150g for Suki the Fahaka- updated pics 1/14

[eklikewhoa]

I've always ran the eheims like this and wet/dry the same.

Never used fx5s till recent and they're the worst pos I've owned. The FX5s now run only bio with zero mechanical.

With the eheims I relied on the wetdry to do most of the mechanical since it was easier to service, just change out the bonded pad more often.

[SunnyHouTX]

Re: 150g for Suki the Fahaka- updated pics 2/9

Yeah, I also ran my FX5 filters with just bio media and the sponges that came with them. Worked great.

Sasha, you'll be surprised how much junk ends up in the canister even with just one bonded blue pad up top.

[LooksLater]

Sasha, you'll be surprised how much junk ends up in the canister even with just one bonded blue pad up top.

Oh, I know. Mine get plugged up pretty fast. I was hoping all that mech at the bottom and back-flushing would help me stretch out maintenance. That's why I'm asking. I'll service as much as I need to, but if I can find a way to pack the canisters that's good for her and easier for me, then...awesome.

So do you guys have any suggestions as far as how to set up the intakes/spraybars for good flow and movement of detritus? I suck at that. So far, my plan is- 2262 spraybar on right side wall of the tank, pointed down at an angle to push crud off the floor to the left side of the tank, where the 2262 intake will be. Then use the 2215 spraybar for surface agitation, maybe on the left wall, pointed straight across to aid in a circular-kind-of flow? With that intake maybe in the right back corner, where I'm thinking there may be a bit of a dead spot. Sound like it'd work? I'm open to any suggestions.
Also have the powerhead to place in there somewhere...

[SunnyHouTX]

Re: 150g for Suki the Fahaka- updated pics 2/9

I can't quite explain, but can demonstrate how I place powerheads when I come over for the native collection trip

[Geral]

I rather have fx5 than Eheim , that's a never ending thread.
I have Eheim and fx5 and I rather have fx5 as mechanical
And a wet and dry as biological . Just my 2 cents

[Ogrodii]

Re: 150g for Suki the Fahaka- updated pics 2/9

+1Fx5 I had two 2260's and replaced them with two Fx5

[mnemenoi]

I like the layout and it gives her a nice amount of sand bed to dig in if she wants. Now to get those plants throwing out some growth and leaves to fill it all in and look dense. Nice layering of the crypts. I'm all for nabbing some taller plants if we can find some though. Some Crinium, Ruffled sword, and taller Aponogetins would all fit the bill. Oh, and taller Temple Bells....

[troy tucker]

Suki will be very happy...

[allysangels]

just a thought... most "mechanical" media is bio as well... sponge and bonded padding have tons of surface area for bacteria growth as well. suki is one lucky "girl".

[LooksLater]

Definitely need some taller plants to help with the scale, the size of this tank just keeps blowing me away every time I look at it.

And thanks you guys!

Things are going pretty well, the cycle fish -danios- are getting way fat and coloring up really nicely. And Stability is amazing, I don't think I'll ever start up another tank without it.
Getting some algae- brown on the back wall and wood, some green on the rocks. Realized I'd pulled some BBA into this tank on the temple bells and anubias...
(nnNNnnnNnoooOoooOoo!!! )

I pulled it out to spot treat in a bucket and will put it back soon. Do you guys think I should start heavy Excel dosing & try to get the algae under control, or just wait for it to stabilize?

[eklikewhoa]

Hit it with excel!

just make sure there's no plants that don't take well to it.

[LooksLater]

Yeah, there's val in there... but I'm starting to not care. Withholding excel in the ebi led to disaster- if I can't keep excel-wussy plants, so be it.


No val is better than an algae farm!

[LooksLater]

I finally got my refund from valuepetsupplies.com, so the name of the store is now included in my unhappy review post #47, here: http://www.houstonfishbox.com/vforum...pics-2-9/page5

I was originally told the refund process would take "a few days, tops!", and ended up calling the 4th business day they had the filter back in their possession. She was rude, unhelpful and tried to tell me it'd take up to three weeks, until I threatened to file a complaint with the BBB. We got an email a few hours later, saying they were in the process of processing it. Next day: refund.

They are also still listing it as "in-stock" on the website, just FYI.

Their business practices are some of the shadiest I have ever dealt with... absolutely bizarre.

[New2petro]

Tank looks great. Love the setup.

[LooksLater]

After the swap 'n sell last Sat, we added 8 crossochielus siamensis, and they've done a great job cleaning up the algae. Added some more plants, a 2217, the powerhead, and... finally moved SUKI!

FTS-


The siamese algae eaters, helping me out with the flame moss-


Death Lurk, or Peekaboo- depending on how you want to look at it I suppose-


This seems to be her favorite spot so far, either dancing in the 2262 flow, or sulking behind the tree trunk-


And who's up for a game of Find The Puffer?



I love that this tank is actually big enough for her to hide a little bit.
She's handling it pretty well so far, a little moody but still exploring and hunting down snails...she's tried for the danios and SAE's, but hasn't gotten one so far!