# 180 Getting Ready!



## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

The new 180 6x2x2 I ordered finally arrived Yesterday. Notice it is sitting on the floor instead of the stand it came with. Delivery guy had a problem on the way to my home, forgot to strap the stand down and it was super windy on delivery day, You guessed right! One new stand smashed into pieces when it blew off the truck. New one arriving on Tuesday, I hope.

I just ordered a 3d background from Universal Rocks. I'm getting the Rocky 3d background as it is thin with some 3d dimension and takes up little space. I was looking at other backgrounds that were way more money which I didnt mind spending but I didnt want to lose 3-4".

Substrate will be crushed coral and going to use lace rock if anyone in my area finally gets some in. I have some in my 72 bowfront and like it a lot.

Two Eheim filters that I got from Craigs list in the foreground will be filters I use to start plus a Fluvl 306 Ii have running in the 72. Going to get one of the Eheims going on the 72 for now to get some bacteria going in the media. I think tow of them plus the 306 should be sufficient?

Lighting for now will be two AGA Florescents in both white and blue, T8 25 watt Coralife. These are temps for the first month. What lighting would you guys use? I like the led lights but want to stay around the $350- $400 range or less if possible?

Wondering about heaters. I have a used Jager LZ 250 watt and a Fluval 200 watt heater in the 72 I can use. Do you think these are sufficient?

Pretty psyched to set this up but not in a hurry but I am if you know what I mean LOL. Going to be an all Male Hap/Peacock tank.


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

i know that your filtration will be sufficient, but wondering if u considered putting a sump in the mix instead? just wanted your thoughts on that or reasons not to. i recently set up a 240 and went with a sump as well as a rena xp4. it was my first time dealing with sump, but am pleased with results.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

sumthinfishy said:


> i know that your filtration will be sufficient, but wondering if u considered putting a sump in the mix instead? just wanted your thoughts on that or reasons not to. i recently set up a 240 and went with a sump as well as a rena xp4. it was my first time dealing with sump, but am pleased with results.


It has been suggested to me. I am throwing it around but have never used one before. *** always used canister filters but my 72 bow was the largest tank *** owned until I got this 180. Down the road I may go that route. Have a little disease right now called fundsarlow, LOL.


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

gotcha, i've had that myself. 180 is awesome tank. i used to have one. its the perfect size in my opinion. have fun. i cant wait to see it set up.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

sumthinfishy said:


> gotcha, i've had that myself. 180 is awesome tank. i used to have one. its the perfect size in my opinion. have fun. i cant wait to see it set up.


I will post some pictures as I go along. The tank is a big step up but something *** wanted for a long time. It really opens up what I can stock. BTW I just hooked up one of the Eheims and I am impressed. Very quiet and great flow. Sitting next to my 304 and old 404 it dwarfs them. HappyI didnt sell them as I had planned.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Wondering If anyone can suggest lighting for this setup. Like I posted earlier I like the LED lights. Does anyone know of any sufficient systems that would look good around the $300-$400 price point? I would rather go with a recommendation than trial and error.

Also heaters, how many watts? I havea 250 Jager and a 200 Fluval. Tank is in a heated room. I'm guessing these two should be good but not certain.

Thanks!


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## JimA (Nov 7, 2009)

The Beamworks LEDs are hard to beat from a price standpoint and are very good quality. You can easily be under 300 bucks really depends what you want.

I have the reefbright version and am very happy with them.


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## tapout14 (May 30, 2012)

JimA said:


> The Beamworks LEDs are hard to beat from a price standpoint and are very good quality. You can easily be under 300 bucks really depends what you want.
> 
> I have the reefbright version and am very happy with them.


+1
Look on ebay for the beamworks. You can get 2 36" lights for somewhere around 70-90$ a piece


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Thanks guys! I have been looking on Ebay at some of the lighting, any opinions on the EVO 72" LED Aquarium Lights? I hadnt considered two 36" lights, was thinking more of the 72" lights. Will google some images on some setups for the Beamworks.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

fishing12 said:


> Also heaters, how many watts? I havea 250 Jager and a 200 Fluval. Tank is in a heated room. I'm guessing these two should be good but not certain.
> 
> Thanks!


Have you considered using the Hydor ETH 300 external heater? I find that it works extremely well on a 220G and a 125G in a 70°F room and keeps the tank temp at 78°F with no problem. One less piece of equipment to keep out of the tank, especially since you will have the 3D background.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Deeda said:


> fishing12 said:
> 
> 
> > Also heaters, how many watts? I havea 250 Jager and a 200 Fluval. Tank is in a heated room. I'm guessing these two should be good but not certain.
> ...


Wow never heard of it. I'm absolutely going to check it out. The 3d background im installing is tucked tightly to the back glass so there is no room for equipment, it will only take up about a half inch. I agree the less equipment I have showing the better it will look. Was considering the heater covers that the background manufacturer makes but I'm not thrilled with the look because they seem to match a different background they make not the one I ordered. Will do a Google search on this, thanks for the great suggestion!! I'm assuming it is an in line type of heater?


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

tapout14 said:


> JimA said:
> 
> 
> > The Beamworks LEDs are hard to beat from a price standpoint and are very good quality. You can easily be under 300 bucks really depends what you want.
> ...


Do you have any concerns with the center bracing on the tanks breaking down the road? The glass canopy seems pretty heavy and then the weight of lights added on top concerns me. The 72" have the bracket that sits on the ends of the tank and suspends the system an inch or so over the top of the canopy. Just paranoid I guess. BTW do manufacturers cover a break in center braces under their warranty? This concern will not rule out using these lights but I am curious.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Yes, it is an inline. It installs on the canister output hose or you can use a separate water pump.

Are your Eheim filters the model 2028? If so, the 300W will fit properly on the hose which should be 16mm or 5/8".


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Deeda said:


> Yes, it is an inline. It installs on the canister output hose or you can use a separate water pump.
> 
> Are your Eheim filters the model 2028? If so, the 300W will fit properly on the hose which should be 16mm or 5/8".


The Eheim filters are 2228 38. The intake tubing is 16/22 mm. One of the filters has both intake and output with 16/22 mm. The other filter(not currently running) has the 16/22 on the intake and 12/16 mm on the output. Which one is screwed up??? Guess that heater will work on my tubing?


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## tapout14 (May 30, 2012)

fishing12 said:


> tapout14 said:
> 
> 
> > JimA said:
> ...


The center braces are designed to hold the load of your glass and a light assembly. The 36" also has the expandable brackets for both ends of lighting. As for warranty on center brace I don't know about that you'd have to call the manufacturer on that one. IMO I would not be con concerned about the center brace cracking the lights are not that heavy.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

According to the parts diagram for the 2228, the intake tubing is 16/22mm and the output tubing is 12/16mm. They should not be interchangeable because the hose adapter barbs should only fit the proper hose size. Here is a link to the 2228 Diagram

Are you sure one filter isn't a 2028?

The Hydor ETH comes in 3 sizes: 200W for 1/2" (12/16mm), 200W for 5/8" (16/22mm) and 300W for 5/8" (16/22mm) hose. It is preferred to put the heater on the output side of the filter because the water will already be filtered and therefore cleaner but some people do install it on the intake side without any problems.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Deeda said:


> According to the parts diagram for the 2228, the intake tubing is 16/22mm and the output tubing is 12/16mm. They should not be interchangeable because the hose adapter barbs should only fit the proper hose size. Here is a link to the 2228 Diagram
> 
> Are you sure one filter isn't a 2028?
> 
> The Hydor ETH comes in 3 sizes: 200W for 1/2" (12/16mm), 200W for 5/8" (16/22mm) and 300W for 5/8" (16/22mm) hose. It is preferred to put the heater on the output side of the filter because the water will already be filtered and therefore cleaner but some people do install it on the intake side without any problems.


Checked out the heater and i think that is the way to go. 300w is sufficient you think?

The Filters are both 2228 38, the guy I got them from rigged the 16/22 tubing to fit on the output. IT seems to be working great, no evidence of slow output at all. I'm considering doing the same for the other filter unless someone tells me that it can damage the filter or give me any other reason why it shouldnt be done??


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

tapout14 said:


> JimA said:
> 
> 
> > The Beamworks LEDs are hard to beat from a price standpoint and are very good quality. You can easily be under 300 bucks really depends what you want.
> ...


I checked Ebay last night but did not find any of these, of course it was late and may not have done a proper search but I will keep checking, price is really outstanding compared to the similar Marineland lighting. Thanks!


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

JimA said:


> The Beamworks LEDs are hard to beat from a price standpoint and are very good quality. You can easily be under 300 bucks really depends what you want.
> 
> I have the reefbright version and am very happy with them.


I did some homework on these lights last night and read a lot of reviews. Seems most people are pretty happy with these.

The only complaints seemed to be the reefbright was creating the beaming light effect. Guess some people dont like it and want more of the shimmering look. Some people took the lenses off the individual lights or they raised the lights off the tanks to eliminate this effect. How have you found the light dispersal to be on your setups?

On my current 72bow front I have the Aqueon Led system, it is 48" and can fit three strips of LED. Currently I have the regular white and blue strip with the red and white colormax strip as well. Im wondering if I take out the colormax and replace it with the white and add another white (3 white strips with the blue) if this would be sufficient lighting. My guess is both ends of the tank would end up being pretty dark. Any opinions on this as well? Thanks!


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

You shouldn't have a problem, as far as I know, with using 16/22mm hose on the stock 12/16mm output as long as the hose is secured properly. Nothing worse than having the hose pop off during operation.

How has the currently running 2228 filter been modified to accept the larger hose on the output adapter?


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

To Tapout14

Thanks for the input. I guess I'm paranoid because I purchased a 180 tank on Craigslist that had a repaired center brace and I thought it may have been from the weight of the canopy and the 4 36" old AGA florescent lights he had sitting on top of the canopy. Those things are pretty heavy, especially compared to the newer LED units that I'm going to put on the new setup.

So you have the two 36" reefbrights. Where do they sit on your tank. Do the ends actually sit on the glass canopy or does it work out that they sit on one of your tanks braces? Sorry I'm a little confused, I just want to get it as close to perfect as I can the first go around. I know that will probably never happen LOl but Iets see what happens.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Deeda said:


> You shouldn't have a problem, as far as I know, with using 16/22mm hose on the stock 12/16mm output as long as the hose is secured properly. Nothing worse than having the hose pop off during operation.
> 
> How has the currently running 2228 filter been modified to accept the larger hose on the output adapter?


He had a smaller piece of what looks to be the 12/16 mm tubing attached to the barbed nipple coming off the output and then placed the larger 16/22 over the smaller diameter tubing and secured it all with a hose clamp. I pulled on it pretty hard and couldn't pull it apart with the clamp on. Normally I would have changed this back to the stock setup but now I want to have the larger diameter output hose to fit the 300w external you showed me. I hate having a rigged system but now I really want to use this heating system. Decisions!?


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## tapout14 (May 30, 2012)

fishing12 said:


> To Tapout14
> 
> Thanks for the input. I guess I'm paranoid because I purchased a 180 tank on Craigslist that had a repaired center brace and I thought it may have been from the weight of the canopy and the 4 36" old AGA florescent lights he had sitting on top of the canopy. Those things are pretty heavy, especially compared to the newer LED units that I'm going to put on the new setup.
> 
> So you have the two 36" reefbrights. Where do they sit on your tank. Do the ends actually sit on the glass canopy or does it work out that they sit on one of your tanks braces? Sorry I'm a little confused, I just want to get it as close to perfect as I can the first go around. I know that will probably never happen LOl but Iets see what happens.


I actually only have a 4' 55 gallon with a 48" reefbright on it. A friend of mine has the 6' setup with the 36" Reef brights on it and how they sit on his is basically clipped on the end of the tank and other end to the center brace. I believe this is how he has it. But he has never had a problem.
I know my 48" is not heavy at all


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

fishing12, you should be fine with that modification. The hose clamp should make for a secure connection so you should be good to go with the 300W in-line heater.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Deeda said:


> fishing12, you should be fine with that modification. The hose clamp should make for a secure connection so you should be good to go with the 300W in-line heater.


Yeah finding 180 gallons of water on the floor and dead fish is not something I would be interested in LOL! I'll keep posting some pictures as I go along. It may take some time to finish setting this up but it is all part of the fun. Thanks for the great suggestion on the inline heater. Now I just have to figure out a good way to hide the filter intakes. I dont want to stack rocks and make it look ridiculous hiding the tubes. I know plants may be difficult at best in this tank but I'm hoping someone with a lot more knowledge than I can chime in and let me know if they may have had any success using some taller plants in a Hap Peacock tank?


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## norva (Jan 23, 2013)

congrats...I have a old 180 gallon tank...just waiting on the funds for it


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

norva said:


> congrats...I have a old 180 gallon tank...just waiting on the funds for it


Thanks, I knew I would have to increase the budget to run this tank and set it up but it will be well worth it once it is done. I also dont want to rush and not be happy with it. I guess I could always upgrade things down the road but I'd like to get it set up the best I can from the start. Slow time of year for my business so funds are tight at the moment. By Spring I should be able to increase what I spend in the hobby but I'm hoping to figure out a way to get it done before then. Been getting some Great advice from the members here and they have saved me a lot of trial , Errorr and $$$ Im sure!


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

A strategically placed large rock or two should work well to hide the intakes from your normal viewing position.

I had great success using Giant Hygrophila in my 125G tank when I had Peacocks in there. It is an aggressive grower so will need occasional division of the plants as they send out a lot of runners.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

fishing12 said:


> any opinions on the EVO 72" LED Aquarium Lights? I hadnt considered two 36" lights, was thinking more of the 72" lights.


I use a 48" Evo Quad. No problems so far and I quite like it after taping off a few blue leds. I found it too blue. If I ever get around to it, I'll order some Cree whites and replace most of the blues.
Review


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Thanks for the feedback. Seems most of the systems have pluses and minuses.

FOr some reason I still think I need a 72" system. I may take the Aqueon 48" off my 72 bowfront and see how that looks before I buy anything. Perhaps a 48"sitting over the middle of the tank may work. I know corners on both sides would be a little dark but maybe that wouldnt be a bad thing for the fish? I checked out all the reviews on the systems in the product reviews but my problem is I need to see something usually before I can make a decision. Decisions decisions LOL!


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

Beamswork has the newer reef bright in 72" for $179. Sadly the fresh water is only available in up to 48" for some reason. These newer ones shouldn't have the beaming effect because it uses a lot of the lower .2 watt LEDs instead of the 1 watt. I can pm you a link if you want.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

b3w4r3 said:


> Beamswork has the newer reef bright in 72" for $179. Sadly the fresh water is only available in up to 48" for some reason. These newer ones shouldn't have the beaming effect because it uses a lot of the lower .2 watt LEDs instead of the 1 watt. I can pm you a link if you want.


Wow that sounds sweet! I spent a lot of time looking at different systems and never even saw it in the 72" model. Please shoot me the PM, its greatly appreciated!!


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

Pm sent, let me know if it doesn't go through, my out box is acting strange...


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

b3w4r3 said:


> Pm sent, let me know if it doesn't go through, my out box is acting strange...


 Received. Thanks again!!


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## theboothsociety (Jan 3, 2012)

check *Vendor Removed - PM for info* - they have the 72" and good prices on the Beamswork LED. Id suggest one of the high lumen models. Id also be weary of purchasing it from eBay. They're sellers on there that false advertise their products and the lumen amount. Id stay away from the so called "3rd gen" model.

I have 9' of tank and Im doing 2x 48" models over my tank. *** decided to go with the BeamsWork 0.2W Hex 48" HI LUMEN LED Light Fixture (Timer Ready) @ $109ea.

I think 2 36" fixtures would also work well, but will probably come close to same price as 72" fixture.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

theboothsociety said:


> check *Vendor Removed - PM for info* - they have the 72" and good prices on the Beamswork LED. Id suggest one of the high lumen models. Id also be weary of purchasing it from eBay. They're sellers on there that false advertise their products and the lumen amount. Id stay away from the so called "3rd gen" model.
> 
> I have 9' of tank and Im doing 2x 48" models over my tank. I've decided to go with the BeamsWork 0.2W Hex 48" HI LUMEN LED Light Fixture (Timer Ready) @ $109ea.
> 
> I think 2 36" fixtures would also work well, but will probably come close to same price as 72" fixture.


Thank you for the information it's greatly appreciated! I'll let you know what model I decide on. I have my stand being delivered in about an hour or so. Hope he strapped it down this time!


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

theboothsociety said:


> check *Vendor Removed - PM for info* - they have the 72" and good prices on the Beamswork LED. Id suggest one of the high lumen models. Id also be weary of purchasing it from eBay. They're sellers on there that false advertise their products and the lumen amount. Id stay away from the so called "3rd gen" model.
> 
> I have 9' of tank and Im doing 2x 48" models over my tank. I've decided to go with the BeamsWork 0.2W Hex 48" HI LUMEN LED Light Fixture (Timer Ready) @ $109ea.
> 
> I think 2 36" fixtures would also work well, but will probably come close to same price as 72" fixture.


So I guess you will have them sitting directly on your canopy? The two braces on my tank are both at 24" from the ends. If I went with two 36" models they would both end up on the center of the glass canopy top in the middle. Dont really want to hang them, thats why I want the 72".


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## ryans125g (Jul 18, 2011)




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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

ryans125g said:


>


Looks pretty nice, No beams visible and it may be hard to tell from the picture but it doesnt appear to wash out any of the colors.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Hey just wondering if using Hot water is sufficient to clean out the new tank before adding substrate? I really dont think there is anything in the tank that would hurt things if I didnt wash it but dont want to make any stupid costly errors. Thanks.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

For brand new tanks, I usually just rinse them out with warm water. For big tanks, I just do them in place and mop up the excess water with towels. This just removes any dust or dirt, if there is any oily residue, vinegar should clean it up just fine. The minimal vinegar residue shouldn't be an issue.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Deeda said:


> For brand new tanks, I usually just rinse them out with warm water. For big tanks, I just do them in place and mop up the excess water with towels. This just removes any dust or dirt, if there is any oily residue, vinegar should clean it up just fine. The minimal vinegar residue shouldn't be an issue.


I vacuumed out all the heavy dust and I'll hit it with the water next. Doesnt appear to be that dirty at all. A couple of smudges, no scratches but that is what I would hope with it being new. Just waiting on the background to arrive Fed Ex tomorrow. Substrate is rinsed, using CaribSea Dry Aragonite Fiji Pink Reef Sand.

LFS is expecting a large shipment of lace rock tomorrow. Stuff is hard to find! None of my local stone yards or landscape supply carry it but with it being winter here I didn't expect much. The LFS is looking for $2 per lb! I really like the look and think it will match the background really nicely so I'll have to pay the price. I don't think it will be a lot as I have some in the 72 bow front and don't think I'm going to overload it. Haps and Peacocks not Mbuna being kept so I want more open swimming area.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Just posted this in the DIY section havent received any feedback yet so I figured let me ask here as well.

Just wondering if I may have made a costly mistake. I just purchased new Eheim intake tubes and spray painted them with Rust-Oleum Ultra Cover spray paint made for plastic to match my background. It had been suggested using the Krylon plastic paint but I saw this and of course didnt think to check if it was safe :roll: I have one coat on the tubes after scuffing them up. If I let this cure for a couple of days can someone please tell me if this is safe for the tank or did I just waste a bunch of money on the tubing?

I did a google search on this and found a thread on this forum but for some reason Im looking for a definitive answer before I risk putting this into my tank. Can any of you guys help me out with this please.
Thank you.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Need some opinions please. Sorry about the picture image with the window glare on left. New background is siliconed on, I'm happy with it. This was all the lace rock any of my LF stores had  More arriving on Thursday but you have to be quick it is in such demand! Im going to build up the left side of the tank higher that the side pictured with the stone will re post picture once that is done. Painted intake tubing for the Eheims and matches the background pretty nicely, they are drying so not pictured here.

Need opinion on this light. It is the Aqueon LED 48" with the standard white and Blue and it also has the Colormax bulb running as well. I dont want an overly bright tank and as you can see the corners are a little darker(hard to see left with glare) than the middle of the tank. I may use this while I decide if I like it or not. The fixture has room for one more set of LEDs. Anyone else running a single 48" on their six foot tank? Just want to see if I can get some opinions

Any opinions on what I can do to block the side view of the tank, the picture makes it look worse than it is. Also with this being a Hap/Peacock tank im not looking to do a crazy amount of stacking stones, I want them to have room to move about. dont really want any fake plants. Wondering if I should try some Vallisneria plants? Maybe the plant wont live with this light?

BTW I will be changing out the window blinds to block any direct sunlight.

Thanks.


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

Background looks great! They really have a nice texture for being so thin. The lighting is nice color wise, and as long as the dark ends don't bother you that's all that matters. I'm guessing it looks darker in the picture than in person anyway.

What do you mean by blocking off the sides? Like paint the sides black, or get another background piece and cut it to fit the sides?

Is that crushed coral substrate? Looks kind of lumpy for sand.


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## theboothsociety (Jan 3, 2012)

I would either extend the background to the sides of the tank, or paint the back of glass with black paint (i prefer glossy). Sand looks like that when not wet.

Tank looks good though, im not sure about that paint, but I havent heard of anyone using that. Just the krylon fusion.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

b3w4r3 said:


> Background looks great! They really have a nice texture for being so thin. The lighting is nice color wise, and as long as the dark ends don't bother you that's all that matters. I'm guessing it looks darker in the picture than in person anyway.
> 
> What do you mean by blocking off the sides? Like paint the sides black, or get another background piece and cut it to fit the sides?
> 
> Is that crushed coral substrate? Looks kind of lumpy for sand.


Good eye on the substrate. It is a Fiji pink crushed coral, very fine. It is a little damp still from rinsing it that is why its a little clumpy for now. Have it in my 72 bow front and like it a lot.

I was thinking of either painting the sides or using smaller background pieces but not sure if that would make the tank look smaller than it is. Going to try some black construction paper and just tape it up to see how it may look. If i like it I may just paint it, guess I wont really know until I get the rocks completed.

I'm also going to try adding the third strip of LEDs to the fixture. The dark corners are just a little too dark for me but I can live with it. I think the third strip should do the trick. I like this light as it doesnt create the beaming effect and has a nice shimmer to it.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

theboothsociety said:


> I would either extend the background to the sides of the tank, or paint the back of glass with black paint (i prefer glossy). Sand looks like that when not wet.
> 
> Tank looks good though, im not sure about that paint, but I havent heard of anyone using that. Just the krylon fusion.


Seems the Krylon is the most popular to use on the plastic. I did get response on another thread that the Rust-oleum is fine as long as you let it cure for a couple of days. I may soak it in water to be sure while the tank is Cycling.

Once I finish with the rocks I sure would appreciate any feedback you guys would have on their placement and what I could change to improve the look.

thanks again!


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Added a couple of more rocks on the right side and left. Cant really see in the picture but some of the whiter lace is hard to see on the left side but looks better in person. Going to fill er up at some point today. I have 4 more nice sized pieces of lace in the 72 gallon tank for now, need something for the current stock to hang with. Will add these once tank is cycled and ready to move in new stock plus existing. Im trying to leave that small spot on the left as open as I can for divider placement to remove any troublemakers LOL! Again not looking for crazy rock work as its Haps and Peacocks. Sand is lumpy but should smooth out with water movement. What can I change in anyone's opinion to improve this? I'd appreciate the feedback as I am not the most creative person in the world. I'm also going to add the third led strip to the fixture at some point this week. THanks!


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Filled the tank yesterday. Started running one of the Eheim 2228 filters that has been running in my 72 bowfront for about two weeks. I would hope that it had some time to get some bacteria going in there. Set up the second Eheim, bad Oring for sure. Hit it with some Vaseline and after a while it stopped leaking but didnt trust it, got another O ring from a LFS. While there I purcahsed the proper tubing for the outflow, one of the filters as posted previously had been rigged so that the outflow was running off of 16/22 intake tubing. Seemed like a pretty weak return flow compared to the other.

Changing the outflow tube now changes my plans for the external heaters. I'm now going to use two 200W Hydors instead of one 300w. I figure the redundancy would be better in case something happens to the one heater the other should keep things under control until I notice a problem.

Putting the 72 Bowfront on Craigslist once I determine water parameters are acceptable for existing and new stock, want to add all fish at once if I can manage the logistics. Here is where I may open a can of worms but I used Bacteria in a bottle, refrigerated Fritz-zyme turbo 700. I cycled my 72 with another brand and it worked great. Jury is still out here and I'm in no rush to move or add fish until I determine that the early readings I'm getting 0Amonia, 0Nitrite, and 10ppm Nitrate are going to last and I'm not going to get a crash or Mini cycle. I've also included a bunch of substrate from the 72 into the 180. Would it make sense to add some extremely small amounts of flake so the bacteria have something to feed on?


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

I wouldn't add any flake food. Best would be to use ammonia like a fishelss cycle. You can always get a bottle of Dr Tim's Ammonium Chloride if you can't find good ammonia in your area. It's the best way to see how your setup can handle bio filtration, and if it's not ready the ammonia should build the necessary load in a few days with your seeded media.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

What is the best ammonia to use, pure? How should that be dosed as a test for the bio or as if I were cycling a new tank? If it is like cycling a new tank I can get that info on the sticky. Not sure how much and the duration?


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

The ammonia used needs to be free of any additives, like color or sulficants. It's typically labeled as ammonia hydroxide, but finding it without additives is pretty hard. ACE hardware carries a janitorial strength ammonia which is safe. Most supermarkets, walmart, walgreens, home centers all have additives and are not safe. The Dr Tim's stuff comes in a small bottle and its sole intention is for cycling tanks, that's why I mention it, you know it's safe.

Looking in the sticky on fishless cycling is the way to go, they mention most of the above anyway. You basically want to dose ammonia in your tank to around 2ppm with the end goal of having ammonia and nitrite readings of 0ppm 24 hours after dosing. Once reaching that you should be able to safely stock your tank with a full load.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

b3w4r3 said:


> The ammonia used needs to be free of any additives, like color or sulficants. It's typically labeled as ammonia hydroxide, but finding it without additives is pretty hard. ACE hardware carries a janitorial strength ammonia which is safe. Most supermarkets, walmart, walgreens, home centers all have additives and are not safe. The Dr Tim's stuff comes in a small bottle and its sole intention is for cycling tanks, that's why I mention it, you know it's safe.
> 
> Looking in the sticky on fishless cycling is the way to go, they mention most of the above anyway. You basically want to dose ammonia in your tank to around 2ppm with the end goal of having ammonia and nitrite readings of 0ppm 24 hours after dosing. Once reaching that you should be able to safely stock your tank with a full load.


Thank you! I did just finish reading the sticky on this. Guess I'm hoping that between the bottled juice and the seeded media etc that it may be a little quicker to respond. I appreciate the feedback, thanks again!


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Here is the latest.

After reading the cycle sticky I went out and purchased some clear Amonia. I dosed my tank at about 2.PPm. This was around 5PM yesterday.

I just checked water parameters and here is what I have. Ammonia 0 ppm Nitrite 0ppm Nitrate 5 ppm. Ph 8.0 Gh180 kh180. Temperature is 79. What does all of this mean? As a beginner I have to ask it this a complete cycle or do I have to continue to test and make sure its not going to crash. I also dont want it to be a good cycle and then lose it because bacteria have nothing to feed on. Advice?


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

Did you do a water change since yesterday? I ask because you said nitrate was 10pmm yesterday and today after dosing ammonia nitrate is lower 5ppm?

Anyway if you got the ammonia to 2ppm and today it is at 0ppm ammonia and nitrite then I would say you are cycled and ready for fish. If you are not adding fish in the next few days then keep dosing the same amount of ammonia every two to three days to keep things going. Also keep doing partial water changes if the nitrate gets above 20ppm.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

b3w4r3 said:


> Did you do a water change since yesterday? I ask because you said nitrate was 10pmm yesterday and today after dosing ammonia nitrate is lower 5ppm?
> 
> Anyway if you got the ammonia to 2ppm and today it is at 0ppm ammonia and nitrite then I would say you are cycled and ready for fish. If you are not adding fish in the next few days then keep dosing the same amount of ammonia every two to three days to keep things going. Also keep doing partial water changes if the nitrate gets above 20ppm.


Good point on the nitrates. It could be just as simple as the color chart being so similar and looking at it in a different light in a different room perhaps. Im probably not going to add fish for a week or until I get the stock list straightened out. Posted that under the Malawi Cichlids section. Also need to be able to find all the fish I'm interested in stocking, looking online for most.

I would like to stock all at once as I hear that is the best hing to do. Do you think that I could overload the tank and blow up the system If I add all of them together?


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

Well since you have time you could try dosing ammonia at a higher level, maybe 3 ppm. I expect you will be fine though. You obviously have the bacteria to handle the full conversion process, and those bacteria can double in population in 24 hours, so they should handle your full fish load fine. I did the same thing dosing at 2ppm, and added 36 juvies to a 100 gallon when the cycle was complete with no mini cycle.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

b3w4r3 said:


> Well since you have time you could try dosing ammonia at a higher level, maybe 3 ppm. I expect you will be fine though. You obviously have the bacteria to handle the full conversion process, and those bacteria can double in population in 24 hours, so they should handle your full fish load fine. I did the same thing dosing at 2ppm, and added 36 juvies to a 100 gallon when the cycle was complete with no mini cycle.


That is what Im going to do, bump up the ammonia just to be certain. I cycled my 72 bowfront with a different bacteria product non refrigerated brand and it worked well. I used a refrigerated type on this tank. Without getting into a huge discussion on the merits of these products ( I know my first tank worked great) I always have a concern in the back of my head from reading various discussion on them that the bacteria used could be land based or that it is not the proper bacteria etc and that down the road they will die out and leave you with a serious problem. Hasnt been the case for me but the thought is always there. THe only difference this time around is that I had a seeded filter and substrate that I added to the tank along with the bottled stuff.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Yesterday I dosed the tank up to about 3PPM Ammonia, checked this afternoon, 0PPM Ammonia 0PPM Nitrite 5PPM Nitrate. Seems like its good to go. Should I dose to 1PPm every other day to keep cycle going until I add fish or should I bring it to a higher PPM?


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

I still think it's odd that you have the same nitrate level. I would dose the same 3ppm every two to three days and hope to see the nitrate rise.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

b3w4r3 said:


> I still think it's odd that you have the same nitrate level. I would dose the same 3ppm every two to three days and hope to see the nitrate rise.


I will do that, what range should I be looking for?


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

fishing12 said:


> b3w4r3 said:
> 
> 
> > I still think it's odd that you have the same nitrate level. I would dose the same 3ppm every two to three days and hope to see the nitrate rise.
> ...


I have read some differing opinions on this. Some say the conversion from ammonia to nitrite to nitrate is a 1:1:1 process. Others say 1ppm ammonia translates to about 3.9ppm nitrate. I tend to think the latter is correct from my observations during fishless cycling. So if you started with 0ppm nitrate before adding any ammonia, and have since then added 5 ppm total, your nitrate reading should be around 19.5

A couple questions I need to ask, how much ammonia are you adding to reach 2 and 3ppm? Are you adding the ammonia then waiting for at least 20 minutes for the ammonia to disperse, and testing for ammonia to confirm the concentration? Are you following the directions properly on the nitrate test, there is a lot of shaking that needs to be done for a proper reading. Bottle 2 needs to be mixed for at least 30 seconds, and the final solution needs to be mixed for at least one minute, then left to sit for 5 minutes before comparing the color (this is with the API nitrate test). Are you using the API liquid tests or some other kind?


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

I have been adding 5tsp first time and 6Tsp on the second test to get the 2-3PPm readings. I have been waiting about 30 minutes to make sure the Ammonia has had a chance to mix well. I do have the API Mater test kit for fresh. I also do the 30 second mix on container #2 and then give the final vile a minute long shake. I think I'm on taret with all of that. I also redid the Nitrate test again and I will say that the current reading may be closer to .10 PPM but I do not believe it is in the .20 range. Colors are very close and hard to differentiate on these tests. What am I missing on this if Nitrates should be much higher??


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

Just keep dosing every two to three days and we should see the nitrate creep up there soon. When you are going to add fish stop dosing for 48 hours, and do a water change to bring the final nitrates to below 10ppm. You are probably ready for fish now, but I would prefer to see the nitrates getting higher first to confirm things are working correctly.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Thanks for walking me through this. I'll re dose to 3ppm tomorrow afternoon and see what happens. WIll keep you updated. Thanks!!


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

b3w4r3 said:


> Just keep dosing every two to three days and we should see the nitrate creep up there soon. When you are going to add fish stop dosing for 48 hours, and do a water change to bring the final nitrates to below 10ppm. You are probably ready for fish now, but I would prefer to see the nitrates getting higher first to confirm things are working correctly.


 b3w4r3- here is the latest, just did test and very confused by the results! Dosed tank Yesterday to 3ppm Ammonia checked it about 30 minutes ago and here are the results. Ammonia .50 PPM Nitrite .25PPM Nitrate 20PPM. Tested twice with same results, I'm at a loss on this one.

On a positive note I added the third strip of Leds on the 48" Aqueon LED system, I now have two colormax bulbs and a plain white bulb and it really looks nice,made a big difference and I think its a keeper system for now.


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

Well this is good news in a way. At least we are seeing this without fish in there. Glad to see the nitrates going up, but when there is also a nitrite reading it can affect the nitrate test. Check again tomorrow, once you have 0 ammonia and nitrate give it two days then dose the same amount again. What we want to see is that 3ppm being converted in 24 hours. I forget which cycling bacteria product you used without paging back, but it's been said that some of them don't contain the same bacteria normally found in established filters. Whatever reason there is for the spike it should balance out in a week or so.

Those lights seem pretty nice. I like that they can be added to like that.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

b3w4r3 said:


> Well this is good news in a way. At least we are seeing this without fish in there. Glad to see the nitrates going up, but when there is also a nitrite reading it can affect the nitrate test. Check again tomorrow, once you have 0 ammonia and nitrate give it two days then dose the same amount again. What we want to see is that 3ppm being converted in 24 hours. I forget which cycling bacteria product you used without paging back, but it's been said that some of them don't contain the same bacteria normally found in established filters. Whatever reason there is for the spike it should balance out in a week or so.
> 
> Those lights seem pretty nice. I like that they can be added to like that.


I'll always look for the positive in any situation lol. I had heard the same thing about the bottled bacteria but I'm in no rush at this point as a lot of the fish I want are not currently available so no rush. I guess I should have been patient and just did the cycle the tried and true way to start but live and learn. I'll check parameters again tomorrow afternoon.

The lights are pretty nice. The Colormax bulb has red LED lights in it so it seems to enhance the red in the lace rock pretty nice without making it look too vibrant. The background pops a little more with this system as well. Will be picking up the two inline heaters as well this week so things are coming along rather nicely  Thanks again!


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Latest test results. Ammonia .25PPm Nitirte.25PPM Nitrate .20PPM maybe little higher reading but under 40ppm. Will check again tomorrow hope the first two zero out. I'm thinking at this point the bacteria in a bottle was a bust and for me the only application I would maybe consider its use would be if there were perhaps a major ammonia or nitrite spike or when aggressively cleaning cannister filters perhaps it wouldn't hurt to add some of this?


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

I think keeping prime on hand in case of a cycle emergency would be better. I wouldn't trust that other product at this point, and it probably has a short shelf life anyway. Looks like things are progressing anyway, and not stalled so it's just a matter of time now, which you have.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

b3w4r3 said:


> I think keeping prime on hand in case of a cycle emergency would be better. I wouldn't trust that other product at this point, and it probably has a short shelf life anyway. Looks like things are progressing anyway, and not stalled so it's just a matter of time now, which you have.


Yes it seems to have failed me once so it shouldn't get a second chance, especially when so much more will be on the line with a stocked tank in the near future. Never thought of Prime, I use it as my water conditioner, perhaps I should read the front label LOL!


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Going to keep posting results in case anyone is learning like I am to cycle a tank properly. Seems redundant to post but at this point I thought others may be following and learning.

Todays Reading 0PPM Ammonia Nitrite between 0PPM and .25 PPM Nitrate 20PPM. My question is do I do a small water change before dosing to 2-3PPM ammonia?


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## austings (May 12, 2012)

Youre almost cycled!

I think you need to do a water change.


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

If you want to do a water change you can, but it's not necessary. Usually water changes during a fishless cycle are to prevent nitrites from going too far off the chart, but you don't have an issue there.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Do I wait for 0PPM Nitrite before dosing again or go ahead and dose to 2-3PPm Ammonia today?


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

Yes, best to wait for 0 nitrite. Should be fine tomorrow.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Ok will do, Thanks!!


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Water Parameters today

Ammonia 0PPM Nitrite 0PPM Nitrate 20PPM

Re dosing to 3PPM today.

Added the Painted Intake tubes today and they look pretty good. Had them curing for over two weeks. Looks much better than the green Eheim tubes. Will post pictures once everything is done. Still need to add the inline heaters and remove the huge 300W Jager eyesore monster.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Frustrating!

Ammonia .25PPm Nitirte.25PPm Nitrate 20PPM. Doesnt seem to be going as well as I had hoped up to this point but patience Daniel san.


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

Well you are converting the ammonia a little slow, but it will catch up soon. The nitrite seems to be being handled fine though, it's just lagging behind because the ammonia isn't converted fast enough. Still going much faster than starting from scratch, took almost 5 weeks for mine to cycle.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Oh ok I didnt think it was that long of a process. Thanks for making me feel a lot better. Glad I had at least one seeded filter and some substrate added in. I'll check it again tomorrow. If its reading o for both I guess its ok to dose again?


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

Yep, if both are 0 go again.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

b3w4r3 said:


> Yep, if both are 0 go again.


Not today, latest test Ammonia 0PPM Nitire.25PPM Big jump on Nitrates 40PPM. Gues I'll wait until tomorrow for no Nitirtes and redose. Do I need a PWC with the nitrates at this point or is that a good thing for now?


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

Yes, I think I'd do a PWC at this point, but wait until the nitrite is 0. 30% should be enough for now to help keep nitrates from getting higher.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

b3w4r3 said:


> Yes, I think I'd do a PWC at this point, but wait until the nitrite is 0. 30% should be enough for now to help keep nitrates from getting higher.


Will do the water change accordingly. Are the higher Nitrates a positive development, seems the higher the Nitrates are the faster the Nitrites should be going down?


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

Its good, yes. Don't try to over think it. The nitrate test kits aren't exact, and telling even 10ppm from 20ppm can be difficult. Plus the nitrate test is affected by nitrite, so that throws the test off some. Your true nitrate reading will be when ammonia and nitrite are both 0. I don't see anything wrong with your results so far, just need the bacteria to multiply a few more times, and build up a strong biofilm which is happening every day now


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

b3w4r3 said:


> Its good, yes. Don't try to over think it. The nitrate test kits aren't exact, and telling even 10ppm from 20ppm can be difficult. Plus the nitrate test is affected by nitrite, so that throws the test off some. Your true nitrate reading will be when ammonia and nitrite are both 0. I don't see anything wrong with your results so far, just need the bacteria to multiply a few more times, and build up a strong biofilm which is happening every day now


ANother positive note is that I have a seeded and running Fluval 306 in the 72 gallon that is going to be added to this as well. I may add this to the 180 shortly. I dont think the 404 will have an issue keeping the 72 going for a couple days more on its own.

Working with an online sponsor to acquire the proposed fish on my stocking list so things seem to be moving along rather well thanks to all of the forum members helping me out with countless advice especially b3w4r3!


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Latest

Ammonia 0PPM Nitrite 0PPM, Just did a partial water change nitrite about 20PPM going to dose back up to 3 PPM Ammonia. Tomorrow will be interesting test wise opcorn:


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Todays test

Ammonia 0PPM Nitrite .25PPM Nitrate 20PPM-40PPM.

Going to add my 306 to the tank today. Oh so close.

Have what I believe will be the final stocking list for the setup.

Sciaenochromis fryeri
Metriaclima sp. Blue Dolphin Manda
Aulonocara sp. "Stuartgranti Maleri"
Aulonocara koningsi
Aulonocara jacobfreibergi (Undu Reef)
Protomelas sp. "Steveni Taiwan" (Taiwan Reef)
Placidochromis sp. "Phenochilus Tanzania"
Tramitichromis Intermedius
Placidochromis Electra
Aristochromis christyi
Cyrtocara Moorii
Protomelas taeniolatus (Red Emp)-
Labidochromis caeruleus
Otopharynx lithobates
Nimbochromis polystigma
Exochochromis anagenys
Nimbochromis venustus
Fossorochromis rostratus


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Not sure if I did this properly but I added the Fluval 306 to the tank yesterday from my 72 gallon. At 6 oclock there were not Nitrites present and No Ammonia. So I used the same dosage of Ammonia I have been using and dosed to about 3PPM Ammonia. Today 0PPM Ammonia 0PPM Nitrite Nitrate steady @ 40PPM. Will do a water change tonight and my guess is this is good to go, Cycled. Anyone concur?


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

Sounds good to go. I would do a few large water changes spaced over a couple days to bring nitrates to 10 or below before adding your fish


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## tapout14 (May 30, 2012)

Good to go. Just remember to keep adding ammonia every other day until 48-72 hours before you add fish.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

:dancing: :dancing: :dancing: Great timing I had fish on order for Friday Delivery. Guess the last dosing should be this afternoon?? Also wanted to thank you again for all the help. Saved me a lot of headaches I bet LOL!!!

I know to take it easy with the feeding for the first week, adding 20 fish but all are around 3" for the most part.


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

I would stop dosing, no need since you get fish on Friday. Do a 30% water change today, tomorrow, and possibly on Friday before adding your fish to reduce the nitrate. Maybe even just 50% today and tomorrow if you like.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Better i do 50% 2x with the work schedule, at least I know that they will be done. Should I expect any spike in readings adding all of these fish at once or will these fish not come close to the ammonia I added to get to the 3PPM?


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## tapout14 (May 30, 2012)

Nope you shouldn't. Your bio load should handle it


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

tapout14 said:


> Nope you shouldn't. Your bio load should handle it


Just what i wanted to hear. BTW thanks again for the referral on the fish. They will be here on Friday, glad I work from home, wont be missing that delivery LOL!


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## tapout14 (May 30, 2012)

fishing12 said:


> tapout14 said:
> 
> 
> > Nope you shouldn't. Your bio load should handle it
> ...


No problem they are great to work with


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Picked up a couple of live plants for the tank, not certain I'm going to keep them or if the fish will allow me to keep them. Trying three sword plants to see if they grow on me(no pun intended). Not certain if the Leds will work with them but no loss if they dont. Washed them good and looked the best I could for any snails didnt find any but Im certain that doesnt mean anything.

Not quite done with the filter intake and supply setups yet. I'm also not 100% satisfied with the color of paint I used on them, thought they matched better than they do. For now they will work until I either buy new ones and paint a different color or down the road perhaps remove the filters altogether for a wet dry setup.

Have three more lace rocks to add to the tank tomorrow and may re arrange a couple of the ones I have set already. Happy but not satisfied if you know what I mean.

The other thing I added to the tank tonight were about 20 Fryeri fry. My female in the 72 has been holding for about 20 days and I noticed her being harassed by one of my female Venustus today and soon figured out that one of the little ones was out of her mouth and she was trying to protect it from the Venustus and that didnt work out for her, the slob got a cheap snack. Figured they will all be eaten eventually so I decided to strip her (first time I ever did this) and place the fry in the big tank. I know they will get eaten in here as well but figured they would have a better chance of making it a little longer with all the lace rock. Cool little guys, one day I will do a breeding tank and watch them grow to maturity but not now.

Will post a picture once I have it all done.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

This is my final stocking list for the tank if anyone is interested. Used a site sponsor and they are GREAT. If anyone wants to know what one I used I will gladly send you a PM.
List arriving on Friday.
Protomelas hertae
Metriaclima sp. Blue Dolphin Manda
Tramitichromis Intermedius 
Placidochromis Electra
Aristochromis christyi
Cyrtocara Moorii
Protomelas taeniolatus 
Fossorochromis rostratus
Otopharynx lithobates
Nimbochromis polystigma
Labidochromis caeruleus
Exochochromis anagenys 
Naveochromis chrysogaster
Aulonocara sp. "Lwanda" 
Placidochromis milomo

Stock moving over from 72
Sciaenochromis fryeri 
Aulonocara sp. "Stuartgranti Maleri"
Aulonocara koningsi
Aulonocara jacobfreibergi (Undu Reef)
Protomelas sp. "Steveni Taiwan" (Taiwan Reef)
Placidochromis sp. "Phenochilus Tanzania"


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## tapout14 (May 30, 2012)

Can't wait to see pictures


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Well here is the tank about 80% complete. Not going to paint the Fluval 306 intake and supply(pictured middle), will probably be going with and FX5 or another Eheim within the next month or so. I can live with it this way for now as much as it is bothering me. I'm also going to see how these three live plants work once the fish are added. If they seem to be Ok from the fish or I dont kill them I will add a little Vallisneria and Java Fern. The big heater in the corner will go once I have the funds for the two in line heaters. The fish dented the budget until next month. They will be here tomorrow and once they settle down I'll post some pictures of them. Again thanks for all the advice I received along the way from this forum and the people on it are GREAT!


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## tapout14 (May 30, 2012)

Looks good, can't wait to see the fish


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Pretty excited!!!! Fish arrived late this morning, acclimated and in the tank. Lights out for now until they settle in. Will post some pictures at some point over the weekend. They all look great, healthy and seem hungry, already chasing the Fry that were in the tank. All I can say is let the games begin! :thumb:


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

Congrats! I'm more of a mbuna fan myself, but I'm looking forward to seeing these fish in your tank. The decor looks really good with the additional rock in there.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

b3w4r3 said:


> Congrats! I'm more of a mbuna fan myself, but I'm looking forward to seeing these fish in your tank. The decor looks really good with the additional rock in there.


Thanks with your help they have a healthy environment! Lights out until tomorrow then I can get some pictures. Not a lot of color on them yet as I wanted smaller fish that I could watch grow and get that adult color going. BTW I like Mbuna as well that's why I added Metriaclima sp. Blue Dolphin Manda and a Yellow lab, two beautiful fish.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

I'm a horrible photographer but here are a couple of quick pictures of the new guys. Will try to take more and better ones later. All juvies just starting to show some color, love these fish already!!!

Going to be a beauty! Red Top Lawanda









Killer Mbuna Metriaclima sp. Blue Dolphin Manda









Christyi









Yellow Blze starting to show some color









Blue Dolphim Dominant fish of the Tank so far, go figure









Will post more later. They are all doing great.


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

They all look great, and nice colors so far. Are they all eating?


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

b3w4r3 said:


> They all look great, and nice colors so far. Are they all eating?


Yes all hungry begging for food already but keeping it to one feeding per day until I let the Bio build up a little more before I go twice a day. Just want to make sure the parameters stay good. I think they ate most of the Fryeri fry that were in there but occasionally I do see one dart out from under a rock and the chase is on. Who knows maybe one will get lucky and survive.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

I managed to take a picture of one of my more elusive fish in the tank my Aulonocara koningsi. He is the laziest fish in the tank LOL. Comes out of his cave to eat isnt bullied or bullying, kinda anti social. He is a pretty fish when he decides to display. When he was in the 72 gallon tank he didnt look like this, he has really started to blossom in the bigger tank.










Here is a shot of my Star Sapphire. He is finally starting to show some White flecks on his Gill plate that cant really be seen in the picture. Looking forward to lots more I hope.


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## k7gixxerguy (Jan 12, 2012)

Nice looking fish. I need to get this 125 going quicker. I need more hours in the day and these juvies to grow a little faster so that I can make room.


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## tapout14 (May 30, 2012)

k7gixxerguy said:


> Nice looking fish. I need to get this 125 going quicker. I need more hours in the day and these juvies to grow a little faster so that I can make room.


Could always give the juvies away. Hint hint.... :lol:


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

k7gixxerguy said:


> Nice looking fish. I need to get this 125 going quicker. I need more hours in the day and these juvies to grow a little faster so that I can make room.


Thanks! Get going man!!!! Lol! Here is a little more motivation for you.

The Boys working things out. The top three in the tank still I believe settling the pecking order.


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## mattfisher (Dec 8, 2012)

fishing12 said:


> k7gixxerguy said:
> 
> 
> > Nice looking fish. I need to get this 125 going quicker. I need more hours in the day and these juvies to grow a little faster so that I can make room.
> ...


What type of fish is the yellow and blue one on the right?


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

He is a Aulonocara jacobfreibergi Lemon Jake. Pretty aggressive but nice looking fish.


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## ratbones86 (Jun 29, 2012)

anymore updates or pictures? Full tank shot would be good or maybe a video *hint hint* lol. Lookin good


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

ratbones86 said:


> anymore updates or pictures? Full tank shot would be good or maybe a video *hint hint* lol. Lookin good


I will try to post an updated video tomorrow.

As far as the tank goes I have removed the Fluval 306 and replaced it with an Eshopps wet dry filter. Probably the best move I've made since setting this tank up. I was going to go with the FX5 and even considered the FX6 but didnt want to spend the money on an unproven new filter so I went with the wet dry. The tank isnt drilled so I had no choice but to go with a HOB box with an overflow. The box is rated at 1000GPH and I have a pump that moves 800GPH at 4' head height. In the two days that its been running I see a huge difference in water clarity. I'm probably going to buy a small Universal Rocks rock background and cut some pieces to fit to the overflow box. So with the two Eheim canisters and the wet dry I'm probably turning the tank over 6.5 times per hour. The water flow is pretty strong in the tank and I'm thinking of building a spray bar for the wet dry. The two Hydor inline heaters are maintaining a perfect 78 degress and I'm quite happy about that considering the rocky start I had with using them.

All of the live plants I have in the tank seem to be holding their own without any supplements. I may try some of the fertilizers but I recently as posted on the forum thought I had an issue with Nitrates (turned out to be a bad test kit) so I didnt want to add anything to the tank until I got that cleared up.

The fish all seem to be doing well. A definite pecking order has pretty much been establishes and all are healthy and growing quickly. My Taiwan Reef has really started to thrive in here and is really starting to color up. Waiting to see who colors and stays and who doesnt color and gets replaced but I think that a lot more time will be required to determine that. My peacocks are the stars of the show so far and I'm hoping my Red Top Lawanda will reach his potential. The other amazing thing is one of the Fryeri fry darted out of a rock pile last night to grab some food! I had thought they were all eaten some time ago but this little guy has managed to survive even with all of the predators in there, go figure.

Like i said i'll try to post a video tomorrow and thanks for your interest!


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

ratbones86 said:


> anymore updates or pictures? Full tank shot would be good or maybe a video *hint hint* lol. Lookin good


Well here it is, rather long and not the greatest but I have no patience with cameras lol! Notice how the fish are swimming hard and up on the right side of the tank, I need to work on a spray bar this weekend if I can just get the time. Lots of water flow concentrated in that area, you can see all the excrement flying around waiting to hopefully find a spot against the back of the tank or in one of the canisters. Makes it easy to clean when it is accumulating in one area. Lots of small fine tuning to do, the biggest thing bothering me at the moment is the intake tubing, thought the color was good but will be looking to repaint to blend better, needs to be darker. Also my Yellow Lab is starting to uproot some of the plants, need to replace them between a couple of rocks to make it harder for him to get too. I also take constructive criticism well and always looking to improve the look, please give me some suggestions as I feel like it can be better. Hope you like the vid.


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## tapout14 (May 30, 2012)

Video is not working


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## ratbones86 (Jun 29, 2012)

Looking good. Love the layout and the background of the tank. Be proud of it


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

tapout14 said:


> Video is not working


How about now?


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

ratbones86 said:


> Looking good. Love the layout and the background of the tank. Be proud of it


Thank you, I still think something is missing with the hard scape, maybe more height? I know the fish will be good once they mature lots of them are still Juvies.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Took a couple of pictures of my fish that are starting to really color up. Its been about a month and a half since the tank was stocked. Water quality is good, feeding a combo of NLS Pellets, Occasionaly some Cobalt Flakes and a Home made pellet that the fish were raised on from the breeder. They are growing fast!

My Red Top Lawanda starting to color up. If my Lemon Jake would leave him alone I think he would be further along but gradually he is getting there. 1.5 months ago.








Today

















My Taiwan Reef 1.5 months ago









Today









Naveochromis chrysogaster Not my fish but a picture of what he used to look like exactly (thanks Chester B LOL)









Today

















Looking forward to my other Juvies coloring up soon I hope.


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## butters365 (Apr 3, 2013)

How much did the tank cost and where can I order it from?


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

they look good fishing12. i did a pre-order on mine today. hope next week :drooling:


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

butters365 said:


> How much did the tank cost and where can I order it from?


I got this tank from a LFS. I think it was about $650 for the tank and about $500 for the stand and $80 for the glass tops and on and on and on LOL! Seriously look on Craigs List before you buy new deals can be had. I got a great deal on CL for a used 180 with some great equipment Im using on the current tank. I sold the tank and stand I got on Cl for the same price I paid for it but I kept the two Eheim Filters for the new tank. I also sold various other accessories that came with that tank and made a couple hundred dollar profit. Be patient but be quick when you spot a deal they dont stay around long!!


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

B.Roberson said:


> they look good fishing12. i did a pre-order on mine today. hope next week :drooling:


Thanks, I cant believe how much they have grown in such a short amount of time. It's worth doing the consistent water changes and feeding quality food. Firm believer if you take care of them they will take care of you LOL!


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

yes. ill send u a pic ? / video of my 75 mbuna . they were all 1-2 " now ?? 3-4+ 1 1/2 yrs or so.. wc weekly !and feed nls only. pure spiruluna flakes.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

B.Roberson said:


> yes. ill send u a pic ? / video of my 75 mbuna . they were all 1-2 " now ?? 3-4+ 1 1/2 yrs or so.. wc weekly !and feed nls only. pure spiruluna flakes.


 Yeah post em up, pictures are good vids are better.


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

i'll have to take some refreshing pics and a video., but i wont put it on this post.. but thanks.// this thread is about your tank!!. and it is awsome!!!!!


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

i'll have to take some refreshing pics and a video., but i wont put it on this post.. but thanks.// this thread is about your tank!!. and it is awsome!!!!!


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

B.Roberson said:


> i'll have to take some refreshing pics and a video., but i wont put it on this post.. but thanks.// this thread is about your tank!!. and it is awsome!!!!!


Good stuff, I'll be looking out for the post!


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Some pictures of my fish three months after stocking. Most are growing nicely.
Lawanda 1st Month









Here he is now, starting to really show, hanging with the Sunshine.









My Star Sapphire Starting to Speckle up more.









My Venustus!









Will post more pictures soon. Need to get better with the camera.


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

Nice to see these guys enjoying their home. How is the nitrate now that the tank has been running a few months?


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## ratbones86 (Jun 29, 2012)

Beautiful lwanda. I cant wait untill mine gets bigger. Hes my favorite fish period.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

b3w4r3 said:


> Nice to see these guys enjoying their home. How is the nitrate now that the tank has been running a few months?


*** been consistent on the weekly water changes of 75%, havent missed one week. With the heavy stock load Nitrates are in the 40PPM+ range but not crazy by the time I do the water change. Once water has been changed im about 20PPM. This past week I have cut down on feeding and have started to skip one day a week. Id like to see if this will keep readings a little lower by the time the water change day comes around. Fish dont seem to suffer for skipping a day and having a little less food during feeding time. They certainly seem more active!


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

ratbones86 said:


> Beautiful lwanda. I cant wait untill mine gets bigger. Hes my favorite fish period.


Thanks! I love them as well, the fins are really impressive. My Lawanda can color up even more than what he shows in the picture but my Lemon Jake (another great looking fish) has it out for him and keeps him suppressed a little. He has really gone through a pretty amazing change in three short months and hope he continues to show more.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

A couple more pictures of current stock at three months.

Anagenys 1st Month









Now with Venustus lurking in background









My Rostratus at about 5" Hope he starts to color!









Super VC-10 Biggest appetite in the tank!









My Multi Spot. Has even nicer colors than the picture represents, Surprisingly for all male tank.


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