# 20 gallon hex for shellies



## demsnlabs (Feb 20, 2013)

hello and thanks for checking this out...i recently posted in the tank setups forum and got some feedback and went ahead with setting up a 20 gallon hex i got from a friend for some shell dwellers....after chewing over some other ideas (nanoreef, convict breeder, etc.) i decided that some shellies would be the best fit for this oddball tank...im basically treating it as a 10 gallon due to its square inches

im looking for some suggestions on a couple of things:

shell layout...i picked up some murex for the shells...i love their colors and textures and figured the openings on them are large enough....*** never set up shells for fish before, only rocks for mbuna, so im curious what would be the best layout for them? ill most likely end up with multis...should i pile them together or spread them out invidiually...i have a total 9 shells, in 3 differest sizes...the large ones are the black murex

i really dont like the crushed coral with these shells...i put it in there because i had it leftover from another tank...i really think i will swap this out for sand before i add water (or fish!)...i plan on an aquaclear 50 hob for the filter...what sand and color would be a good choice? *** never used sand in a tank before....what about bare bottom?

im also still deciding on lighting....the stock hood and light suck and i was thinking about truelumen pro led strips...they make a few in 12" lengths that would fit nicely into the slot where the current flouro sits....any experience with these LED strips on deep tanks?

btw...i rinsed the shells out pretty good...i got them locally at a nautical gift shop...you think i need to boil them or soak them in mild bleach water or anything before actually using them?

and finally....how many multis should i pick up when i make it that far?

thanks everyone for all your insight and suggestions!!


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## demsnlabs (Feb 20, 2013)

here is more of a pile form...opens up a swimming ground...never kept shellies before and dont know if they would thrive better with the shells spread about like in the previous post



















thanks!


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

Definitely go sand bottom. Pool filter sand is what most are using because it's cheap. It's mostly white, or an off white color. For the shells, someone else can correct me, but I don't think those conch type shells are recommended as they get pretty tight inside. As far as arrangement goes, put them however you think they look good. I'm sure the fish will move them where they want them once you're done 

For lighting I would just throw one of those screw type compact fluorescents in there. Have to buy and wire a socket for them, but home depot has the water resistant ones cheap. They make a few different aquarium specific bulbs, but you can find the phillips 6500k at walmart pretty cheap. Something like 10 to 24 watts should look good.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Six multies. You may find the murex are dangerous for them, fish have a tendency to flee and dart into shells. The ones like murex that have the long, winding chamber inside (instead of a quick dead-end like a whale-eye) can result in stuck fish that cannot then get out again.

Multies like a big pile of shells...at least 5 per fish and even two layers. Group them together rather than spread them out. They also like a light-weight shell so they can move the shells around at will.


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## demsnlabs (Feb 20, 2013)

thank you so much for those responses! i figured people were using the whale eyes and tonnas cuz they liked the way they looked...i shouldve put more thought into function over fashion i suppose

im going to pick up some whale eyes...and use them all over the place....ill turn the murex over and bury them into the sand im also going to use istead of the cc...that way i can still have the murex texture and the fish can use the whale eyes

you really think the cfls will penetrate better than the led strips? sounds like they will offer more color temp options for sure...

thanks!


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

demsnlabs said:


> you really think the cfls will penetrate better than the led strips? sounds like they will offer more color temp options for sure...
> 
> thanks!


Your tank is the same height as mine, and I use only 2 26 watt over a 6' 100 gallon tank. It lights the whole tank evenly and the bottom just fine. It's a cheap enough option that if you don't like it it's not much of a loss. You can use the bulbs in your home


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## demsnlabs (Feb 20, 2013)

any middle or top swimmer ideas that would work well here?

i was thinking of adding either a shrimp or two or a crayfish for the bottom as well...is that ok in their community?


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Not a crayfish. It will eat the Multies, and when he molts, the Multies may get him, and your just don't have the room. I'm not sure about the shrimp. It's an awkward tak for shellies because of the height of the tank, but maybe 4-5 Zebra Danios would work.


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## demsnlabs (Feb 20, 2013)

would an oto catfish do ok vs the crawdaddy? i read they stay pretty small....i guess im just looking for a housekeeper...lol...nothing new there
thanks for the danio tip...from what im finding out about them perhaps just a trio of them and give them some plants about 2/3 up the tank to hide in, leaving the top 1/3 of the small hex footprint open for them

so we're at sand (still considering bare with just shells everywhere) bottom, more appropriate shells piled up somewhere, and some tall potted plants around the back perimeter...i dont think java fern would be tall enough but pls correct me if im wrong...what about a sword plant? *** never kept plants in a tank either before...

im also still working on some hardware for this thing...id like to use an AC50 on the back and add a powerhead sponge filter combo...one with an air intake venturi type noozle with adjustable bubbles...so the powerhead sucks water through the sponge and discharges a bubble filled current...id like to mount this to a side pane of the hex half way up to the top of the tank...i was thinking a maxi-jet or one of the marineland penguin jobbies cuz apparently they both come with the sponge? can someone confirm this for me? it appears they are both meant to do what im looking for but would hate to spend money on something that isnt what i think it is....i dont want the thing taking up precious floor space in the tank and i feel im going to need the extra mechanical/bio filtration from the sponge...i also want silent bubbles for added oxygen and a way to balance the weird current i believe the HOB will produce in the small hex shape...plus i bet the zanios will end up playing in the current a bit once they get settled in

lighting is still an issue but i hope to resolve this soon...the distance across two farthest points on the hex is 18"...so im thinking of buying a piece of acrylic from HD and snipping it to size, making a lid for the tank and all the gear hanging from it...and going with an 18" fixutre, one that is no more than 5" or so wide....its going to hang over the perimeter of the tank but it opens up so many more options in terms of lighting...if i use the current hood, any fixture replacement has to be done in a 16"x 3" area...this limits me to LED strips or diy fixtures

my lighting wants and needs are two very different things...i know the contents of the tank do not need much lighting, but i enjoy reef type lighting on the mbuna tanks *** kept and keep....so i was thinking either an LED fixture ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/Marineland-Reef ... 484fbecd9b) literally just resting across the diy acrylic lid or the cheaper option with a t5ho fixture ( http://www.aquatraders.com/20-inch-4x18 ... /52302.htm)...these are a couple of my pics but *** looked at a ton of them online already...i dont want alot of heat seeing how its going to rest right against the acylic...some of the fixtures *** looked at like the nova extreme by current appear to have legs that i could perhaps adjust to fit the rim of the tank so its not against the lid...i would prefer a fixture like this and i can just make grooves in the lid for the feet...any experience out there with these lights? are they all pretty decent? what about these Green Element EVO fixtures all over ebay? anygood? some of them have 3 watt LEDs compared to the marineland 1 watters and theyre much more affordable

i have an old aqueon 200 watt heater in there thats used...i dont even know if it still works to be honest...if it does im going to set the tank to 78 deg f...if its broke im going to get a new submersible but smaller wattage...any suggestions there too? i use an aqueon one now on the other tankbut..eh...im not impressed

lol...i feel like im asking way too many questions and i know im rambling on...i tend to do that late at night when i cant sleep...anwyway, im going to use an established AC50 and 10 gallons of water from the other tank i have...it should be ready in another week or so (its still cycling through a bit and ill buy another one to replace the old one on the other tank)....im going to shell out some clams here in the next few days on the rest of the equipment and i still have too many unknowns and decisions to make with this thing...

i really appreciate all the help from the forum!

thanks!!

btw...the water in the other tank is pH 7.6, ~ 8 KH, and ~ 13 GH...i also have a TDS digimeter (old and questionable) that reads 280 ppm....should i mess with salts and buffers or just go for it?


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Get some Nerite snails or a Single BN pleco for Algae. The Multis will forage for food. Just don't overfeed.


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## demsnlabs (Feb 20, 2013)

what about 1 female calvus...or try to get a breeding pair...the suggested housekeeping crew, and the top swimmes...instead of the multis....i know, i cant seem to stay with one thing on this


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

The tank is barely big enough for Multies, IMHO.


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## Yael (Nov 25, 2012)

Don't go bare botton - multies like to dig their shells into the sand.


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## demsnlabs (Feb 20, 2013)

so i made some decisions and i made some progress...im glad this forum is out there for the ideas to bounce off

i picked up some carib sea african cichlid sand...i liked the blacks and whites and thought it would look good with the murex...the whale eyes are ordered and in the mail

i really like the sand....this is the first time ever using sand in a tank and if things go well over my first few maintenance cleanings with this tank im seriously going to consider going sand in my other tank as well...it just looks cleaner and feels smoother...i bet the fish appreciate it too

i just hope i rinsed it well enough...the tank cleared up in about 2 hours...i have a new auaclear 50 with old rena filstar micro pad underneath the AC50 sponge...no other media is being used yet

the light i chose was the marineland double bright led...after reading up on the cheap chinese knockoffs i decided to go with a name brand...they mainly carry just marineland and deep blue solarmax lights at my local lfs...the cost was very competitive to online pricing as this place always is

so far i think the light is great for the tank....the guy *** been dealing with at lfs showed me a 48" version suspended over a reef tank in the back...the tank had to be as deep as this hex if not deeper...it didnt appear to be a standard size home aquarium...the light was suspended about 6 inches above the tank and the penetration to the bottom appeared well lit so i went with the 20" version

i have it right on the arylic and there is a slight shimmer but if i hold the light about 6 inches above the top the shimmer is magnified...but the water turns yellow (

all in all i like the light...the blue leds need more beef and ill most likely end up adding some highlight leds down the road...u cant really get a good blue effect when both white and blue are on and when only the blue leds are on, they spotlight...idk if ill get used to it or not but im still satisfied with the light

i stopped by a local hardware place and picked up some 3mm thick acrylic...i took the old hood and outlined it on the sheet...i then took a straight edge and utility knife and scored the panel down until i could snap off the piece i didnt want with a clean line...took me about 20 mins and 7 bucks for the acrylic...very happy with it

i plan on adding a small nano koralia about midway down the tank for extra movement...i think the surface is getting enough with the AQ50...im going to skip the air pump and air stones unless i add a sponge filter

i talked with the lfs guy about his shellies he normally stocks...he didnt have any but said he gets them weekly...generally multis, brevis, and claudos....we talked about the cylindricus he had in stock and even tho he is a very good salesman im not going to go with them in the hex...ill wait for the multies...im waiting for the whale eyes and the other aquaclear 50 to get a little more dirty on the mbuna tank before i switch that cycled filter onto this tank and add 10 or so gallons from it in here as well

i really like the colors of the sand and the murex...i hope the whale eys look nice when they come in...24 of them...too bad diatoms are going to destroy it all anyway

id like to add some tall plants too maybe even a small clump of some sort of floating plant for danios...id like it to be real but kept potted...still havent made it that far in my research yet but how and when do you generally add plants to an aquarium? should i wait until full cycled? or should i add them sooner than later to help the cycle?

i plan on testing the pH tomorrow...if the pH is higher than 7.6 then im gonna change out the crushed coral in the malawi tank in the near future

i asked the lfs about nerites and he said the only ones they stock are small and kept in the marine tanks...he said they take a long time to acclimate to fresh water and could even die....i purchased 3 apple snails instead and put them in the mbuna tank for now....they started off ok but by a few hours later im now thinking they will not last very long at all in there! the boss yellow lab likes to "kiss" their shells...but he doesn't kiss so gently



some pics were taken with my phone and some with the canon...lets just hope im a better shellie keeper than i am photographer

thanks and ill try and keep updating as i go along...sorta my tank jounral here...lol


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## demsnlabs (Feb 20, 2013)

id like to use the shells and some plants to create 2 zones in the tank and go for 2 seperate clans....or should i just make it open and keep the plants along the perimeter?


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## ratbones86 (Jun 29, 2012)

you can do that and also look into the plant vellineius or something like that my spelling isnt right but they would make a good background or that tank because they are a long grass like plant


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Your multies will likely form one colony anyway...with the size of your footprint the shells will likely fill up most of the bottom. Multies will dig so you may have to replant your vallisneria a lot. You can try a bunch wherever you find a spot in the substrate where there is room for the roots.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

I'd put the plants along the back wall with a big shell bed 2-3 deep in front of it.


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## demsnlabs (Feb 20, 2013)

you think i can get away with keeping the vallisneria in pots vs planting them? i like the "twister" versions of this plant...i just dont want to deal with re-planting them into the substrate every other afternoon...im thinking little shellies like multis would leave the pots alone?


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## ratbones86 (Jun 29, 2012)

You might get away with the pots only problem I see is hiding the pots the plants are in shouldn't be a problem though


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I find my fish dig up the pots too...because food lands on the surface and they keep diving in to grab the food.

I have 3 inches of substrate to hide the pots...I just scoop up extra substrate during water changes and refill. But I have deep-rooted plants like crypts in the pots, so as long as there is 1/3 of the substrate left...they stay put.


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## Yael (Nov 25, 2012)

put a couple of bigger rocks on top of the pots - something shellies can't move. It helps keep your pots in place


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## demsnlabs (Feb 20, 2013)

thanks for the insight on plant keeping...i went to two of the LFSs in the area today....the first one i went to i never buy anything from...they are too expensive compared to the other one but i wanted to check out what they had as i hadnt been in a while...holy holeyrock....i never really noticed but they have one of the biggest holeyrock offerings *** ever seen...some other nice rock offerings too

they had a shellie selection....and a tank with some multies and gold occys...the occys were looked very lethargic and didnt move at all as i was observing them...there were only 3 multies in the tank and they were 12.99 each!

the other place i went to i picked up some filter media and checked out their selection...still nada on the multies but they had the cylindricus and brevis...after watching all 3 of these species today im excited to go with the multies...they seem like a more intelligent group of fish and i like that they look like they will grow into big fish one day but they really never do...i think it helps give them the bravado they seemed to carry themselves with...and they seem like a nice hardy fish...i cant wait to get the water finished and get some fish in this tank!

i took over half the water out i put in the other day and added the cycled AQ50 to the tank...im going to check water parameters later this evening...the tank the filter (and about 12 gallons of water) came from was at 7.6 pH, about 0.25 ppm free ammonia, no trites, and just under a few ppm of trates...im hoping the 20 hex cycles in days instead of weeks...i also added some crushed up sinking hykari excel pellets and a little biozyme into the tank...i hit it with a splash of prime and moved the apple snails from the violent mbuna tank into the hex....all 3 seem to be doing excellent in the hex and have taken up most of the crushed pellets i added...very interesting to watch those snails!

thanks again everyone for their input...after reading the suggestions and doing a little more research i figured im gong to plant real plants along the back perimeter...im going to plant them into the sand and use rocks to protect the base of where the plant is...there are lots of examples of this on the web in cichlid tanks....i guess i really never paid much attention to how they were kept until now

the plant selection at both places i went to day seemed ok to a guy who doesnt know much about them....both had 2-3 tanks setup with their selections...neither one had anything labeled or priced or i didn't know what i was looking at...both places were extremely busy and i wasnt offered help by anyone at either place...another reason im depending on the forum for Q&A...the local customer service isnt all that great

o btw i wanted to mention the 1st place i went had a tank of giant danios with a sign on it that read "african cichlid owners cycle your tank with these giant danios!"

why would they suggest this? are these fish notorious for surviving toxicity? i would think people selling fish, especially the momnpop retailers, wouldnt be pushing the cycle-with-fish method...although guilty of it myself i know now that it can destroy the fish having both short and long term effects....i understand they just want to make a buck but they could make a buck selling cycling chemicals too...idk...just my 2 cents

anyhoo...thanks again everyone and ill update again soon!


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## demsnlabs (Feb 20, 2013)

o i wanted to also add that the old light that was on the hood still fits on the acrylic top with the led...and it puts out a decent red spectrum that blends well into the white and blue of the led...so i think im going to use both when i add the plants...the only thing is i might re-do the lid i made....the 3mm acrylic has already warped its shape due to thermal cycling...the result is i had to drop the water level in the tank just enough that i can now hear the AQ50 filter trickle....i should make another one from 5-6mm acrylic for better piece of mind and less noise

thanks!


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## demsnlabs (Feb 20, 2013)

i tested the water in the hex...there was .25 total ammonia, .5 trites, and somewhere between 0 and 5 ppm trates....i changed 50% and added prime....ill test it again monday

the pH high test reads the minimum 7.4...the pH low test reads the maximum 7.6...im guessing im in the middle at 7.5 but who knows

the african cichlid sand doesnt seem to be doing anything special for the pH buffering...nothing more than the other tank with crushed coral substrate and cc in one of the filter baskets...im going to do the kh/gh test later for hardness but should i start looking for more buffering options here?


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Are you adding ammonia to cycle?

I use the Rift Lake Buffer recipe. See here.


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## demsnlabs (Feb 20, 2013)

im not using straight ammonia to cycle the hex...im using water and a used filter from a tank that still has a tiny bit of ammonia, no nitrites, and slight nitrate readings on it...that tank has been getting 50% or more water changes every other day for the past week along with doses of prime...its over the nitrite spike..the tank has 3 labs and 9 dems...i started with 12 dems 

the hex is now also in a similar state of cycle...low ammonia readings that are fading out and it seems to have reached its nitrite stage and still has small levels of nitrates in it

theyre both a mess because i started the other tank not too long ago and stocked it before it cycled...i then prolonged the cycle by too many water changes and it was taking forever to get nitrite or nitrate readings...so i slowed the frequency of water changes and added some water and crushed coral from a friends tank he has had for a few years...i also took an old filter cartridge he gave me and squeezed the heck out of it into the water used to fill the tank back up....the next day i had less ammonia, no nitrites, and about 5ppm of nitrate...another water change...and the next day i had even less ammonia, less nitrate, but my nitrite was pretty high...another couple of days doing water changes and prime and the ammonia barely registers, there is no nitrites, and a small amount of nitrates during the last test...which was when i moved the filter over to the hex, along with 12 gallons of water...so both tanks had to do this little nitrate from his tank back to nitrites in mine back to nitrates in mine unconventional cycle routine

so now the other tank still seems to be doing good except for one fish who seems bloated...its one of the demasoni males....its my own fault for giving them pellets instead of spirulina yesterday..the little piggy prolly gobbled 2 or 3 of them up and started floating vertically near the top of the tank behind the filter spray bar today....when he would make it down below he would be all wobbly and not be able to swim well enough with the others so he would go back up

i ended up taking him out and putting him in the hex...figuring the water is treated with prime and i added a little stress coat...ill be on top of the water changes no problems and he seems to be doing ok in it...i made some shell-caves for him and added an air pump for some extra turbulence (i still wanna pick up a power head and lose the air pump)...anyway, i hope the hex works out as a hospital tank for this little guy over the next couple of days until he loses the big belly...i hope he makes it and i hope the freqent water changes and prime are good enough to aleviate the cycle stress

regarding the buffer recipe, i have some seachem lake salt already...would this help buffer pH or does it just add minerals and salts? would it help the bloated demasoni if i added some into the hex? *** only used it once in the other tank and havent used it again...i figured i wouldnt mess with the water any more than i had to...but id really like to get the pH up and stay steady on both tanks...in the link provided, the directions are a little ambiguous..it says to test using a 5 gallon bucket one spoon at a time with the baking soda until u reach the desrired level...then do the same thing with the epsom salt....how can i do the same thing with the epsom salt if i already got the pH where i wanted it with the baking soda? am i supposed to do a seperate test for the epsom salt and then use this amount of both when i finally get it into the tank? do i do this process to get the recipe i need and then mix all dry ingredients into a premix or do i add one at a time and wait for reaction? how many times will i have to do add this stuff to keep the pH above 8? is this where the salt(s) come in?

thanks!!


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

I agree with the not messing with the water more than you have to, especially until you get the cycle straightened out. It sounds like neither tanks may be fully cycled yet. You have to have a constant source of ammonia to feed the nitrifying bacteria or they will die out. Prime and water changes can slow the cycle down, but water changes are necessary if there is any ammonia and nitrates, and fish are already in the tank, to prevent fish death. I'd suggest reading this.


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## demsnlabs (Feb 20, 2013)

both tanks still have a small amount (<1ppm) ammonia...the mbuna tank has a tiny shade of nitrite and somewhere between 0-5 nitrates....the hex has no nitrites and somewhere between 0-5 mitrates...its been like this for 5-6 days now...im still doing 20% WCs every other day with a 50-75% once a week but the ammonia wont go away even with the other nitrogen elements present

i was thinking of adding more biomedia to my filters...right now the mbuna tank has a rena xp2 with sponges in the bottom tray and biomedia and polishing pads in the top tray...i also have an AC50 with the sponge, biomedia, and filter floss hanging on the back...this is the same way the AC50 on the hex is set up...i was thinking of removing the polishing pads from the rena and fill that space with more biomedia...then removing the biomedia from the AC50 and using all sponges and filter floss in it

with the hex i was thinking to use the AC50 as only sponge and filter floss, and get either a submersible or canister for biomedia...the only issue is if its a canister it has to be less than 6 inches wide so i can take it in and out of the stand storage

the whale eyes came in the other day...way smaller than i was expecting for some reason...26 of them...barely enough to make a small pile...i also added some vallisneria plants and buried them in the sand behind a rock garden...a customer in the LFS heard me talking to the guy about the plants and said to use silicon glue and glue them to the rocks instead of burying them...any experience with this? i wouldnt know where to glue them in the first place....i was planning on eventually tying them with fishing line if the fish ever start causing problems...or better yet rubber bands

can i use rubber bands in an aquarium? the plants i bought were bundled in them and buried in the tank with them

the snails are still doing their thing and *** been dropping in spirulina flake for them...it just sort of floats around a bit, settles down, starts breaking down and then its all gone in the morning...idk how they do it

id like to add more rock and plants along the back eventually as well

i was hoping the LFS wouldve gotten some multies back in stock by now but nothing yet...the tank isnt ready but im getting anxious...i may get a few tiny minnows in there to help kickstart things and maintain the nitrogen cycle a bit

regarding the plants, how tall will these get and how fast?

thanks all!









tank is cloudy cuz i just had a bunch of sand moving around and was working in the tank...it clears up pretty quickly...note the spotlighting from the leds...it normally isnt this bad at all

i had the plants initially on the back pane but felt like they were getting sucked towards the filter intake too much...i moved them to the side, under the koralia nano...the suction from this pump keeps them pointing up with a nice waving movement









i like the whale eyes but i think i need more of them! there was really only 2-3 in the bunch with openings larger than 1-1/4"


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## demsnlabs (Feb 20, 2013)

i tested again tonight and the hex is moving along...the ammonia and nitrites are at 1 and the nitrates are still above pure yellow...not touching it till tomorrow ill retest and most likely do a 20% change and a prime dose

im going to add more plants and rocks to the back tomorrow if the weather clears

snails are cool


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## demsnlabs (Feb 20, 2013)

busy busy

the hex is still empty except for snails...the plants i added are getting brown...some got loose and floated to the top and got burnt and now i cant tell if those are the brown ones or if the others have turned as well...the bulbs are wrapped gently to a rock with 2 rubber bands and buried in the sand in the little rock garden thing i made...im guessing they are not getting enough food...nitrites were 2-5 ppm and nitrates 10-20 ppm last time i checked....the snails are still going along...still no sign of multies at the better LFS yet either

on a side note, *** made quite of bit of hobby progress over the past week or so....i decided the demasoni and labs i had in the 37 gallon were not going to last long at all in that footprint...initially when i set it up i figured i had a year before i got bad but it was getting bad quick...the dems are relentless and there was no place to hide no matter what i did to the aquascape...so i went 55 gallon!

i picked up a used stand for it and bought a brand new tank and versatops...i put the 18" from the hex and the 30" from the 37 gallon on it for now to cover the 48" till i get something else...everything that was in the 37 gallon ended up in the 55; substrate, rocks, water, filters, fish, etc. all made it in there...it wasnt the funnest day *** ever had and it surely wasnt the best day of the fish's lives either but the transfer is successful so far with no losses...except the cycle! i think im going to have to start all over again

regarind the empty 37 gallon, im going to go with another tang tank...keep it compatible with the hex....im thinking calvus, leleupi, and some spare multies that get produced from the colony to be in the hex...im thinking with black calvus this would be a nice contrasting stock

anyway, im probably going to order some multies online soon if nothing shows up locally when this hex is done...i hope these plants make it

pics to come soon


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You probably don't want leleupi in a 37G (assuming it is a 36" long tank?)...they are pretty aggressive and will kill your shellies. Calvus and shellies are a good mix for that tank size.

Are the brown plants covered with algae (which kills them)? Or are the leaves rotting?


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## demsnlabs (Feb 20, 2013)

o the little guys look so innocent at the lfs!

its actually a 37 gallon 30 1/4 x 12 1/2 x 22 3/4

what else would go well with the calvus and multies? or would the tank be maxed at that point..im trying to follow somewhat of a 20 gallon long - 29 gallon cookie cutter...i like the paracyprichromis nigripinnis but don't know if they would work well...i have a funny feeling once the calvus is added to a stocklist the tankmate list goes down quite a bit

the plants look brown from rot in the hex...i was thinking a little out of the box when i came across a plant food i have with this ingredient list

Total Nitrogen (N).................................................5.0%
0.3% Ammoniacal Nitrogen
4.7% Nitrate Nitrogen
Soluble Potash (K2O).............................................1.0%
Calcium (Ca)...........................................................5.0%
Boron (B) .............................................................0.01%
Cobalt (Co).......................................................0.0005%
Copper (Cu) .........................................................0.01%
0.01% Chelated Copper (Cu)
Iron (Fe).................................................................0.1%
0.1% Chelated Iron (Fe)
Manganese (Mn)..................................................0.05%
0.05% Chelated Manganese (Mn)
Molybdenum (Mo)...........................................0.0008%
Zinc (Zn) ...........................................................0.015%
0.015% Chelated Zinc (Zn)

its a 5-0-1 fertilizer derived from Ammonium Molybdate, Ammonium Nitrate, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Nitrate, Cobalt Nitrate, Copper EDTA, Iron DTPA, Iron EDDHA, Iron EDTA, Manganese EDTA, Potassium Borate, Potassium Nitrate, and Zinc EDTA.

its meant for hydroponic plants, so im thinking same thing here, right? im really tempted to add a teaspoon...im a little worried about the metals and the snails but other than that i think it could green them up a bit

im going to just let it go for now but i may need to be talked off the ledge here soon with these plants


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## Yael (Nov 25, 2012)

copper will kill the snails most likely


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I don't think fertilizer will help with rot and it might hurt.

In a 30" tank I think multies and calvus are plenty.


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## Yael (Nov 25, 2012)

There are products made specially for aquarium plants - check out your local fish store for fish and invert safe products.


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## demsnlabs (Feb 20, 2013)

the hex was back to 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites by the weekend...i did a 20% change and added 4 multies on saturday!!

the plants are getting nice and green at this point too...altho i did loose some leafs it turned out to not be a big issue at all, i guess the plants take a hit making the adjustment or something

i cant believe how small these guys are...i think i have one that is 1" and all the rest are 3/4" on a long day










i added them saturday morning...by monday after work they still hadn't ventured out beyond their shells more than a few inches or so...i ended up picking up 4 blue zebra danios to try and lure them out of the shells a bit...it worked, only the multies immediatley became territorial and wouldnt let the danios anywhere near the shells...the snails stopped moving around too...by today when i got home i realized i just added what amounts to a small bee hive into their already small living quarters...i think the danios were just adding stress to the snails and multies that they didnt need and removed 3 of them and put them into a 10 gallon...i left 1 danio in the hex

they are very colorful and swimmy fish...*** found it nearly impossible to not overfeed either fish


















Thanks everyone for all the help and suggestions through this setup...im very pleased with it so far...the shellbed is starting to morph every few hours when i look over...the biggest whale eye was even turned over and moved over a couple of inches somehow...ill notice a big splash of sand being into the water column that looks like a cloud of dust but really it was only a mouthful from one of the shellies...lol

the 37 gallon is still empty for now...i need to pick up a filter and a light for the 55 gal i have so i can put the 30" back on the 37 gal

:thumb:


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