Best Sand ever!!

[Fishflyer]

Shop and plop. (LOL). I put my snail post in your snail thread.
Because of aggression and eventual large size, two of my cichlids have their own tanks. I am growing a smaller cichlid in a mixed tank to eventually, hopefully be company for one of the larger cichlids. The reasons I can have the cichlid in the mixed tank is because I bought my cichlids from Petsmart and this Petsmart (maybe all or more of them) have raised generations of cichlids in fairly normal pH (76) water.

Nice backgrounds, look like paintings. Good photos but I can't tell, are the backgrounds 3D? Sounds like everything is coming along nicely in the fish and equipment department.

 

[FINWIN]

Shop and plop. (LOL). I put my snail post in your snail thread.
Because of aggression and eventual large size, two of my cichlids have their own tanks. I am growing a smaller cichlid in a mixed tank to eventually, hopefully be company for one of the larger cichlids. The reasons I can have the cichlid in the mixed tank is because I bought my cichlids from Petsmart and this Petsmart (maybe all or more of them) have raised generations of cichlids in fairly normal pH (76) water.

Nice backgrounds, look like paintings. Good photos but I can't tell, are the backgrounds 3D? Sounds like everything is coming along nicely in the fish and equipment department.

No the backgrounds aren't 3D but I was pleasantly surprised to discover they weren't just thick coated paper...they're actually a printed plastic and the colors are intense. Debating whether to get LED strip lights...the tanks came as a kit and they have the (bleh) flourescent T bulbs.

Btw, what cichlids do you have that keep fighting? Mine sure are running me in circles trying to create a 'happy' tank.

 

[Fishflyer]

I have electric yellow Labidochromis cichlids. Large angels, Albino cats. Neons, cardinals, betta, habrosis cats, zebra loach, marble hatchets, lamplight killis. Sengal Bichirs. Not all together. Different groupings in different tanks.

By happy tank do you mean. Companionable combination of personalities or also creating a Zen atmosphere? Why don't you had Budda temple? . I was away doing chores and didn't hear the notification or would have answered more timely.

Yeah you could get LED strips. Fluorescents good for growing plants. I have an old fluorescent hood not in use.
Another old hood in use, standard sockets, I put GE LED lite stick bulbs in and they grows plants. My other tanks have LED lights, two have the multi color option.

You backgrounds are very cool. With them, your fish and colored sand your tanks should be quite the works of art.

 

[FINWIN]

Well I was kinda pissed when I opened the hoods that came with my "aquarium kit". Make no mistake I knew I'd be upgrading components but not right away. The full hood with glass housing looks great. But Aqueon in their infinite stupidity made a hood you need a dremmel saw to cut in order to have filter and tube openings. (these kits are supposedly for beginners) But the instructions say the 'break away snap outs" can be removed with gentle pressure. Yeah, if you smash it on the ground and hit it with a hammer. I can work with the aqueon filter and juice up its filtration capacity. Don't really need an led indicator to tell me to change filters! Comical that the cartridge has a teaspoon of carbon anyway. I like the way their hob keeps wanting to pop open like mr. potato's face. But it looks so stylish! The heaters are solid though.

So long story short I ordered 2 led strip lights full spectrum and 2 glass flip lids. Nice to have "saved" so much money.

Good news is that Boss and Brick have settled a bit which is what I figured. Boss won't start anything unless Brick does his ill timed cheap shots from behind.

 

[Fishflyer]

If you don't have the saw, you can cut through the cutout tabs pretty easy by heating an old steak knife ect. on a stove burner. If you have sensitive smoke alarms, do it in a room without them and shut door.

Sunsun makes reasonably priced Cannister filters. I always like an extra filter. I thought you had large central filter. But maybe you a filtering the new tanks separate?

 

[Fishflyer]

Cool there is some peace in your tank. I have to keep my cichlids separate because of an aggression issue with my larger one. I am growing a smaller golden lab cichlid in another tank to keep one of them company when it's big enough.
I tried putting them together when it was smaller ( the new one). Big one kept attacking it. Took it out for a week. I put it back in with a tank divider. The big guy still attacked whenever the little one was close to the division. I took out the little cichlid to avoid stress and put him in a tank with peaceful, (but not meek fish).
I was hoping Phoenix--the big cichlid, would be peaceful since he was almost killed by Killer. Killer was another cichlid that was together with Phoenix and a group of others when they were all small in a tank that had a lot of caves. I would be away at work and come home and notice fish disappearing. I thought they were in their caves. They were--not alive. Phoenix was the only one that could stand up to Killer. I tried to stop aggression when I was home. I came home one day Phoenix swimming around very weakly being attacked by Killer. I put him in a quarentee tank with salt and aerater. He recovered--from being almost dead. I bought a new tank for him. Put it in my kitchen. I keep trying to find tankmates for them. So far doesn't work. You probably have some cichlid stories to tell.
Manager of a fish store once said fish don't like new things in their environment I find that they do. Any time I add a new cave or sand or rock---plants, they start checking it out. Once I get the Sandtastik Sand and put it in, I will add a pellet or wafer broke in pieces. And the fish will associate the new sand with food. " Boy, oh boy I like this new sand stuff Dad--it comes with yum, my favorite food."

 

[FINWIN]

Cool there is some peace in your tank. I have to keep my cichlids separate because of an aggression issue with my larger one. I am growing a smaller golden lab cichlid in another tank to keep one of them company when it's big enough.
I tried putting them together when it was smaller ( the new one). Big one kept attacking it. Took it out for a week. I put it back in with a tank divider. The big guy still attacked whenever the little one was close to the division. I took out the little cichlid to avoid stress and put him in a tank with peaceful, (but not meek fish).
I was hoping Phoenix--the big cichlid, would be peaceful since he was almost killed by Killer. Killer was another cichlid that was together with Phoenix and a group of others when they were all small in a tank that had a lot of caves. I would be away at work and come home and notice fish disappearing. I thought they were in their caves. They were--not alive. Phoenix was the only one that could stand up to Killer. I tried to stop aggression when I was home. I came home one day Phoenix swimming around very weakly being attacked by Killer. I put him in a quarentee tank with salt and aerater. He recovered--from being almost dead. I bought a new tank for him. Put it in my kitchen. I keep trying to find tankmates for them. So far doesn't work. You probably have some cichlid stories to tell.
Manager of a fish store once said fish don't like new things in their environment I find that they do. Any time I add a new cave or sand or rock---plants, they start checking it out. Once I get the Sandtastik Sand and put it in, I will add a pellet or wafer broke in pieces. And the fish will associate the new sand with food. " Boy, oh boy I like this new sand stuff Dad--it comes with yum, my favorite food."

Sounds like you've had some wild situations with your fish too...mine seems to be kind of settled at the moment. Boss and Brick have their little 'nudges' but its of no significance and generally Boss will explore the tank and leave Brick to do his thing.

As far as canister filters go, I'm not buying another damn thing...if I can't rig it, "Das too bah". Both 40s will have the HOB juiced and a supplemental sponge filter, the ones currently running in the holding tanks. I have ring airstones I might add as well. This evening I finished working over the filters, so now its just a matter of waiting for the lights, lids, and sand.

I can't believe how Brick is growing, its crazy...he almost looks like an early 'teen' Oscar already. I can easily compare his size against the mineral spheres in the tank. In another week I will measure him but he looks to be at 4 inches. I'll be doing a growth chart and pictures as it goes. He gets two big water changes a week (30 and 50 percent), eats everything in sight and only shares the 225 with Boss...so that has to account for some of this. He may just end up on the larger end or have monster genes, I have no idea at this point.

 

[Fishflyer]

You must be feeding them something good that's adding to the growth spurt. Since the snails have reproduced and grown fast and are everywhere!*#*!! in two tanks, courtesy of my LFS. I have been collecting them in a clean empty yogurt cup with fish water in it. Everyone (fish) gets a treat for dinner--escargo. Everyone but me--blah.

Snails were a part of the Roman soldiers' diet on their treks and conquests. Maybe it will beef up my junior golden lab Phoenix. Beef him up in a hurry I hope.

Sorry I didn't know your HOB filters were adequate. The way you described them they sounded rinky dink. And you weren't super happy with them. I have had my share of short lived s**t filters that were part of a tank kit--recent in fact--2 months ago. The Sunsun filters are solid quiet reliable cannister filters for 30 bucks.

I did some tank work tonight too. I just finished moving my bathroom tank to my kitchen so the maintenance man will have room to spread out his tools and do some work to my bathroom.

 

[FINWIN]

You must be feeding them something good that's adding to the growth spurt. Since the snails have reproduced and grown fast and are everywhere!*#*!! in two tanks, courtesy of my LFS. I have been collecting them in a clean empty yogurt cup with fish water in it. Everyone (fish) gets a treat for dinner--escargo. Everyone but me--blah.

Snails were a part of the Roman soldiers' diet on their treks and conquests. Maybe it will beef up my junior golden lab Phoenix. Beef him up in a hurry I hope.

Sorry I didn't know your HOB filters were adequate. The way you described them they sounded rinky dink. And you weren't super happy with them. I have had my share of short lived s**t filters that were part of a tank kit--recent in fact--2 months ago. The Sunsun filters are solid quiet reliable cannister filters for 30 bucks.

I did some tank work tonight too. I just finished moving my bathroom tank to my kitchen so the maintenance man will have room to spread out his tools and do some work to my bathroom.

'

I wouldn't say the aqueon filters are ratty, but they seemed more pretty than functional...I dunno...they're rated above the tank gallons. I love me some Aquaclears...they're part of my filtration setup that I'll post elsewhere. I used to have goldies that loved snails. One of my first tanks got infested from some elodea that was loaded with tiny baby snails...the goldies had salad with gourmet meat.

 

[Fishflyer]

'

I wouldn't say the aqueon filters are ratty, but they seemed more pretty than functional...I dunno...they're rated above the tank gallons. I love me some Aquaclears...they're part of my filtration setup that I'll post elsewhere. I used to have goldies that loved snails. One of my first tanks got infested from some elodea that was loaded with tiny baby snails...the goldies had salad with gourmet meat.

Really can't say when the snails arrived. Got some Bacopa a month back, but the tank that it is and has been in is a snail free zone. Mostly I take cuttings from my own plants and spread around my tanks.

Yeah I guess Aqueons are pretty decent filters. The Aqueon HOBs usually last me about 2 years. I have one that is about 5 yrs is in storage as a backup right now. Seems like I have traded parts with some of the non working ones.

I'll have to look up Aquaclears. May be familiar with them. There are a lot of Aqua somethings.