New Project with a Purpose

[Rusty_Shackleford31 147]

WARNING
This post contains some disheartening information. If you're sensitive read at your own discretion.

Shortly after I set up my aquarium in November 2024, my wife came home from work and told me her coworker, Brad, had recently set up an aquarium. I told her to have him text me or call me if he needed any help or had any questions. Brad did. We became friends talking about fish and aquariums. I was actually quite impressed. Clearly the guy had done A LOT of research. He was asking questions beyond beginner level. Things like knowing his aquasoil softened his water he was wondering if he had enough Ca/Mg for his plants. That's not something a new aquarist ponders.

I had Brad over a few times to talk fish. We would occasionally exchange plant trimmings if we had extra. Brad took a work trip to Nashville, TN for a work conference and he sent me like a hundred photos from a LFS he visited in Nashville. He even asked if I wanted to him to buy anything while he was there and he would bring it back home for me. That's a good fish friend right there.

Like I said previously my wife and Brad work together for the county's health department. They deal with people with substance abuse issues or mental health issues. It's tough work, and to be honest my wife is pretty amazing at it. Today is only Thursday, but already this week she's gotten 3 people with substance abuse placed in treatment. I cannot fathom how many lives they have saved.
Brad is a reformed addict. So it's very personal work for him. He wants to help everyone.

One random day this past April Brad's demons got the best of him. He went to work and checked in at 8am as usual. For a reason he only knows, he left work about 8:10, drove 5 minutes to the New River Gorge Bridge and decided to end his life.

Now I value all of you as fish friends as well. I want to tell you all, we all have good days and bad days. But if something's wrong, if you don't feel right, please please talk to someone. I assure you it's not that bad that it can't be figured out. Pay attention to your mental health. It's just as important as any other aspect of your health.
Now for the good part.

I came up with the idea for a tribute of sorts for Brad. With the blessing of his family, and the county health department, I have obtained permission to get Brad's aquarium and relocate it to the waiting room of the county health department office. The health department has agreed to spring for a plaque to place above the aquarium in memoriam and I will volunteer my time to maintain this aquarium.

The aquarium itself is a Fluval Flex 32.5. Which is an all in one, 32.5 gallon aquarium. It comes with a Fluval Aquasky 2.0 light, a heater of some sort, some aquasoil as substrate as substrate and I'm not sure what else as it's been months since I've seen the aquarium. No one has maintained the aquarium since April, so I'm not sure what shape the plants or fish are in.

Last I heard there were some Corydoras and a single large angelfish as inhabitants.

I've looked into the Fluval Flex, downloaded the manual from the Fluval website, watched some YouTube videos, but I have zero experience with this so if anyone has some knowledge or tips for the Fluval Flex, please let me know.

I'm also a little undecided on what to do with it. Do I just put in a bunch of community fish for the color and activity or should I do something a little more special like a biotope set up? I'm not one to ever ask "what should I put in my tank?" But I'm undecided and open to suggestions.
Thanks for getting this far in the post and I love you all.

 

[MattW32 148]

A beautiful tribute

A community aquarium with colour always looks great and grabs the attention of many. Perfect for where the tank will end up, alongside the plaque.

 

[GaryE]

I tried once to run an aquarium in a nursing home, but they hired a company instead. It was a bit of a disaster after that, but seeing it a few times a week gave me ideas. I think you need calm, slow moving fish that are above all hardy. Life happens to us, as your story underlines. Your friend deserves this tribute and I know enough about you from reading you here to know you'll make it work.

But stock very lightly, for the times when heading to where it is gets difficult.

That was a rough story too familiar to too many people.

 

[Boundava9 2]

Oh my, so sorry for your loss.
I agree something active would be nice in the tank, the open area is calling for fish, maybe a nice piece of DW would anchor it as well?

A large school of espi, maybe ember tetras would look good with the plants and substrate.
You can add a couple amano shrimp too, they will be good clean up and nice where's waldo in the tank.

 

[Rusty_Shackleford31 147]

I tried once to run an aquarium in a nursing home, but they hired a company instead. It was a bit of a disaster after that, but seeing it a few times a week gave me ideas. I think you need calm, slow moving fish that are above all hardy. Life happens to us, as your story underlines. Your friend deserves this tribute and I know enough about you from reading you here to know you'll make it work.

But stock very lightly, for the times when heading to where it is gets difficult.

That was a rough story too familiar to too many people.

This may be a take what I can get deal. Apparently there is no room in the health department budget for fish and plants. As a governmental entity they also cannot actively fund raise. So all of that is on me.
I'm preparing a letter as a means of asking for donations of fish and plants.
I'll go to our two localish fish stores (Petsmart and Pet Supplies Plus) and see what they can do. Plus I'm thinking of a few online retailers that may be willing to donate in kind. I think I'm much more likely to get donations of fish and plants than actual money, which is fine.
I've got enough fish food and things like dechlorinator that it won't be an issue.
Fortunately I should be able to do weekly maintenance as the aquarium will only be a short 5 minite drive from home.

Oh my, so sorry for your loss.
I agree something active would be nice in the tank, the open area is calling for fish, maybe a nice piece of DW would anchor it as well?

A large school of espi, maybe ember tetras would look good with the plants and substrate.
You can add a couple amano shrimp too, they will be good clean up and nice where's waldo in the tank.

Amanos are a great idea. I was thinking it would be i tersting to have some cherry shrimp but from what I've read the filter intake on the Fluval Flex is not shrimp friendly. Plus if the large angelfish is in the tank it would definitely pick off cherry shrimp.

 

[Boundava9 2]

Unfortunately IME those stores will have a slim selection of decent plants, at least the ones by me just have the emersed, roots in water gel swords, ferns or anubias. My petsuppliesplus doesn't sell plants, but I assume that could vary by location.

 

[Rusty_Shackleford31 147]

Unfortunately IME those stores will have a slim selection of decent plants, at least the ones by me just have the emersed, roots in water gel swords, ferns or anubias. My petsuppliesplus don't sell plants, but i assume that varies by location.

My local PSP has 2, 10 gallon tanks with plants. Just your standard straight from the plant farm emersed swords, crypts, anubias. You've seen them before, black plastic pot with the white plant tag. Basically the same thing I've run across at Petco.

 

[Naughts31 103]

Plus if the large angelfish is in the tank it would definitely pick off cherry shrimp.

IME angel fish should be species only, my pair killed all the other (small) fish in a community.

What’s the water GH? As finance is going to be an ongoing issue you could choose self sustaining species like livebearers if the water is reasonably hard.

 

[Rusty_Shackleford31 147]

IME angel fish should be species only, my pair killed all the other (small) fish in a community.

What’s the water GH? As finance is going to be an ongoing issue you could choose self sustaining species like livebearers if the water is reasonably hard.

Currently I believe the only inhabitants are the lone, large angelfish and 5 or so Corydoras.
I'm not sure of the GH. At my home my GH runs about 6° which is about 107 ppm. However the aquasoil already in the aquarium will soften the water. I'm sorry I don't have a fim number for you.

 

[Boundava9 2]

My local PSP has 2, 10 gallon tanks with plants. Just your standard straight from the plant farm emersed swords, crypts, anubias. You've seen them before, black plastic pot with the white plant tag. Basically the same thing I've run across at Petco.

That's great. I have one in Gurnee, IL and another in Racine, WI and neither of them have that kind of setup. I have Aquatics Unlimited in Greenfield, WI and they have a multi tank setup (12+ moss display and tissue culture display) with stem plants, rooted plants, anubias, swords, crypts, mosses, ferns and tissue cultures.
My go to is online; aquarium plant factory. I love their 2 for 1 deals. Never have had an issue with DOA or wrong plants like Buceplant has done to me on 2 occasions.

 

[Rusty_Shackleford31 147]

I think a I've been to Aquatics Unlimited on a GCCA shop hop. Better fish stores in WI because retail space and electricity cost less than in IL.
Ah yes Gurnee, home of Santa's Village.

 

[Boundava9 2]

Santa's village...that was in Dundee.
Gurnee has Gurnee Mills, home to future Ikea. Though there is one south in Schaumburg and one north in WI. What I would love is a Trader Joe's...,

 

[TwoTankAmin26]

@Rusty_Shackleford

I always have extra plants, especially anubias which get too big. I also have a bunch of equipment I have from my downsizing. I went from 20+ tanks to 12 of which one is for excess plants. I have filters, heaters and air pumps. I also have an extra $100 bill I can donate.

Finally, my fish club which meets every month has a lot of nice fish and plants which get sold for much less and are in much better shape than can be found in most stores. I am happy to win some of it for your project if I know what you can use. The club meets on the 4th Friday of the month, so the next meeting will be Aug. 28.

If any of the above works for you, shoot me a site PM and I will send you my Email addy, my phone # and real name and we can figure it all out. I am in NY about 30 miles NNE of NYC as the crow flies. I will also cover the cost of shipping whatever you decide you can use.

I contracted prostate cancer which was diagnosed a few years ago. They caught it early and I had a series of radiation treatments at my local hospital. The entrance lobby to that area contained a good sized FW tank maintained by a local fish store. I always stopped to watch it for a bit as I entered for every appointment and enjoyed that pause. I am sure I was not the only person who did so. I can also report I have been cancer free since I finished the treatments over 4 years ago.

You are doing a very nice thing here for several reasons and I am happy if I can be of help.