Help! J-P's Set up

[RTR]

If the root mass restricts flow, or builds up debris to bock flow, you are in deep water - literally.

[J-P]

Yep, I thought about that .. haven't completely worked out a solution as of yet but the general idea would be open space at the inlet and dense at the outlet.


The baffle at the high side is 5" from the top of the tank. At the low side it is 3" from the top and the pattern keeps repeating from section to section.

If an over flow does occur it shouldn't flood. The plants will be partly submerged and allow for emersive growth.

[J-P]

When using the baffles to support egg crate on the top section for emersed plants this is what I was talking about.


I lose a lot of swimming room but hopefully the plants will help the fish from jumping the tanks

[RTR]

Eggcrate has many valued tank uses, but I don't like you original issue model as is. That really limits the fish that you keep, because it blocks the surface access by the fish - no Cory cats or near kin, no loaches, no anabantids, nor most Tetras or Rasboras - even angels would tear up their dorsals. Not for me.

Consider cutting out much of the mass, leaving only narrow strips along the sides and tad deeper across the back - blocking off the open slots, but allowing most surface access and return. That re-opens the surface to the fish, and if there are plants in most of eggcrate space warning the fish to stay front and center, but still gives free access over the majority of the tank footprint. The fish should learn that quickly - but sand, file, or grind off any rough or sharp edges anyway.

HTH

[J-P]

thank you! That is why I love forums! Distance learning at its best!

I can cut the end section and suction cup it to the side so only an inch or 2 remains ... emersed plants in that

Excellent idea !

[Pufferpunk]

I was going through some of their FAQs about puffers and saw your name!! Are you still a crew member?

I was for about 4 years. Went with Bob & some other crew members to the Red Sea for some diving (when they were still paying for trips). I quit about 2 years ago, when Neal & Marco took over answering th e puffer Qs. Still friends with some of them.

[RTR]

Glad that it helped!

[J-P]

I was for about 4 years. Went with Bob & some other crew members to the Red Sea for some diving (when they were still paying for trips). I quit about 2 years ago, when Neal & Marco took over answering th e puffer Qs. Still friends with some of them.

Talk about a small world It seems in the fish keeping biz the upper echelon all know each other

[Pufferpunk]

Yeah, a lot of us all know each other. When I go to reefing conventions, I usually hang out with the speakers all weekend. I'd like to be one of them some day but hate public speaking.

[J-P]

Well PP was right ... The meds trashed the tank..it crashed

Ammonia .49
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

-1 Dojo loach.
At least now I can use the pimafix / melafix without worring about it.

feeling a little bummed

[CarmenH]

Oh man, that sucks After all the work you've done!

[Flutter]

Definitely sucks. How did your nitrates disappear so fast?

[Nick]

[quote="J-P"]38 years old and I suffered my first heart attack today... dang it was a little scary. Hypothermia, numbness.. lots of flashing lights and sirens... I'll be taking the next 2 days off and slowly work to get the room preped for the tank. If it all goes to schedule we'll be planting in the next month.

PP... as a personal request... this should be moved to the FW section as I won't be able to afford a SW tank of this size. We'll make our 30 gal a SW tank with some horses and pipe fish.

Life changing event here....[/quot}
Have heart, no matter what you do. My father had QUINTUPLE bypass at 52, and he's in good shape, because he reduced certain fats from his diet and moved on with his life. Take the drugs(statins or other continual dose medicines) you need to not croke on us, but examine and evaluate anything the doctors give you before you use it for a substantial period of time.

[J-P]

Nick, Thank you! Are you reading this tread front to back? Bold or bored?

I was doing 50% water changes ever second day and a 25% water change on the alternate days. Sunday I did my final big 80%

Sunday I forgot to remove the old sponge media so I am certain I still had some meds in there.

On Monday I took my readings and noticed there was something drastically wrong (other than the dead loach). I removed the sponge and added a media sock from the 30 gal QT tank.

I did a 15-20% change, did the Ammo-Lock thing.

Came home today. SHOCK!

Ammonia 5.22 (that’s over 2 grams of raw ammonia!) <== that would kill a human no?
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

I have no idea where those nitrates went. I’ve done back to back 50% water changes before and still got 50+ Nitrate readings. I also doing know how the ammonia could have skyrocketed that much in 24 hours, unless a fish died and I can’t find it.


Doing a 50~60% WC at the moment. Melafix + Pimafix are on stand by.

[Nick]

LOL, I believe insomnia was the culprit. As for the tank, BIG doses of prime are awesome. I'm not sure how much raw ammonia it takes to poison a human. We actually produce and dispose of a LOT of ammonia; urea, the principle component of urine, is two ammonia molecules bound together into a less toxic form, but our urine does contain ammonia as well, and small amounts of uric acid(three ammonias bound together, a solid crystal generally).