Blue Ram

I have several species available for sale. What are you looking for? Please send PM.

I don't typically dose any fertilizers - only on occasion - would you advise that if using Purigen, you should dose nitrogen to maintain plant growth?

I just read the product description on Seachem's website. It does remove nitrates. This doesn't seem conducive to live plants who take up nitrates from the water??

Looking for some feedback from people using Purigen in their filters. I'm considering adding it to a couple of my larger tanks. I had an experience several years ago when I added Purigen to a large canister filter on a tropheus tank. I was going away on vacation and wanted to maintain good water quality while I was away. When I came back a couple weeks later, all the anubias was filled with holes and pretty much garbage. A very large plant had been in the tank for over a year and growing well and then toast. I attributed it to the Purigen. Could that be correct? Does it remove nutrients the plants rely on? Also, a question for any serious shrimp keepers out there - what about using Purigen in a shrimp tank to maintain better water quality?

I'm thinking more and more it is the substrate. If it was Calgary tap water, I would see the high TDS in all of my tanks. As I said, my tap water sitting in my barrel for aging has a TDS reading of 197. This morning the TDS in the shrimp tank was 549 after doing a 25% change last night using 50/50 aged tap water and RO. I'm going to start removing the substrate tonight. The only other thing that the tank developed was a layer of quite thick brown algae on the back wall. Other 3 sides of glass are clean. Would this cause high TDS readings? Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

About 5 weeks ago I moved my large colony of crystal red shrimp into a new tank. Used the sponge filter that had been running on their previous tank and I had zero levels of ammonia and nitrites. I use 100% aged tap water in their tank. Over the past several weeks I have lost some shrimp every day - I've probably lost 30 shrimp (mostly all adults). I've been doing water changes for the past 10 days and monitoring with tests. The only thing out of wack is the TDS. My meter has read readings as high as 800 in this tank and after a 50% water change, down to less than 400 but it quite quickly climbs back up to 700. This evening I had a reading of 749. I know the meter is reading correctly because I have tested all my other tanks many times to get a reference reading. Most of my tanks are under 200 after a water change except for the tanks that I use RO water and they are around 100-130. I have been introducing some RO water into the tank to try to reduce the TDS reading. The PH is also high at 8. Tested my tap water - ph of 7.8 and TDS of 197. My RO water is TDS of less than 5 and ph of 7.6. The only thing I can think of is something in the tank is causing these high readings and hence the death of the shrimp. The tank has some stem plants still in their pots from the store, well aged driftwood, bamboo shrimp caves and some rock. All of this came from the tank they were in previously which had been running for well over 2 yrs. I have been breeding these shrimp for over 3 years and have never suffered losses like this. The substrate in the tank is several years old. It was a shrimp substrate I brought home from Singapore. Anyone have any ideas what might be causing the high TDS and ph readings? I'm considering moving them all to a sterile 10 gallon with the sponge filter and completely gutting the current tank.

I purchased the 75 GPD system from maxwaterflow.com through a group order organized by the Calgary Aquarium Society. They gave a presentation and offered us a good deal but it was over 2 years ago. I use the system for both aquarium and home drinking water so I use all 5 filters. I use the demineralization filter for my reef tank water. I'm very pleased with the system. I have it set up in my basement where my hot water tank is and have a large rubbermaid trash bin that the demineralized water feeds into.

I'm looking for some feedback from those members who keep these species of snails. I saw some golden rabbit snails in Calgary on Boxing Day and really wanted to get some but was told that they are voracious plant eaters? Is that your experience?

One thing to keep in mind is that a bare bottom is definitely the best option for a breeding setup but you will have a hard time raising any fry in your main tank with other adult discus in there. You simply cannot keep the water quality good enough for breeding.

That depends on a couple of things. Do you want to raise fry? If so, the pair should be in their own 20 gal tank. Depending on your water parameters, the eggs may or may not hatch. They would need to be in soft water to hatch.

Congratulations - you will have a money maker!

Don't look like wild rams to me.

Visited two new stores in Edmonton last weekend - Aquarium Illusions and Aquarium Central. Both beautiful stores with excellent livestock. Brought home my school of lyretail anthias which had been in quarantine for 3 weeks for my reef tank and 3 zebra barred gobies and a fox coral. All of the fish are healthy and stunning. At Aquarium Central, they were several species that I had never seen before so I had to get them! They also had beautiful angelfish. Sumatra licorice gouramis, valiant chocolate gourmais and burmese microrasboras came home with me to join my fishroom. Also got some nice rummynose for $2 each. They acclimated well into my discus tank. The licorice gouramis will have their own 10 gal species tank so I can keep their water soft. I was told that the valiants will be the most beautiful fish I have in a couple of months - not sure about that but they are lovely now. Got a large mother anubias plant for $20 and a species of bolbitus I've not seen before. Lucky Edmonton people to have these retailers.

Biggest issue is going to be cost! Stocking it that is. Also the cost of lighting that size of a tank especially if you intend to have a reef setup.

I had no issues with my fluval edge. Good flow from the aquaclear filter. Don't really think it is an appopriate tank for the L046 though.

The rummynose and cardinals will love 80F. So will the rams which would fit in nicely with your setup. Unfortunately the mollies do not. I would highly suggest not adding mollies to this tank. Too warm, different water parameters.

Great post Jay and Rick. I've always been a fan of rainbowfish and am now back stocking some of my tanks with whatever I can squeeze out of Rick!

Yes thanks for inquiring. Finishing the plumbing so I have a "bean animal" overflow system.

Over the past weekend, I finally got the sump started up on a 120 gal used reef system I purchased. I've had one issue after another for more than a week now in getting this system set up due to missing parts, etc. All of the livestock has been in two holdings tanks waiting. I'm not happy with the way the sump is set up. I set it up the way the previous owner had but something is amiss. I would really appreciate it if any of you experienced reefers could take a look at it and give me some suggestions for improving the operation of the protein skimmer and the sump in general. I do not have any experience with this equipment. I am reluctant to move the livestock into the tank before I'm happy the sump is operating efficiently. I'm in the west end of town - 5 minutes from Westhills. Willing to provide some compensation to an experienced individual. Sooner is better! Thanks,

Thank you - I'll try them on Monday.

Went to hang my Giesemann Infiniti light last night only to find that one of the screw sets was missing. I am not the original owner of the light. The screw set needs to 1/2" or longer. Home Depot has 1/4" but no longer. Anyone have one or know where I might be able to get one. Thanks,

Well I've taken a big plunge. I bought a beautiful 120 gal reef setup complete with all livestock. Tank is stocked full of beautiful corals. Moving and setting it up starting tomorrow. The tank was previously set up as a room divider. I will be putting it against a wall that is painted off-white. I think it would look better if a background was put on even though most reef tanks don't have them. I think it would bring out better colour. Any suggestions?

Probably not - I'm breeding yellow, orange bee and blueberry but don't have enough yet to sell off any.

I will probably bring some up to Edmonton the day of the auction if you are interested. Send me a PM.

I have replied to your private message.