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Adventures of the 35G

40K views 480 replies 13 participants last post by  Chesh 
#1 ·
I started this tank- my first tank, back in October, if I remember correctly. It's come a long way since then, and I've definitely developed new skills and taste. So it finally came to the point of me being completely sick of the Flourite Red gravel I had in the tank, and making the switch to Flourite Black Sand.

Let's have an adventure.


This is what the tank looked like right before making the switch.
 

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#84 ·
no! put balas and clowns and common plecs and a basking shark in the tank!
Oh, its a 55! :p

But no.......dont wreck your pretty tank! Do something different, something new in there!
 
#85 ·
I'm terrified of having to catch those loaches again, especially on the sand. And the 55 gallon looks like it has black gravel, I'd either have to pull that out of pour sand over it before I'd put the loaches in. Maybe down the line I'd move them, but if I get the tank, it'd be a slooooowwww process :p Although I haven't heard anything back from the sellers yet. The main reason I'm interested in that particular tank is it's all set up - plants, substrate, filter, lights, the whole shebang.

Ches, how wide is a 75? I have to be careful because the space is 30 inches deeps and 51 inches long that I have to fit the tank into. I was thinking a 12in wide tank would leave me plenty of room for filters etc. Although I'm really interested in trying out an internal filter just to save space, so it can be flush to the back wall. Or, if it can fit, t put it on the side. So many variables!


I brought back the aggressive female, and so far nothing has changed between the male and female. I'll see how the next few days go. The LFS owner told me though that if I wanted gourami, I should have one of multiple kinds, like one blue, one gold, one pearl. Which sounded odd to me, I'm pretty sure species aren't supposed to mix. She tried to give me a gold in exchange but I told her no, and used the credit towards....dun dun dun...THE CRYPT. Which I am now in love with. Pictures coming in later!
Also, I was able to special order in Kuhlis, which I will be getting tuesday. I have to pop in when the delivery comes in though, as the owner refuses to put them in a tank in her store because of how difficult they are to catch. Which is totally fine by me, straight from the breeder and into my tank.
 
#86 ·
Update time! With pictures ;)
The male and female seem to be doing well, but I'm still a bit nervous about them. Everyone else is doing great, the rasboras are spawning like crazy. Hopefully I'll get some fry but I doubt it. I'm pretty sure my kuhlis are eating the eggs...

Okay, here comes a slew of pictures! The first few are of my new crypt. It took the woman at the store a good minute to pull it out of the tank, as you can see it was quite happily rooted there. Also, I was so excited to see the crypt had a baby! I wasn't going to separate them at first, but as I was rinsing that wool stuff off, the baby just kinda disentangled from mommy. So two for the price of one ;)

After that is some plants I got from the lake being cleaned in the sink, and some creepy crawly thing attached to a lily stem. (I'm hoping I can get a few lilies to grow in the tank, but I'm not sure if it will work or not. So far so good, the leaves have all angled themselves and are already growing towards the surface.)

Then some horrible tank shots because I suck at photography, even with this fancy new Canon camera. Pics are a bit cloudy as it's right after a water change and moving some plants around. I really need to stop touching things in there and just let them grow :p

Also an update on the sand - it does get really dirty. It's pretty obvious when there's mulm on it, but I actually find I don't mind. It makes it a lot easier to clean.
 

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#88 ·
Oops, missing one more pic. I suck at this.
I also forgot to mention that someone in the tank has been sending out seeds, and I cannot for the life of me fathom where they are coming from. My biggest suspect is that "Florida pondweed", even though they have runners with babies. I don't even understand, but hey, more plants! Anyways, these seeds are bright green crescent pods, I found two at first. I left them alone because at that time I had no idea what they were, but then I planted them once they sprouted and had some roots.

I found a third one today as I was cleaning the tank. It has happily rooted itself, quite thoroughly, to the back of my smaller driftwood.
 

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#89 ·
Also, I know my tank isn't looking great yet, it still looks like a mess, but I'm hopeful that when everything starts growing in it will look much better :) I'm doing a few last changes to plant positions tomorrow, and then I'm done re-arranging until I get a lot of growth. :D
 
#90 ·
Some lovely plants you have in there! VERY cool about the seed pods - those plants will be enough to fill up the tank (35 OR 55) in no time if they keep going like this! I think it's just amazing that you're able to bring home local plants to use in your tank. Wish we had anything growing around here like that. I'll have to see if I can find anything in the summer months, but for right now, everything is frozen and deadish, lol.

To answer your question from before, a standard 55g tank is 48" x 13" x 21" and a standard 75g tank is 48" x 18" x 21" (L,W,H) so with the 75g, you get pretty much the same footprint with those extra 5 inches front to back. It really makes a world of difference when it comes to planting/scaping, plus an extra 20gallons of water never hurt anyone ;) But whatever! I didn't realize you were talking about an entire setup - plants and everything included. In THAT case, get what you can! :) Any word on if/when that'll be happening? It's *almost* as shame - you only just got this one going, but bigger is ALWAYS better, neh???

Any updates on the Pearls today? I'm glad you chose to keep both the male and the female, hoping that no problems arise between them, and that things remain peaceful. I've also never heard of keeping several different types of gourami together as any kind of 'rule' but. . . I've never really looked into it, either. I fell in love with the Pearls right off, and they really will fit in with the look of my tank, and will make the perfect 'centerpiece' fish whenever I get there, so I'm kind of set on those. Honey's are super sweet, though - and gorgeous. I've never heard anyone complain about them being snarky or aggressive in the least, so if the Pearls don't end up working out, I think you're right in your thinking that the HG would be a good place to start looking!

YOU may not see it yet, but *I* think your tank is shaping up wonderfully! It's going to be a stunner when it all fills in and settles down! I also agree with you about the black sand - it doesn't really bother me when it gets dirty, because I LIKE knowing where my filtration is lacking, and where to concentrate my cleanup efforts! I guess it doesn't LOOK as good, but I think it's healthier all-around for the fishies that live there :)

Keep up the good work - and the posting! I suck at updating... got a little loachling update up today, tho. Three cheers!
 
#91 ·
I'm so lucky to live in FL, plants grow pretty much year round. It's about 78 or so outside today, it's been great weather for going to the lake. I do love that I can just bring in plants from the wild, it's also great because I can see how they grow. Are they clumped, are they in the shade, etc. It gives me a good idea how to plant them where they will be happiest :)
It also gives me a lot of interesting plants that most people don't have ;)

Everything still looks good, he still gives the occasional chase but it doesn't seem any different than usual. I think it will get better when the plants fill in and there are more places to hide for her. She only has two spots right now.

I love the Pearls. They're gorgeous but it's subtle. Hints of orange and those reflective spots. Especially when they get in the right light and you can see all their colors. SO pretty!
Yeah, I think worst case scenario is returning them and looking into Honey or dwarf. Although I'm so afraid of the disease they carry.

I can't wait until you get another tank ;) What tank number would that be?

I haven't heard back from the sellers yet, which sucks. Either they sold it or...I don't know. Blahh. It was pretty nice too.

Woooo! Def gonna head over to your thread and check it out, so exciting!
 
#94 ·
I'd be right out there digging stuff up if I lived where it's warm all the time, lol! Where exactly in Florida are you (if I can ask) or. . . where do you go to find things? My Floridian friend wanted to know - I mentioned your plants to her :)

I love the Pearls. They're gorgeous but it's subtle. Hints of orange and those reflective spots. Especially when they get in the right light and you can see all their colors. SO pretty!
This is EXACTLY why I chose them for my tank :) ALL of the fish in my tank are kind of understated beauties, and they've all got that orangeness. They kind of match, and nobody is showier than anyone else. I think the Pearls will be the perfect final touch - plus give me quite a variety of different types of fish from all over the world to complete my first community tank!

Ummmm, right now, IF you count the Kindy tank and DON'T count any plant-only tanks, I'm running. . . 5. But it's too many! The goal is to shut all of them down EXCEPT Becoming by the time I get the big tank. That way I can just sit back and enjoy my baby. I love all my tanks, but that one. . . is my heart!

Bummer about your 55... but it's okay! You only just started THIS one. It'll happen when it's meant to, and who knows? Maybe they got busy and will call over the weekend *crosses fingers*
 
#92 ·
I'm with chesh Jen, i LOVE the look of your tank, love the wild plants in there as they look so,well, 'wild' and gives your tank a totally different look to the norm! I even like it not filled in etc as it looks like it might in that lake when plants aren't always condensed into small spaces like they are in tanks.
 
#93 ·
Thank you! I'm really hoping everything takes off. I've already seen some new growth on a few plants, plus the fact that something sent out seeds gives me hope that they're happy :D
Yeah, I'm hoping with some of the open spots everyone has paces to swim, plus the loaches have floor space to play in the dirt so to speak :p

I think next time I go down to the lake I'm going to try to get pictures of some of the stuff in there to show you guys.
 
#95 ·
I'm near Ocala if they know where that is, :D It's about 45mins from Gainesville. I'm really lucky in that my neighborhood has 3 lakes (well, they're more like ponds now, but hey. What can you do? ;p), plus there's a river that goes through my town. Rivers are a great place for floating plants, and if you look under docks and at the tree line there can be some pretty interesting plants that got uprooted and tangled there. I also go on Google Maps and look at my general area, it's pretty reliable for local water sources.

I love the fish in your 55. They all go together so well, their colors play off each other beautifully. So you'd be moving everyone into the 125, when you get it? I can totally understand that though, it'd be much easier to focus on just one large thing, instead of splitting yourself between 5 different things. I bet you'll be so relieved come the end of the school year :)

Yeah, I'm really hoping this one is a success. So far so good, :)

On another note, I'm wondering if I have room for a few more rasboras, just to give them more of a school. Something around 10-12...
I also noticed some really interesting shrimp at my LFS that I'm thinking about, but I'm not sure exactly their species...They look like ghost shrimp, but they're like 2 inches! I've only ever seen like quarter inch ghosties.

And if you ever visit Florida (tee hee), you can of course come by and we can go mucking around in the lakes/river :)
 
#96 ·
Yes! Do it! I would! You totally have the space, especially since you only have 2 Pearls, now. I would bump the Rasbora shoal up to 12, and then bring the loaches up to 6. Your tank will still be very much on the lighter side of stocking, so you would still have room to add more of each species, or add something different if you decide to down the road a bit. . . :)

Your fishums all go together very well, too. It's a lovely tank! I was *this close* to getting rasbora when one of the kinds of Tetra I had been looking for showed up. They're really pretty little things, and for sure will be much happier in a bigger group. And we just LOVE happy fish!

But I'd do some more research into exactly what that shrimpy fella is before bringing it home, lol! And how Pearls would feel about such a thing. I've never kept shrimp, but have always wanted to try it. I'm afraid my rams wouldn't like them much - or rather, I'm afraid they'd like them TOO much, and they wouldn't last long!

Hmmm, I should stop babbling about MY tank on YOUR thread - it's rude! I'm sorry, I get too excited about the tanks! And if I ever end up in your neck of the woods, I'll stalk you until I find your little ponds, lol. That'd be fun :)
 
#97 ·
And if I ever end up in your neck of the woods, I'll stalk you until I find your little ponds, lol. That'd be fun :)
Oh I'm so jealous of your little ponds! I've just spent the last 15 minutes looking up suitable plants that i could find in the UK, i've found nada so far!
 
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#98 ·
I hear ya, Nilet! Must be nice to live in a tropical area. . . I'm jealous, too!

Though I must say, there are some fantastic fish that live in the UK. I've really always wanted to see someone set up a tank with the local wildlife you guys have over there!
 
#99 · (Edited)
I have looked into it, and am doing so now....this might have to be a project for the future as its something i'm interested in!


Still looking up biotopes Jen, trying to find UK but i found this by chance and thought i'd posty it for you as you like the florida lake plants :)

Florida swamps
This would be, quite frankly, a very grisly biotope with redeeming features. Lots of grassy plants, little water flow, and if you’re keeping it topical than plenty of invasive floating plants like Water hyacinth and lettuce.

Sandy substrates are key, with little in the way of hardscape except fallen and very well soaked branches. Light should be blazing, but the tank will be quite dark with all those floaters.

Fish would be made up of three species. The classic Florida flagfish (Jordanella floridae) as well as the mosquito eating Gambusia holbrooki, and the delicately pretty Golden topminnow, Fundulus chrysotus. The fun here would be feeding them. All three are surface feeding insect munchers, and harvesting your own bugs to drop on top would give you a snapshot of exactly how life would be playing out all the way over in the states.

And if we accept that non-natives have become an indelible part of the modern biotope, there’d be no reason not to add a few other commercially seen escapees – like the Platy that currently plagues anywhere wet in North America.
Its from PFK btw.
 
#101 ·
Gorgeous! I love that tank! *swoons* Hopefully one day you'll have the chance to do your own version. . .

I looked into doing a proper biotope for my Mollies at once point. It would have been quite like what you described above, water hyacinth being the dominant (if not only) plant, bright lighting suspended from above (the hyacinth would require a large open-topped tank to thrive). In the end it would have been too difficult for me to pull off with limited budget, cats, and small children. Maybe Jen can, though! Ooooooh, that would be so amazing!
 
#102 ·
We're so hijacking jens thread :-D haha

yes, i had looked into it with the dwarf puffer tank im setting up, but getting hold of some of the ones i like, and tbh, the look of most of them was quite off putting, and because its only a 15 gallon its hard to work with such little space! Theres a few biotopes i'd like to do at some point though, like a gourami in a rice field one, growing actual rice in the tank would be awesome. Maybe more so than the british one, though it is massively under done and we do actually have a few cool fish/plant species out there. the sticklebacks he used in that one were awesome though!

When i actually get round to moving house and can have a proper fish room, having a wall of biotopes would be a dream!
 
#103 ·
Sounds good to me! Rice fields in a tank would be amazing to see. I'd love a fish room - with all of the tanks hooked into one, so cleaning would be a bit easier :) Maybe one day when my kiddo's are all grown up and I have some spare time on my hands, right now MY goal is to get down to ONE tank, lol! Whenever you get your project(s) started, be sure to start a thread and let me know - I just love watching people's tanks grow and develop!
 
#104 · (Edited)
Yeah the rice fields WOULD be amazing, and certainly something different. Everyone has an amazon river, and I can look at some like byrons - to pick an easy good looking tank -all day, but I just want something different! Why I want next to do an amano style scape, the Mrs wanted some ornamental crap in the spare space in the kitchen.... I think it would be so much better to look at a mini piece of nature! Probably go for the standard mini mountain range look. That's what I love about the biotopes too, just a tiny fragment of nature in the house.
I couldn't get down to one, not ever now I don think, I have a list I want to complete.

First tank - community
Dwarf puffer tank
Amano landscape
Hillstream loach river scape
Biotope or 2.
8 ft monster tank - community including balas and clowns probably

I'd settle for them :p (but no doubt want a few more along the way!!!)
 
#105 ·
No, I love hearing about your tanks! I feel bad sometimes, like I'm forcing all the attention on my tank, haha! :D It gives me a good basis for comparison, and plus more to talk about. Us loach lovers must stick together!

You think I'm still on the lighter side? I'm so worried I'm overstocked haha, that's why I've been so reluctant to look at other species or to add to the group. I already have the order in for 4 kuhli loaches, so that will have me at 8. Do you think I still have room for a few more Rasbora? They have a deal on buying 5 at once, but if that's too many I don't mind buying just a few :)

I forget how lucky I am sometimes! I really wish you guys could have the opportunity I do, I'm willing to share plants though if you guys ever see something you're interested in :p Although shipping to you, Nile, might pose a bit of a challenge ;)

That biotope sounds absolutely gorgeous. I might have to go down to the swamps and start up a biotope of one! I've always wanted to take on a biotope. Also, Platys?! I had no idea we had any here...I'll really have to keep my eyes out. That's fascinating....

And those branches look beautiful! Is that anacharis in the background..? And I'm just now noticing the leaves and pebbles, that's a really lovely scape. You should totally try and go for it!
 
#106 ·
Speaking of cats, that's also one of my biggest problems xD I keep wanting to do a 10 gallon open top, but I know my cats couldn't resist drinking the water and chewing on the plants. I've been trying to figure out if I could somehow set up a wire/mesh topper, tall enough for the plants to grow and keeping the cats out of it.

And Nile, growing rice in the tank?! That would be so awesome! That's a really good idea, I'd love to see you start something like that in the future.
 
#107 ·
That's probably one of the most likely bios I'll end up going for Jen. I might even eat the rice :p

The British one is a gorgeous pic though, not sure I have the money for one of them ADA tanks though that size... I could probably but the 8ft tank for the same price! Never seen a second hand one either.... and I've looked!

I will get to the bios though, in time, for now I'm trying not to buy any more and focus on what I've got and getting the puffers housed and happy. My only worry there is they are babies and so I can't sex them..... it's all going to be a game of chance when I pick them out :-( I want 1m and 2f and later to breed them as they can pay for the ADA tank then. Haha!

Shipping costs?!? Bah, I don't think we should worry about a little thing like that, whats a few $$ between friends :p
 
#108 ·
No way, Jen! You can totally rock 8 loaches in there along with the 12 Rasbora and STILL have room for more! I'd do it - but I would add the loaches for a few weeks first, and let the bacteria catch up before adding the Rasa - you don't want to add too many at once or you'll end up with an ammonia spike. Granted, the plants will probably take care of it, but better safe than sorry - it'll be awesome!
 
#110 ·
If you ate the rice that would be like indoor hydroponics (minus eating the fish, of course :p), which is actually a really, really fascinating idea. Growing food indoors as part of an environment but being able to get something from it in return...I wonder if anyone has come up with multiple foods that could be harvested from a tank. Definitely something to think about!

That is going to be scary, would the shop exchange them if you end up with the wrong genders? I looked into genders and it's bit scary that it's so hard to tell them apart...

And Chesh, yup! Definitely going to go slowly. The rasboras are always at the shop, they're in the larger angelfish tank, and no one ever buys them except me :p It's been the same rasboras in that tank for months. They don't order fish in until the entire species stock is gone. So I'm pretty much moving the entire school into my tank at this point xD I'm really excited for my loaches, I just hope they're the right ones! The lady almost ordered me clowns x.x That would have been horrifying.

Yeah, I'm slowly working on on the equipment for a 10 gal but I'm taking that slowwww, still working on mastering one tank.
 
#111 ·
:( Poor Rasa! Wonder why nobody buys 'em? At least you know they're settled in and healthy, neh? That's the way to go, really. Our local chain store gets them in all the time (sad, but it's my best shop now!), they're BABIES. Seriously, these fish are soooooo tiny, they're practically fry! SO cute, but I always wonder how many are lost because of the stress with them being so young. You'll have to update us when you get your loaches in - I know you will! I'm excited for you! Your tank is really plugging along quickly!

Nilet, do YOU have a tank thread of your own? I really enjoy watching people's tanks grow, and (obviously) chatting about the scaley ones. :)
 
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