Setting Up A 125 Gallon Malawi W/pics-going To 75 Usg Now

[kj23502]

I'm starting to see lots more agression issues so I posted a topic here about it!

Sounds like my babies are just growing up!

 

[kj23502]

Hopefully some changes are about to come!!

What I'm thinking of doing is replacing the filter intakes with smaller tubing that would ideally slide right inside the main eheim tube and put the smaller tube into the tank and cover the end w/mesh so crap didn't get sucked up too bad....I want to paint my intakes black and then put them back on after they dry. I posted this ? in DIY Basically, I need to keep water flow through the eheim so I don't lose any nitrifying bacteria! I don't know if it may work, or if I'm crazy.

I bought some black foam poster board to change the background to black.

 

[darrel69]

Good luck with it ... sounds ok to me ... im sure there's some kind of paint that would be safe.

 

[kj23502]

Good luck with it ... sounds ok to me ... im sure there's some kind of paint that would be safe.

Thanks...I hope so!

I did find some clear intakes and returns here, but they are looking a lot more expensive than just painting my intakes?!!

I dunno....I want to start tucking away a little $ here and there to save for a saltwater nano tank! First Fish Only With Live Rock and then eventually adding corals and getting into a little reef system. When I get done quarantining with my 29 gallon, I'll clean it out and make a south american puffer tank with some bumble bee gobies too!

I was originally thinking about using my 29 as a fry tank for cichlids, but could always get another 10 gallon tank or two for that!!
Sigh ...I have way too many ideas

---edit--
NOT doing a Nano tank now. I've been reading alot and they aren't for saltwater beginners. I'll probably go for a 60 gallon tank or so. It prob will be a awhile though. I hope to do a journal on that too!

 

[darrel69]

Well if it safes you some dollar and theres no harm in it, then the painting sounds the way to go..

I was originally thinking about using my 29 as a fry tank for cichlids, but could always get another 10 gallon tank or two for that!!
Sigh ...I have way too many ideas

That sounds like a symptom of MTS ...

LOL

 

[kj23502]

That sounds like a symptom of MTS ...
LOL

Yep, most definitely!! When I tell people I have a 5 1/2 year old, a 3 1/2 year old, an 8 mo old, one dog, one cat, and about 150 gallons worth of aquariums+ a husband, they look at me like lady you've done lost it!!!

I love fish, though and now that I've taken the time to understand what they really need, instead of doing what I wanted, it's become alot more interesting to me.(I even did a water change on my hubby's minnow bucket and I fed them (he's saving them for his next fishing trip) No, I did not use my aquarium equipment in his minnow bucket. I just tipped it over slowly to run the water out(I only lost a few...that swam out and fell under the deck). and I even treated the water before dumping it in!) Call me looney.... I love it!

Next, I plan on getting bumble cichlids or ps. acei, depending on what's available!!
--edit---
I have some stuff to return to dr foster&smith, so I'm applying that credit toward the purchase of the black/clear intakes! I decided on not using the ph, ammonia and temp monitor thing that sticks on the inside of the aquarium. I never even opened it, so I'm returning it.

 

[kj23502]

I did a 2 minute movie...with no baby in the background!! I have Uncle Kracker's Drift Away playing in the background!! It's not the best video in the world I want a new camera, but hubby says not yet ...someday . Not much has changed in the tank. The video's just here in case anyone wants to see. It shows all my algea! The algea on the back left has actually been eaten down quite a bit. It used to be thicker. I like the way "King" my top dog handsome afra looks under the actinic lights. I'm guessing it's the actinic lights that give him such a blue color. I don't know if it can be seen in the video but he's starting to get some yellow on his "forhead". Hopefully the top of his back will turn yellow too! Something like this!

That would be totally awesome
Here's the video!
I took some video of King feeding on the algea on the back of the tank. I'll put that on too!

Here's a pic of him. I'll put the other video on later. It didn't load earlier...so I'm trying it again.

 

[wslinky]

Here's a pic of him.

He looks awesome, I may have to break down and pay shipping to get some of those when I start stocking again.

 

[kj23502]

wslinky: I think he looks that blue b/c of the actinic lights. He is blue, but looks enhanced b/c of the lights!!! Just wanted to point that out so you're not dissappointed down the road.

This is a picture of him from a little bit ago. He's under the white lights! He is a little differently colored now, but only looks that blue under the actinic lights.

 

[darrel69]

Cool vids Kj !! ... King looks awesome lol

 

[kj23502]

Thanks for the compliments guys!! I can't wait until I get my new intakes and then I'll change the crappy background. I don't want to change the background unil I put my new intakes on b/c my new background is actually just foam posterboard(got the posterboard idea from dawn*thanks dawn) and I don't want water dripping all over it.
I haven't decided what fish I want to add yet....definitely some monomorphic. Since I have 17(or something like that) in there right now that only the boys show color I want more monomorphic. I'll be adding the yellow labs to the main tank as soon as I decided what to get. I don't want my 29 gallon to uncycle itself sitting empty while I'm making up my mind, so that's why I'm leaving my labs in it. (Then I won't have to move my sponge filter either). I don't know...we'll see!

 

[dthoffsett]

I don't want to change the background unil I put my new intakes on b/c my new background is actually just foam posterboard(got the posterboard idea from dawn*thanks dawn) and I don't want water dripping all over it.

You're welcome, I'm just cheap and I figure why pay a lot for a plain background, plus you don't get a reflection when taking pics.

Tank is looking great, have you thought of getting any m.estherae? The females are a gorgeous red-orange and the males are a paler orangey-yellow, some even have a blue sheen. I think they'd be a nice color addition with the purple, blues, and yellow.

 

[kj23502]

Tank is looking great, have you thought of getting any m.estherae? The females are a gorgeous red-orange and the males are a paler orangey-yellow, some even have a blue sheen. I think they'd be a nice color addition with the purple, blues, and yellow.

Thanks, dawn. I'll look into those fish! I don't believe I've seen any in my lfs, so I'd have to go online. I'll post a pic for everyone of what they look like...later. It's 4:30am here now. The baby woke up and after I settled him down, I thought I'd come look around on TTF for a few min. It seems this is when everyone else is on!

 

[dthoffsett]

Here's a pic of them taken from here: [URL="http/www.tropical-fish-pictures.com/metriaclima-estherae.html"]http/www.tropical-fish-pictures.com/metr...a-estherae.html[/URL]

The site shows males as blue, but you usually find orange males in the hobby, they're quite rare in the wild (males are usually blue), but fishkeepers prefer the orange color so that's what has been bred.

I'm always on early in the morning, I work 3rd shift so I have a screwed up sleep schedule.

 

[kj23502]

Oh ,ok thanks. It must be the red variety Here. I will look into them and see if I can find them locally or if my LFS can order them. If not, I may have to mail order. Dawn, do you know anything of the Johannii that I posted about on the forum?