Getting Started. Please help!

[Avatar]

Ahem

. Do I need anything other than bio rings and filter media to get the filter going for the cycle?

Sponge pre-filters, preferably used ones. If someone else doesn't volunteer I may be able to part with a couple of mine.

 

[hollyfish2000]

Since your labs and acei can't live in a 29 gallon forever, move them into the 125 and add some of the groups I suggested, and turn your 29 gallon into a central or south american cichlid tank. Apistos, rams, rainbow cichlids, keyholes, and others would do fine in that tank and give you a different experience than the 125.

 

[hayrea]

That would make since.
Thanks

 

[hayrea]

I'll talk fish while you boys talk mechanics.

You have a big tank, so you have lots of options. However, as a relatively new fishkeeper I'd recommend an easier tank and leave the difficult stocking and more aggressive fish to when you have a bit more experience.

One easy option is a mixed peaceful mbuna and peacocks. Stocking would be something like this:

8-10 yellow labs
8-10 p. acei
8-10 rusties

plus

a breeding colony of less aggressive peacocks, perhaps a ruby red

1 or 2 M to 6-8 females

plus 6-8 synodontis multipunctatus or synodontis petricola (catfish)

You could add a bristlenose pleco, but that's not absolutely necessary. You may also be able to up these quantities, as I don't work with such big tanks and don't know what numbers are best.

Can I really fit that many fish in the tank? How big do the catfish get? Is one better/different from the other?

 

[turfboss]

If the white vinegar and a soft polish does not get rid of the build up on the glass you can get a 2" wide glass scraper from Lowes or Home Depot for $5.66 (been awhile since I bought mine so I'm guessing the prices I paid may be a bit higher today - but not much) - uses blades that are sharp like a razor blade only stiffer. You can also get a lime remover from the LFS - just be sure you use the vinegar or salt to clean afterwards and rinse really well. - And as Matt said never use soap.

 

[hollyfish2000]

Can I really fit that many fish in the tank? How big do the catfish get? Is one better/different from the other?

My largest tank is 58, so Tony or others who do mbuna in big tanks should chime in. But for comparison sake, I have roughly 3M and 6-8 F ruby red peacocks and 8 synodontis lucippinis/petricola in a 40 gallon breeder all happy as clams with lots of plants and two canister filters.

Multipunctatus, petricola and lucippinis all look very similar -- and similarly beautiful. The multipunctatus get the largerst, 6" I think, which is why I'd use them in your sized tank. I've got petricola or lucippinis in my 40 breeder and 45 because I need the smaller size. I've read that most synos that we buy as petricola are really lucippinis, which is why I'm using them somewhat interchangeably. In any event, you need a group of these for them to be happy. Four minimum IMHO; 6-8 more ideal for activity.

 

[verbal]

Can I really fit that many fish in the tank? How big do the catfish get? Is one better/different from the other?

You will need to "over-filter" and do large water changes on a regular basis, but I think that stocking should work. One thing is you will probably be getting fish that are half-size or smaller, so the stocking will not be as intense initially.

 

[mdlnewman]

As far as the FX5 I have mine setup with the sponges it comes with and all ceramic bio rings for the rest. The charcoal and or any other granular stuff will gunk up too quick and cause other problems. You will love the FX5 it is virtually silent, mine is in my bedroom 4ft from my head. Don't ever hear it except for its bubble cycle once a day.

Chemical filtration via water change is your friend.

 

[hayrea]

Got my tank all cleaned up and I noticed the there are quite a few scratches on one side. I was considering painting this side black but now I'm worried that with the scratches being on the inside this might magnify the problem. Any thoughts?

 

[verbal]

Got my tank all cleaned up and I noticed the there are quite a few scratches on one side. I was considering painting this side black but now I'm worried that with the scratches being on the inside this might magnify the problem. Any thoughts?

A picture might help no see the magnitude of the scratches. However unless they are really bad, I think coloring it black and using it as the back should make things better.

 

[Reel Addiction]

I think before you start setting up all of your stuff you should do a search and read about the process the tank goes thru when cycling. If you understand why and what happens to your tank you will not have the deer in the headlight look when something goes wrong.

 

[Tony]

I used black paint on the back of a very scratched up 6' 150 that I got last summer. You can really tell there are scratches, especially with plants and other decor in the tank. Not that there are a lot of other options, anyway...

 

[verbal]

One option if the scratches really bother you is adding a background.

YourFishStuff has a thin background that can be added to tank that is up and running.

http://www.yourfishstuff.com/categories/Decorations/Universal-Rocks-Backgrounds/

 

[hayrea]

I love the 3d backgrounds but the top tank frame would have to come off because it has dividers for three sections of canopy lids.

 

[verbal]

I love the 3d backgrounds but the top tank frame would have to come off because it has dividers for three sections of canopy lids.

Not to sound too like too much of a salesperson, but I think these backgrounds maybe flexible enough to put in a tank with frame braces.

Maybe some one here can confirm that, or you could probably ask Bill from YourFishStuff.

 

[ezrk]

I love the 3d backgrounds but the top tank frame would have to come off because it has dividers for three sections of canopy lids.

Actually it doesn't. What you do is slice the background into halves or thirds (you can probably get in in halves) and then silicon in place.

This is actually the recommended way of installing them and when done with a little care it is impossible to tell that they have been cut. I am a big fan of 3D backgrounds and think they make the tank look much nicer. You can get elaborate one or (my general prefernce) a slim line one that takes very little space.

 

[Hawkman2000]

If you go with canister filters you could use inline heaters and even UV sterilizers on the return lines so you would have less equipment in the tank itself.