36 GL Bowflew Allglass Community Tank

shaggbark said:
Very nice set up.

I have the same exact 36 bow all-glass tank but only a Fluval 304, I thought I was overfiltering, LOL! You must have nice clear water. I do as well, once I put in filter floss.

I will post photos of my tank when I get a chance.

Keep us posted!
Michelle
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Put in filter floss? I assume this is in addition to the foam filters. Doesn't this get clogged up alot? (I remember hating filter floss when I was a kid.)

If I needed more fine grained filtering, I think I would rather buy some "polishing pads", because they should be able to be cleaned out.

If anyone has experience with polishing pads, please share.
 
gali said:
Nice looking tank!

Have you had any algae problems? Or is the light low enough to save you from that?
I'm interested in the CO2 system as well. Is that pump noisy? I'm looking for something for my low-tech so any info will be welcome.
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Interesting question. At one point in time I let the plants take over the tank. It looked great, and the fish were thrilled, but my wife complained that you couldn't see them. With that much vegetation, algae pretty much didn't grow. (The plants were using up all the nitrates that my biosphere was generating.)

After hearing complaints about not being able to see the fish, and her begging to buy more fish, I capitulated and threw away about 80 of the vegetation in the tank. (I wasn't prepared to buy more fish, until I knew what I was doing.)

Now, algae grows on the glass, and the rock. After about a month, there is enough algae to notice. At that time, I just give the inside glass a quick wipedown, with the little cloth that is sitting on top of the hood in the picture.

About every six months I clean the rock, with a bristle brush. (I don't mind a little hair algae on the rock.
 
flaringshutter said:
Bala sharks can get over one foot long, and are schooling fish, so even if you were to keep him, you'd want to get him at least three or four companions. They're some of the fastest, most active fish you'll ever see- pretty awesome fish if you have the room. I'd recommend finding him a new home with someone who has friends for him unless you plan on eventually owning a 200+ gallon tank.
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Actually, I think Tuna fish are the fastest. ;)

As far as the 200 gallon tank, I have just begun lobbying the wife for the 200 gallon tank. I suspect it will be a non-starter, as I live in an apartment with wood floors. (I would probably have to pay for a structural assessment, which would bring the cost of the project out of my league)

If I could actually get a 200 gallon tank, I would be tempted to get a Redtail Catfish, and a bunch of feeder goldfish. :)

flaringshutter said:
However, other than that little troublemaker, your tank looks great, and your equipment sounds just about right. Nice work!
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Thanks!! Would it make sense to take him to my store and see if they will trade him for three babies (2 inch length) I guess I'd need to know how quickly they grow before making any decisions.

I could use some suggestions for community fish that grow, but won't outgrow my tank.

flaringshutter said:
And apple snails are absolutely the coolest. I have a bunch, and I love them.
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Any leads on a reliable mail order source would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Brian
 
gali said:
Nice looking tank!
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Thanks!

gali said:
Have you had any algae problems? Or is the light low enough to save you from that?
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I think answered this in another post.

gali said:
I'm interested in the CO2 system as well. Is that pump noisy? I'm looking for something for my low-tech so any info will be welcome.
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It isn't a pump. It is a yeast and sugar reactor. It doesn't have any moving parts. So, it is about as noisy as a loaf of bread rising. :)
 
Brandorr said:
It isn't a pump. It is a yeast and sugar reactor. It doesn't have any moving parts. So, it is about as noisy as a loaf of bread rising. :)
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Wait. There is a pump. In the tank there is a pump that ionizes the C02. It is near silent.

-Brian
 
Yes, I meant the water polishing pads by Fluval, they work really great. I also have floss in my can but placed it in a media bag first. Both really helped to keep my water crystal clear!

Again, NICE TANK!

Michelle
 
Update #1:

- A Black neon tetra died. I'm not sure why. The only thing I noticed about this one, is that his black stripes had pretty much faded away. (Before he died). He was swimming fine, and what not, but he caught my eye a few days earlier because he was missing the destinctive plack stripe. The only thing that I can think of that might be a cause for concern, is that I slightly overfeed to give the plants more nourishment. I wonder if this could kill tetras, because they seem to be the ones that seem to get all the extra food. Maybe I'll start doing the overfeeding with pellets for the bottom feeders. (Or maybe I should just stop with the overfeeding)

- I am going to be getting some polishing pads tomorrow, now that Michelle has given them the thumbs up.

- I did it. I ordered a 120W double power compact fixture!! (Blue tincture and white). I also ordered a glass flip-top lid(is lid the right word?) to go with it. (I get it tomorrow!) (I'll try and post a picture this weekend.)

For those that were curious about the CO2, one thing you absolutely must do, is to make sure there is no surface agitation from your filter return. If you have agitation, you lose the dissolved CO2. And your plants won't be quite as green.
 
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