jvision

You won't have to 'seed' too many MTS, as they will soon multiply beyond counting. I think I added 3 about a year or so ago, and they now rival the gravel in number!!

They screw into the regular, cheap incandescent fixtures! I've even seen specs online to make your own fixture out of eavestroughing - on the cheap, too!! Try The Krib...

If you're planting a FISHtank, then 2" is fine. However, if you're setting up a PLANT tank, you may want to set up a few places where the gravel depth is 4-6" for those depth-loving Crypts & Swords.

Seachem's buffering products work well, and they are NOT PO4 based.

I would say your neons are having some nice snacks. The parents will do their best to protect their younguns, but it's hard for 2 fish to ward off 6 fish all the time. I'd either upgrade to a 20 gal with lots of caves, plants, etc. for the future, or think about rasing the fry in a different tank.

Hardly...there are some aquarists that swear by them still.....they don't go for a lot at auctions, but they always sell. Yeah, I know... I'm not too worried about it. The ACE Auction is coming up in about 6 weeks, so I know I'll be able to sell 'em there. I'll bump 'em one more time here, with lower prices; otherwise we'll wait 'til the auction.

The walnut shells will leach into the water - I'm not sure if there are toxins in walnut, but at the very least, tannis will leach, lowering the pH and turning it a brown color. This would be great for any Amazon fish, but I know platys tend to prefer harder water. The danios would be fine - don't know about the dojo.

GREAT!! There goes the hopes of selling my UGF plates!! :bang1:

One thing I have noticed about snails... Pond snails in my planted tank only get a certain size. After that, I think they croak. The CO2 makes their shells too thin. In my African tanks, if they survive to a good size, they'll keep growing - lots of Ca in the water from the dissolving shells.

Ok... here's what I have This is my 55 gal tank Here's what I have my lights under The canopy has glass tops on the top of it, so the tank is kind of 'open-top' Under the reflector - standard twin flourescent reflector - I have 3 T6 bulbs at 40W each Originally, I had the regular end caps that are 50¢ ea - or less. But, my electrician friend wanted something a little more waterproof b/c these lights are open to the water. I used the end caps from the Hagen light systems with the remote ballasts. If your lights are going on top of your glass cover, then you can easily use the regular end caps. The reason I did this was to get the light bulbs closer together. I think I'd still like to go with 4 bulbs. But, to make this is easy. Just take apart the 4-bulb system. You'll probably have to get new endcaps b/c I think these ones have all 4 in one solid piece. But, just clip the wires that go from the balast(s) to these caps, and place them in the new ones. Then place the lights as close as possible, and put your twin strip reflector over them. Done and done!

Big Al's has 10 gal tanks for $7. I think they're sold out, but 'til the end of the week, you can get a rain check 'til new stock comes in. Should be early next week, I believe is what they said.

I think I'll go get a pack as well!

I dose a lot of ferts in my tank. The only 'problem' I have is with a bit of Green Spot Algae, which they say is due to a shortage of PO4, if CO2 is good. I've found since I've started "misting" my CO2, I've had vertually no problems. When things start to get out of whack, algae comes, etc. This is the order that they recommend you check: 1) prune, clean filter, large WC 2) CO2 3) Macros 4) Micros I've been having some great results dosing EI.

I've got it on my calendar, so if I'm not too busy, I'll bring a few plants for you.

Gina, do your fish just come pose for you when they see you with the camera??

Naw, she got the plant from me, and most of my lotus' are the same - the larger, older leaves develop holes. Some of the Crypts in my tank are doing the same. I just gave them all some Jobe's spikes last night, so that should help 'em out. The main goal is to have a balance of CO2, NPK, and traces. Once you have that right, everythings great. If you start to see algae, it means something's out... usually CO2, but sometimes it's one or more of the macros - rarely traces, if WCs are kept up.

I noticed spots develop on a Ps. elongatus "chewere", and thought that it was genetic, as it was just as the fish are starting to color up. Now, I'm seeing some spots on a Kenyi that I recently added... Guess I should separate 'em out, eh? No known cure for this?

You can buy special lighting packages, if you want. But, if you can wait a day or so before you go shopping, I'll post the pics for you - it's pretty easy. I am, by no means, an electrician!! Actually, I had it set up, and my electrician friend came and made a few mods, but it's pretty simple, anyway. Also, Tanker has some great plans for building a canopy that will hold your lights, and allow you access to the tank, as well. I think there was a recent thread in the DIY section...

I've done many a DIY hack job with lights, but it's easy to make it look good. Most of them come with a reflector, so you can keep the light in the tank - if not, CDs work great! On my 55 gal, what I did was gut a twin strip, and placed 3 40W bulbs under it. I actually bought a new balast, but what you could do is buy the 4-strip, and a reflector for a twin. Gut the 4-strip, and place the bulbs on the glass under the twin reflector. This should keep the light going into the tank, and allow you to still open the lid. I'll take some pics tonight when I get home, and post them for you.

That's right, it could be a Sagitaria sp. I used to have a tank that was taken over by Dwarf Sag. It grows much like Chain Sword, but the leaves are more errect - Chain Sword leaves tend to curl down a bit. Giant Sag. looks like a stiffer, greener Valinseria sp. It'll reach to the top of your tank. If you're looking for something to carpet your tank in the future (that is if this plant starts to get too big), let me know, I'll have more Chain Sword than I know what to do with... just threw out about 10 plants last night!

On 170 st at 117 ave.

MP, you're probably going to have to do some DIY work for your lighting. You could almost scrap the lighting you have, and go pick up a 4 x 40W light fixture from Home Depot for less than $50 lights included.

Actually, I meant Labidochromis sp. "perlmutt" Got them at the same time... I know the diff, guess I just got a bit confused when I was typing.

From the looks of your tank, you're probably dosing right on. I don't dose any more than you do, and I have quite a few more 'hungry' plants than you do.... maybe it's time that I feed them roots again, myself.

I would love to see my fish start to breed, but I'm kind of a newb w. Africans. I have the following in groups of 3+ but don't know how to tell the sexes apart: Melanochromis cyanorohabdus (6) Pseudotropheus elongatus "Chewere" (4) Labidochromis sp. "acei" (3) Labidochromis caeruleus "Electric Yellow" (7) The M. cyano. and Electric Yellows are in a 29 gal together with lots of hiding places and plants (see pics in photo forum). The others are in a 35 gal (36" x 18" footprint) with about 10 other fish. The tank is packed with shells and plants - lots of hiding places for everyone. Nobody's really getting picked on in the tank at all. Is there something to induce spawning? I've worked a lot with dwarf SA cichlids - feed well and large WC will get them going. What about Mbuna? They all eat NLS only.