African_Fever

Any reason you didn't cut the entire picture window out but left the brace-looking pieces? Great build

Assuming you dig your pond deep enough that it's below the frost line and keep it heated, there's no reason to insulate under the slab. It won't freeze there anyway.

Koiphen.com - you won't find a better source of info on ponds. If you want koi, go deep and do it right, bottom drains and all. Stacked cinder blocks (w/rebar and filled w concrete) is an easy way for anyone to build their own solid pond.

Stunning rainbows as always Ric. Thanks for sharing the pics and info!

Mud puppy

Gotta love the random feeders they'll send up. Could be tilapia - I've got one that I just needed to know what it was so I grew it out, though admittedly those do look different at this size.

Very cool score!

I don't know if there's many fish that will school well in a smaller tank, especially once they're comfortable with their surroundings.

An inch per gallon shouldn't be used as a 'rule', though it does sometimes happen that's where a stocking recommendation ends up (and moreso with smaller tanks). Under this circumstance, without knowing more about the experience of the fiishkeeper, dimensions, filtration, or anything else thats what I'd recommend based on my 20 years of keeping african cichlids. Had the OP asked how many 12" oscars or jags, I'd have said one ( and even that wouldn't be good long term); 1" tetras, then maybe 30-60+ depending on species (plus catfish/bottom dwellers and even potential surface dwellers); SA cichlids, one pair of 4-6" fish. To use an inch per gallon as a rule, doesn't take any of these variables into account.

An inch per gallon is old school and completely out to lunch.

You could potentially do 10-12, depending on filtration, maintenance, and how the fish are towards one another. But be prepared to remove some if necessary.

There could be the chance the calico could be carrying the albino gene; if any fry are albino, it would answer that question. Albinism is a recessive gene - so the albino make has 2 albino genes, whereas the calico is unknown, and could potentially carry the gene but not show it. I'm not sure if the calico and long fin genes are linked, so can't help w the ratios.

Wicked looking rays.

Wicked looking pups, and a big congrats! There can't be too many others in North America who've had pups from Xingu's. Makes me really miss my rays... Any chance of some pics of the adults?

FX5 alone should be good. I like to use HOB's in combination with most canisters as an extra polishing filter, but I've found the FX5 has enough flow that you should be fine without anything extra.

How long is the water 'aging' before you put into the tank? I vaguely remember the same thing happening in the past with water changes, but have always just attributed it to tiny air bubbles due to filling the tank up directly from a faucet/hose. If nothing is affected, why worry?

Wow, very cool tank! Looks like I need to do a little research on the dry start option....

I've had similar lighting and had no problem growing all kinds of vals, crypts, Anubias, and java ferns (with no ferts). Once the Val's hit the surface they'll block a good portion of the light anyways.

Skynoch - how many coats of Zavlar did you use? Epoxy is nasty stuff to work with and I'm wondering if Zavlar is a better option. Is your glass siliconed directly to it?

Go Ply, if you've already got the glass, the most expensive part is over! There's plenty of us here who've done it, and it's not as daunting as you might think.

Hey all, I know there's a lot who know me here as well as a lot of new faces. After a 2 year+ hiatus from fish, I'm really getting the itch to get some* fish going again (I have had a 230 w my large shoal of silver dollars going the entire time in my parents garage). I lost my flower rays due to my move to BC and just wasn't up to it when we finally got 'settled' in Kelowna. Long story short, I'm back in Calgary w a new baby boy and am hoping to finally get my silver dollars in a new home (3 dozen 4-8" SD's are crowded in the 230).

You could find another tank that size for $300 easy (used anyways, and possibly w a stand and accessories at that). Unfortunately it's a PITA to change the glass, and you'll probably pay $150+ just for the glass to do yourself. It's really up to you if it's worth it.

Not really any easy way to move adult rays IME. Nets can be tricky because you want to get them in head-first, which then leaves the tail slashing around. I found a rubbermaid-type wash basin worked the best; just use a net to direct the rays towards the basin, and dump out some of the water so it's just covering the rays. I've done the same thing with pups, just using a smaller container.

I moved my pups to a different tank immediately, filled completely with water from the main tank. Less worries than something floating in the main tank.

I was at the BA's in Calgary I think two weeks ago, and was stunned at the selection of cichlids they had (much more than any time I've been there since it opened). But that being said, the few times I've been to BA's in Edmonton I've been floored by their selection.

As J said , the only sure fire way is by venting. Unfortunately black on the fins of male electric yellows is not reliable - I was at Neil's place one morning on my way to Edmonton and he was showing me his 'subdominant male' electric yellow; it was about as typical as is possible in its vibrant yellow and deep black in all its fins. I stopped by on the way home, and the 'male' had spawned w the dominant male - it was in fact just a female w stunning coloration. I've even got a female back in the Hat right now that's carrying that I would've thought was a male based on deep black in the anal fin.

Awesome Scott, a huge congrats! I'm assuming shes the one I brought in from Peru? How large are both parents now?