Not So Quick Question

[akryden]

ok where to start lol, first off i love my fish each one but i have an impulse problem and have realy filled my tank. i have a 55gal in this their are 21+ feeders off and on. now i know i have to do a tank upgrade for some and ill leave some of the smaller in the 55gal. im actualy working on getting meterial together for a 400gal, i plan to do it wit 1/4in plexi glass with 8" metal corner brackets as suport. but anyway i guess i will tell you what fish i have so you can tell me if this will work.

i have 2 senegal bichir about 6 1/2 - 7"
1 clown knife about 7"
3 peradise gourami around 2 1/2"
2 blue gourami 1 is about 4" and the other 2 1/2"
1 red-tailed black shark 3 1/2 - 4"
2 bala sharks 1 is 5 1/2" other 3 1/2"
2 plecos different kinds dont know which 1 is 6" the other 4" (verry agro)
1 green severum 2" by 1 1/2 like a discus almost
1 green terror cichlid 4 1/2"
1 giraff cichlid or venestus about 2"
1 malawi eye biter about 4 1/2" (moody agro)
1 hujeta gar or fresh water beracuda about 5 1/2" (only chases malawi eye biter and when prevoked)
1 marble gar about 3"
1 bass-bluegill hybrid 4 1/2" (like a small largemouth bass)
last but not least the little guy 1 tiger barb about 1" by 1"

now befor you scold me for the combo or the amount they all are doing realy well that this point and have been for about 8 months. atleast once a week water changes with a complet filter cleaning other then bio meterial keep water clean and in good shape. although i have lost one here and their it was mostly due to agression or predation, i used to have a tiger shovel nose catfish who i was told would get 1' at adulthood. what a joke it got 1' in 6 months and ate 2 tiger barbes 1 peradise gourami and 2 butterfly fish who were my fav. on that note what do you think about the tank idea and if it should be big enouph. thanks for the help guys and gals.

 

[nmcturner]

ok where to start lol, first off i love my fish each one but i have an impulse problem and have realy filled my tank. i have a 55gal in this their are 21+ feeders off and on. now i know i have to do a tank upgrade for some and ill leave some of the smaller in the 55gal. im actualy working on getting meterial together for a 400gal, i plan to do it wit 1/4in plexi glass with 8" metal corner brackets as suport. but anyway i guess i will tell you what fish i have so you can tell me if this will work.

i have 2 senegal bichir about 6 1/2 - 7"
1 clown knife about 7"
3 peradise gourami around 2 1/2"
2 blue gourami 1 is about 4" and the other 2 1/2"
1 red-tailed black shark 3 1/2 - 4"
2 bala sharks 1 is 5 1/2" other 3 1/2"
2 plecos different kinds dont know which 1 is 6" the other 4" (verry agro)
1 green severum 2" by 1 1/2 like a discus almost
1 green terror cichlid 4 1/2"
1 giraff cichlid or venestus about 2"
1 malawi eye biter about 4 1/2" (moody agro)
1 hujeta gar or fresh water beracuda about 5 1/2" (only chases malawi eye biter and when prevoked)
1 marble gar about 3"
1 bass-bluegill hybrid 4 1/2" (like a small largemouth bass)
last but not least the little guy 1 tiger barb about 1" by 1"

now befor you scold me for the combo or the amount they all are doing realy well that this point and have been for about 8 months. atleast once a week water changes with a complet filter cleaning other then bio meterial keep water clean and in good shape. although i have lost one here and their it was mostly due to agression or predation, i used to have a tiger shovel nose catfish who i was told would get 1' at adulthood. what a joke it got 1' in 6 months and ate 2 tiger barbes 1 peradise gourami and 2 butterfly fish who were my fav. on that note what do you think about the tank idea and if it should be big enouph. thanks for the help guys and gals.

Wow!!!
I though I was overstocked.
Nice selection of fish though.

Good luck with the tank. Hopefully this tank will be going in the basement.

I love this place. I have had nothing but great advice and a good warm welcome here.

 

[Puffdaddy]

When are you planning on putting together this new tank of yours? For the fishes sake I sure hope it will be very soon. What are are your water readings, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. For the time being I would advise against cleaning the filter. I say this because with the amount of fish and the waste they are producing, your going to need all the "good" bacteria you can get. It would be highly beneficial to add another filter until the new tank is complete. Also be sure to do at least a 50% water change weekly with a gravel vac. On a side note if I were you I would also invest in a small tank as well and breed your own feeder fish or a least quarantine the feeder fish you buy from the lfs. Feeder fish often carry diseases and will infect your other fish, it's not a matter of if but a matter of when.

 

[akryden]

ya im working or it now have most all equipment just getting the pglass ready to ship, their is surprisingly alot involved.
my levels never go above .25 on anything, but their is that fluctuation that i dont like. i do have alot of fish that breath air lesoning any ill efects from nitrite suffication. but it will be about 3-4 monthe untill the tank will be able to be built and ready in my home. until then i have been monetoring my water and doing 60-70% water changes weekly. i do understand the concern about the filter but i have to inorder to keep it pumping water. gets slower throught the week and becomes a need to do, i am going to get a bio-wheel for the tank and maby another 50-100 gal to split them up but im planning a move so thats part of the hesitation.

 

[Puffdaddy]

If your ammonia and nitrite readings drift a little above 0ppm it is a good idea to use a dechlorinator that has ammonia and nitrite detoxifing traits, such as Prime. I'm a little concerned about your nitrates, you stated none of your reading go above .25ppm, your nitrates should be much higher than that. Also when building your tank be sure to use the proper silicone, your lfs should sell it.

 

[fry_lover]

ya im working or it now have most all equipment just getting the pglass ready to ship, their is surprisingly alot involved.
my levels never go above .25 on anything, but their is that fluctuation that i dont like. i do have alot of fish that breath air lesoning any ill efects from nitrite suffication. but it will be about 3-4 monthe untill the tank will be able to be built and ready in my home. until then i have been monetoring my water and doing 60-70% water changes weekly. i do understand the concern about the filter but i have to inorder to keep it pumping water. gets slower throught the week and becomes a need to do, i am going to get a bio-wheel for the tank and maby another 50-100 gal to split them up but im planning a move so thats part of the hesitation.

if ammonia or nitrite is detetable (above 0.0) then its a problem, you should really want to state (my levels never go above 0.0 EXCEPT for nitrate) your fish may appear to be "fine" but if ammonia or nitrite is consistently present in your water (at any recorded levels) then your fish are suffering and are in living conditions they should not be in

Good luck with the new tank Pal

I suggest another filter, stop cleaning your main filter unless the water flow is too low and do a water change routine of 35% TWICE A WEEK

 

[gpgscott]

Hmmm,

400 gallons you say, 1/4" plexi you say, some kind of metal bracket you say.

I say over 3000 lbs just in water weight, 1/4" plex would work good here in spans not exceeding 4" x 4". But hey with the ecelctic, non compatible tank full of fish which you have kept 'successfully' for "about 8 months" of course excepting the natural loss to predation which of course is really not a problem, hey you alreadly know so much more about fish than anyone else, I bet your tank will be the prototype for all future aqauriums.

Sorry, but there is really no serious way to respond to your post.

Good Luck Scott

 

[backtotropical]

Hi, your tank is way over-stocked and bordering on irresponsible. You must take at least half of those fish back to the shop until your new tank is ready. This may sound harsh, and i apoligise if it does, but all those fish cant live together in that tank. Its just too small. You will have more fatalities if you dont do something.