# Tank Blog



## biofish (Jan 4, 2007)

Not sure if anyone else does this, but I'm a bit of a nerd and started up a blog about my fish hahaha. If anyone wants to follow along, they are welcome! It's a 29 gal, planning on making it a south american dwarf cichlid tank. I'm a newb, so feel free to leave me plenty of comments and advice but no bashing please! 

The Blog


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Oohh thats a great Idea!!


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## biofish (Jan 4, 2007)

Thanks. I thought it would be a good way to keep track of progress. And since there's lots of trial and error to be had, a good way to keep record of what worked and what didn't. With this tank I'm trying some new things, including trying out some live foods, which I thought would be interesting to write about... for fish nerds, anyway lol! I keep another blog, more family/crafty oriented, and I realized none of the readers on that blog would be interested in things like which pressurized co2 to get... hehehe.


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

Ooooo, I am interested in CO2 pressurizer. I know crap except Milwakee. Which I heard some people complain about. So now, I am completely stump.

*Never pay again for live sex! | Hot girls doing naughty stuff for free! | Chat for free!*


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

The JBJ and Gen-X make a more reliable CO2 reg combo than the Milwaukee. I haven't used of the "house" brand from aquariumplants.com so I can't give any helpful info there.

JM2C


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## jrs (Mar 18, 2006)

I have a Milwaukee 957 and its ok. I will say that it takes awhile to readjust the system so that it maintains a consistent bubble count. From what I hear go with one from Rex Grigg. People really seem to like his stuff.


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## biofish (Jan 4, 2007)

So I finally got it together and started up my tank. Updates on the blog! 

Recommendations/advice/suggestions appreciated!


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## KnaveTO (May 13, 2007)

I am getting a 404 Error Page not found


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## Brian (Mar 14, 2006)

KnaveTO said:


> I am getting a 404 Error Page not found


I second that.


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## biofish (Jan 4, 2007)

woops! Sorry guys... I changed the address and forgot. 

new one in my sig.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

biofish said:


> woops! Sorry guys... I changed the address and forgot.
> 
> new one in my sig.


Hi Chloe,

Just reading over your blog, I saw your apprehensions regarding rams.

I've had my blue rams for almost 3 months now and I have not found them to be very hard to keep at all. I know a lot of places mention water conditions etc. having to be something special, but mine live perfectly fine in normal Toronto water conditions. You can get rams at Menagerie (Harold always seems to have some juveniles) and they are locally bred so are used to the local water parameters. Mine are very happy, colourful and active.

The only thing I would keep in mind is space. With a 29g tank I wouldn't get anymore than a pair, and then I wouldn't want to put too much else in there with them. I have two pairs in my 45g, and they basically have the tank split into two territories.

Anyway, good luck! And that Hygro is a great plant, grows anywhere, and will get a nice reddish hue when it gets enough light/nutrients. I've also found rotala grows quite well in low-tech setups, if you wanted to give that a try!

Chris


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## biofish (Jan 4, 2007)

Thanks for the reply, chris!

Yeah I have really wanted to keep cichlids but with a planted tank my options are more limited... I'm not a big fan of angels and definitely wont be attempting discus. So I'd been going back and forth between rams or apisto c's. I really love rams but heard the cacatuoides were hardier... yeah I was thinking of a pair or one male two females as the focus of the tank then have a school of something like a small tetra species. Does that sound doable in a 29 gal? If so I would be introducing the school once the tank is cycled, then the pair later on... they are somewhat hard to find for me, but a trip to menagerie isn't out of the question. I wanted to make a trip out there for some more plants once the tank is fully cycled. 

I already see growth on the plants... it's only been two days! They seem to be happy, sending off runners and sprouting new leaves. I set up my DIY co2 yesterday and my boyfriend is going to get me pressurized for my birthday in two weeks!!! Yay! 

Oh, and I had rotala rotundfolia in my last tank and loved it! They didn't have any at Big al's the other day though (that i could see)...


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

Chloe,

With rams, always pair them. That means one male, one female. If you don't, the odd-man out will be terrorized.

They are great community fish, so I think putting them with a school of small tetra's would be great. It will also cause the fish to school tighter. Just make sure the rams have some neat little hiding spots.

Also, in my experience, it isn't necessary to cycle an aquarium before adding plants. In fact, I think they are a great benefit FOR cycling a tank.

Good luck!


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## KnaveTO (May 13, 2007)

I will agree with Chris on plants and cycling an aquarium. I have personally found that my tanks have cycled faster when I have live plants in them.


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

Hi Chloe, I think you go it back wards. Rams are much easier to keep with Toronto water than cacatuoides.
When shopping for rams, it's much easier to keep the local breed rams than the imported ones from Germany. Just make sure they are %100 German rams and not the funny misfit breed ones.

Cacatuoides on the other hand, does not live off of Toronto water. Which is ~7.6 pH. They need 7 pH and lower to live healthy.

BTW, a very nice looking tank. It looks like a good start.

*Never pay again for live sex! | Hot girls doing naughty stuff for free! | Chat for free!*


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## biofish (Jan 4, 2007)

Yeah, what I meant was I will add more plants after its cycled only because I won't be making a trip out to the LFS until then. And I'd prefer to get my plants at menagerie anyway... they are super expensive at big al's in hamilton, plus its pretty far from where I live. Anyone know of another place in hamilton? 

Anyway... hmm I guess I should reconsider the rams then! Will they do well in there with only that drift wood once it is more dense with plants, or do I need to add some caves?


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## biofish (Jan 4, 2007)

Oh, and I forgot to ask: anyone know of a carpet type plant that isn't too difficult? Right now I am running diy co2, with hopes to go pressurized but no guarantees that will happen soon. And I am totally clueless when it comes to ferts and doses/deficiencies... i just dose with fluorish once a week.So I'm hoping to find something that isnt too picky. Or just a nice foreground plant that wont grow too tall.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

That, plus a heavily planted tank should be fine, but if you plan on breeding them I find they lay eggs either on the large, flat rocks or larger leaves (at the bottom of the tank) like anubias.

As for foreground, you could try some of the Eleocharis genus (I.e. dwarf hairgrass.


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## biofish (Jan 4, 2007)

I'm not planning on breeding them. Thanks for the advice!


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## Brian (Mar 14, 2006)

Nice tank.

They will breed regardless of if you want them to or not 

They'll breed in any environment you put them in basically. I had mine in barebottom tanks and no plants... they laid like clockwork on terracotta pots, etc.


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## biofish (Jan 4, 2007)

Oh... is the water in hamilton the same as toronto? Yes, I tested it myself but both of my test strips are crap and don't give a clear reading.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

biofish said:


> Oh... is the water in hamilton the same as toronto? Yes, I tested it myself but both of my test strips are crap and don't give a clear reading.


Sorry, I have no idea what the water is like in Hamilton.


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## KnaveTO (May 13, 2007)

I would assume that since the source is the same, and treatment of water systems are regulated by the Provionce that the water parameters would be highly similiar.


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## Westender (Mar 24, 2006)

I wouldn't bet that the water is the same - parameters are allowed a fair bit of fluctuation as long as there isn't too much acidity. Depending on which water source your provider is drawing on, your water can be hard or soft. Does Hamilton draw from Lake Ontario? Ontario is highly variable in just about all parameters and can display different pH, hardness etc. at different times of year or even depths!

If you're really interested in dwarf south americans, you'll need softer water with less dissolved solids. Unfortunately, I don't think that always makes it plant-friendly.

A lot of apisto nuts and west african nuts run reverse osmosis and then reconstitute the chemical elements of the water to produce what they want.

If you're really wanting apistos, I'd suggest that you look around for some of the other Apistogrammas like viejita or honglsloi or macmasteri. They're all quite beautiful (high bodied, fair bit of red in most of the populations) and not too fussy.

Dominic


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