David R

I'd leave it on there permanently unless the flow is way too much for the size of the tank. You're planning a bigger tank some time eh? If you leave it running now you'll greatly reduce the time needed to cycle it.

They do colour up as they get larger, and that price is about right for a lower grade red. Its a darn site cheaper than the RTG's Jansens got in a few years ago!! What makes you say its a rip? They're not exactly easy to breed, and they're a CITES1 endangered species, meaning you have to be able to prove the ones being sold are F2 captive bred. They are all individually numbered and microchipped for authenticity, I don't see many other breeders having to do that with any other fish...

Your loaches should love the current, if you're worried about the plants just aim it away from them.

:roll:

Picked him up in a tank of "Green Sevrums" at Jansens Silvredale about a month ago, finally got around to taking a couple of photos. I've never seen one with these bright orange and red colours. The pics aren't that great, but he doesnt like posing for the camera

My goodness, is this the great education system my taxes are paying for?! I'm giving up on this thread until you locate the comma and full stop keys, and learn to spell, or at least download the new firefox with a built-in spell checker!! BTW you might want to look at the thread at the top of the Freshwater Forum titled "Posting Pics On The Fishroom Forums". :roll:

Not sure eh, anyone? The floating thing is a problem for me as I wanted to add some big pieces to my sump to increase the 'wet' surface area (there's already plenty of 'dry' media above the water lever).

Doesn't it float? Scoria would also work, and shouldnt float either.

Slightly OT, but how prolific are locusts, and low long do breeding adults last?

How big is the tank, whats filtering it, and how long has it been set up?

I'd just fill the space for the carbon up with bio media, I don't see the need to run carbon unless you're specifically trying to removing something like meds or tannins from the water.

Sure does, I'm lucky it hasn't happened to me very often. Not sure what/if I'll replace him yet. He was irreplaceable at that size really

Came home from work to find him dead on the bottom of the tank, no signs of being picked on or stressed, maybe looking a little bloated but he did eat a decent meal of shrimp last night. 470mm/18.5", didn't weigh him. I'm a bit gutted as it just seems so random, thats life I guess. BTW I didn't name him, the guy I bought him off about a year ago did!!

:roll: Never mind me, I completely mis-read that statement! :lol: :oops: Must be the heat....

Isn't Animates the big chain that bought Jansens? :-?

I've done large water changes (30-50%) for years on all my big tanks and never had a problem from it. I've never had the temp drop by more than about 4-5C, and the heater is in the sump so it doesn't even start warming the water until I've finished filling and its turned back on. I run two heaters in the sump, one 300W and another 200W (maybe 250, cant remember) that is set to about 1C lower so it only comes on after a water change when the temp has dropped by a few degrees. I've kept a whole range of fish like this, from small community types to arowanas and large cichlids, plenty of clown loaches which always seem to thrive. Ira I'd imagine Hans' water in taupo is probably colders than yours in upper hutt during winter.

How big is your tank? How big are your clown loaches? Your oscars might only be 10cm now, but in 6 months time they'll be ~25cm where as you loaches might have grown 1-2". I sure hope you're not planning on adding the convicts to that mix unless your tank is 1000L+. I wouldnt recomend convicts as feeders, get something a big 'dumber' like platties, convicts have pretty strong survival instincts. I had a 1" feeder con survive in a tank with a black aro, jag, green terror, jack dempsey, and a big fire eel and turned into a bossy 5" male with awesome finnage and a big lump on his head!

Sorry for not being an expert in canister filters. I must have missed that discussion as I hate canisters and wouldn't bother using them on anything over 200L. :roll: Either way, by the time it clogs up a bit because you haven't cleaned it for a while you won't be getting maximum flow, so will have less than 4x turn over.

It depends on how heavily stocked your tank is I guess. At best you would have 2000LPH, which would be turning your tank over 4x an hour. Realistically tho, you'll have the canisters sitting underneath the tank, so with a ~1M head I'm guessing the flow will be reduced quite a bit.

So what does that actually do, make it quiet or something?

Any reason you dont want to drill the tank??

Get another 3-5+ clown loaches, they're way cooler in good sized groups. You're eventually going to need a bigger tank for the silver shark and bgk too, probably 4' minimum.

I've seen a few flowerhorns on trademe lately, ranging from $15 to $500 (I won't dare post a link!). I'm not big on them, damn hybrids sneaking in, why can't we get trimac's instead!!

A box in the corner and a hole drilled in the back/side/bottom is the best way IMO. My 4' has just got a hole drilled in the back at the water-line with a cone over the pipe to stop smaller fish getting sucked in and IMO its not as good. I wouldnt even bother with the hang-on-the-back ones unless the tank is already set up. I'm not sure what other types of overflow there are. I'd go for a pump with 3-10 times the volume turn over (make sure you take into account the head) depending on how you're going to stock it. Two pumps would be better than one large one, that way if one fails you'll still have the filter working.