Tell me about your FW setups...

[JennM]

Tank sizes, decor, species...

What do you keep with what? Planted tank or artificial decor?

Filtration? I prefer hang on or canister for FW.. what are your thoughts?


Trying to drum up some conversation here...

Now's the time to brag on your FW setups (pix too!)

Jenn <<---enthusiastic...

[Casey]

Hi Jenn I will start it of Im a fw noobie i have a 75 gal half live plants and half fake I want it to be a community tank,I run a Aquaclear filter on it with MH lights.It is 2 weeks old.

[Aquarius]

Discus, Discus, and more Discus!

No, serous, not all discus

Lets see, kid has a 54 corner basic decor, gravel and plants
(not real) No planted tanks just yet. It is a community tank.


Then theres the 110 gallon Discus tank in the bedroom, has a few Plecos, rams and a Geo. The tank is deco with gravel, couple of BIG driftwood

Then in the basement is a Bare bottom 60 Discus and another Decor like the bedroom 65 with Discus and a Royal Pleco.

Don't worry, I have a 46 reef and a 135 FOLR, BUT can someone really fast grab the empty 55 and 42... before water appears in them too!

As for filters, I use canister on the 110 and the kids tank, plus HOB for his to. The two tanks in the basement are Wet/Dry, one being a Bio-Rocker that I'm dieing to see the long term effect of it.

Hey BTW Casey, that tank is looking nice for two weeks! The MH will let everything take off, thats what stopped me from doing a planted tank on the 135.

-steve

[Stang69]

Tank sizes

Well lets see if I run down what I have had I would be here an hour or so typing.

I have had everything from goldfish to discus to africans.

I love them all but I have to admit my fav. is the Planted Discus Tank.


What do you keep with what?

Depends on what size tank first of all. I tend to maybe ask too many questions to ppl about tank size and inhabitants but I feel that is pertinant info before choosing a tankmate for what they already have.

I prefer hang on or canister for FW

I prefer a canister for ease of access and changing of media and the vast array of media's available for them.

Jeff

[Stang69]

Casey are those Plants from the link I sent to ya?



Jeff


BTW Looks great

[Casey]

No Jeff I got those at the LFS but im putting an order together from your links thanks

[icebear]

Here's a quick shot of my setup, its in its very basic beginnings right now, don't even have the lighting together yet- i'm using the 2 strip lights from the 2 10 gallon tanks i broke down (havn't decided if i want to DIY or just buy a double strip or what....) but so far i have 80# of EcoComplete brand planting substrate by CaribSea, it gives me about 4-5" of nice fertile planting ground.
I have a glass Versatop on it, the filter is a HOB regent dual media chamber ...i don't think i'm going to bother with resuecting the old Fluval....i'd rather sell it- i hate doing maintenance on it, always lost the big O ring and emptied it on the floor

The fish are my old pets from the 10 fresh.... one swordtail didn't live to see his new home sadly... i've had them for close to 4 years so i was a bit attached but not suprised to see that they are aging. So now there is one female swordtail, two female platies a blue gourami and a clown pleco.

I also drip acclimated the two puffers who were once in the 46 bowfront, then banned and put in a 30 gallon brackish, then reacclimated to full salt and put in the sump and now they have been refreshed and are in this 30, where they will remain if they behave.

The tacky decorations in the tank are there so the Clown pleco can have some algae to eat, since the tank has only been running for a couple weeks without lights, there is no algae except waht is on the plastic dragon and archway. And i don't want to train him to eat algae discs too early if i need his services later.

I do have 3 small bulb plants in there right now. They came from walmart in those "instant aquarium plants" package, they got minimal care in the 10 gallon so they grew a little and one flowered but did not thrive so much that i know what type of plant they are...i'll get some closer shots later and see if Stang can tell me what i have.



I might consider getting Discus, but they are not really commonly available around here and i want to keep the fish i have and i think their parameter needs are much different- i just havn't had the time to research everything....

I think thats it so far

[Stang69]

Good start Icebar. The substrait you are using is a great product. Well balanced. One thing to watch for is the use or Iron by the plants. You may mave to suppliment down the road but dont be too conserned with it right now.

You mentioned wanting to keep discus IMO that tank will be fine for a cpl small ones but they will also grow to be rather large and will definantly need another tank.

No comment about the cheesy deco hehehheehh


Jeff

[icebear]

lol, hey even Casey's still got plastique plants


Like my way-cool photographic background? Still havn't decided which color background is best for planted tanks.... light blue, dark blue black or something else....

with almost black substrate a black background might be either too muchor it will highlight the plants more- especially if i set myself up to successfully grow the high light loving red plants.

i love red plants, just not sure if thats what i should start right out to try.

[Casey]

Hehe Heather I got the plastic ones in case I kill all of the live ones

[Stang69]

Background IMO is all a matter of asthetics (SP)

The red plants will require more light just keep that in mind


Jeff

[icebear]

Originally posted by Casey
Hehe Heather I got the plastic ones in case I kill all of the live ones

thats the exact same reason i kept all of mine


in that 5g bucket is all the natural colored decor gravel and the mound of plastic plants

[Casey]

Heather you got lots of stuff down there in that dungeon dont ya Jeff my only red plant is fake but I sure like the live ones think I have enough light with 2x 175 mhs and 1= 40 watt flo no bulb?

[Stang69]

I think your right Casey you will have


I have never known you do to anything half way though

Jeff

[JennM]

Interesting

This is very helpful to me. I've really got to "change gears" to get ready to be carrying and selling FW stuff... quite a 180 from reef. Of course I find FO marines a 180 from reef too...

BTW, Aquarius, I've been running a Bio Rocker for 2 years on my reef and I LOVE IT! I think you'll be pleased with it. I'd be curious to hear your feedback on it in a freshwater application though.

Jenn