# LGD's 75g Amazon inspired blackwater



## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

no updates because of effing photobucket, but check the last page for the most recent update. 

So here's my tank journal. I remember seeing a blackwater setup years ago, back in the 80's and thought it was the coolest tank I ever saw. I still think that, and finally got around to doing one. But I wanted to do it right, and it took this long before I could do things exactly the way I had in my head. 

Gear:
Marineland 75g with glass lids
2x Marineland Advanced LED light
Hydor 350 canister filter, set up with spray bar, filled with foam, Seachem Matrix and Seachem Renew 
Hydor inline heater

Scape:
Pool filter sand, mixed with locally sourced reddish-brown sand and gravel about 2-1 ratio
Various rocks I've collected and purchased over the years
Several different woods I've acquired
Various leaves and pods from Tannin Aquatics

Fauna:
10 Cardinal tetras
2 marble hatchets
14 Metae cories, maybe more, they keep making more! 
8 Emperor Tetras
1 Otto (yes, I know, it's the last one of a school I purchased years ago) 
1 clown pleco
2 Colombian plecos
1 blue angelfish
1 21-year old Raphael catfish
8 laetacara araguaie 
Ramshorn snails
Malaysian trumpet snails
Pond snails
Mini-ramshorn
Limpets (yes, I don't mind snails) 
Unknown amount of caridina culls. 

Flora:
Brazilian pennywort
2 red tiger lotus, struggling right now
Stunted red Rubin sword, slowly growing since placed in tank
Echinodorus angustifolia, Thanks to @Method and his class for the proper ID! 

Water has a pH of 5.8 and tds is around 50. 


I'm not the best photographer, so please bear with my pics. Here's the whole tank, more to come. I'll be updating somewhat regularly, especially with the ever-changing aspect of the leaf and other botanical natural degradation process.


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## Ssid (Jul 1, 2013)

Looking good daddy...I have always wanted to do one as well. Maybe I can take some inspiration. Will look better once it's filled in a bit. Are you planning for more angels? What are water parameters? Good luck n keep us posted. Cheers..

Bump: Have you thought of a darker background? Will add to the effect.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Ssid said:


> Looking good daddy...I have always wanted to do one as well. Maybe I can take some inspiration. Will look better once it's filled in a bit. Are you planning for more angels? What are water parameters? Good luck n keep us posted. Cheers..
> 
> Bump: Have you thought of a darker background? Will add to the effect.


Thanks! I hope I do inspire you, as I've gotten plenty of inspiration from others here. Filled in? I don't plan on it being much more planted than it is, other than the lotus developing, but we'll see. :wink2:

I edited in water parameters, but I'm at pH6.4/6.5, TDS is 50 give or take on the day, and nitrates have been Less than 5. I've been changing 25% or so 2-3x a week, to deal with any new tank issues, although I used my old biomedia, and the plants, some rocks and wood were actively in use before moving to this tank. My wellwater is pH 6.5/35 TDS, so it makes a great soft water base. Some purists would say I should have even lower tds, but I'm happy doing no work at all to adjust. 

I recently picked up a girlfriend for this angel, but they didn't hit it off. One day, she's attackig him, and the next day he's the aggressor, neither of which resulted in mating, just missing scales and a scratched cornea. She's currently hanging out in my spare tank. Matchmaking worked well for me before, but not this time. I've been debating getting some juveniles, as there shouldn't be any aggression toward them from the big fella. Otherwise, I'm going to move toward more small fish, maybe a huge cardinal school, or smaller schools of others. 

I tried some experimental backgrounds on small spare tanks, and was not fully happy with them. It looks a lot better in person, except for the tubes showing. I may try a non-permanent background at some point. Although I love it when the sunlight shines through and makes a lovely tannin-tinted shade on the wall behind.

Bump:

Bump:


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Some update pics. The biofilm/white fungus has mostly gone away, and I've added some more leaves and pods. The first pic was taken while the water was still somewhat clear. It's getting even darker than the two lower pics show.


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## NotCousteau (Sep 25, 2014)

Very nice!


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## sdwindansea (Oct 28, 2016)

I really like the tank setup. Do you have the Hydor 350 spray bar setup to go the length of the tank (e.g. left to right) or front to back? I just got the 350 for a brand new 60 gallon setup (48 x 15 x 17) and I'm struggling with how to place it. If I go the length of the tank I'm going to have to cut the spray bar a bit to get it to fit the width of the tank (2 sections are slightly too long). Thanks!


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## ArchimedesTheDog (Apr 9, 2012)

This is really pretty.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

sdwindansea said:


> I really like the tank setup. Do you have the Hydor 350 spray bar setup to go the length of the tank (e.g. left to right) or front to back? I just got the 350 for a brand new 60 gallon setup (48 x 15 x 17) and I'm struggling with how to place it. If I go the length of the tank I'm going to have to cut the spray bar a bit to get it to fit the width of the tank (2 sections are slightly too long). Thanks!



I have it blowing from back to front, I think it had 3 or 4 sections, and each one is at a different angle. I'm surprised yours only has two. 




ArchimedesTheDog said:


> This is really pretty.


Thanks!


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## sdwindansea (Oct 28, 2016)

longgonedaddy said:


> I have it blowing from back to front, I think it had 3 or 4 sections, and each one is at a different angle. I'm surprised yours only has two.


It came with 4 sections, but I would only be able to use 1.75 if I ran it the length of the aquarium (width is only 15"). With it blowing back to front do you find you have too much flow (what is the width of your aquarium)? Any dead spots? Thanks!


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

sdwindansea said:


> It came with 4 sections, but I would only be able to use 1.75 if I ran it the length of the aquarium (width is only 15"). With it blowing back to front do you find you have too much flow (what is the width of your aquarium)? Any dead spots? Thanks!


Oh, I didn't realize the size of your setup. Mine is a standard 75 gallon 48" left to right, 18" front to back, and 21" top to bottom. 

I have the four sections all pointed on different angles, although all generally point forward, rather than down. The return comes in about 2/5 from the left. The left side of the tank is a little bit more still, particularly in the front, but I don't believe that I have any truly dead spots. I have the outflow cut down to about half, and the current is very brisk. Wide open, and it would be fine for a reef, that's how strong these filters are. I'm thinking of drilling out the spray bar holes a bit to slow the current, as I don't feel comfortable throttling down the outflow any more.


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## sdwindansea (Oct 28, 2016)

longgonedaddy said:


> Oh, I didn't realize the size of your setup. Mine is a standard 75 gallon 48" left to right, 18" front to back, and 21" top to bottom.
> 
> I have the four sections all pointed on different angles, although all generally point forward, rather than down. The return comes in about 2/5 from the left. The left side of the tank is a little bit more still, particularly in the front, but I don't believe that I have any truly dead spots. I have the outflow cut down to about half, and the current is very brisk. Wide open, and it would be fine for a reef, that's how strong these filters are. I'm thinking of drilling out the spray bar holes a bit to slow the current, as I don't feel comfortable throttling down the outflow any more.


Thanks for the description and makes sense. I probably will not know what to do until the tank is actually full of water. Looking forward to watching the progress of your tank.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

My Colombian pleco thinks I can't see him.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Interesting observation. Consistently the water has been testing at 1* KH, I think from a rock, as neither the PFS, nor the local sand produced any KH when I was doing some trial runs. I'm not really concerned about it, as it might give me a little stability to counter piles of decaying vegetation. What is interesting is that the snails are doing much better than in my previous tank, which was always had no measurable carbonate, but the water parameters are nearly identical in all other aspects. 

Ramshorns always struggled for me, but now they are getting larger than I had ever seen. The Malaysian trumpets actually have points on the back of their shells. I've had them for years, and I never saw points, just blunted ends. And the pond or bladder snails, whatever they may be, are breeding like crazy, and the bigger ones are much more robust than in the tank from which they came.


Forgot to add that I added 8 emperor tetras and the Colombian pleco you see above in the beginning of November, all doing well.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Here's a pic to give you an idea how tannin-stained the water really is:


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## DennisSingh (Nov 8, 2004)

I'm liking it, fish must be happy, get your catfishes's some buddies but don't over do it.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

StrungOut said:


> I'm liking it, fish must be happy, get your catfishes's some buddies but don't over do it.


Glad you like! 

Friends for cats? A dozen cories aren't enough? :wink2: 
Or are you talking about the plecs? It's in the plans. At least for the Colombian. The clown is a little older, so I'm somewhat leery of getting some more. 

And the Raphael, well,I'd like to not have to worry about including the new ones in my will. I might have to do that with this one, and I'm only in my 40s!


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Some updates, found two baby cories, but couldn't get pics, they really dive into the leaves. The plants have been getting holes in the leaves, I'm hoping it's a potassium deficiency, and not the snails eating them. So I picked up some potassium and have flourish complete. I'm going to begin dosing small increments, I get enough nitrogen and phosphorus from the fish waste and leaves deteriorating. Also, the Frogbit hasn't been doing too good, not sure if it's low nutrients or physical conditions, so I'm going to try some floating pennywort as a surface cover. 

Some pics:

Cardinal









Emperor









Caught this pond snail with its mouth open


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## bsantucci (Sep 30, 2013)

Looking good! 
I just set up an amazon blackwater biotopish tank myself. I have a harem of apisto agassiziis now and a small school of hatchets. Got all my leaf litter and pods from Scott @ Tannin Aquatics as well! 

Are you running rodi for the soft water? I'm pretty much identical to you hovering around 50 tds. Feel free to jump into my journal from time to time I'd love to trade ideas with you since not many of us are running tanks like this. My tank is super dark from the tannins too. 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

bsantucci said:


> Looking good!
> I just set up an amazon blackwater biotopish tank myself. I have a harem of apisto agassiziis now and a small school of hatchets. Got all my leaf litter and pods from Scott @ Tannin Aquatics as well!
> 
> Are you running rodi for the soft water? I'm pretty much identical to you hovering around 50 tds. Feel free to jump into my journal from time to time I'd love to trade ideas with you since not many of us are running tanks like this. My tank is super dark from the tannins too.
> ...


Thanks! 

Hey! Coincidentally, I was looking at your thread at lunch today. :wink2: I'll make sure I subscribe and comment. 

No rodi, my well water comes out around 35 and pH of 6.5. I know some backwater Purists will scoff at that, but the less work I have to do the better! 

Yeah, we should definitely discuss our experiences, as it's close to not us on here with a botanical tank.


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

Set my first one up yesterday and I'm loving it.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Nlewis said:


> Set my first one up yesterday and I'm loving it.


What plants are you going with, other than the Vals and swords you mentioned in your thread? Are you going with botanicals like bsantucci and me?


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

longgonedaddy said:


> What plants are you going with, other than the Vals and swords you mentioned in your thread? Are you going with botanicals like bsantucci and me?


Lmao, I just got finished ordering some stuff from Tannin Aquatics. Not sure on plants though other than what I currently have due to the fact it's lower light so options are limited. Cobomba and stargrass seem to be native but I don't think they will do well in lower light. I am running my co2 but have yet to figure out a dosing regimen.

Oh yeah, and I'm not so sure about adding snails or not.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

It's. cool that you're getting stuff from Tannin. Like I said in the first post, it's been a nearly lifelong goal to have this tank set up, and Tannin Aquatics made it possible. Scott's a good guy, and has been very helpful to me. 

One thing about the snails, my old tank was a low to mid tech/light setup. Fish were the focus, but I had really strong plant growth. In that tank, with water not too different, only a little more tds and pH was more like 6.7, I had moderate snail growth. In this tank, with less ideal conditions for snails, but with all that decomposing matter for them to munch on, the snails have gotten to the point that I think I need to do something about it, if they continue to grow in population. 

I don't mind them at their current population, but still thinking about getting an assassin, or filling in the dwarf cichlid hole in the tank with a Laetacara species. They are supposed to be snail eaters, but not as much as a loach. I like he snails, I just want to make sure they stay in check.


I thought about star grass for this tank, but didn't want the hassle of stems.


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## bsantucci (Sep 30, 2013)

longgonedaddy said:


> It's. cool that you're getting stuff from Tannin. Like I said in the first post, it's been a nearly lifelong goal to have this tank set up, and Tannin Aquatics made it possible. Scott's a good guy, and has been very helpful to me.
> 
> One thing about the snails, my old tank was a low to mid tech/light setup. Fish were the focus, but I had really strong plant growth. In that tank, with water not too different, only a little more tds and pH was more like 6.7, I had moderate snail growth. In this tank, with less ideal conditions for snails, but with all that decomposing matter for them to munch on, the snails have gotten to the point that I think I need to do something about it, if they continue to grow in population.
> 
> ...


What's you gh? I threw some trumpet snails in my tank but half expected them to die cause of the lack of minerals in the rodi. I do want some snails in my tank too. If yours are thriving with no mineral content maybe I'll give it a shot. 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

bsantucci said:


> What's you gh? I threw some trumpet snails in my tank but half expected them to die cause of the lack of minerals in the rodi. I do want some snails in my tank too. If yours are thriving with no mineral content maybe I'll give it a shot.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk



I last checked GH and KH on 12/21 and Both were 1. TDS gets around 50 before a water change. The pH is now 6.0/6.1. 
Definitely not snail friendly, but they seem to ignore the numbers. I occasionally throw in some calcium enhanced veggie sticks, but not with any regularity. 

I've always kept softer water tanks, and never had a problem with trumpets. Other snails, yes, but never trumpets.


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## bsantucci (Sep 30, 2013)

You use straight rodi right? Where is the gh and kh coming from? 

I have tons of snails so I'll just throw them in. Worst case their shells erode. 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

bsantucci said:


> You use straight rodi right? Where is the gh and kh coming from?
> 
> I have tons of snails so I'll just throw them in. Worst case their shells erode.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


I use my well water. It comes out usually around pH 6.5, 35 tds, GH never more than , usually 2, varying by seasons. No KH. I think that may be coming from a rock, or maybe the sand I got from my local stream. 

In my other tanks, the trumpets never had pointy shells. I guess the ends would break or erode off. But the rest of the shell was normal. Ramshorns and spixi had all kinds of erosion in the other tanks. In this tank, the trumpet shells are nice and pointy. I don't have any spixi, but the ramshorns are growing huge and clean. I don't understand.


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## bsantucci (Sep 30, 2013)

longgonedaddy said:


> I use my well water. It comes out usually around pH 6.5, 35 tds, GH never more than , usually 2, varying by seasons. No KH. I think that may be coming from a rock, or maybe the sand I got from my local stream.
> 
> In my other tanks, the trumpets never had pointy shells. I guess the ends would break or erode off. But the rest of the shell was normal. Ramshorns and spixi had all kinds of erosion in the other tanks. In this tank, the trumpet shells are nice and pointy. I don't have any spixi, but the ramshorns are growing huge and clean. I don't understand.


Hmm, I think the 0 gh/kh in my tank may be the cause of my issues after reading this. Thinking I may cut my tap in half with rodi and use that going forward. Should give me roughly 75tds and about 3gh/.5kh. Plus it's also a time consuming and wastes a lot of water to make 35-40 gallons of RODI weekly. My tap is really pretty good here, just a tad high on GH for my liking.

You have some natural GH there from your well, I wonder if that's the difference between our tanks.....


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

bsantucci said:


> Hmm, I think the 0 gh/kh in my tank may be the cause of my issues after reading this. Thinking I may cut my tap in half with rodi and use that going forward. Should give me roughly 75tds and about 3gh/.5kh. Plus it's also a time consuming and wastes a lot of water to make 35-40 gallons of RODI weekly. My tap is really pretty good here, just a tad high on GH for my liking.
> 
> You have some natural GH there from your well, I wonder if that's the difference between our tanks.....


I dunno. It might not be just the water. Like I said, my other tank, with the same water, and less acidic, because I wasn't running the botanicals, the snails struggled. I think it's either a rock or the sand I collected that has something beneficial. I tend to think that if I eliminated the rock or sand, the snails would be struggling.

But still, you might be on to something with using some tap mixed in. After all, you're not trying to match the Rio ***** to each twig and copepod, so enjoy the blackwater, and get the water to a point to make all your livestock happy.


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

So I've got some questions. What kind of schedule are you using for water changes? What are you doing to keep the tannins up? Are you consistently adding new leaves?


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

I try to change every week but often it gets out to 2 weeks. I add a few leaves or pods mid week or at the WC to keep it darker. No real schedule for anything, just more of a feel for when it's needed.


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## doinkmobb (May 12, 2010)

Ah, another blackwater enthusiast, cool. My water comes out at about 20-25ppm, but it's a struggle to keep the TDS under 70. My 18 Colombian tetras eat an insane amount, which I'm sure contributes to the elevated TDS. I've been lazy with water changes lately, I should stick to a better schedule. 

Tank looks good, I like the shimmer effect of the LED in the stained water.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

doinkmobb said:


> Ah, another blackwater enthusiast, cool. My water comes out at about 20-25ppm, but it's a struggle to keep the TDS under 70. My 18 Colombian tetras eat an insane amount, which I'm sure contributes to the elevated TDS. I've been lazy with water changes lately, I should stick to a better schedule.
> 
> Tank looks good, I like the shimmer effect of the LED in the stained water.


Yes, we're starting to get our own little blackwater club, aren't we? 


I've admired your tank from the first post, and you were one of the recent ones whose tank finally gave me the kick in the pants to get my own Bw setup. So, thanks for the inspiration!


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Added four marbled hatchets, that's all my LFS had. Hopefully, these will do well, and I can add some more to make a good school. Plus a second Colombian pleco, hopefully the two may venture out a little bit more than the single one was.


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

Nice, I got my new fish today too. Unfortunately it looks oils like I need to shell out more $$$$ for some more Fire reds.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Nlewis said:


> Nice, I got my new fish today too. Unfortunately it looks oils like I need to shell out more $$$$ for some more Fire reds.


Yeah, I saw your thread eariler, too bad you couldn't get the hasbrosus, but those elegans are interesting for sure. What's going on with the apistos? I've been thinking of getting apistos or laetacara of some sort, to round out this tank.


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

longgonedaddy said:


> Yeah, I saw your thread eariler, too bad you couldn't get the hasbrosus, but those elegans are interesting for sure. What's going on with the apistos? I've been thinking of getting apistos or laetacara of some sort, to round out this tank.


I'm about 100% sure I got 2 females and not a pair, further more I ordered 4 fire reds and received 2. I'm ordering more and they will be coming from Apisto Dave, check him out.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Nlewis said:


> I'm about 100% sure I got 2 females and not a pair, further more I ordered 4 fire reds and received 2. I'm ordering more and they will be coming from Apisto Dave, check him out.


Ah, that stinks. 

I checked out his site in the past, but haven't lately. I think I'll go now.


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

longgonedaddy said:


> Ah, that stinks.
> 
> I checked out his site in the past, but haven't lately. I think I'll go now.


Got my pair from him yesterday and will post some pics this weekend.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Nlewis said:


> Got my pair from him yesterday and will post some pics this weekend.


Looking froward to them! I think I've made my mind up to get laetacara araguaie or dorsigera instead of the apistos. 

Quick little update, one of the hatchets I added last weekend didn't make it to the next morning. He was a little wonky at the store, with a slight spine deformity. But looked OK. He didn't acclimate well, and his gyrations were getting the attention of the angelfish. I'm pretty sure he was naturally "culled." 

Th other three are doing great, I now need to find some buddies for them.

And the new pleco, after looking at them sort of side by side, I don't think is an L129 like the other. It just looks too different. I'll have to do some research. And he's out way more often too. Coming out at the evening feeding, especially for frozen foods.




Here's a blurry pic of the new pleco









Some cardinals enjoying life in the tea.









And I finally got a pic of one of the just born Metae Cory.


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

longgonedaddy said:


> Looking froward to them! I think I've made my mind up to get laetacara araguaie or dorsigera instead of the apistos.


Ha, I have some already but can't remember what subspecies they are. I picked 10 of them up at auction for $10 about a year ago.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Nlewis said:


> Ha, I have some already but can't remember what subspecies they are. I picked 10 of them up at auction for $10 about a year ago.



I think those are curviceps. And, damn, 10 for 10? Where's this auction?!?!


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

longgonedaddy said:


> I think those are curviceps. And, damn, 10 for 10? Where's this auction?!?!


Lol, it's in northern Va and they hold it once a month. How are those L129 plecos anyway, are they active or do you never see them? Reason I'm asking is I have the option of ordering some and pick them up on Saturday.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Nlewis said:


> Lol, it's in northern Va and they hold it once a month. How are those L129 plecos anyway, are they active or do you never see them? Reason I'm asking is I have the option of ordering some and pick them up on Saturday.



Ah, that's a little too far to drive. 

As far as the L129, The one I got a couple months ago is always hiding. The one I picked up last weekend has been fairly active, for a pleco anyway. He comes out at feeding time, and although I haven't caught him traveling, he goes between three hiding spots with some frequency during the day, and tends to hang out outside them for a while. And I know there is some variability, but the new one doesn't really look like all the L129 pics I've seen. So I may have two different species here. 

I've read that the 129 are more active and out when in numbers, So you may have luck if you get a few.


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

Should probably hold off anyway, I'm up to over 40 fish in that tank as it is.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Nlewis said:


> Should probably hold off anyway, I'm up to over 40 fish in that tank as it is.


Eh, they're just little plecos, right? :wink2:


And I pulled the trigger on the araguaie! Should have them by Wednesday.


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

longgonedaddy said:


> Eh, they're just little plecos, right? :wink2:
> 
> 
> And I pulled the trigger on the araguaie! Should have them by Wednesday.


I'll just get more cories


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Nlewis said:


> I'll just get more cories


Cories are never a wrong answer, when the questions is "should I get? "


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

So I thought I had two baby cories. I just counted five!


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## DMullin (Nov 23, 2016)

longgonedaddy said:


> Gear:
> Marineland 75g with glass lids
> 2x Marineland Advanced LED light
> Hydor 350 canister filter, set up with spray bar
> Hydor inline heater


Do have the LEDs on the tank lids? I have the same and would like to suspend them over an open tank.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

DMullin said:


> Do have the LEDs on the tank lids? I have the same and would like to suspend them over an open tank.


Mine are sitting on the tank, not suspended.


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## DMullin (Nov 23, 2016)

with lids?


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

So, here's pic longways, with a lamp at the other end.










And, even more fun! I put some caridina culls in a couple months ago, and haven't seen any in weeks. Just saw this little one, so there must be adults around, too. Lots and lots of places to hide. Edit: saw what I presume is this baby, plus another, and an adult tonight! So, at least three shrimps! 














DMullin said:


> with lids?


You already quoted me as having them; what makes you think I would take them off?


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Did a rescape over the weekend. I was never really happy with the upper part of my left side wood construction. That piece reaching up just didn't look all that's good to me. I was happy with the base, and used it to construct (if you believe the illusion) more of a rotted, rooted trunk. Used some other pieces of wood to make The effect and took down the right sided construction as well.


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## BettaBettas (Aug 21, 2016)

Your angelfish is huge! size of your hand at least it must be lol, modified foods? lol! beautiful tank


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

BettaBettas said:


> Your angelfish is huge! size of your hand at least it must be lol, modified foods? lol! beautiful tank


Yeah, he's a big boy! :grin2: not as big as my hand, but bigger than my wife's hand. He's about 4.5 years old and a credit to good breeding and good food. No modified foods, but I'll use him as an argument for New Life Spectrum, Hikari, and Omega One foods, supplemented with frozen foods. They've been about 90% of what he's eaten. He's a quarter wild, but unfortunately I've forgotten the area his grandparent is from. 

And thanks for the compliment on the tank! It really means a lot to me.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Added 8 Laetacara araguaie today.


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

longgonedaddy said:


> Added 8 Laetacara araguaie today.


Where are the pics, you can't add something and not give pics. It's like giving me a book that doesn't have pop ups.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Nlewis said:


> Where are the pics, you can't add something and not give pics. It's like giving me a book that doesn't have pop ups.


They're a little camera shy right now. They're out swimming around, and as soon as I pick up my phone, they dive for cover.

Here's a pic during acclimation, where they were getting quite a bit of attention.


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

They've got some growing out to do.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Nlewis said:


> They've got some growing out to do.


They sure do! They're only about 3/4" now.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Shot of one of the araguaie. They are starting to color up nicely.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

New FTS. Added some palm fronds. Araguaie are all doing well, growing, and coloring up more and more every day. Threw in some maple twigs and sticks from the backyard. The leaf and pod litter is really building up, and the smaller fish are diving in and out of a thousand different caves and holes. 

I'm thinking of adding some scuds, copepods, and/or other inverts to add another level of biodiversity. 

Enough talk, here's the pic!


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Caught an araguaie ripping apart a pond snail. All the Laetacara are supposedly good snailers, which is part of the reason I went with these over apistos. 

I like having snails, but they were starting to get out of hand with all the decaying matter in the tank for them to feed on. Especially the ponds. Hopefully the cichlids will keep them in check.


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

I still think a pair of apisto would be a welcome addition.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Nlewis said:


> I still think a pair of apisto would be a welcome addition.


I think so, too. :wink2:


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## d33pVI (Oct 28, 2015)

longgonedaddy said:


> Caught an araguaie ripping apart a pond snail. All the Laetacara are supposedly good snailers, which is part of the reason I went with these over apistos.
> 
> I like having snails, but they were starting to get out of hand with all the decaying matter in the tank for them to feed on. Especially the ponds. Hopefully the cichlids will keep them in check.


Interesting, might explain why I only see big ramshorns in with my curviceps. Never seen them eating snails, but I have suspected them of picking off my rummynose tetras. First few months the school dwindled from 10 to 3, often after I missed feeding for a few days...


Great tank, thinking about setting up a new one and leaning towards doing something similar. Maybe not all-in on the blackwater, but definitely some leaf litter & seed pods. Really brings out some interesting behaviors in the fish.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

d33pVI said:


> Interesting, might explain why I only see big ramshorns in with my curviceps. Never seen them eating snails, but I have suspected them of picking off my rummynose tetras. First few months the school dwindled from 10 to 3, often after I missed feeding for a few days...
> 
> 
> Great tank, thinking about setting up a new one and leaning towards doing something similar. Maybe not all-in on the blackwater, but definitely some leaf litter & seed pods. Really brings out some interesting behaviors in the fish.


I think I remember reading that curviceps are the best at it, too. And as far as the rummies, keeping cichlids' tummies full is always a good rule for a community tank. :grin2:

Thanks for the compliment! And go for it! All the hype about fish behaving differently is true. They are constantly picking at unseen things, swimming in and out of countless holes and tunnels, and resting in little shelters. They really do interact with their environment so much more than any other tank I've had.


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## NickAu (Feb 24, 2017)

I love black water tanks,


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

Super nice, I'm starting my build on my 93g Westie Black Water tank right now.


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## Brian Rodgers (Oct 15, 2016)

Amazing tank! This is such a great idea and execution. Thank you so much for sharing.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Craigthor said:


> Super nice, I'm starting my build on my 93g Westie Black Water tank right now.


Looking forward to it! Westie? 




Brian Rodgers said:


> Amazing tank! This is such a great idea and execution. Thank you so much for sharing.


Thank you, and you're welcome!


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Some new pics.


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## BettaBettas (Aug 21, 2016)

lovely pics


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

BettaBettas said:


> lovely pics


Thanks! I'm really proud of the angelfish one. 


Quick update, the araguaie are starting to show some cichlid personality now. There's a clear dominant one, and seven of the eight are almost always together, with one loner hiding somewhere. 

And now, they're starting to push around the emperors at feeding time. The emperors sometimes would grab stuff right in front of the angel, so the little guys pushing around these aggressive tetras is fun to watch. 

I'll upload some new pics this weekend.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Here's another araguaie pic. I love these guys! 

Interestingly, for you fellow botanical fans, that savu pod in the pic has been in the tank since October. It's the only bit of fungus/biofilm/stuff that's still growing on anything, including new wood that was as put in. And even more interestingly, it's sticky. You can see bits of material stuck to it.


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## Pat24601 (Mar 4, 2017)

Great araguaie pic!


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## BettaBettas (Aug 21, 2016)

lol I saw that and was confused then I read what you said and got it. Weird that its sticky though. Good pics


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Pat24601 said:


> Great araguaie pic!


Thanks! I can't wait until they grow a bit, start really coloring up, and pairing off. 



BettaBettas said:


> lol I saw that and was confused then I read what you said and got it. Weird that its sticky though. Good pics


Yeah, I don't understand why it's persisting, and it's the only time I've had it sticky like that. I haven't tried to scrape it off, as I've been keeping to a more or less hands off approach to the development of such things.


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## BettaBettas (Aug 21, 2016)

Do the fish nip at it or anything? 
on the joking side a fish could nip at that and it could turn out like a pole being licked at 32 degrees.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

BettaBettas said:


> Do the fish nip at it or anything?
> on the joking side a fish could nip at that and it could turn out like a pole being licked at 32 degrees.


I don't see the fish going to it, not even the oto or the clown pleco. Snails cruise across it, and. I see them stoppping to feed, but whether they're eating the stuff or what's stuck in it, I don't know.

Funny thought, but it's not that adhesive.


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## BettaBettas (Aug 21, 2016)

longgonedaddy said:


> I don't see the fish going to it, not even the oto or the clown pleco. Snails cruise across it, and. I see them stoppping to feed, but whether they're eating the stuff or what's stuck in it, I don't know.
> 
> Funny thought, but it's not that adhesive.


 lol I was jk :hihi:
Idk what could be causing it. At least the snails kind of like it  Good luck growing your fungus man! lol


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

BettaBettas said:


> lol I was jk :hihi:
> Idk what could be causing it. At least the snails kind of like it  Good luck growing your fungus man! lol


Yeah, I knew you were joking. No worries.

This next line might kill some hardcore planters, so read with caution: I would like to see more stuff like this, or some algae, or even bryozoans grow to increase the biodiversity in this tank. So, I appreciate your well wishes to grow fungus!


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## BettaBettas (Aug 21, 2016)

(when you thought you where done talking but then you get an idea or two lol) 
I always was interesting in things that naturally appear in the tank, like deitrus, planaria, copepods (I love these, take so many pics of them, ill show you one), water fleas or daphnia, seed shrimp, nematodes, limpets, tubifex, hydra, bryozoa, springtails (don't have those but I hate them), Mosquito larvae, bloodworms, etc 
Here is the pic I took of the copepod, and something else  

















Pretty sure its deitrus, anyway thought you'd like the pics


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

BettaBettas said:


> (when you thought you where done talking but then you get an idea or two lol)
> I always was interesting in things that naturally appear in the tank, like deitrus, planaria, copepods (I love these, take so many pics of them, ill show you one), water fleas or daphnia, seed shrimp, nematodes, limpets, tubifex, hydra, bryozoa, springtails (don't have those but I hate them), Mosquito larvae, bloodworms, etc
> Here is the pic I took of the copepod, and something else
> 
> ...


I do, thanks! I have a population of tubifex, occasionally I see a fish pulling one out of the bottom. Haven't seen any detritus worms in here, but that doesn't mean they're not. I'd love to get a thriving population of tiny stuf, like seed shrimp, daphnia etc. with my fishload though, I'm not sure if they'd be able to reproduce, although the caridina shrimp I put in back in November seem to be hanging on. Maybe there is hope for their smaller cousins.


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## BettaBettas (Aug 21, 2016)

LOL you should see my pearlweed carpet, crawling with life. I have it about 1" thick and you can see into it in front of the glass, focus your eyes youll see little bug things moving around all over. I wish I had those tube worms though


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Picked up another L129 today. This makes three now.


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## anastasisariel (Oct 4, 2009)

Hows the Brazilian Pennywort doing. Seen a beautiful pot of it locally and considering it for my 29 gallon semi-blackwater tank

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

anastasisariel said:


> Hows the Brazilian Pennywort doing.


It's doing fine. Slow and steady growth, much better than the Frogbit did. 

Some quick updates: pH is now down to 5.9. I regularly see the tetras spawning, expecting sooner or later to find a fry or two. The araguaie are growing nicely, and are now starting to behave like adult cichlids, getting territorial, displaying to one another with gill flares and color changes. Interestingly, something is consuming the nitrates nicely. I've been steady at 5 if I do weekly WC's. Phosphates are around 2, so it's not like I'm not feeding. 

And now the pics! 

Newest pleco was posing for a pic









Araguaie 









Caridina are still hanging in.









FTS. Rearranged the wood as my previous one shifted and didn't look so good anymore









Focus on the "stump"


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## dbl_dbl17 (Feb 4, 2012)

Fantastic!


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

Whenever i get back i need to send you some stargrass.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

dbl_dbl17 said:


> Fantastic!


Thanks! 



Nlewis said:


> Whenever i get back i need to send you some stargrass.


I have been thinking about adding a stem plant more and more. I might have to take you up on that. Thanks!


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## johnson18 (Apr 29, 2011)

Any updates on this tank? How has the last month treated this tank? new pictures?


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

johnson18 said:


> Any updates on this tank? How has the last month treated this tank? new pictures?


Sorry, I've been drifting a bit from the forum. 

Water is down to 5.8pH now. Nitrates are consistently low, I'm beginning to suspect something is going on in the litter bed that is removing them. Plants filling in nicely, lilies or lotus whatever they are, have recovered from getting torn apart from the pond snails and are soreading. Planted two, now have four. Pennywort is thriving. Rubin sword is doing well, seems like it's doing better than it did in my old planted tank. The Echinodorus angustifolia is sending runners like crazy. 

As far as fish, everyone is doing well. 

And some pics


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## dbl_dbl17 (Feb 4, 2012)

Beautiful

Bump: Beautiful


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

dbl_dbl17 said:


> Beautiful
> 
> Bump: Beautiful


Thanks!


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## johnson18 (Apr 29, 2011)

Things are looking good. I fully understand about drifting away from the forums. I seem to go back and forth between spending lots of time here and not being here for weeks. I just ordered a bunch of stuff from Tannin so I will probably be setting up a blackwater tank soon. I haven't fully figured out the details but it'll probably be an apisto centered 40 breeder.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

johnson18 said:


> Things are looking good. I fully understand about drifting away from the forums. I seem to go back and forth between spending lots of time here and not being here for weeks. I just ordered a bunch of stuff from Tannin so I will probably be setting up a blackwater tank soon. I haven't fully figured out the details but it'll probably be an apisto centered 40 breeder.


Thanks for the compliment! Looking forward to your blackwater build.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Nlewis, requested, nay, _demanded_ some updated pics in @JEFF9922 's thread http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/1...low-maintenance-75-gallon-2.html#post10225106 so, here they are:







































The last one is @Nlewis just for you brother, taken from the outside looking in. >


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

loving it


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Some new updates.


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

longgonedaddy said:


> Some new updates.


Looking good buddy. I'll be back stateside in less than a week and will be dealing with what I think will be a complete S-show.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Nlewis said:


> Looking good buddy. I'll be back stateside in less than a week and will be dealing with what I think will be a complete S-show.


Thanks! And good luck.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

F-ing photobucket.


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## The Dude1 (Jun 17, 2016)

I was looking forward to the pics. Hopefully they are fixed soon


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

The Dude1 said:


> I was looking forward to the pics. Hopefully they are fixed soon


Believe me, I'm aggravated about this. I'll try to find an alternative.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Well, I hoped to post some new pics today, but we all know the screwing photobucket gave us all. Yeah, I know it's a free service, but with the amount of ads I have to wade through, just to upload, they should cover the bills. 

So all I have is a written update. After two weeks without changing any water, here are the parameters. 
pH 5.8, TDS 46, NH3/4 0, NO2 0, NO3 <5, PO4 2, KH likely 0, GH~1. I'm really intrigued by the low nitrate. I feed heavy and have a fairly dense fish load, but little nitrate. The high phosphate reinforces my suspicions. I tested with both a Seachem's and API test. Same result. And I've had fairly low nitrate in this tank, all along, but this is crazy. 

I haven't seen a Colombian pleco in a month, but there are a million hiding places for them. The emperors are slowly dropping off one by one, but the cardinals and two remaining hatchets of my Original four are strong. I plan on increasing the numbers of both. Interestingly, the cardinals and hatchets came from one LFS, and the emperors from another. 

The angel is looking good, after recovering from an ill fated attempt to get him a girlfriend. She was mean! 

And in a few days, I'll be at the 22nd anniversary of buying my spotted Raphael catfish. S/he (I don't know if make or female) has seen literally hundreds of tankmates come and go over the years. Seven or eight different tanks, five different houses, several catastrophic tank failures that wiped out nearly all other fish, and still going strong. roud:


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

I never see my pleco.


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## sdwindansea (Oct 28, 2016)

That is amazing that you've been able to keep a fish for 22 years. I would've never guessed they live close to that long. They are a relatively small fish, right?


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Nlewis said:


> I never see my pleco.


My clown is out all the time, but I've only seen the colombians' tails when in a savu pod.



sdwindansea said:


> That is amazing that you've been able to keep a fish for 22 years. I would've never guessed they live close to that long. They are a relatively small fish, right?


Mine is about five inches SL, but very stocky built. It probably weighs close a half pound! Online guides say 25 years is normal. What isn't normal, to me anyway, is not it's longevity, but its durability.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Here's the most recent full tank shot.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Added 11 rummynose yesterday and added a single marble hatchet to bring the total to three. Slowly but surely, I'll have a school of them! 

Went to my LFS planning to get some cardinals, and while there were fantastic cardinals there, lately I'd been thinking of getting rummies, and there they were! 

And since @Nlewis will demand a pic, here's a crappy pic of the rummies.


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

longgonedaddy said:


> Added 11 rummynose yesterday and added a single marble hatchet to bring the total to three. Slowly but surely, I'll have a school of them!
> 
> Went to my LFS planning to get some cardinals, and while there were fantastic cardinals there, lately I'd been thinking of getting rummies, and there they were!
> 
> And since @Nlewis will demand a pic, here's a crappy pic of the rummies.


Ha, rummy's are awesome too bad I only see mine when it's feeding time. And yes that's a pretty crappy picture.


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## The Dude1 (Jun 17, 2016)

Did you give up on the Emperors? I have wanted them for so long. I lost several to my cycling issues, but Ive lost a couple more due to a super aggressive alpha male. Ive probably purchased 20+ and I believe I have less than 10 now. I'm going to pick up another 5-6 tomorrow. At some point they have to acclimate and find a working hierarchy and start producing fry. What do you have in there now?


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Nlewis said:


> Ha, rummy's are awesome too bad I only see mine when it's feeding time. And yes that's a pretty crappy picture.


I told you! I'll try to get a better pic tonight. :wink2:



The Dude1 said:


> Did you give up on the Emperors? I have wanted them for so long. I lost several to my cycling issues, but Ive lost a couple more due to a super aggressive alpha male. Ive probably purchased 20+ and I believe I have less than 10 now. I'm going to pick up another 5-6 tomorrow. At some point they have to acclimate and find a working hierarchy and start producing fry. What do you have in there now?


Maybe not so much on the emperors as the one LFS. 6 of 8 dead in 8 months? And presuming the Colombian plecos from the same place are dead, I'm pointing the finger at the LFS. I'd be willing to give them another shot, as I loved their behavior, like cichlids-lite. It was fun to watch. 

Right now my census is as follows:

1 angelfish
8 Laetacara Araguaie 
10 cardinals
11 rummynose
3 marbled hatchets
2 emperors
1 spotted Raphael
1 clown pleco
1 Otto
12-15 metae cories, they keep reproducing
1 axelrod cory
3? 0? Hypancistrus debiilitera
1000 trumpet snails, at least it seems it
Maybe some caridina shrimp. 

I hate to sound like a grim reaper, but m already planning for some pencilfish, and maybe some other tiny tetras or dwarf cories when the angel and Raphael are gone.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

@Nlewis. Better?


And the angel came out to "threaten" the camera, so I got a good pic of him, too. Stupid sideways pic. This website has a lot of technical glitches.


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

longgonedaddy said:


> @Nlewis. Better?
> 
> 
> And the angel came out to "threaten" the camera, so I got a good pic of him, too. Stupid sideways pic. This website has a lot of technical glitches.


Yeah much better. Now just need some shots of the fish I'm more interested in, the Laetacara.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Nlewis said:


> Yeah much better. Now just need some shots of the fish I'm more interested in, the Laetacara.


Here ya go!


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

I really dig these fish, just slightly less than apistos. I still have 3 Curviceps in my 55 and wish I had more. 

Have they bred for you yet?


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Nlewis said:


> I really dig these fish, just slightly less than apistos. I still have 3 Curviceps in my 55 and wish I had more.
> 
> Have they bred for you yet?


Not that I've noticed. I don't see any obvious pairs, but they all seem to be finding their own space in the tank, so maybe breeding is next.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Well, I did a little extra looking into the tank last night after posting. Sure enough, two of the araguaie have dug a pit a two the back of the aquarium, under one of the roots of the stump. It's too shaded and obstructed for me to see anything though. I'll update if I can spot any eggs or fry.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Only a day after posting that, and they abandoned the site. 

I think if they can get past the egg stage, they'll be ok. I have a lot of cories, and I suspect they were either the direct or indirect cause .


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## The Dude1 (Jun 17, 2016)

Nlewis said:


> I really dig these fish, just slightly less than apistos. I still have 3 Curviceps in my 55 and wish I had more.
> 
> Have they bred for you yet?


Those are REALLY PRETTY! There are just never enough tanks or time to care for them to allow me to keep all the species I would like. Once I get the Apisto's to spawn successfully in my 75 I will start moving toward stocking the lower 75. Maybe a couple pairs of those beautiful Mcmasteri that NLewis is breeding


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

The Dude1 said:


> Those are REALLY PRETTY! There are just never enough tanks or time to care for them to allow me to keep all the species I would like. Once I get the Apisto's to spawn successfully in my 75 I will start moving toward stocking the lower 75. Maybe a couple pairs of those beautiful Mcmasteri that NLewis is breeding


Ive never breed Macmasteri, but I've kept some wild caught ones before. Also, you can put Laetacara in the same tank with Apisto's.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Nlewis said:


> Ive never breed Macmasteri, but I've kept some wild caught ones before. Also, you can put Laetacara in the same tank with Apisto's.


They get along ok? That's good to hear. Now that I presumably have a pair spawing, I'm inclined t rehome some of the other Laetacara, and apistos would be a great addition.


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## The Dude1 (Jun 17, 2016)

longgonedaddy said:


> They get along ok? That's good to hear. Now that I presumably have a pair spawing, I'm inclined t rehome some of the other Laetacara, and apistos would be a great addition.


They have some laetacara at my local LFS. I'll have to get the exact name to run it by you guys. You think Apisto's with fry will tolerate these guys? Then I wonder about the success of raising fry in a tank with all these Emporer tetras, Rainbows, and then possibly another cichlid species.

Could you post a couple more pics of yours??


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

longgonedaddy said:


> They get along ok? That's good to hear. Now that I presumably have a pair spawing, I'm inclined t rehome some of the other Laetacara, and apistos would be a great addition.


Oh yeah, they coexist fine with no issues. I've had the Curviceps in my 55 with 3 pair of Baenschi for over a year now.

Bump:


The Dude1 said:


> They have some laetacara at my local LFS. I'll have to get the exact name to run it by you guys. You think Apisto's with fry will tolerate these guys? Then I wonder about the success of raising fry in a tank with all these Emporer tetras, Rainbows, and then possibly another cichlid species.
> 
> Could you post a couple more pics of yours??


Lol, female apistos with fry don't tolerate anything even the male. They're really good parenting fish and the female will get down right nasty during spawning. It's possible to raise the fry in a community tank but the odds are stacked against you with other bigger fish looking for a free meal. I've found with apistos, that in a community setting sometimes they won't spawn at all, just because they're not comfortable doing so.


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## johnson18 (Apr 29, 2011)

Any updates on this tank, LDG? I'll be working on scaping my 90p blackwater over the next week or two, I could always use more inspiration!


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

johnson18 said:


> Any updates on this tank, LDG? I'll be working on scaping my 90p blackwater over the next week or two, I could always use more inspiration!


Sorry for no updates,I took a few months off of the forum.

Quick update, I pulled out most of the Xingu chain sword, as it bacame a wall almost. Letting the pennywort and lotus be the dominant flora. Tank doesn't look much different, other than the plants. 

Fish are as follows:
1 Blue angelfish
8 Laetacara Araguaie. They may have spawned a few times, as I've seen pits and defensive behavior, but no fry ever. 
8 Cardinals last time I took a census.
11 rummynose that I picked up during my forum absence
1 marble hatchet
1 clown pleco
1 spotted Raphael
1 Otto
14 or so corydoras metae
1 corydoras axelrodi
645242637 Malaysian trumpet snails 
3 or 4 assassin snails. 

I haven't seen any of the hypancistrus debbilitera in months, same for any shrimp. 
All of the emperor tetras have shuffled off this mortal coil. 


I'll get some pics posted in the next few days.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Quick update, two Laetacara paired up and are now hovering over their pit, guarding eggs. Hopefully they can defend them. Can't get a pic because of the position, or I'd post it.

Also, I've been seeing two of the debiliterra in the past few weeks after not seeing them for months.


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