...that having my heart set on a new 92g corner bowfront tank was not going to turn out well...apparently the company isn't making them any more...
...sooo, there is store in Tempe that sells used equipment and tanks...apparently they get a later start in their day than I do because I just called them and no answer yet....well it's not quite 10AM..I'll give it a half hour and see if they answer and might have a 92g...
...in another note of disappointment....a few days ago there was a 54g, stand and glass cover on CL down here for $100...I didn't know what I know now...crap... should have bought it just for backup... :'(...it was only a few months old too.... :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(
A couple of years ago I got a 75g tank from craigslist for $100. It came with a box full of what looked like pure junk, tangled airlines and other odds & ends. When I got home and rummaged through it I found a $200 pH controller. It was her brother's tank and she didn't know what the stuff was worth. Tank doesn't leak. I don't usually come out ahead on deals of any kind, but this time was an exception.
I don't mess with CO2 but its a good pH meter.
... I forgot to mention it came with a nice cherry stand from when they made stands right.
I've bought a lot of aquaria and supplies on CL when I was building up my hobby. I watch it constantly. I've gotten some really nice stuff too.
I quit waiting for the perfect tank to show up and bought a 54g corner this afternoon. Now to locate some Turface, and if not that some oil dry for substrate. It is sitting empty in my room now and looks pretty good! As soon as I locate the substrate I will begin planting. I think I'm gonna order a tall corner filter from Stephan. Probably won't have to replace it for the rest of my life...!!! |^| :D |^| :D
Quote from: Ron Sower on January 13, 2017, 08:04:32 PM
I quit waiting for the perfect tank to show up and bought a 54g corner this afternoon. Now to locate some Turface, and if not that some oil dry for substrate. It is sitting empty in my room now and looks pretty good! As soon as I locate the substrate I will begin planting. I think I'm gonna order a tall corner filter from Stephan. Probably won't have to replace it for the rest of my life...!!! |^| :D |^| :D
...that's swell.....pics as you progress along ?
I really like the depth a corner tank offers. Great for watching fish!
Dennis
Quote from: Mugwump on January 14, 2017, 05:38:28 AM
Quote from: Ron Sower on January 13, 2017, 08:04:32 PM
I quit waiting for the perfect tank to show up and bought a 54g corner this afternoon. Now to locate some Turface, and if not that some oil dry for substrate. It is sitting empty in my room now and looks pretty good! As soon as I locate the substrate I will begin planting. I think I'm gonna order a tall corner filter from Stephan. Probably won't have to replace it for the rest of my life...!!! |^| :D |^| :D
...that's swell.....pics as you progress along ?
I will... |^|
Quote from: BallAquatics on January 14, 2017, 08:32:12 AM
I really like the depth a corner tank offers. Great for watching fish!
Dennis
I like to build the substrate up in the front of tne tank and slope it to the back corner. When it's planted and you stand in front of it, it's like standing on the bank of a river, pond or lake and looking out toward the depths...!! Love the effect..! Not quite the same with a rectangular tank with a flat front...
..got Saf-T-Sorb yesterday for substrate...It's montmorillonite clay and as I understand it, it will absorb some nutrients from the water column and plant roots can get to it...I've used it before with excellent results...also Turface works well, but I couldn't find it yesterday...Now to carve out some time to rinse it and put it in the tank...
I've used the $4.00 bags of WalMart cat litter with good success too. 100-percent natural ground clay with NO added fragrances or scents I think all the baked clays work about the same.....
(https://ll-us-i5.wal.co/asr/23ff0275-a24e-4b31-a19c-90706d659ecb_1.8694c9d8f8d2b617f618085293bebeaf.jpeg?odnHeight=450&odnWidth=450&odnBg=FFFFFF)
Dennis
Roy Sletvolt in GSAS tested the clays and I just picked it up from him. Always had excellent plant growth. Then I started using Seachem's fert regimen and they did even better. I will continue with the Seachem regimen, and eventually start using CO2 and cut out the Exel.
I did a couple videos when we set up a tank using Saf-T-Sorb. The trick is to get all the dust out of it. I would recommend it as an alternative for substraight. Great stuff!
here is the play list if anyone is interested: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0NlnVYdBWnqd1Ioah0UbUJI9X1LeBOOF (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0NlnVYdBWnqd1Ioah0UbUJI9X1LeBOOF)
Capt'n Bob has ?Plant-Tastic? substrate for your planted tanks. http://www.captainbobsfishtales.com/?page_id=225 (http://www.captainbobsfishtales.com/?page_id=225)
Dennis
I've used my Captain's stuff. I was happy with it. The plants did well. But I'm not a plant person so although I thought it was good I don't have anything to compare it to.
The last time I did a planted tank I put 1.5" of peat down and covered it with gravel. The plants are doing great although after 2 years I'm sure the peat is more like potting soil than anything else. I'm not a plant person either, I stick with plants that do well - amazons, anubias, water sprite - the easy stuff.
Quote from: LizStreithorst on January 16, 2017, 08:28:02 PM
... But I'm not a plant person ...
Same here. The majority of my plants are there to encourage the fish to reproduce.
Dennis
When I planted the 125 in my shop over 8 years ago I put down a layer of years old goat poo from the old barn and covered it with gravel. The water stayed brown until I introduced a shit load of baby Angels. After 3 days the water was clear and the Angels were in hog heaven. This is the group I choose my HB breeders from. Those fish did well by me until one day years and generations later, they didn't.
The only thing I can figure is that their some dormant microorganisms in that old dry goat poo that came alive after being exposed to water and that they made a great food for that multitude of baby Angels. Who knows huh
...a few days ago I went by a Petsmart and decided to get a few plants...yesterday I started planting them with about 5" of water covering the substrate...not nearly enough plants...but it's a start...
...do any of you have any spares you'd like to sell off?...it may not be the right timing for some of you in the really cold temp areas...
...for now the tank will be moderate lighting & no CO2...I'm going to pull out my equipment gondola from under the deck to locate some more lighting and filtration...
I can send you some Amazon Sword babies.
I would love them...let me know when you ship so I can watch for the closely in the mail. Thanks!
UPDATE....
...did the original planting and 'scaping as it were a week or so ago... I received very nice Amazons from Liz, and enough Java Moss to choke a horse from Barb! |^|..Thanks to you both, ladies...then some of my club members sent me plants too...so that's nice...
...after going to the LFS in Tucson on Sat, I have fish and wood for 'scaping....and yesterday, I began 'scaping...but I'm not really pleased 100%...Not enough time to work on it today, so, tomorrow I'll go at it again...should have had the wood before I started originally...oh well wfwf
...once done, I'll post pics... 8)
In determining how much bending over and lifting I'm going to be in for by cleaning the Filstar canister, I decided to put a shelf in the cabinet...did that before lunch and just finished cutting the tubes to length and plugging in the filter...did a 20% WC, and now I'm gonna clear out all the misc. stuff that I don't need right now, put it in the gondola under the deck and head to the pool... |^| mim 8) 8) 8)
Quote from: Ron Sower on March 08, 2017, 02:40:44 PM
In determining how much bending over and lifting I'm going to be in for by cleaning the Filstar canister, I decided to put a shelf in the cabinet...did that before lunch and just finished cutting the tubes to length and plugging in the filter...did a 20% WC, and now I'm gonna clear out all the misc. stuff that I don't need right now, put it in the gondola under the deck and head to the pool... |^| mim 8) 8) 8)
....best idea so far.....LOL
Quote from: Mugwump on March 08, 2017, 05:26:45 PM
Quote from: Ron Sower on March 08, 2017, 02:40:44 PM
In determining how much bending over and lifting I'm going to be in for by cleaning the Filstar canister, I decided to put a shelf in the cabinet...did that before lunch and just finished cutting the tubes to length and plugging in the filter...did a 20% WC, and now I'm gonna clear out all the misc. stuff that I don't need right now, put it in the gondola under the deck and head to the pool... |^| mim 8) 8) 8)
....best idea so far.....LOL
...and it was good! |^|
...picked up 16 neon tetras yesterday coming back from Casa Grande at PetSmart...only place anywhere closer than an hour to get any fish stuff...only lost 2 so far...also got 2 more Panda Cories...
My apologies if I've already posted this in another thread...I'm getting older by the day, you know... 8)
Quote from: Ron Sower on March 11, 2017, 04:08:09 PM
...picked up 16 neon tetras yesterday coming back from Casa Grande at PetSmart...only place anywhere closer than an hour to get any fish stuff...only lost 2 so far...also got 2 more Panda Cories...
My apologies if I've already posted this in another thread...I'm getting older by the day, you know... 8)
...older ??....what is this word 'older' ? w!w
Ron, have you not yet figured out that we're all either old farts or close to old fartism. Dan is still a relative Spring chicken. Don't know about our mystery member, Tony.
Wife says I'm an old fart.
UPDATE.... 8)
...This afternoon was a near perfect one, considering I only have one tank to play with right now...Lucy went with a gaggle of gals to a tea and fashion show |^|...I had a small box of plants in the mail from a fella in Preoria |^|...so that was all I needed for an afternoon of arms in water up to my elbows planting and rescaping the tank |^|...I spent almost an hour tying Anubias onto a root stump, thanks to my fat, tactile-challenged fingers...
...since I also put some new substrate in to fill in some low spots, I thought the tank would be murky for a day or 2, but when we got back from dinner at friends, it was crystal clear...WOW!!
... so far fish loss is only 4 neons...12 left...and I think one oto...4 left... |^|
Nice.
+1
I like the depth of a corner tank. |^|
Dennis
..I like it |^|......very nice job...... |^|
Looks great Ron. |^| |^| |^| |^| |^|
Thank you! When it grows in it'll look much better.