Drydock

So, your returns on the back are below the water line??? How did you seal them. (Or am I seeing things?)

Are your cookies enabled in your Safari settings? I agree with Tanker, buy a PC.

Welcome.

With starting new tanks, I have used a product called 'Cycle' with good results... I usually dose the tank as per the directions and then a bit more.

Big Al's apparently. (read it in another post)

Honestly, I have nothing useful to add except to say, "Ow. owowowow boy does that sting!" I hope he gets better.

I will politely disagree with Ishkabod on this one... I think that as close to level is best. There is some thought that having a tank even on a slight level can put pressure on a particular panel (i.e. back or side) that it may not have been designed for and instead of falling, you have a seal rupture with equally as disastrous results. As level as possible would be my suggestion.

There are some good deals on tank set ups posted. For price, you are not going to beat getting a used setup off of someone getting out or moving up... I would keep my eyes on the equipment section or on kijiji for good deals. If you do decide to go new... I set up my 72 Gallon tank after many years of storage and saved a bundle by buying what I could from hardware stores... sand instead of the gravel at a pet store, fluorescent lights, tubes and all the tubing I needed for my filters and for cleaning, buckets etc... You don't have to buy it all from a pet store and some things you will find for less at Home Depot or Rona. If you are in doubt about the aquarium safety of something, you can post here to see if someone else has used it or has a suggestion. If you want good advice from a store, I would tend to go to Natures Corner or Aquarium Enthusiasts here in Edmonton before a big box store. They will have good advice for you and are probably better at suggesting some starter fish for you. Hope that helps. Roger

So Edmonton uses Chloramine according to the link. Good to know. I'll adjust my water change habits accordingly... Great article and resources.

Welcome. It has been a few days, any other additions to your new tank? That's how it always seemed to work for me...

Hi.

I have a 72 gallon that has been set up for a year and I have never once touched the sand! I'm worrying about my fish as I type! Thanks for posting this. It's another example of, "If you only learn from your own mistakes - you're an idiot!" Sorry for your loss RDFISHGUY, but thanks for the post.

While my wife hates the aesthetics, 2x4's and 3 inch deck screws can hold up anything... well, not ANYTHING. You don't have to worry as much about if you spill on them and if you want, you can attach skirting around the edges to make it look 'pretty'.

I have 3 - L025 Butterfly Plecos that were wild caught. they are 3-4 inches right now. I don't see them much, except for when the zucchini or peas go in the tank. They are still pretty skittish, but do a decent job of keeping the algae at bay. I also have a common pleco in a smaller tank. That one has black sand in it and the poop really shows... ugh.

On a slightly different note, I believe the 403, like my 404, filters from the bottom to the top. Having said that, you would want to have your sponge on the bottom to get the mechanical filtration out of the way first. And your ceramic rings would best accomplish your biological filtration in the top tray after the sponge has completed mechanical filtration so that the rings do not get clogged. Finally, lava rock is an extremely poor filter media as cheap and effective as it looks like it would be. Have a look at this thread at MFK for some help. Good luck. Dean, Thanks for the link. I was just talking with Jvision last week and he told me the same thing about the lava rocks. He just switched to something else... I'm probably going to switch out the lava rock next cleaning. I have always put the foam in the top compartment of the filter. I think that was what was set out in the instructions. But now that you bring it up, I always did wonder why the Fluval was different from an aqua clear with the filter in the lowest section...

I tilted the cansiter a couple of days ago, and then again before I posted, so I don't think it was an air bubble that was left after I primed it. I'll look into the sponge, but my other theory was the valve on the intake side might be siphoning in air. I have had it leak when I have opened or closed it in the past... If it is dissolved O2, anything that can be done? Roger

Hi, Wondering if anyone else has experienced this... I have a Fluval 403 that I have run since the early 90's. Just recently replaced O-ring, Impeller and shaft... Recently, I have been getting air into the canister. You can hear some air go through the impeller every 5-10 minutes and once in a while it locks up the filter. I have ceramic rings in the bottom, lava rock in the mid and the sponge in the upper cavities. I just rinsed out the media and cleaned the sponge this week, so they should be running fairly clear. I have removed the air bubble inside previously, but it is getting in somehow. Any thoughts or suggestions on what is causing the air? Thoughts and opinions? Thanks,

Very nice Dean.

Welcome, My 72 G just had a brand new 10 G the other day. I have high hopes that one day not too far away it will grow bigger than his papa.

Hi, My Name is Roger. I just restarted a tank after being 'out of aquariums' for about 10 years. Before that I had several different tanks and worked in a store for a while. Anyhow I am back on the learning curve and un-learning some of my old bad habits and ideas. I look forward to learning from all the posts and advice. Thanks,

I have a Fluvial 403 that I bought in 1992-ish. Still running strong and the only thing I have replaced was the main O-ring. Maybe they don't make them like they used to. I can't say that I have ever had a complaint about it and I admit I am pretty ignorant of what is out there in the market now and how it works as I have never considered replacing it.