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Aquastudent's 135g Aquarium

festaedan

potamotrygon fan
I returned to the apartment from Thanksgiving festivities last night and found that the Chocolates had spawned again. Not sure how long the eggs had been there but later in the evening I noticed quite a few of the other tankmates over in the corner where the nest was located.

They were pestering the chocolates and about 75% of the eggs had been removed. A little while later all of them were gone. It looked as if either the tankmates were eating the eggs or causing daddy to turn and eat the eggs.

The male chocolate did lip lock with the smaller female and gave her a few scrapes.

The other fish in the tank are Severums and Synplisums. Are either of them known to go after other fish's eggs?
Sorry to hear
Most fish will eat eggs if they have the chance to.
 

AquaStudent

Members
I completely forgot to update this thread on the progress. The chocolates have spawned a few times but I've been traveling around quite a bit recently and haven't been able to devote any attention to separating them or removing the eggs.

I am working on another project for the tank. I've had the idea brewing for well over a year now. I want to build a sump.

I just picked up a 3 door shelving piece at Wallyworld today and sniped a 29G at the Petco $ per gallon sale (it was actually $20 because someone put a 20H sticker on the side and that happened to be the side I put towards the register.) That was a nice surprise.

I've had most of the filter media that I want to use for awhile now. I have some sponges for mechanical filtration and some porous recycled glass that I'd like to use as biological filtration. Not sure how well it'll work because it seems to like to float. Additionally, I have some Kordon K1 media for which I want to create a fluidized bed filter. This will either be in the bottom drawer or in a separate container in the sump.

My final decision will be pump sizing. I currently have a 400GPH submersible pump that I use for waterchanges. It takes awhile to do my water changes but it works. It's easier than using buckets but requires a bit more attention (usually it results in less spillage...usually).

I figure these are the options:

1) Use the 400GPH pump in the sump and buy a Magdrive7 to be used for water changes. 1" PVC on overflow

2) Buy a MagDrive7/9.5 for use in the sump (1.25" overflow or two 1" overflows) and continue to use the 400GPH pump for wcs

3) Curl up in a ball and cry myself to sleep

I don't know if I really need 700/950GPH going through the sump but 400GPH seems weak for a 135. I have an FX6 on the tank so I'm not too concerned about filtration. This is more of a fun, side project. That said, I want to do this right. I think I'd prefer the MD7 over the MD9.5 because I'd rather pay electricity for 60watts than 93watts and I don't think I need that much circulation.

I'll sketch up my ideas for what's going into the sump (I had something posted earlier but I now have materials which will make it more accurate). I shall get some pictures of the tank tonight.

I also think I'm going to move a Polypterus delhezi from the 10g QT/growout tank because, well, a 10g is a pretty weak growout tank for a bichir. He's large enough that he should do just dandy. Time to go get dirty!!!
 

dogofwar

CCA Members
I use the outflow from my FX5 to feed water to a dump filter on top of my 180g.

The dump filter is basically an 18g rubbermaid full of bio balls on top of my tank. Water flows into the top of it via the FX5 and "dumps" back to the tank via holes in the bottom of the rubbermaid.

You can make nicer looking ones using nicer looking containers (like a window planter) but it's basically a sump without dorking with PVC overflows (which are problematic) or drilling the tank... and wouldn't require an additional pump (just modify the output of your FX6).

Matt
 

AquaStudent

Members
Matt. I did look into doing a planter-box dump filter on top of the tank but I just don't have the room to make it happen. The hood opens up and doesn't leave much room for the dump filter on top. It's possible but I don't think it's worth it. The pvc overflows seem to be a decently reliable option if done correctly. I am going to get a water alarm as well for disaster prevention.

A fertilizer pump will be used to pull air out of the siphon and make sure that the siphon will start up after a power outage and prevent the siphon from breaking in general.

I'm having trouble with my computer so pictures are taking longer than desired...
 

AquaStudent

Members
As promised, PHOTOS (unedited)!

Full Tank Shot


Geophagus 'sp. Red Head Tapajos'


Here's the best shot I could get of the tiretrack eel. He is still fairly small and hides quite often.


Synplisum. These guys would not sit still. I couldn't get a photo with good focus. An external flash would have let me use a faster shutter speed but we can't have everything...


One of the Sevs that decided to pop out.



Hershey the Chocolate Cichlid


You can definitely tell there's been a bit of pecking going around. I was also away for the past 10 days so there could have been uncontrolled squabbling in the ranks.
 

AquaStudent

Members
Many of you have seen my thread asking about some Camallanus worms, tumors, and prolate anuses (such lovely topics). Hershey is still in the 20L tank but the swelling is all gone. The business part of the digestive system...well, at least the store front section, still looks a bit strange. It looks a bit asymmetrical.

I have been feeding every couple of days with Your Fish Stuff - Soft Spirulina. The extra veggie nutrition seems to have cleared out any blockage or inflammation from before. I will be working in more of a veggie diet for all of the inhabitants of the 135G. I originally used a mix of spinach, tilapia, and squid in the frozen food recipe. Will be adding at least some spinach into the mix.

Not sure yet whether to move Hershey back to the 135G. He's definitely not happy in the 20L. It's getting a waterchange today so now's the easiest time to make the switch. We shall see.

The biggest question of the week is on filtration. I am switching out my 55G African cichlid aquarium for a brand new 75G. The original plan for the 135G was to run an FX6 and a 29G sump however I don't think that'll be necessary. I'm trying to sell the old 55G as a unit (filter, heater, stand, light, and fish) which means I have a couple options for filtration.

I'd prefer to not buy another canister filter but that's a possibility. The other options are to put the sump on the 75G or to put the sump on the 135G and move the FX6 to the 75G.

I would guess that the sump would be the more powerful option because of volume (and hence should go on the 135), does that seem reasonable?
The sump would be run by a MagDrive7.

I have two designs I'm finalizing. Will figure out which design I want and get the glass cut. Am also building some sliding glass tops for both tanks so I'll combine those glass cuts into one project.


http://www.capitalcichlids.org/forums/showthread.php?t=25272http://www.capitalcichlids.org/forums/showthread.php?t=25272
 

AquaStudent

Members
Been a little while. I have a sump all built. I had a minor setback with my return pump. It wasn't placed in the box correctly and the cord exploded under the pressure. The manufacturer said they would replace it. I sent the old pump out last week so it's just a waiting game for the new one.

I've been doing a bit of researching into the Hypselecara temporalis (Chocolate cichlids) and snapped a couple photos of Hershey. I'm not positive which one is male/female. At the moment I believe Hershey, the larger of the two, is the male. However, both have long fins and it seems fairly difficult to tell the differences between the two. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Here's Hershey.

20150824_130134_zpszzeydayq.jpg


20150824_130044_zpsutk2vgkj.jpg
 
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