue Knights. I like that high-deep look. Makes'em look downright TALL! I have seen more than one person say his VR's are "the real thing" whatever that means. Rather than a cobalt thats just called a VR I guess. I don't know about door to door though. My shippment came to Sea-Tac airport and cost me 75$. I figure they get beat up enough just getting to the airport. Have yo seen how those UPS guys handle FRAGILE boxes? It's scary. Later, K

[Cosmo]

Hate to shake you up like this K, but, ever seen how the air freight people handle boxes marked fragile??? Don't think some shaking can be avoided unfortunately :(

Finally figured out how to use MS Image Maker Pro so I posted some pics of my fishroom under construction .. thought I'd let you know in case you might care to take a look.... nothing but praise or silence though... PLEASE. Put too much time into this puppy for crit a sizm (too damn late to spell, so, temporarily hooked on phonics) lol

When I checked the DF website they didn't indicate any Blue Knights being available, if, they even had pics of them... cool fish huh?

Quick question, anything other than K I kin call ya ( I know, don't call you Johnson).. feeling kinda rude calling you K, but Kac don't have the same ring to it as Cos... and Kaceyo is too formal...

Later,
J

[Cosmo]

oops.. in the DYI section...DUH (hey, past my bedtime what can I say)

[kaceyo]

Wow Cos, your really doin it up right in your fish room. I can only dream about doing something like that as I live in a condo on the 3rd floor. A sichuation thats quickly becoming more and more frustrating as my fishy addiction becomes stronger. Taking your time and adding plenty of dissconects and valves and rerouting options like your doing will save you much time and trouble in the future. But you already knew that. BTW Jim, my friends call me Kacey. Or K.C. will do for a short cut. Did you find the BK's? Have a good Labor day, which just happens to be my birthday, so, now that were best friends and all...It don't have to be big. Just 2.5" to 3" will do! ;D Later (K)acey

[Cosmo]

Hey KC,

We lived in a third floor condo too until about a year and 1/2 ago, yeah, would be difficult... unless you got a spare bedroom.... hmm

Thanks for the comp li ments lol The idea at first was I was going to have the entire basement, then, we decided part of the basement would be workout area and part fishroom. Then, my daughter wanted to move in to finish college so had to build her a bedroom etc, and ended up with this tiny little section ( about 25% of the basement) and no workout area... what are you to do? Actually, doing the room construction was kind of a blessing since I had to open the walls, ceilings and floors anyway, and that allowed me to run all the pipes and tubes before I put on the drywall, concrete, tiles etc.... phwew... lots more work than I had thought when I started LOL

Anyway, more importantly, HAPPY BIRTHDAY old friend. Hope you have a great day!

Jim

[kaceyo]

Hey Cos, I remember when my kids were still at home it was all I could do to get space in the bathroom for mt shaving cream. If you ended up with part of the basement you'r doin all right. Actualy I do have a spare bedroom and I would eagerly set up a fish room but I havn't figured a way to eliminate all possibility of flooding. Asit is I'll end up putting a 55 and a few 20's or 30's for pairs and a growout-and pray for dry floors. Later, KC And thanx for the "Happy B-day"

[Cosmo]

Hey KC, hope you had a great birthday! any good presents?? Only possible way I could think of to guarantee no overflows would be really expensive. I've been lucky so far, only one overflow... caught it when the wife started screaming that water was coming thru the ceiling (she was on the first floor) .... oops. Luckily didn't hurt the hardwood floors, but did have to do some work on the plaster ceiling on the first floor..

Looked at the Blue Knights... maybe it's the pics, but, didn't think they were all that great... still like the other two better.

Tried to take some pics of my fish the other day.. couldn't get any good ones :(

later
Cos