punman

Biotherm Dual Monitor & Controller. Has anyone used this in conjuction with Biotherm's heating element or any other heater? I inherited the controller with the heating element new in the box from a friend and wonder how people like it. It appears to have a large digital readout for set temperature and actual temperature. Does that make them better than a straight heater like Ebo-Jager? I just set it up this afternoon in my 90 gallon tank. The current temp. stands out in the dark of night on the control panel but apart from that I don't see an advantage unless I am missing something in my understanding of the whole concept.

A co-worker in Calgary was asking me for a good place to get apple snails. Any ideas?

Does anyone know of someone who sells/breeds Enantiopus kilesa in Alberta? I might go the Spencer Jack route but even he sells out quite quickly.

What cichlids could I add to a 90 gallon four foot tank of twelve adult Cyprichromis Utintas? These are breeding fish and I would like them to keep breeding. I strip the females and the fry get raised elsewhere. I was wondering if Enantiopus kilesa would be compatible and have enough room. I am open to other Lake Tanganyika or Malawi choices as well.

If you are going simple with one bulb only, I like the 10 000 K. I have a Corallife Colormax and 10 000 as a two bulb setup that looks pretty good. I used a 10 000 K and a 50/50 on a frontosa tank that looked nice. 50/50 on its own is pretty bluish but it may be good with some fish. I don't like the low Ks (5000 etc - too yellowish for me)

Mine is on carpet and I have not put a tank on there yet, so maybe I will pull the feet off. Bettafish, did you put anything between the stand top and the tank? Sometimes I don't and sometimes I do. I might use a plastic picnic tablecloth folded in half. I used pink insulation board when I had my 180 gallon but my other 90 has nothing between the tank and stand.

I played it safe and bought a "Stingray" stand from Bigals. I put it together tonight but the only thing I found strange was that it had 8 plastic button "feet" that tacked into the bottom of the stand. They are a half inch in diameter and maybe a quarter inch thick. To me it seemed to make more sense to not have them on and spread the weight over the 4 ft by 18 inch bottom sheet for support, rather than resting on 8 points but then they are in the fish business. This is isn't supposed to be lawn furniture. Any comments?

First of all, you would have to do one or the other, not both, as water conditions and temperature are different. Both fish can be difficult with their challenges but both are wonderful fish. I have tropheus now and have good breeding and not lost one of my fish that I bought over a year ago. Others lose fish continually. I tried discus many, many, years ago and was not successful. They are beautiful looking fish but I am not sure I want to venture there again. Others in Alberta do great things with them. The other thing to consider is their temperament. Discus, to generalize, seem calm and peaceful and tropheus seem "psycho." Do you want relaxing or lots of action? Some members are keeping both at the moment and can give you a better analysis. Neither are what I would consider beginner's fish. Water changes and careful monitoring. Number-wise, I have 23 adult tropheus in my 90 gallon. I had thirty but it seemed a bit much so dropped it down to 23. Two large rock piles at each end, no plants but plants are okay. I cannot comment on the discus numbers.

It was menopause - just a pause between men!!

With the one inch metal border around the stand I think I would have had the length and width to do it but you are right. The corner posts would be a problem. Just curious, could those stands have handled the 900 lb weight (in case I put smaller tanks on one)? Has anyone recently found a reasonably priced stand this size (18x48) that would work? It does not have to be an official fish tank stand (Ikea, department store, etc), just something that can tolerate the weight.

Should your car be an automatic transmission or a standard? Depends on the type/size of vehicle and the driver but both can get you there safely. Same with the filter(s). I have had just HOB, just canisters, and some of both on various tanks. There are pros and cons to each (factors like price, water movement, ease of maintenance, set up options). If one type were better than the other, there would be only canisters or only HOB left on the market. For HOB, I like Aquaclear and suggest two Aclear 70s on your tank (or one AC110) but I like the idea of two in case one quits plus better water movement. I have only had Eheim filters for canisters so can't comment on best canisters as I have not tried many.

A 90 gallon's base is 18 inches by 48 inches. Could I take a 4 shelf "gorilla stand" (industrial type storage unit) and take the top two shelves off and use the bottom half as a stand for a 90 gallon tank? The shelving measures 18x48. I guess my two questions are: a) Will it physically fit on there? Can it withstand the weight?

It would also be helpful to know how many fish. Six vs sixty could make a difference in the filtering suggestions. Even the type of fish - 10 frontosas would be different from 10 cyprichromis.

I agree. Or three Aquaclear 110s if you don't get the powerhead.

Thanks for sharing. Makes me feel like I'm on the coast.

When I moved my 8 almost adult frontosas from my 90 gallon to my new 180, I just moved a couple of sponges over with 175 gallons of new treated tap water and 5 gallons of water from the old tank and that was it. No problems. I would never "cycle a tank" unless it was my first tank in the house.

Go to brineshrimpdirect.com for lots of info on brine shrimp hatching. I buy the 16 oz. cans. One lasts me over a year. Cost me $25 U.S. Better than buying small vials at $7 or so. Lucky for me my sister lives a few miles from the "factory" in Utah and will pick one up for me from time to time.

I do similar to CZAR. I use a small wattage cheap hang-on-back heater (except it just sits in the pop bottle. My aerator hose just goes in from the top (not where the cap is) along side the heater - temp. about 80F

You can call me Dwayne.

I joined five years ago and want to thank those that run this site as well as members who contribute. I was invited on by someone who saw me as Albertan on another fish site when this forum was quite new (I am #80). I was somewhat skeptical about a regional forum but I was soon impressed. I have met some very nice people through the Buy/Sell feature (even people from Edmonton!!!)

Wishing you the best - I had frontosas in a 180 -mpimbwe. For about two years. Started out with about 9 of them 2-5 inches in size. They finally spawned. I kept them by themselves. Both the adults and the fry. A beautiful looking fish. I may try them again sometime. They were just a little too "placid" for me. I don't want aggression but these guys just were not active enough for my liking - a great looking fish though.

Landscaping looks really nice.

That is exciting - always fun to get a new spawn, esp. when unexpected.

Spencer Jack in Winnipeg was my source last year for the Species Black Kiriza that I now have. Like you I started with a short list of my wants and then started checking around. To my surprise tropheus were not easy to find in Calgary or Edmonton retailers other than duboisi. Maybe that has changed in the past year. I don't know but I seem to have a market for my fry. I was hesitant to do mail order as it was my first time but it went well and Spencer was great to deal with. He has a website and can email his lists. I don't know if he gets the tropheus you want very often. Luckily for me kiriza was on my top 5 list and I did not have to wait long until he had them.

I agree with the above post as well. Another easy method for crushing NLS is to put some in a Ziploc bag and go over it with a rolling pin.