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Now do you think that the owners really take care of them? I bet not!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Bensaf?!? He wishes!

So the secrets out, Bensaf and Nowher are the same person. One playing the protist collaborator and the other the playing the protist destroyer.



My Scapes

Yeah, I am also having a hard time figuring out which one is Bensaf and which one is NowherMan6. Supposedly, they even look alike (or was that me and Bensaf ).



Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

oops, sorry nowherman....I always confuse you two cause of your posting colors. one of you needs to switch to red letters or something. Oh wait...then you'd look like me...dangit.

ma bad...

But seriosuly, you always have to keep in mind that some of these pictures are taken to be one shot deals, at least when it comes to fish.

But see that's what makes work for us LFS employees more difficult.

Average salt newb: So I got this 55G tank and I was thinking that I could put (insert mouth dropping number of large fish here) in it.

Me: (laughs)

Average salt newb: What?

Me: Oh. You were serious....no that most likely won't work.

Average salt newb: But I saw this picture of a tank on the box that my 55G came in, and most of those fish were in it. The guy at petsmart said it would work to if I did enough waterchanges, like every other month.

Me: Ahhh, you'd probably want 1000G of water in your system and a display of 500G to comfortably house those fish together.

Average salt newb: (confused look)

Me: Let me show you some fish that would work out great in a 55.

Average salt newb: That's it?

Me: Well if you add a large sump and have great filtration - lots of LR, a nice skimmer, You could probably add a few more fish.

Average salt newb: What's a ssss...What did you say?

As you can see the conversation starts to deteriorate from here. Generally they either start thinking for the first time, or an embalism pops. Both of which have a similar effect, massive drooling. At least I get paid for my frustrations.

And yes, I'm exaggerating a little bit. But I do get this conversation at least once a day.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Supposedly, they even look alike

I'll repeat - he wishes

And just for the record, I had the grey on grey going while he was still with a yellow background. But does seniority count in this case?

Anyway, Matty I see the problem. Similar idea was touched on by tetra in LFs thread, about the large amount of fish in certain pics. They should realistically be causing problems for the tank, but the tanks look pristine. In any case, the design is the thing

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Back in the saddle!

That's pretty funny Matty, but brings out an excellent point. Most novices when they go into a LFS they see big fish in a 20gallon, but don't realize the central filtration system behind the whole thing. It's not the size of the tank it's the size of the bio area, etc.

LF, you asked about Amanos tanks with all the large schools of fish. He's a great photographer, visionist, etc, but he's got to abide by the laws of nature like everyone else. We don't know what he's running for filtration. The fish could be dumped in their for the photo opp, but many of his tanks might be off one central system with a hugh amount of area.

My Scapes

Good point tetratech

And NowherMan6, always be friendly to old people and give them the right of way

While we are talking about loads of fish in small tanks:
Have you ever seen the adds that show you multiple tanks in different sizes that the manufacturer offers (as kits)? The all have the same picture of fish on them, just the image is shrunk down proportionally (and they do this on the kit package as well). So, while their stocking on a 20G with 10 platies in the picture would make sense, they show the same one for the 6G, expect that the fish are now so small on the display that they look like some "yet to be discovered" pygmy form of platies.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

That's true LF,

Take a look at these pearls in a 5 gallon hex.

http://www.marineland.com/products/consumer/con_hex.asp

Oh I forgot the tank must be drilled thru the bottom and dumps to a big a** sump.

My Scapes

*shakes fish at manufacturers*


I did see a guy on reefcentral that had a 26 bowfront with a 200 gallon sump with maybe 100lbs of LR in the system. I think he had a 3-4 inch hippo tang, a couple clowns, a wrasse, and a goby or two. That normally wouldn't work out for the best, but he can pull it off because he's got such a large volume of water behind the scenes. He still got flamed because there really wasn't a lot of swimming room for the tang. The water was probably clean of waste though.

There's always some sign of plumbing, it doesn't matter how great a photographer you are, that's 5 gouramis in a 5g hex. And Amano probably keeps each individual tank on it's own. He has different parameters for everything, and that wouldn't be possible if everything was connected. He doesn't drill any of his tanks that I've seen. Most of his tanks you can see the eveolution of the tank, and there's no remote body of water. Just the 500 cardinals in 100G. I never see how he filters the water either though....hmmm. He could have a nice big cannister or 2-3 on his tanks.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

*shakes fish at manufacturers*

Matt! Why do you have to shake the fish all the time?? BE NICE!

BWT it is crap like that, that makes me very unhappy at work some days. Just because someone saw a picture of it, it doesn't mean that it is true! Stupid people! I bet they don't even keep fish!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Matt! Why do you have to shake the fish all the time?? BE NICE!

Sometimes it's the only way to get through to people.

BWT it is crap like that, that makes me very unhappy at work some days. Just because someone saw a picture of it, it doesn't mean that it is true! Stupid people! I bet they don't even keep fish!

Yep, though at my store we have to sell these dumb people the fish they want to kill, we can at least take away the guarantee. Most of the time people will reconsider if they know they can't bring the fish back if it dies. They won't listen to "It's a bad idea to do that, the fish will probably die." but they'll listen to "no guarntee" pretty well.


Oh...and [/rant]

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Matty,

That is a great idea, eliminating the guarantee is something I haven't thought about. Maybe it would be even better to have a big sign over the entry that states: "We reserve the right to revoke the guarantee if we feel that you are too stupid to pick the right fish for your tank"

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

/rant I have built two web sites today!! GRR!! haha

Yeah I have had to do that a few times but I should proably do it more. We only do 48 hours anyways but none of our tanks are conected. Except the salt tanks. But they all go into OT for a few weeks before coming into the store.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Maybe it would be even better to have a big sign over the entry

Nah, we like to spring this on people to catch them off guard. It works better that way.

We only do 48 hours anyways but none of our tanks are conected. Except the salt tanks. But they all go into OT for a few weeks before coming into the store.

We do a full week including marine fish and corals. There are a few select fish we don't offer guarantees on for good reasons. We have individual tanks as well for all our freshwater, and our salt section has 5 different systems and 4 LR tanks to try and keep everything seperate as much as possible. One for fish only, one for corals only, two for inverts and small fish that need to be seperate from other fish, and one for an odd mixture of things.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Well I think this is going to be the last post before I move. I guess I'm not going to do a paludarium. My housemate(girlfriend) doesn't want anything in the house that can survive out of water for any amount of time. So tetratech....deals off. No more SW info for you just kidding. So I guess that means I must continue with my log, though I'm thinking tank change. Maybe a 33L maybe a 40Br or 50 like LF. Corner bow? I'm undecided at this point except for the fact that I don't like disproportionately tall/skinny tanks. I want some room to scape. What do you guys think?

So if I get a new tank, do I start a new log?

Anyways, I'll get to this week's update. Things are going well, even though I keep forgetting to dose ferts due to finals/work/life. It ends up that lately I've been dosing twice a week and doing 5ppm of nitrate and 1ppm of PO4 and 3mLs of micros at each dosing. This isn't what I want, but it seems to get the job done. I liked how the ludwiggia looked ever since I hacked it all the way down to get rid of the algae, so I kept it that way, just trimming it down a bit every week. I detest the left side of the tank(mostly just the bacopa), but I'm going to leave it until I move. I like everything from the ludwiggia to the right, though the tenellus hasn't seemed to come back yet. I doubt it will now, I think I killed it all. I put a little trimming of my nana in the foreground. I think I have 2.5 feet of anubias nana in my tank . That and the huge ball of lace java fern is taking over the tank! Attack of the slow growers! All joking aside...I really like the giant java fern, it's my favorite thing about that tank right now.

OK to the pic: (nice color on the crypt in the front left though, huh?)

Attached Image:

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

anything in the house that can survive out of water for any amount of time. So tetratech....deals off

Sorry to hear that about the paludarium. I'd imagine the paludarium would have been alot of work to keep clean considering the animals that would co-habiat wit the fish.

Plants look really good. I like that lace fern. I saw a 200g tank once that had a few hugh bushes of that stuff with some strategically placed rock and it looked really great.

My Scapes

So I guess that means I must continue with my log, though I'm thinking tank change

Maybe a 33L maybe a 40Br or 50 like LF

I am going for the 40G Breeder, you can do the same and we can have a straight competition

So if I get a new tank, do I start a new log?

Absolutely

To your tank now: I like its look, although some plants need to grow back. Yeah, the fern is very nice. My favorite in the picture is - the Pearl

Gotta run now, wife is calling me for dinner.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

I'd imagine the paludarium would have been alot of work to keep clean

Yeah, you're right. I'm probably better off this way. One planted tank and one reef tank is plenty of work.

Plants look really good. I like that lace fern.

Thanks, I'm going to regret getting rid of that one, since I'm still going to tear down the tank before I move. I think I bought it for $3...I wonder how much it will go for now attached to a peice of driftwood.

I am going for the 40G Breeder, you can do the same and we can have a straight competition

Well if you feel like waiting for me then we can definitely have a scape-off. I'm sure you'd win though. I don't have good vision.

Gotta run now, wife is calling me for dinner.

You got a good lady there Ingo. Makes dinner AND puts up with the fish thing. That's a keeper.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

It's funny how we're all getting the itch for new/ restarted tanks. I'm going to replace my 46 bowfront myself - the shape is hard to deal with, as is the perspective when viewing the tank. Personally I'm waffling between something in the 20 gallon range and 40-50 gallon range. We'll see how much OT I make in the next month or so

That, I guess, is a segway into commenting on your tank choices. I would stay away from a corner tank. Not that there isn't enough room, but it would provide a real challange when scaping it, starting first and foremost with the curved glass and how it effects the appearance of the scape.

And definetely start a new log

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Back in the saddle!

then we can definitely have a scape-off

I am not gonna wait for you, instead I am going to enjoy my head start

I'm sure you'd win though. I don't have good vision

If there is one thing that will stop me from ever becoming a great planter then it is my lack of vision. There is no other explanation for why I seem to strip my 125 about every 2 months and move everything around. I just cannot envision how it all will come together. So, I would say we are even in that department

That's a keeper

Yup, she is . Since almost 12 years by now.

Ingo

EDIT: And NowherMan6 - get a 40G Breeder as well, so we can have a 3-way scape-off

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

It's funny how we're all getting the itch for new/ restarted tanks.

I got bored with my planted tank like 4-5 months ago(the tank has been up for 1 year and 4 months now). Ingo made me keep going. It's a good thing I did though, or I never would have come up with my modified EI schedule - and thus never would have enjoyed a higher light setup. I think it's important to switch things up or you lose interest(that's no excuse for rescaping every two months LF). At least I do.

I would stay away from a corner tank. Not that there isn't enough room, but it would provide a real challange when scaping it, starting first and foremost with the curved glass and how it effects the appearance of the scape.

Yeah, I thought it might be interesting to scape(though not as easy), and I've never had anything but a rectangular box.... Corner bows are more expensive(no discounts on tanks for me), so I doubt I'll go that route for just that reason. I bet if done right it would look pretty sweet though. Maybe I'll do that in the future with a 94 corner bow. That would be nice.

I'll probably get either the 40br or the 33. I think I'm going to get the 50 for my reef tank(Can't have two of the same tanks and upgrade the lights to T5 HO, and use the 3foot 2X96W PC fixture for the 40Br. The 33 is 4 feet long, and I'd have to get another fixture, and I don't think I can fit 2 new fixtures into the budget.

I am not gonna wait for you, instead I am going to enjoy my head start

*shakes fish at LF*
I guess chivalry is dead or whatever. So be it. You'll start over a few times before I even get going, so I guess it's fair.

There is no other explanation for why I seem to strip my 125 about every 2 months and move everything around.

Sure there is...you're fidgety. With the plants, the fish, the equipment. Me, I just let my aquascape continue to go without vision. So either that or you're normal and I'm just lazy.

I'm going to come up with a great aquascape for the next tank. Instead of planning everything else out and spending little time on the actual scape design, I'm going to spend a few days coming up with an aquascape and plants that will fit it. As of now, I have no idea what I want.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Yeah, that pretty much sums it up

I'm going to come up with a great aquascape for the next tank

And that is what I am telling myself as well. But I did that for the 125G, too, and it didn't work out

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

And that is what I am telling myself as well. But I did that for the 125G, too, and it didn't work out

I think scaping a 40BR is going to be easier than scaping a 125. The key is finding proportionate rocks and DW and plants. Scaping the 125 is hard because it's so long and it's difficult to carry horizontal flow for 72 inches. That seemed to be on of the problems you kept running into - you'd wind up with a scape that looked like it could be a the scape for 3 different tanks rather than one continuous one. 36 is much much more managable. It's better IMO to have good depth compared to length, rather than overall length. I'd rather have 48X24 or 36X18 over 72X18 or a similar long tank.

I'm lookinf forward to seeing both your tanks, that way I can see what I'm up against

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Back in the saddle!

And that is what I am telling myself as well. But I did that for the 125G, too, and it didn't work out

I think the key would be to use larger groups of less kinds of plants instead of small groups of lots of plants. At least for those of us that aren't as talented as others. Bensaf could probably make 20 different plants in a 10G tank look like there's good cohesion. Me I can't do that, so all I know is that my scape will probably be quite simple. I think that's what nowherman was trying to get to.

I didn't really do that with this tank. I went out with a simple scape plan that wasn't well defined and just tried to make the plants grow nice. I think I'm knowledgeable enough now to take the growing of most plants for granted and try to assemble a nice scape.

That's the hope anyways, not sure if I'll follow through on that.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients