Stage one of my store's FW section is up and running! Need pointers, suggestions...

[JennM]

We've got 12 of the first bank of 18 tanks running! They are 25 gallon tanks, 24 x 18 x 12. Plumbed to a central system with a sump/bio-balls. We've got some comets and a few fancy goldfish in there right now, which we dipped from a friend's ponds - they are moving and cannot take all the fish from their 6 large ponds so they invited us to set a minnow trap for some of this year's babies, and we netted a few good sized fancy golds -- got one Oranda too.

We are using DI water (not RO... takes too long to fill!) and I put RO Right in to reconstitute some of the lost electrolytes and minerals.

We added fish on Saturday night. Tested water on Monday - no ammonia or nitrite yet. pH was about 7.4 so I added some neutral controller, to bring it back to 7, that way when the ammonia does hit, it won't be as toxic in the lower pH. I'm ready to water change when the ammonia does hit.

On Monday the water began to look cloudy. I added some ProClear and 100 micron filter pad to the bio tower (made out of a salt bucket!). That has cleared it up more or less - I'm thinking either bacterial bloom or algae bloom? The cloudiness was milky/whiteish. There are no lights on the tanks yet, but they do get indirect daylight from the storefront windows (these tanks face the front.

I'm resisting the urge to go and get more fish to start really stocking the system - in fact I don't want to keep the golds in the same water as the tropicals that I intend to get... the golds are there to cycle, then they will move into another system (which is not yet plumbed....). I am always preaching patience.. my turn to take my own advice *g*

Any cycling pointers to offer me? Aside from patience?

Also, if you had 40 x 25 g tanks to stock (I'll have separate tanks for feeders) what would you carry? What would you like to see in your LFS, or what do you currently see in your LFS that you like? I've got a blank canvas here... and I've been away from FW for a long time so I'm somewhat out of the loop.

I went down to the local wholesaler a couple of weeks ago and saw some really neat stuff I'm anxious to get going with this now but I also know that Rome wasn't built in a day...

TIA for any suggestions...

Jenn

[chrisf9801]

Jenn,

So far it sounds really cool. The one thing I see at my LFS that I really like is that they have several different systems for FW that are grouped by temp.
Things like GoldFish, guppies, etc in colder water and Cichlids in warmer water. They also break out their Cichlids by region. They also color code their tanks for community, species, aggressive, non-aggressive, etc...

they alos have brachish and tropical broken out in different systems.

I am also a lot biased because they have my absolute favorite fish -Jack Dempsey!! They have several displays with 8- 10" Dempseys.

I can imagine how tough it is to keep alot of stock on hand, but one thing I think alot consumers like to se is display tanks, planted and non-planted, etc....

The one thing that will turn me off of a LFS is geneticly altered, or dyed fish. If they sell em, I am going elsewhere! I think you mentioned somewhere else that you would never consider these types of fish for sale so you already have my vote!

Good luck, show some pics when you get a chance

Chris

[JennM]

You and I are on the same page

We plan to have 4 central systems (for marines we have 2 - one for FO and one for inverts/corals), and sort things out by hardness of water etc., so dirty goldfish won't be on the same system as cichlids, etc. The small system we might do brackish - wasn't planning to but there are some really great brackish fish, and there's a niche of hobbyists... so we'll see how the rest goes and take it from there.

I want to get into planted tanks too - some of my exisiting marine customers have FW planteds too, and they are dying to bring in their overstock of growth rather than throw it away - I'm all for that

I'm also with you on the dyed/altered fishes. I have mixed thoughts about the Glo-Fish but have no intention of bringing them in ... and it breaks my heart to see dyed glassfishes or "jellybean" gouramis... I had looked around to see if any wholesalers do NOT carry them at all, as I would prefer to support them, versus ones that carry them, even though I don't intend to buy them, but so far I've not found one. I don't support saltwater wholesalers who support the cyanide trade, so I'm trying to keep to the moral high road - not always easy but once you get a good supply chain going, it's well worth the extra effort, in the quality of livestock... but I digress...

Nope, no latex dye in anything I plan to keep. Besides, if you want colourful freshwater fishes, they are out there... selective breeding has really changed things since I started in FW (and I suppose that's "genetic manipulation" too... there's an argument...) there are gorgeous Discus, and Africans, and Koi Angels... many beautiful mutations to choose from.

OK now I'm anxious to get stocking again....

Jenn

[jokermgp]

Have you tried using damsels to cycle your new tanks?

Cheers...Michael

go ahead, flame me...I DARE you

[JennM]

OY VEY!

You'd better get out your flame proof underwear

Jenn

[dwall174]

I like Discus & African Cichlids for freshwater fish. Here's two Wholesalers that just happen to be Local for me. http://www.greatlakesdiscus.com/
http://www.icthyosenterprises.com/
Greatlakes Discus also has some great looking large angels & rare African’s!

[Stang69]

Well Jenn looks like you are well on your way.

1. You want to have bread and butter fish IE platies, guppies, swords and tetra's.

2. Have the books on hand to read about the FW fish. Fr you to brush up on and the customers to own.

3. Have the right size tanks available to the customer and all necessary hardware needed. You can have them in your mind listed as good better and best so as to fit into all the spending catagories.

4. I would have small species med and also large sizes of the most popular fish.

5. I would also set up a sep system for the plants with the propper lighting for them. Have a poster of a referal guied hung close to the tank so the customers can have a guied as to what plant needs what light and how big they get.


I know most of those dont go into the what would you carry but thought it may help ya a little.

Africans, discus (better quality colors) More agressive cichlids as well as some of the Apisto species. (Very Nice Dwarf Cichlid.) Perhaps Killies I dont know if the market is there but they seemed to sell well they can be housed in smaller tanks most of the time depending on species.


Hope I have helped shed some light to help ya


Jeff