# 4 more Geophagus related questions...



## driftwoodhunter (Sep 10, 2011)

Thanks to all that helped me before, now I have more questions :thumb:

#1; It seems pool sand is the preferred substrate. I would have liked something darker if possible as I will be making a dark faux rock background for the tank (and I think dark substrates bring out colors better), but will go with the pool sand if I must. Would something like Black Diamond be too harsh on their mouths and gills? I've never used BD before, but it's my understanding that it is sharper than sand due to what it is made of. I know people with corys use it without apparent problems, but I want to go with what is best for the fish, not appearances. I live in the middle of the Virginia Appalachians and have unlimited access to rivers and creeks - can I use the brown sand from those it a sterilize it by baking first? It's where all my rock comes from and it would be my first choice when it comes to natural color (which neither pool sand or BD are).

#2; I shy away from plecos due to the high bioload they add to a tank, but I am considering one, perhaps a Green Phantom which would max out at 7"or 8". Too big, too messy? What are your experiences with plecos? This is a standard 125g tank that will have a sump under it for filtration.

#3; Is a blackwater tank appropriate for geophagus? I'm 90% sure I want to go with Red Head Tapajos. I love the look of a blackwater tank and I wonder if it would accent their color or mask it. Do they prefer clear waters?

#4; Lastly (yes, there is an end to this, haha) I now use a pair of Koralias to create a circular current in the 125. Gentle flow because it's set up now with a large Hamburg Mattenfilter. What type of water flow do geos like? I haven't been able to find that info yet online.
Many thanks for any help and input!
~ Cindy ~


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## yamadog (Oct 7, 2012)

#1 I had pfs to start with in mine... I hated the bright white color, very unnatural to me. I swapped it out for a very multicolored brown sand collected from a local lake. I really like the look of this:

http://www.reef2rainforest.com/2013/09/ ... -surprise/

#2 Most people stick with a bushy nose pleco for their small max size of about 4 inches. If you want something bigger....that's up to you. In my experience, bigger pleco= bigger mess.

#3 Tapajos come from blackwater. So, yes, absolutely appropriate.

#4 The Rio Tapajos is a slow gentle moving river.


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## driftwoodhunter (Sep 10, 2011)

I'm so glad to read that you swapped out the sand for local sand - all of my tanks have local creek sand, rock, and driftwood, and I haven't had any problems. I didn't sterilize any of it prior to use, either. Although now I wonder if I put my fish at risk for parasites that way...was that link to your tank, or one that inspired you? Either way, it's stunning and I pinned several of the pics to my pinterest 125 tank board for inspiration.

Thanks for the info on the water flow and blackwater conditions, as for the pleco...bushy nose totally creep me out! lol I'll have to think more on a pleco. I can guarantee I won't get a bushy nose, haha. Too bad they're such poop machines.

Thanks for your help!
~ Cindy ~


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## yamadog (Oct 7, 2012)

That tank is the one that made me order Red Heads. I love them. Post a link to you pinterest page. I'd like to see it. Jason


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## driftwoodhunter (Sep 10, 2011)

testing to see if I link a pic correctly...this is the 125 I want to tear down...


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## driftwoodhunter (Sep 10, 2011)

hmmm, I don't know how to link to my pinterest page?


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## driftwoodhunter (Sep 10, 2011)

well, duh! I think this works? I am sooo computer illiterate! haha

http://www.pinterest.com/coatfetish/aqu ... -the-125g/


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## driftwoodhunter (Sep 10, 2011)

Jason, do you have any pics of your tank?


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## yamadog (Oct 7, 2012)

Actually, no, I don't have any good pics. I cant seem to get anything but a big blur every time I try...... fmueller did just post a good read on how to take pics of the aquarium, so maybe I'll try again....


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## yamadog (Oct 7, 2012)

Here's my awful attempt at a pic....But here it is anyway. The sand is actually much darker than it looks. And my fish aren't nearly as blury as they look....j/k. I just did a water change so no tea water till tomorrow. Wow, my tank is scratched.


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## driftwoodhunter (Sep 10, 2011)

lol - the only time I can get fish that aren't blurred, is when they hover. 90% of my pics have blurred fish. I love the color of your sand and the background, too. My 125 is a divider between my living room and my kitchen, but I ended up putting a folding screen behind it to block the view of the kitchen sink. I've built backgrounds for my other tanks - it's tons of fun - so I'll be adding one to the 125 after I break it down.

So what do you have in there? I see the Red Heads and the Columbians (such a hardy fish). Are those Ember tetras? Very nice! I may have to keep some of my Columbians with the Geos, the red fins compliment the red in the Geos nicely...


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## yamadog (Oct 7, 2012)

My exact fishes? Hmmm, let me see.... 20 Columbian tetras, 12 Serpae tetras, 1 Black Neon tetra, 1 BN Pleco, 5 Festivums, 4 Bolivian Rams, 2 Rio Pindare, 4 Red Head Tapajos, 2 Winemilleri, 1 big Altifrons (the only one I regret buying-just to big). I'll soon thin out the geo's to just the Red Heads and the Winemilleri and move the rest to other tanks or craigslist them. I have a whole heard of fry growing out from the red heads that I'll add when they get big enough.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Nice looking tanks.

Female Bristlenosed plecos do not have the 'bushy' nose.


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## driftwoodhunter (Sep 10, 2011)

I totally forgot that, Iggy - thanks! I see so many pics of the males, I now identify that look with all of them - didn't even realize I started doing that...


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

With regards to plecos, the only ones that really create a mess are the primarily herbivorous ones since they have long intestinal tracks and create a lot of poop. I've had a black pleco with white polka dots in my 90 gallon tank for at least 15 years and he is absolutely stunning.


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## driftwoodhunter (Sep 10, 2011)

Well, I have more to learn than I realized! lol Never having plecos before, I thought they all were primarily herbivores. I use a lot of driftwood in my tanks and I thought any pleco would enjoy rasping the wood to supplement it's food - thinking most, if not all, pleco food was plant based. I believe I'll go hunting for a pleco website and expand my brain - maybe there is one like TAF II for angelfish?
~ thanks! ~


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## driftwoodhunter (Sep 10, 2011)

I just found PlecoPlanet - that's a start...


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

Planet Catfish is a great resource too.


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## driftwoodhunter (Sep 10, 2011)

Thank you, mambee! On a side note, the fish profile on PlecoPlanet said the Green Phantom that I was considering requires considerably more filtration due to it's high waste output. That was very helpful, and saved me a headache...


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## yamadog (Oct 7, 2012)

How about this.....Get a female bushy nose and put in enough décor that it has plenty of hiding spaces (a cave) so that you rarely see it? You have seen my tank (rather bare), and I mostly don't see mine. Just a thought....


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

@yamadog - is the sand in the picture you posted the same sand as in the link you provided earlier in the thread?


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## yamadog (Oct 7, 2012)

No. Mine is multicolored brown from a local lake. I'd love to find multicolored black like in that link though....That sand is beautiful...


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## driftwoodhunter (Sep 10, 2011)

They both look very good - you guys are going have me looking for the darkest local creek sand I can find, lol. The fish show up so well against it...


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## yamadog (Oct 7, 2012)

I think black sand makes their colors stand out the most.....White sand turns the fish vey pale and washed out in my opinion...


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## Ryan_R (Aug 20, 2014)

I've been using Estes brand sand. Pricey, but really clean, with a larger grain size. Mix in a little black sand with the sand sand, and you can have a really nice substrate. Nice thing about sand, is that all thee pleco poop winds up in the filters if you get the circulation right.

-Ryan


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