# 100 Gallon "South American" themed aquarium



## Luke78

Almost one year ago today, i launched my first project by aquiring Wild discus(Tefe),various tetras,and cories all in a 65 gallon setup.Its been a pleasant experience learning and maintaining a proper environment for all my fish.Along the way, various species of plecos and corries were added and even smaller cichlids as well.Creating a similar environment (biotope) where all these creatures come from is a quest on its own,but i tried to add a bit of everything to bring it close to what its really like.

A few months ago,with the help of Patrick and Charles from Canadian Aquatics,i managed to pick up a 100 gallon acrylic 'Truvu aquarium' with a nice black stand for an excellent price.This unit is amazing and in pristine conditon considering it was used.No marks,no deep cuts,bends or cracks!I was completely taken away.It came with a paper background(wont change it i like it,a special acrylic cleaning glove, and Patrick threw in a sheet of wood for all of it to properly sit on.So the plans for this setup are to be based on a "South Amercian theme" again, but with more concentration on creating an exact biotype from where most of my present stock is actually from.I will list my stats and specifics below, and update this thread with tons of pictures(everyone likes those) and news as i go along! Feel free to comment,like or dislike,recommend, or take ideas from this for your own benefit! I wanted to thank several people specifically here whom have been patient,giving,understanding,helpful,and good friends to me along the wayatrick and Charles(Canadian Aquatics) for all your services,April-Shelley-Francais-Joseph for all your discus knowledge,Gary-Ming-Nat for your pleco/cat knowledge! A thanks also goes out to all the members here as well whom ive come across as well and see day to day on the forum!

Heres the stats:

Truvu Aquarium 100 gallon: "48X"24X"20
Black Stand with bottom shelve :"51X"24X"28
Marina Paper background
Eheim Ebo Jager Heater: 300 watts 
Eheim Canister Filter: 2080 PRO3
Lighting: 1 "30 T8 trip now(will upgrade to possible LED setup)
Hagen stick on thermometer/Coralife digital unit
Hydor Korlia Evolution 550gph 


Flora: No plants as of now(considering some floating ones/undecided)
Substrate Carib Sea "Super natural" line/Sunset gold sand (0.1-0.3mm size)
Manzanita branches and stumps (2),rocks-stones-pebbles,and pleco caves

Fauna:

-1 Cardinal Tetra
-12 Lemon Tetra 
-8 RummyNose Tetras
-15+ Bloodfin Tetras

- L15,L46,L129,L147,L177,L201,L204,L226,L377
-6 Corydoras Reticulatus 
-13 Corydoras Agassizi
-7 Corydoras Melini
-10 Corydoras Sterbai
-5 Corydoras Gold/Green
-5 CW026 Corydoras
-8 Corydoras Metae
-4 Corydoras Loxozonus C079 
-4 Mouse catfish


Wow, this was a long post sorryHeres a few pictures of the stand i cleaned up and put into place.More pictures in the coming days!


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## Luke78

Ok, no attachments will upload they are to big so it looks like photobucket or flickr account for me


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## 2wheelsx2

> Ok, no attachments will upload they are to big so it looks like photobucket or flickr account for me


Sounds exciting. Yep, photobucket, picasa, flickr are the best way to go.


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## monkE

Sounds like a great project Luke! can't wait to see some pictures! You know where to find some floating plants if you want em!


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## Luke78

Thanks guys, iam looking forward to it and hopefully this week or next it gets underway.I forgot to mention that with all this space,iam hoping to add a few more wilds and increase the pleco population.Two different "fish bugs" that bit me bigtime As for equipment, i also forgot to mention that one or two water movers will be added as well but can choose between the various models.Any thoughts,comments,or opinions per your own choice or experience? 

Sorry with the photo comment,was trying to upload a few but iam having some issues with size.Plus iam new to all those free photo sites!Gonna go with flickr but dont know how to bring them up here! Help please April, i will be coming by your shop to pick up the substrate soon thanks for being patient, if you read this already! Updates will come soon!


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## monkE

I havn't used flickr but i know that photobucket is very easy to use. once you upload an image, there is a link bar on the right side of the page that has different codes for embedding the pic on different types of pages. You simply click on the <IMG> code and that automatically copies it. Then simply hit paste or CTRL + V to paste that IMG code into any post on this site and bingo! your picture will now be shown in full size.


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## Diztrbd1

agree with Mike (monkE), I like photobucket the best and its actually the


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## Luke78

Well i finally figured the photo issue,sorry with the size! Thanks Mike and John.I left a few things inside the aquarium(branches and rocks in the bag).I did not remove the paper sheet covering the bottom(came to me like this) due to protecting the acrylic from scratching.Looks like tommorrow i will put it on top the stand and take a few photos then.Its collected some dust and needs a good clean! So here we are so far!


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## monkE

close... but your missing the final piece of the URL..... after it say's /luke78_photo/ there should be more


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## Luke78

Pics aint showing ? Oh man i suck at this!



monkE said:


> close... but your missing the final piece of the URL..... after it say's /luke78_photo/ there should be more


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## charles

cool, another good size tank. Now you need a blue eye panaque in there.


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## tony1928

Great looking project! I can't wait to see more pics as you progress. It's amazing how much you can do or think of doing when you have a tank that size. Scaping possibilities just open up.


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## 2wheelsx2

charles said:


> cool, another good size tank. Now you need a blue eye panaque in there.


Yep, because right after that, he's have to upgrade to a glass 240, after the BEP does a number on the acrylic.


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## monkE

awesome tank Luke, glad to see you got the pictures to work! Can't wait to see it full


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## Luke78

Gary, i was researching the blue eyed panaque a bit and was amazed at the amount of teeth and strong jaws these guys have.Beautiful pleco , but your right with the acrylic getting ruined if one of these guys settle in!



2wheelsx2 said:


> Yep, because right after that, he's have to upgrade to a glass 240, after the BEP does a number on the acrylic.


Mike,thanks alot ! Yeah finally got the picture stuff sorted out and will post a few more today sometime if i get the chance.Aquarium was put up on the stand last night.



monkE said:


> awesome tank Luke, glad to see you got the pictures to work! Can't wait to see it full


Tony, I have ideas circulating in my head, on paper, and hours online looking at various scapes.Been visiting planetcatfish and simply discus looking for a two way deal to settle in all parties.Your right, all this space needs to be filled in, and setup properly.The pleasures of going big i guess thanks for the comments..



tony1928 said:


> Great looking project! I can't wait to see more pics as you progress. It's amazing how much you can do or think of doing when you have a tank that size. Scaping possibilities just open up.


Charles, you gonna hound me on this for while arent you ? just kidding! We chatted the other day i was there, and you did mention something bigger pleco wise was to go in.I agree,but want my acrylic to stay shinny and clear We shall chat soon!



charles said:


> cool, another good size tank. Now you need a blue eye panaque in there.


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## 2wheelsx2

You'll be amazed how different fish behave in a bigger tank. Can't wait to see them after the transfer. As for the plecos, Charles has lots that are acrylic safe. You just want to stay away from panaque in general and probably minimize the ancistrus. Plenty others (Leporacanthicus, Pseudacanthicus, Scobiancistrus, Hypancistrus, Peckoltia, etc.) will leave the acrylic alone.


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## Luke78

Oh i agree with fish behaviour changing when put into bigger setups.I noticed it right away with all my tetras(current 66G).Schooling was tight and in formation,still is today.My corries were buzzing all over the place,schooling as well, and not huddled on one corner when most of them were in my 25G before.Cant wait either to add more stock,and hopefully something different to the mix(south american themed as well).Yeah Charles and i have been chatting regarding acrylic/pleco safe additions.The L14 sunshine has actually caught my eye:bigsmile:


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## 2wheelsx2

Hahaha....yeah, I like the L14 too, but those beauties that Charles has now are too big for my 125 with the BEP in it. There would be too much fighting. That's why I'm growing out the L368. They'll be my big meat eating pleco in the 125 besides the L114's and the L273. Have a look at the L114 also. Great value and fast growing.


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## Luke78

The pictures just keep on coming! Last night the Aquarium was fitted properly on the stand.Sheet of wood,followed by a foam sheet underneath to level everything out.Dont want any warping or uneven ends.


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## jobber

This tank is a perfect home for plecos and cories! The perfect footprint. Look forward to seeing more pics


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## rich16

Luke,
Those manzanita branches look like twigs in your tank, compared to mine! Can't wait to see what it looks like full!


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## bonsai dave

The tank is looking good. Can't wait to see it up and running...


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## Luke78

Ming, thanks for the nice comments! When are we gonna see you pick up a larger setup ? Come on you know you wanna add more cats/plecos too Yeah finishing up the final details on the layout,but its a surprise as to what it will look like! I will post more updates as i go!



jobber604 said:


> This tank is a perfect home for plecos and cories! The perfect footprint. Look forward to seeing more pics


Gary,thanks for the recommendations.Looks like you will have your hands full for the next little while getting these guys ready(L368's).Thats unfortunate the L14 wont fit into your current layout.



2wheelsx2 said:


> Hahaha....yeah, I like the L14 too, but those beauties that Charles has now are too big for my 125 with the BEP in it. There would be too much fighting. That's why I'm growing out the L368. They'll be my big meat eating pleco in the 125 besides the L114's and the L273. Have a look at the L114 also. Great value and fast growing.


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## Luke78

Rich, :lol: yeah i agree, but are perfect pieces to the final puzzle!Lucky i caught up wth you and picked them up thanks again.I may add another piece to the two,and the stumps i have already.Sorry to hear about your losses when you got back from your vaction,hope things turn around for the best!



rich16 said:


> Luke,
> Those manzanita branches look like twigs in your tank, compared to mine! Can't wait to see what it looks like full!


Dave,thanks for the nice comments.Looking forward to it myself,and will update as i go along.Hope all your duscus setups are thriving!



bonsai dave said:


> The tank is looking good. Can't wait to see it up and running...


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## Luke78

Just posting another update on the rock/stone work ive acquired along with some manzanita branches.Most of the rocks i got are flat,some are round but going towards building some sort of cave(s) with them and the rest as display.I have medium pieces already in my previous setup(Tefe 66G) which i will transfer over to the mix with the smaller manzanita branches and stumps.Still contemplating if i need another larger branch.I do know a few more larger rocks are in the works.

Plant wise, i doubt anything will added.Thought about some surface floating species,i might consider for shade but on the fence still.The lighting will change to a LED setup down the road.Less light the better for all parties,but just enough to see them.The 66 gallon(HAGEN) , stand,light with 30" T8 bulb will be posted in the classifieds as soon as the transfer happens.Will keep everyone posted.


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## 2wheelsx2

Looking good. Northwest Landscaping has lots of flat river stones for sale right now. The ones I got were 25 cents a lb on sale from 35. I can't remember the name but it's easy to find.


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## Luke78

Gary,

Thanks for the heads up on this place.Looks like another field trip is about to take place, if i can find the time lately.Gonna add another photo of some driftwood i acquired through Charles.Its floating so far in my bathtub,my bucket was taken and used for something "Gardening wise"! Not that i dont trust charles,but taking the extra step to keeping things in check or curing my paranoiaThanks again buddy! I like these pieces so far, and gonna play around with positions once i get the substrate in.

Some other side news i can share,or thought about not sharing at one point is... i lost two beautiful plecos this monday morning Found my seccond favorite L75 bloody from the mid section on under some almond leaves,and my L140 white as a ghost and also bloody beneath my manzanita stub.Later on in the morning i witnessed my BNP scrapping it out with my L226 so my early thoughts are either this one roughed up my other two,or they got heater burns after seeing them right in that area the night before.Regardless, the BNP is not coming over into the new setup and likely to be adopted! Not impressed one bit, i have enough spots for all of them to claim, i ran a few water tests as well and everything checked out.I keep discus, so water changes are done several times a week and i monitor perimeters the same as well for everyones benefit.Anyways, if anyone has a 
L75 available let me know, behind the L46 this was one of my favorites.












2wheelsx2 said:


> Looking good. Northwest Landscaping has lots of flat river stones for sale right now. The ones I got were 25 cents a lb on sale from 35. I can't remember the name but it's easy to find.


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## jobber

Nice pieces of wood. Now your 'scape is inspiring me to do a rescape of my tank with riverbed rocks.


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## Luke78

:lol:thats the idea my friend,take from this and make it the same or to your own liking.Its all about sharing ideas and information to help one hobbyist and the next.Wait until all of this comes together,my version of two different scapes coming together to form one.



jobber604 said:


> Nice pieces of wood. Now your 'scape is inspiring me to do a rescape of my tank with riverbed rocks.


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## 2wheelsx2

That new batch of L75 is really nice. If I had one to spare I'd let you have one. As it is, I lost 2, partly due to a chronic case of ich in my tank which I've taken care of with a second uv.


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## Luke78

Agreed this last batch was just right.Beautiful markings and colour to name.Mine was eating like a champ,and i finally got them all eating veggies:bigsmile:Just disapointed with the end result.Sorry to hear about your losses,and to ich as well dammit! Thanks for the offer anyways.



2wheelsx2 said:


> That new batch of L75 is really nice. If I had one to spare I'd let you have one. As it is, I lost 2, partly due to a chronic case of ich in my tank which I've taken care of with a second uv.


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## Luke78

Hey everyone,its been a few days since the last update and i can tell more photos and current news will be posted shortly.Still gathering some last pieces towards the final look, and a piece or two of equipment still needed for the 100G.Stay tuned.....


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## Luke78

Alright everyone,kept a few people waiting here for the new updates so here we go.The transition is just about done,still have some tetras to move over,they fast little buggers.Gonna start with some photos of the layout,the products i used,and final setting.The overall look of it is just about done, a piece or two of equipment to be added(LED light fixture,hydor korlia) and few more caves.I did create a few with the rock work and driftwood i added.Any questions,comments,dislikes are welcome Enjoy!


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## Luke78

Adding some more,please excuse the cloudness!


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## monkE

wow luke that looks awesome man! great job setting that up


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## Johnnyfishtanks

wicked awesome looks whoop ass dude


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## Luke78

Guys thanks for the comments.Found a little surprise when i was scoping out all of these guys.A baby sterbai cory,very tiny and surprised he made it in my old setup.Been watching my water perimeters closely following the change,and got a bit of ammonia showing up.Faint, but there on my test kit0.6 so i might do a small water change tomorrow.A little extra prime was added as well to aid the process.Left the filters running from one tank to the other,so none of them sat dry.Just a little nervous and anxious hoping everyone is healthy and can make the adjustment well.


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## jobber

The fish will love the new home. Love the new scape. 
I see that your found your rocks . I saw some $0.18/lb. rock which i should have picked up for my own tank but picked those out for my uncle's new tank. Look forward to seeing more photos...and videos


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## charles

lovely setup. Great looking tank...


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## rich16

Wow Luke, that looks awesome! Nice job!


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## 2wheelsx2

Looks great Luke. I like how there is a light in the centre now. Perhaps you can rig up multiple short lights so that only part of the tank is lit up brightly at a time to simulate a forest? That would be very cool.


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## tang daddy

Luke,

I like the dimensions of the tank, great job on the aquascape aswell. It looks super natural like a piece of the amazon river!


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## tony1928

Luke, awesome work on the new tank. That pic with the tank in the dark and the light above looks wicked. I'm sure your fish will love their new home. I can't wait to redo my big tank....you are inspiring me. 

Tony


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## Luke78

Ming,

Thanks buddy,i did find what i was looking for.So much more out there,i had to stopCould use a few more small pebbles,other than that its hitting the limit.My plecos and cories love the new layout,so many hiding spots i even forgot about,they are flying in here!



jobber604 said:


> The fish will love the new home. Love the new scape.
> I see that your found your rocks . I saw some $0.18/lb. rock which i should have picked up for my own tank but picked those out for my uncle's new tank. Look forward to seeing more photos...and videos


Charles,

Once again i wanna thank you and Pat for helping create this.Without your assistance it could have turned out to be something i didnt like.Tried to combine two different worlds into one,hope i succeeded.Thanks for the floating plants as well, i could use some i guess if your selling



charles said:


> lovely setup. Great looking tank...


Rich, thanks buddy finally got the pics up and theres more to come.Waiting for the water to clear up a bit,and let everyone settle in better.Only managed to get one branch in there,ran outta room for the other oh well,thanks again!



rich16 said:


> Wow Luke, that looks awesome! Nice job!


Gary,thanks man!Yeah i just put my old 30' T8 strip light up there and i think it looks good.Less light the better for all parties.They hated my T5's before and went crashing into everything once they came off or on.LED fixture is in the works, and hope that creates an even alluring picture/setting.



2wheelsx2 said:


> Looks great Luke. I like how there is a light in the centre now. Perhaps you can rig up multiple short lights so that only part of the tank is lit up brightly at a time to simulate a forest? That would be very cool.


Chris, thanks man! I love the layout as well,you should see everyone flying in here! So much activity from all my fish.Yeah the amazon theme was def part of the whole picture(Discus/Pleco&Cat) locations.



tang daddy said:


> Luke,
> 
> I like the dimensions of the tank, great job on the aquascape aswell. It looks super natural like a piece of the amazon river!


Tony, Thanks man!They all have taken to it well so far.Lost a few tetras and a cory, but watching everyone else carefully.I have to admit i was a bit anxious and nervous with the whole transaction.I guess the setup has done its job if you do change things up, i look forward to seeing it!



tony1928 said:


> Luke, awesome work on the new tank. That pic with the tank in the dark and the light above looks wicked. I'm sure your fish will love their new home. I can't wait to redo my big tank....you are inspiring me.
> 
> Tony


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## jobber

Luke78 said:


> Adding some more,please excuse the cloudness!


Such nice pics, let's give it a bump.
I never knew being a rock comber was so much fun. I spent close to 1.50hours in the beating sun looking and placing rocks. The closest i'll ever come to being a geologist


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## crazy72

Wow this looks really really good. Congrats on the scape.


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## Luke78

Thanks man i appreciate it.I wanted everyone including myself to enjoy this.So many of you on this forum have helped out in many ways, and iam very grateful for that.I agree with the rock combing part, very picky with what i was looking for,and it had to be natural and not man made.Gonna take more pics as everything progresses this week.



jobber604 said:


> Such nice pics, let's give it a bump.
> I never knew being a rock comber was so much fun. I spent close to 1.50hours in the beating sun looking and placing rocks. The closest i'll ever come to being a geologist


Frank, thank you for the nice comments.Ive had friends and family say the same as well,and agree that this 'scape' is the best outta of all the ones i put together.



crazy72 said:


> Wow this looks really really good. Congrats on the scape.


Just a small update on the new setup.Lost a few tetras and cory after the transition.My BNP "killer" who took another life L99 the day before got adopted.It even tried sticking me with its spines when i took her out Not impressed at all with another pleco loss,but theres new ones to be had right Charles?:bigsmile: Discus and other plecos seem to have settled in and are busy scoping out their new home.All of my bottom dwellers are extremely happy and buzzing all over the place.I even forgot about the caves i made in my rock work,and all are occupied Thats without the man made ones i still have to put in.Water perimeters are settling in nicely,a bit of cloudiness but filters are finishing the job.Everyone had their first meal and went well too.


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## 2wheelsx2

Boy, that's one aggressive BNP. I'd look to rehome it. Or have you done that already? Sorry about the losses. You think it's a mini-cycle that did them in?


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## Luke78

Gary, Very aggressive BNP! She did a number on all three of them,i actually saw her going for the fourth L201 but i got in there.She was rehomed somewhere elseShe had quite the weight and size to her,always taking in all the food and leaving none behind for the others.I mentioned in a previous post, she even tried to spike me with her spines when i netted her out.The spikes went right through the net as she tussling about.Noticed the behaviour before a few times,but added more hiding spots. i guess she was very territorial,who knows.The last loss came as i was transfering stock,wood,rocks,caves from one to the other so thats why assume my L99 got killed.



2wheelsx2 said:


> Boy, that's one aggressive BNP. I'd look to rehome it. Or have you done that already? Sorry about the losses. You think it's a mini-cycle that did them in?


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## charles

It is a L182 after all. One of the biggest ancistrus there is. They are known to be kept with arowanna or bigger monster fish in Asia as they can stand on their own ground.

I had some that was 7-8".


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## Chappy

Oh this one's gonna look AMAZING, Luke!!! I have a few fish I'd love to contribute......about 100 kribs, yes Franck - they are STILL at it ....about six marble crays because I'm sick and tired of waking up and finding them on the floor in the bathroom or in the livingroom. And I'm sure I could find more......
Seriously - you did a great job with the last one....this one looks like you've outdone yourself :bigsmile:


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## Luke78

Charles,

Thanks for finally finding an ID for this pleco.Took me forever looking everywhere online but couldnt find the right info.Good riddance, damn thing cost me 100+ dollars worth of stock.Couldnt believe she was capable of doing this.She was pushing between 4-5 inchs for sure.



charles said:


> It is a L182 after all. One of the biggest ancistrus there is. They are known to be kept with arowanna or bigger monster fish in Asia as they can stand on their own ground.
> 
> I had some that was 7-8".


Shelley,

Thank you for the kind words, yeah the last one(66G) was nice,but this one took the prize.Ive got a good response from a few people whom come to see it.Makes me happy to hear this,and share it with everyone here.I will take a pass on the kribs/crays sorry,but will gladly provide a"new residence with full amenities" for your solomon and heckels:bigsmile:



-N/A- said:


> Oh this one's gonna look AMAZING, Luke!!! I have a few fish I'd love to contribute......about 100 kribs, yes Franck - they are STILL at it ....about six marble crays because I'm sick and tired of waking up and finding them on the floor in the bathroom or in the livingroom. And I'm sure I could find more......
> Seriously - you did a great job with the last one....this one looks like you've outdone yourself :bigsmile:


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## Chappy

Luke78 said:


> Shelley,
> 
> Thank you for the kind words, yeah the last one(66G) was nice,but this one took the prize.Ive got a good response from a few people whom come to see it.Makes me happy to hear this,and share it with everyone here.I will take a pass on the kribs/crays sorry,but will gladly provide a"new residence with full amenities" for your solomon and heckels:bigsmile:


I'm afraid you and Gary will have to arm-wrestle for the heckels and the solomon  Fair warning, he's sneaky - gotta watch him at all times


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## Luke78

:lol: arm wrestle huh ? He might have the upper hand sort of speak! How about i give you a fully loaded Tims card? you like tim bits and double doubles? Who doesnt? Just how big have the Heckels gotten,as well as the Soloman? My tefe's are reaching 6 inches,smallest one being 5 and a bit!


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## Chappy

Luke78 said:


> :lol: arm wrestle huh ? He might have the upper hand sort of speak! How about i give you a fully loaded Tims card? you like tim bits and double doubles? Who doesnt? Just how big have the Heckels gotten,as well as the Soloman? My tefe's are reaching 6 inches,smallest one being 5 and a bit!


The heckels are pushing 9-10 inches. The solomon about 12. Did I tell you I had a 36 inch L128  The heckels are stunted, especially the ica/heckel i got from James a 100 years ago. Even the heckels i got last year are runted. They have a very small window of opportunity and if you miss it, you miss it. They are still pretty fish, but they'll never be nice thick heckels.

My AAA 300+ red spotted tefe is 14 inches and the even larger one is the size of an adult ray - 19 inches.

Keep in mind that all 49 wild discus are kept in a Chi with fancy goldfish and a whale fish. And a mermaid.


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## 2wheelsx2

-N/A- said:


> Keep in mind that all 49 wild discus are kept in a Chi with fancy goldfish and a whale fish. And a mermaid.


So you're swimming in the Chi now? When did you grow fins?


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## Chappy

2wheelsx2 said:


> So you're swimming in the Chi now? When did you grow fins?


Perhaps there was the odd exaggeration here and there  No fins, but I am expecting to grow webbing


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## Luke78

You guys crack me up sometimes,i forgot to mention i found another baby sterbai cory while i was emptying out the 66G.Just started to remove the sand and bingo there it was moving about.The temps in the tank alone were down to 22C and just surprised it took to it.Also found my other sterbai breeding in my new setup today,and noticed a few eggs on the acrylic.I guess some ofthem are really happy


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## Luke78

Well after a week or so,ive got a few pictures to share of the residents in their new homeTried getting photos of the plecos and cories,but these guys are too quick and scatter everywhere as if they know whats going on.Tetras are another story,and i gave up there as well! Made the decision to go with a few floating plants,dont recall the name but look forward to adding a bit more,mike you got any left overs?:bigsmile:


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## 2wheelsx2

It looks very very good, Luke. The discus look pretty happy in there.


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## Luke78

Thanks Gary, they were a bid faded when i first put them in(as expected).Took a couple days for them to get used to the new layout,and feel secure.But the behaviour of my plecos and cories is something else.They are breeding,using every hiding spot they can find,and loving the rock/wood layout.


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## 2wheelsx2

This is going to be like my cube. Everything but my discus have been breeding, but the only things surviving are the plecos since the males guard the eggs.


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## Luke78

Agreed, unless we either adjust water perimeters to their liking,feed something special to get them going,or introduce something else to get them excited i doubt we will see anything.Its a positive thing to see your plecos or bottom dwellers breed,everything must be in balance which is key! Hope your other guys and gals get cracking, i have space now for a few


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## 2wheelsx2

Luke78 said:


> Hope your other guys and gals get cracking, i have space now for a few


Well, I've caught 7 fry and 1 is still in the tank. One male is guarding and fanning and a second one is in a cave I can't see well. Seems it's rutting season for L134's. 

But mine are tiny. Davej is the guy to talk to for those. Some of his are getting pretty close to selling size.

What kind of LED's are you planning on getting for this tank?


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## Luke78

Well i was looking at the Marineland unit, but Charles had a few units at this place that caught my eye.Did you get a chance to see them? forgot all the details but iam likely going that route.Dont want to much light,as the T5's i used last time, worked well for the plants but not the occupants.Want that dim,forest look like you mentioned.Want to see my stock,but not scare the hell outta of them.


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## 2wheelsx2

The ones Charles has are pretty nice, but longevity has not been proven. The Marineland ones are proven. That would be my only concern. I got my 2x36" ones from Bigsalsonline.ca when they were on sale and free shipping, and I've had them for 6 months now, no problems.


----------



## Luke78

Thank you for the insight on the Marineland units.The seem to be built fairly well after i asked to see one up close in person.Theres other manufacturers/brands out there too,but i cant justify paying that much for lights.Light fixtures come almost dead last on my list of things,and would rather spend more on superior filtration system.



2wheelsx2 said:


> The ones Charles has are pretty nice, but longevity has not been proven. The Marineland ones are proven. That would be my only concern. I got my 2x36" ones from Bigsalsonline.ca when they were on sale and free shipping, and I've had them for 6 months now, no problems.


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Luke78 said:


> Light fixtures come almost dead last on my list of things,and would rather spend more on superior filtration system.


That's a good strategy, especially since you don't have plants. Better filtration and maybe a super safety siphon (I know how to make them now) would be better money spent.


----------



## jobber

The fish seem settling in very well. I see a zebra oto!
The Marineland LED is a good light. The light column would spread very well in your tall tank.


----------



## Luke78

Ming,

Thanks,they all seem to like it although i barely see some of cories now.The sterbai are all about,but my melini are using their hiding spots.I havent dumped any almond leaves in yet,but wanted to ask you guys if i should in this one? kinda like what it looks like so far.Yeah thats a zebra oto,got two of them in there for some house keeping.

Glad to hear positive things about the Marineland unit.Seems like i have to make a choice now between the two.Thanks again for your offer,very generous.Seeing the light spread out more is something i wanna see as well.Way better than the old T8 fore sure.



jobber604 said:


> The fish seem settling in very well. I see a zebra oto!
> The Marineland LED is a good light. The light column would spread very well in your tall tank.


----------



## jobber

I'm a big advocate of putting in almond leaves. Provides that extra natural look, provides hiding spots for fries, provides food for fish, and provides beneficial chemicals for the water column.


----------



## 2wheelsx2

I, too, like the almond leaves, but it does clog the filters with lots of debris, so you have to clean them more often.


----------



## Chappy

2wheelsx2 said:


> I, too, like the almond leaves, but it does clog the filters with lots of debris, so you have to clean them more often.


OR.....

you could use tea bags like I do. I love these things, but of course, the plecos don't get a chance to get to them.


----------



## crazy72

OR...

you could use Indian almond bark, like I do. Great stuff. Actually looks good too, IMO.


----------



## 2wheelsx2

The advantage of using the leaves is that the plecos eat it, so although the detritus makes a mess, it's handy to have some leaves in there.


----------



## Luke78

Thanks for your personal input, some other options available as well that i might consider.I used the leaves before,but experienced quite the mess with them getting torn up by my plecos and cories.Didnt mind the extra house keeping with my old setup,but this new one is big larger.I guess i will be adding some this week sometime!Keep it all natural


----------



## rich16

Looks fantastic Luke.

Your discus look great.


----------



## Luke78

Rich,

Thanks,yeah they seem to be the centre pieces and most visible fish in this entire setup.Hoping to add some more to the group in the near future.



rich16 said:


> Looks fantastic Luke.
> 
> Your discus look great.


----------



## Luke78

I try to get photos of everyone once the opportunity comes,but most of these guys seem to have taken to the hiding spots i created in this setup.Managed to get a few shots of my L226,L46,and the group of sterbai cory.In the L46 photo, you can see the tail end of my L201,but everyone is still camera shyEnjoy,more to come!


----------



## hlee72ca

Luke, nices pics, keep an eye on the sterbai, they look like they're up to no good.


----------



## Luke78

hlee72ca,

Thanks, yeah these guys are quite the characters!The last two days ive been awaken by alot of splashing and noises coming from my setup.They have been breeding non stop,three pairs all together! Dont know and didnt see any of the eggs stick around,the discus must of had breakfeast and lunch together as a meal! My melini corys are quiet as can be hiding away in all the caves,under stumps and driftwood,and the stones/rocks.Only time i see them is when i feed.



hlee72ca said:


> Luke, nices pics, keep an eye on the sterbai, they look like they're up to no good.


----------



## hlee72ca

The sterbai are my favorites of the corys, I love the orange colour, I hope you have a successful breeding, I would love to to see little ones in your tank.:lol:


----------



## Luke78

Yeah one of my favorites as well.The males seem to be a bit more colourful than the females,thats where i notice the orange come in more.If you look back a few pages/posts back, i found two babies when i made the switch this larger setup.Saw them today hiding under one of the branches.



hlee72ca said:


> The sterbai are my favorites of the corys, I love the orange colour, I hope you have a successful breeding, I would love to to see little ones in your tank.:lol:


----------



## jobber

Nice pics luke.


----------



## Luke78

Thanks Ming, i was trying to get a few more today of the plecos,but they scatter quickly when i get near the aquarium.Heading out tommorrow to pickup a Hydor Korlia(much needed) and some other maintaince stuff.Some house cleaning is needed to be done.Here's a few more pics of my wilds whom got scared once i took these photos,hince the huddling in the corner


----------



## Luke78

Well yesterday was "house cleaning day" as i did some maintaince on the filters,added some almond leaves, and a new Hydor Korlia power head pushing out 550 GPH,could have gone higher but i have the discus using all ends of the aquarium and dont want them to struggle getting from one end to the other.My filters also add water movement so i think iam just fine.My tetras seem to like this new addition as they were playing in the out flow the while day,along with my cories.All didnt end to well, as i was doing my work on the tank,my brillant discus decided to play 'bumper cars' all over the place and a few scratched themselves up pretty good.The sound they made hitting the driftwood and moving water made me cringe like hell,and get mad at the same timeI barely made a move or touch the area near them!

Anyways, i have planned a few more surprises to come in the next week or two and the updates will just keep coming!Stay tuned.......


----------



## Diztrbd1

Tank looks great Luke....great job!


----------



## Luke78

John,

Thanks, iam liking it as well so far.I will be updating shortly with a few new additions



Diztrbd1 said:


> Tank looks great Luke....great job!


----------



## monkE

ya I'm jealous of this setup man, I want to do discus eventually!


----------



## Luke78

Mike,

Between you and I, i would go with wilds.Nothing against the domestics(might get an ear full from all the others),but them being natural and not man created does it for me.They seem to be easy to look after if you follow the rules put in place,and noticed they cure themselves up pretty good.So many times ive seen them get banged up(hitting driftwood) and in a few days look as good as new.Many other reasons might aid this as well,but ive enjoyed all of them so far.As for breeding,thats another story and highly doubt i will see anything come out unless i go fiddling with the whole setup,which i dont want to do.


----------



## Chappy

Luke78 said:


> Mike,
> 
> Between you and I, i would go with wilds.Nothing against the domestics(might get an ear full from all the others),but them being natural and not man created does it for me.They seem to be easy to look after if you follow the rules put in place,and noticed they cure themselves up pretty good.So many times ive seen them get banged up(hitting driftwood) and in a few days look as good as new.Many other reasons might aid this as well,but ive enjoyed all of them so far.As for breeding,thats another story and highly doubt i will see anything come out unless i go fiddling with the whole setup,which i dont want to do.


X2!!!!! I LOVE my wilds and would never trade them for pretty skittle fish  And you're right - they sure can bang themselves up and at times it can be pretty bad, but two days later it's like nothing happened.

Your tank looks great, Luke. I am SO happy that you decided to keep it going. You're really doing a great job with them. They look nice and thick - healthy and happy discus 

P.S. I still have some "stuff" for you - we should try to meet up at Charles' one of these days. My turn for TimBits and coffee :bigsmile:


----------



## charles

meet up, pick up some fish, see something else you like, pick up more fish...


----------



## Chappy

charles said:


> meet up, pick up some fish, see something else you like, pick up more fish...


And, of course, catch up with you Charles! It's been a LONG time


----------



## charles

coming today?


----------



## Chappy

charles said:


> coming today?


Not today, I'm afraid. I'm checking into a hotel at 3:00. Haven't slept in two days due to renos on my apartment. I'm serious - I'm heading to a hotel three blocks from where I live with the dog so we can get some sleep. My apartment has been 87 degrees for the last three days because they've taped up all the new windows on the outside to paint the building and there's zero airflow. Maybe Friday? I still want the corys


----------



## Luke78

Charles/Shelley,

You guys should let me know if you want any Greek Food from the restaurant,or tim bits/double doubles will do while the meet takes place



charles said:


> meet up, pick up some fish, see something else you like, pick up more fish...


Shelley,

Couldnt agree with you any more,skittle fish come third on my list after my wilds and exotic plecos.Thanks for the kind words,yeah a while back i was considering ending everything but pulled through.Glad i decided to.When i pulled them out one by one,i was measuring them with a tape measure and the biggest is about 5.5 inches just under 6,while the smallest is around 5.Keep in mind they came in around 3-3.5.But what got me was the weight and thickness while in the net,man did they slash everywhere and put force on the net.



-N/A- said:


> X2!!!!! I LOVE my wilds and would never trade them for pretty skittle fish  And you're right - they sure can bang themselves up and at times it can be pretty bad, but two days later it's like nothing happened.
> 
> Your tank looks great, Luke. I am SO happy that you decided to keep it going. You're really doing a great job with them. They look nice and thick - healthy and happy discus
> 
> P.S. I still have some "stuff" for you - we should try to meet up at Charles' one of these days. My turn for TimBits and coffee :bigsmile:


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Luke78 said:


> Glad i decided to.When i pulled them out one by one,i was measuring them with a tape measure and the biggest is about 5.5 inches just under 6,while the smallest is around 5.Keep in mind they came in around 3-3.5.But what got me was the weight and thickness while in the net,man did they slash everywhere and put force on the net.


Oh no, Luke! Didn't you know not to talk about size in front of Shelley? Something snaps in her! Size fixation......:bigsmile:


----------



## Luke78

Charles,

:lol: So can i trade food for fish? Hey worth a shot i gotta try! Waiting patiently for the other goodies that are coming in!



charles said:


> meet up, pick up some fish, see something else you like, pick up more fish...


----------



## Luke78

Gary,

:lol::lol: yeah she seems to be caught in the numbers game sort of speak! Gonna stop by Charles place on Thursday,you gonna make a visit as well? Meet up have a coffee or donut ?



2wheelsx2 said:


> Oh no, Luke! Didn't you know not to talk about size in front of Shelley? Something snaps in her! Size fixation......:bigsmile:


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Luke78 said:


> Gary,
> 
> :lol::lol: yeah she seems to be caught in the numbers game sort of speak! Gonna stop by Charles place on Thursday,you gonna make a visit as well? Meet up have a coffee or donut ?


Thanks for the offer Luke. I just got a bunch of cardinals on Monday, so I don't want to open my wallet...oops, I mean visit Charles, again. Though it's tempting.


----------



## Luke78

No prob, maybe next time.I usually make a tims or starbucks run before i get to Charles place Fish,fish talk and coffee cant go wrong! Yeah my wallet will be a bit lighter after thursdays visit, so i hear ya!



2wheelsx2 said:


> Thanks for the offer Luke. I just got a bunch of cardinals on Monday, so I don't want to open my wallet...oops, I mean visit Charles, again. Though it's tempting.


----------



## Chappy

Luke78 said:


> Gary,
> 
> :lol::lol: yeah she seems to be caught in the numbers game sort of speak! Gonna stop by Charles place on Thursday,you gonna make a visit as well? Meet up have a coffee or donut ?


The inside joke is regardless of metric or imperial, I am absolutely USELESS at measurements! I have some bizarre mental block. So when someone says they have a 5 inch discus - it honestly means nothing to me. I started kidding Gary about an L128 I got from Charles. First I figured it was 6 inches, then it jumped to 9 and from there I just kept saying it was 32 inches long! And if someone says something like: "Wait for me in the car - I parked down the road about XXX meters". Unless I recognize the car, I'll keep walking, and walking, and walking


----------



## Luke78

As promised,there are some new updates to pass along.First off,my clear water has now been turned into a giant "cup of tea" with the additions of around 10 or so good sized almond leaves.Thought about installing them in the cansiter, but dumped them in cause all my bottom dwellers love either eating them or using them for cover/breeding.Been monitoring the PH and all other perimeters just in case.All seems fine,and the fish dont mind the tannins.A Hydor Korlia was also added for water movement,and has been a fan favorite of all residents.Thursday night i made a stop by Charles place and picked up a few new additions for my setup.Can you guess what they are ? :bigsmile: first two are simple,but the other may be tricky Heres a few photos to get it going...





































I will post another update in a day or two as some new equipment has also come my way stay tunned....


----------



## Chappy

_"....new equipment..."_

Come on now, spill the beans - what are you up to???!!! 
Those corys looks great, Luke.


----------



## jobber

Nice pick up luke!
The suspense if wanting to know what the mysterious fish is....


----------



## charles

Hint... the size of those rubber bands... the square head of the fish... the size of the fish... It ain't no 3" or smaller fish


----------



## Chappy

Yeah, they look to me to be about 8" fish  :bigsmile:


----------



## 2wheelsx2

-N/A- said:


> Yeah, they look to me to be about 8" fish  :bigsmile:


They're bigger than 8". 

Great pickup Luke. Can't wait to see it in your tank. It'll have nowhere to hide. I sorely wanted one, but I don't think my L190, L137, and BEP would have been happy having a new "King of the Hill" in the tank.


----------



## rich16

Ooooo.....I wanna know what the mystery fish is....don't keep us hanging Luke!!


----------



## Luke78

Shelley,

"All good things,to those who wait" :lol: i think i got that line right Patience my dear, i like keeping some of you in suspense! Yeah these little guys are a real treat! The yellow just stands out when you get some light on them,as well as the green.They havent stopped running their marathon since i put them in



-N/A- said:


> _"....new equipment..."_
> 
> Come on now, spill the beans - what are you up to???!!!
> Those corys looks great, Luke.


Ming,

Thanks my friend, the unveiling will take place in just a sec



jobber604 said:


> Nice pick up luke!
> The suspense if wanting to know what the mysterious fish is....


Charles,

:lol: yeah those rubber bands were necessary i tell you to hold this one in here! 3'' or smaller i doubt it,this one really stands out i tell you!



charles said:


> Hint... the size of those rubber bands... the square head of the fish... the size of the fish... It ain't no 3" or smaller fish


Gary,

Thanks buddy, yeah this one has quite some size! Seems likes you have it nailed I hear ya, that would be some sight to see but not end well for all!



2wheelsx2 said:


> They're bigger than 8".
> 
> Great pickup Luke. Can't wait to see it in your tank. It'll have nowhere to hide. I sorely wanted one, but I don't think my L190, L137, and BEP would have been happy having a new "King of the Hill" in the tank.


Rich,

:lol: Gonna be unveiling shortly with a few more photos my friend!



rich16 said:


> Ooooo.....I wanna know what the mystery fish is....don't keep us hanging Luke!!


----------



## Luke78

So some of the 'pros' here seem to have an idea of the new addittion,but to the others heres the resident It happens to be one of the L14 sunshine plecos Charles had.Beautiful looking with some great colour patterns and size to match. Waited a while to have everyone else settle in and make sure the new setup could handle the load coming from this one.Its been exploring its new home all day, and the others in there are trying to figure out who this is.I have only one slight concern, its gonna take some rearranging of the layout to find him/her a hiding spot.The ones i have dont work,or cover the entire body.Charles assured me it shoudnt be a concern,but wanna keep it happy.Anyways heres a few photos i managed to get this morning,one is up close and personal :bigsmile: Enjoy


----------



## 2wheelsx2

I agree with Charles. It shouldn't be a problem. The Scobiancistrus seem to be a bit less shy than most plecos. I see my L368 all the time and they are tiny little guys. I think if you create a bit an overhang so it can hide its head, it'll be happy. They tend to be like ostriches....as long as their heads are hidden they think they're invisible.


----------



## Luke78

Thanks for the tips Gary, yeah it seems to be in the open all the time i have glanced over to see the tank.:lol: ostriches huh, interesting analysis.



2wheelsx2 said:


> I agree with Charles. It shouldn't be a problem. The Scobiancistrus seem to be a bit less shy than most plecos. I see my L368 all the time and they are tiny little guys. I think if you create a bit an overhang so it can hide its head, it'll be happy. They tend to be like ostriches....as long as their heads are hidden they think they're invisible.


----------



## 2wheelsx2

I think the bigger plecos expect not to be able to hide much. My BEP sits right out in the open behind a big rock/log pile so I can see it all the time from the side of the time, and quite often most of the fish from the front. Doesn't seem to freak out much. I suspect your Scobi will be the same. That's a mighty fine looking fish, and will be a nice centerpiece for your pleco collection for years to come.


----------



## Chappy

So THIS is what you gave up the Timbits and Starbucks for????!!!  Good choice :bigsmile: That is some pretty fish for sure. Great score, Luke


----------



## Chappy

2wheelsx2 said:


> They tend to be like ostriches....as long as their heads are hidden they think they're invisible.


Hey, I know someone like that :bigsmile:


----------



## Luke78

Well there was a starbucks run yesterday before i head over to Charles place.Didnt see any of you guys over there messing with ya! Thanks for the kind words!



-N/A- said:


> So THIS is what you gave up the Timbits and Starbucks for????!!!  Good choice :bigsmile: That is some pretty fish for sure. Great score, Luke


----------



## monkE

looks great man, might have to finally make my way to charles' place to see what he's got.... i've got that feeling that i wont leave his place with any cash left in my bank account!


----------



## Chappy

monkE said:


> looks great man, might have to finally make my way to charles' place to see what he's got.... i've got that feeling that i wont leave his place with any cash left in my bank account!


You haven't been to Charles' place yet? Oh, you HAVE to go. And if you are ever REALLY lucky, you may just end up there when he's just got a new shipment. I tell ya, it's just like Christmas time opening all the bags and seeing what's in them. It's AWESOME fun 
I'd suggest bringing adult supervision with you - it's the only way to make sure you don't overspend and even that sometimes doesn't work 
Trust me, you won't regret making a (short) trip over there.


----------



## monkE

ya i just found out yesturday that he actually lives pretty close to me, I'm at Oak and 70th.... don't know why i haven't gone yet


----------



## Chappy

monkE said:


> ya i just found out yesturday that he actually lives pretty close to me, I'm at Oak and 70th.... don't know why i haven't gone yet


Holy crap - I can stalk you.....I'm at Selkirk and 71st


----------



## monkE

-N/A- said:


> Holy crap - I can stalk you.....I'm at Selkirk and 71st


haha that's nuts! small world! come on by for a beer and talk tanks


----------



## Chappy

monkE said:


> haha that's nuts! small world! come on by for a beer and talk tanks


I'll bring my nets and cooler


----------



## Luke78

Mike,

Thanks buddy,yeah you might wanna leave your wallet there! It can get charles address,postal code,and full resident status! Worth a visit when you get a chance!



monkE said:


> looks great man, might have to finally make my way to charles' place to see what he's got.... i've got that feeling that i wont leave his place with any cash left in my bank account!


Shelley,

Couldnt aggree any more with those few sentences! Never a dull moment there,and if your lucky coffee and donuts/pasteries could be shared as well



-N/A- said:


> You haven't been to Charles' place yet? Oh, you HAVE to go. And if you are ever REALLY lucky, you may just end up there when he's just got a new shipment. I tell ya, it's just like Christmas time opening all the bags and seeing what's in them. It's AWESOME fun
> I'd suggest bringing adult supervision with you - it's the only way to make sure you don't overspend and even that sometimes doesn't work
> Trust me, you won't regret making a (short) trip over there.


I used to be in the area where you guys are now.Couple years ago,i was on 70th and Oak my self!



-N/A- said:


> Holy crap - I can stalk you.....I'm at Selkirk and 71st


----------



## bonsai dave

luke you need to post a full tank shot.....


----------



## Luke78

I will be posting a few more pics of some new items i aquired in the next day or two,busy work schedule and a lingering cold are still bothering me.Stay tuned...


----------



## Luke78

Dave,

I got one or two up from a week or so ago,forgot what page.I agree with ya,just need to make a few changes and will post!



bonsai dave said:


> luke you need to post a full tank shot.....


----------



## charles

saw this tank in person. a must see. very very nice and very biotope like.


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Can we get a new full tank shot now with all the new inhabitants, Luke?


----------



## Chappy

2wheelsx2 said:


> Can we get a new full tank shot now with all the new inhabitants, Luke?


Yeah, Luke.....come on - give the people what they want


----------



## monkE

-N/A- said:


> Yeah, Luke.....come on - give the people what they want


ya come on luke where's the pics man! we're not going to stop bugging you!


----------



## Luke78

Guys/Gals,

Iam sorry for the delay,been thrown off by some kind of cold i cant shake off,working around the clock,and my computer is in somekind of coma at the moment I will shortly update as promised,just a little patience.


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Don't worry, we're all just ribbing you. Either that or some of us have no lives. Or maybe a little of both.


----------



## Chappy

2wheelsx2 said:


> Don't worry, we're all just ribbing you. Either that or some of us have no lives. Or maybe a little of both.


OR

maybe we want to see LOTS of pictures of beautiful tefes in an equally beautiful tank  !!!!!


----------



## 2wheelsx2

-N/A- said:


> OR
> 
> maybe we want to see LOTS of pictures of beautiful tefes in an equally beautiful tank  !!!!!


I just wanna his plecos.....


----------



## Chappy

2wheelsx2 said:


> I just wanna his plecos.....


I just like harassing Luke


----------



## monkE

I just have no life


----------



## Chappy

And there you have it folks 

Luke, pics please!!!!!!


----------



## Luke78

Ok kids, i tell you being without a computer for a few days has been hard.Using another computer sucks,but thats why internet cafes are somewhat useful.Updates on the setup so far will include a few photos of the equipment change i went through,and a group shot of some of the green/yellow cories charles brought in.After the change in equipment went down,i ran into some problems with the water perimeters.Nitrite shot up a bit (0.3) to much for my liking,water went cloudy a bit and thus a mini cycle happened.Even though i switched the media from my old filters to the new one, i guess the new stuff has to catch up.A huge water change took place,and ive been monitoring the conditions so far.Lost a few tetras,but everyone else seem fine.I plan on adding a few more stones/rocks to the mix as i have the space so its not final yet.

I wanted to thank my good friend Charles for coming over and help out with the new filter.Seems i was doing it all wrong hooking it up and getting it to run The new machine is an Eheim 2080 pro 3 if anyone is wondering.This filter is a beast,but runs like a dream i tell you.So well put together and i was taken away by the shear space of media this filter can actually fit(6 gallons worth i think).On with the new pics, i will add more off the plecos in the next few days for all those catfish fans out there and a full tank shot as well


----------



## Luke78

Charles,

Thanks for coming over buddy,you saved my tank! Thanks for the kind words as well, hope this inspires others as well.Like you said, a couple more additions to the layout and iam sure it will be done.Getting the stones/rocks next week.



charles said:


> saw this tank in person. a must see. very very nice and very biotope like.


Gary,

I will in a few days,this week and last has been rough going with so much happening.After the water conditions going sideways a few days ago, i doubt it looked good to photograph.Thank my stars i didnt lose anything more expensive.



2wheelsx2 said:


> Can we get a new full tank shot now with all the new inhabitants, Luke?


Shelley,

Some new pics like you requested are up , have a look



-N/A- said:


> Yeah, Luke.....come on - give the people what they want


Gary,

These guys are photograph some times i tell you, but i managed to get a few of them.My sunshine loves to pose for them So true what you said a while back regarding the hiding of their head!



2wheelsx2 said:


> I just wanna his plecos.....


Mike,

:lol: i say this myself sometimes, enjoy the new pics!



monkE said:


> I just have no life


----------



## 2wheelsx2

I have filter envy.....thanks for the pics, Luke. Sorry to hear about the minor cycle causing some losses, but it's kind of why I always have some tetras in my tanks. They're like my "canaries in a coal mine". Always the first to go when something goes wrong.


----------



## Chappy

Do you bring fish with you when you go to the camps, Gary


----------



## 2wheelsx2

-N/A- said:


> Do you bring fish with you when you go to the camps, Gary


No need. There's plenty of fish in South America.  I am hoping for a project in Brazil soon.


----------



## Chappy

2wheelsx2 said:


> No need. There's plenty of fish in South America.  I am hoping for a project in Brazil soon.


Is that different than that Brazil expedition you're going to send me on??!!  You better start selling your fish off to pay for that - it's coming up pretty quick  I've packaged my bikini and big nets :bigsmile:


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Since we're jumping all over your thread Luke, this is the trip Shelley is talking about: 2011Discus Collection Trip of a Lifetime in the Amazon with the Legendary Marc Weiss..


----------



## Luke78

Gary,

Had this filter in mind for while now or the model below this .Finally jumped on it,Charles is a good salesperson Yeah was not liking the conditions with the water, and it was expected i guess.Iam considering a UV as well now.Too much stock at risk here,regardless of the measures i take to keep them happy.So true about the canarie/tetra thing.Usually my rummies are the first to let me know once the red goes.



2wheelsx2 said:


> I have filter envy.....thanks for the pics, Luke. Sorry to hear about the minor cycle causing some losses, but it's kind of why I always have some tetras in my tanks. They're like my "canaries in a coal mine". Always the first to go when something goes wrong.


No prob guys, i dont mind one bit Here to discuss all things related to the hobby.Man i wish i had the funds, would love to embark on this one day! What an adventure it would be.



2wheelsx2 said:


> Since we're jumping all over your thread Luke, this is the trip Shelley is talking about: 2011Discus Collection Trip of a Lifetime in the Amazon with the Legendary Marc Weiss..


Shelley,

Gary is rich, money hidden all over his place! Is work gonna give you the time off to go?



-N/A- said:


> Is that different than that Brazil expedition you're going to send me on??!!  You better start selling your fish off to pay for that - it's coming up pretty quick  I've packaged my bikini and big nets :bigsmile:


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Luke78 said:


> Iam considering a UV as well now.Too much stock at risk here,regardless of the measures i take to keep them happy.So true about the canarie/tetra thing.Usually my rummies are the first to let me know once the red goes.


I think a nice 18W turbotwist would work great off the outlet of that 2080. Some people have misgivings about running a UV, but I now have 2 of them and don't regret it one bit. I wish I had thought of it when I set up the cube and drilled a couple of more holes for a small canister and UV running a closed loop, but I can't do it now without adding another unsightly powerhead to the tank Might have to rig up something to hide it and run one anyway.


----------



## Luke78

Wow running two of them ? One cant handle the load on itself in your cube? Do you have to attach it to the cansiter itself? or run it on its own? Curious how they are properly setup.Doing research on it, but a newbie here!


----------



## Chappy

Luke78 said:


> Shelley,
> 
> Gary is rich, money hidden all over his place! Is work gonna give you the time off to go?


I've still got 8 weeks of vacation time that I have to use up before the end of the year  Yeah, time is of no importance to me.


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Luke78 said:


> Wow running two of them ? One cant handle the load on itself in your cube? Do you have to attach it to the cansiter itself? or run it on its own? Curious how they are properly setup.Doing research on it, but a newbie here!


Sorry I would have clarified. Sometimes my brain works a lot faster than the rest of me. I have one on each of my pleco tanks, and will likely add one to my grow out. So I have an 18W in my 125 gallon and a 9W in my 46 bow. I will likely add a 9W to the 20 gallon growout some time.

You should come by and check out the tanks some time and we can compare notes.


----------



## Luke78

Thanks for the invite,yeah would be nice to see your setups and chat a bit,bring some coffee or pasteries.Gonna do a search and see what brands are good,price,and stats and so on.Any places local you think i should search ?



2wheelsx2 said:


> Sorry I would have clarified. Sometimes my brain works a lot faster than the rest of me. I have one on each of my pleco tanks, and will likely add one to my grow out. So I have an 18W in my 125 gallon and a 9W in my 46 bow. I will likely add a 9W to the 20 gallon growout some time.
> 
> You should come by and check out the tanks some time and we can compare notes.


----------



## 2wheelsx2

I went with the Coralife Turbotwist 3X and 6X. Both from J&L. There are other brands like Emperor Aquatics that people are using, but are pricey and not readily available locally. I briefly considered the Pentair Lifeguard ones, but they are rigged up for hard plumbing and need more DIY than I had time for (I got them as I was going through that plague of continued ich). I'll contact you by PM.


----------



## Luke78

I was eyeing the Coralife myself when i was there (J&L) last week.Just found out they are backordered now.The other ones you mentioned are pricey as you said,but you get what you paid for i guess.Dont want things to get to technical, but be easy to work with and get to when i need too.Keeping it simple is the way to do in my books.



2wheelsx2 said:


> I went with the Coralife Turbotwist 3X and 6X. Both from J&L. There are other brands like Emperor Aquatics that people are using, but are pricey and not readily available locally. I briefly considered the Pentair Lifeguard ones, but they are rigged up for hard plumbing and need more DIY than I had time for (I got them as I was going through that plague of continued ich). I'll contact you by PM.


----------



## bonsai dave

I'm getting a 40 watt Emperor Aquatics uv. When i get my 190 gallon tank in a few weeks. There is landscape store in Burnaby that carries it .I have looked at others brands but I kept coming back to emperor aquatics. For the amount of money I'll have in discus. another $ 450 is not a problem...


----------



## Luke78

Dave,

Thanks for the heads up on this product and location.Good to know there's other stuff available locally.I agree with the later part of your comment regarding having so much stock, a few more bucks put out will leave your mind at ease.But for others(myself included) a budget is in place and has to be followed.So finding that "middle ground" is hard sometimes.



bonsai dave said:


> I'm getting a 40 watt Emperor Aquatics uv. When i get my 190 gallon tank in a few weeks. There is landscape store in Burnaby that carries it .I have looked at others brands but I kept coming back to emperor aquatics. For the amount of money I'll have in discus. another $ 450 is not a problem...


----------



## Sapphire

Luke, what did you got yourself into!! LOL, your new 100G look incredible!!! 

Man, I love the woods! Especially the lighting give it a very river-like feel.

I was late on your thread selling your 66G, oh well, better luck next time.

I gotta to come over to check out your 100g sometimes!!

Brian, your neighbour..


----------



## Luke78

Brian,

Long time my friend,where you been ? Thanks for the kind words,its still being worked on believe it or not But liking it alot myself too! Hows your setup doing?



Sapphire said:


> Luke, what did you got yourself into!! LOL, your new 100G look incredible!!!
> 
> Man, I love the woods! Especially the lighting give it a very river-like feel.
> 
> I was late on your thread selling your 66G, oh well, better luck next time.
> 
> I gotta to come over to check out your 100g sometimes!!
> 
> Brian, your neighbour..


----------



## AquaAddict

Hi,

I am trying to set up a 90 gallon (tall) tank with SA cichlids. So far, I can only find Blue Acara cichlids at Noah's Ark in West Vancouver. I would prefer something around 3in if possible. Anything available in Vancouver? I know there are many, many SA cichlids but only in pictures it seems.

AquaAddict


----------



## Luke78

Have you had the opportunity to check out some of the sponsors here on the site? Some of them here bring in South American stock.Aquariums West downtown also brings in various stock as well from time to time.90 galllon tall sounds interesting,perfect for angelfish or discus.



AquaAddict said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am trying to set up a 90 gallon (tall) tank with SA cichlids. So far, I can only find Blue Acara cichlids at Noah's Ark in West Vancouver. I would prefer something around 3in if possible. Anything available in Vancouver? I know there are many, many SA cichlids but only in pictures it seems.
> 
> AquaAddict


----------



## Sapphire

My friend, I have been really busy with work and daily life stuffs. My setup is still the same old 33g. Sold two of my discus cuz I need to go back to my old country for bro's wedding end of this month. You still got all 5 of your wild tefe right? They seems to be even more colorful now in your recent pics? Or is my vision getting bad?.. lol



Luke78 said:


> Brian,
> 
> Long time my friend,where you been ? Thanks for the kind words,its still being worked on believe it or not But liking it alot myself too! Hows your setup doing?


----------



## Luke78

Brian,

Glad to hear all is well, and your still in the hobby.Yeah got the 5 tefe's all growing up from where they used to be, plus they are feed well usually leaving me with nothing Thanks for the kind words!



Sapphire said:


> My friend, I have been really busy with work and daily life stuffs. My setup is still the same old 33g. Sold two of my discus cuz I need to go back to my old country for bro's wedding end of this month. You still got all 5 of your wild tefe right? They seems to be even more colorful now in your recent pics? Or is my vision getting bad?.. lol


----------



## Luke78

After taking in another "field trip" to my favorite place i came home with a few new residents eager to see their new accomodations.With a larger setup and filtration system to match, the possibilities are almost endless.Granted i keep the maintenance schedule up to date,and match everyone accordinally i shouldnt have any concerns.My interests in the 'catfish world' allowed me to pick up a few new additions which are 12 Corydoras 'Skunk', and an L204 Panaque 'flash'.Pictures taken of them are in their bags,and hopefully in the next few days i will add a few more of them in their tank.Enjoy, the ride continues....


----------



## jobber

Nice new additions to the catfish paradise. No mouse catfish?


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Nice additions. Watch out for that L204 if you feed a lot of live blackworm as their tolerance for meaty foods is limited as they age. I picked some a few myself. You must have come after I left as I left at around 3:30. Lots of interesting Cories and it was tough to resist.


----------



## Luke78

Ming, thanks the colony is growing! I was pretty close to getting three of those mouse catfish.Set out orginally to get some cories and look at the Tefe's but ended up going with the flash and cories instead.Charles being the salesman he is makes it even harder!Those mouse catfish look unique, like the whisker pattern on their mouths,and final size is 4"and under.Might stop by thursday again this week and make a choice.There's some really nice cories there,hard not to take all of them home.The skunks are interesting little characters so far,all in one large group buzzing around the tank from what i seen.



jobber604 said:


> Nice new additions to the catfish paradise. No mouse catfish?


Gary, thanks those flash sure look nice with those long trailers and great colour so far.Yeah Charles told me you stoped by and picked up a few.Actually went a bit later in the evening as i had a few things around the house to finish,plus battling a nasty headache.Yeah lots of cories to be had,you should add a few more Charles and i were talking about the meaty food issue as well,got the others eating cucumber,zucchini,and bok choy but not alot to my liking.Iam not feeding blackworms often as iam trying to feed a variety of other stuff.I think my Tefe's might have their own story to tell here,as they love their worm treat.These guys are starting to eat better than i do This is my second panaque after the L226.



2wheelsx2 said:


> Nice additions. Watch out for that L204 if you feed a lot of live blackworm as their tolerance for meaty foods is limited as they age. I picked some a few myself. You must have come after I left as I left at around 3:30. Lots of interesting Cories and it was tough to resist.


----------



## Luke78

Its been a few days since the last additions and all of them have settled in nicely.Happy to see my L204 eating his veggies(all of them) which trigered the rest of them to munch on them a bit more.Got a half dozen or dozen photos of the plecos,and cories in their home and will update soon!


----------



## Luke78

Here's half a dozen photos of the cories(gold-skunk-sterbai),L14,and L204.Adding some more in the next day or two.Not the greatest shots,but working with what i got!


----------



## Luke78

Just another update(without photos), the last couple days i noticed my Tefe's acting a bit strange.i observed them a bit on my day off this week and noticed a pair was doing a little "dance" with some shaking going on They were also pecking at the farthest intake tube(left side) for a while too! Watched today but nothing,plus my L14 seems to be a bother to them everytime they head into that direction.3 pairs of sterbai cories are also running around breeding,as i found eggs littered everywhere this morning,all gone within minutesSnacks for all! Ran a few water tests just to be safe, and a water change and all checks out.Hopefully this turns out to be a bit more positive next time!


----------



## jobber

Nice pics. The two L's have such bright colours. Those cories must be loving the huge footprint. Hope your cories perform more cory dance!


----------



## Luke78

Thanks,ok pics could get better using this point and shoot!All the catfish are using every inch of the layout.Only the sterbai seems to dancing more lately as theres three pairs breeding.Havent seen the Tefe's exhibiting any breeding behaviour either these last few days.Hopefully that changes again.



jobber604 said:


> Nice pics. The two L's have such bright colours. Those cories must be loving the huge footprint. Hope your cories perform more cory dance!


----------



## Luke78

Keeping up with some current news, ive added a few more cats to the mix.Acquired 4 mouse catfish from Charles and liking these interesting guys so far.Very active,school tightly together,dont stop moving use the entire setup.They have been eating everything i put in and settled in quickly then expected.A few interesting features with these guys is the whisker pattern on the front of their faces.Looks exactly like a mouse,hince the name.They also carry a few colours to them that ive noticed, on their dorsal fin,tail,and middle part of their body.They sift through the sand and move quite the amount through their gills too.The middle part of their body doesnt seem to have the plates or armour as other catfish too.Could be wrong with this,someone hopefully can clarify this better.Their size is plus too as they max out at about 3-4 inches.Theres a few different kinds of these guys,but very little info available.I would consider these guys a good community fish,and work fairly well with everyone else.Here's a few pics i managed to take of them,not the best but they are fast to take a pic of.My L14 also decided to pose for a photo or two as well, just say AHHHHH


----------



## jobber

Can't believe I miss this update . So you did pick up those mouse'doras. Great pick ups. I saw them schooling very tightly at Chuck's. I would be afraid to take these guys home as the pygmy cories maybe a quick snack for them. Nice L14....looks like he's sucking the glass and swimming horizontally. Hilarious stuff. Charles just got some new stock in tonight....;P


----------



## Luke78

Hey no prob,it all good! Yeah i got 4 of them and they do school pretty tight considering its only a few.Active is the main word here,more than the other cats and they have huge appetites i tell you! Yeah thats the thought going through my head as well,but they seem to leave everyone alone and are peaceful otherwise. L14 was posing that day for me,and i just managed to get a few shots of him/her doing its thing!



jobber604 said:


> Can't believe I miss this update . So you did pick up those mouse'doras. Great pick ups. I saw them schooling very tightly at Chuck's. I would be afraid to take these guys home as the pygmy cories maybe a quick snack for them. Nice L14....looks like he's sucking the glass and swimming horizontally. Hilarious stuff. Charles just got some new stock in tonight....;P


----------



## Luke78

Feels like i have more photos of the cats on here,instead of my flat friends(there is 5 in both one is hiding behind the others) so i snapped a few of them as they came upfront towards the current.Dont mind me in the crummy shots either as i was just almost out the door heading to work!No flash,no tank light,and just relying on the light coming through the room.I do want to add a photo of one baby sterbai cory which has doubled in size this last month or so! Hope you like them!


----------



## Chappy

Man, oh MAN, I love those flat fish  They look GREAT, Luke.


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Those discus are looking MIGHTY fine, Luke.


----------



## jobber

Haha, I never knew you had flats fish. Only saw catfishes. BTW, Mr. Chuck has new fish in...


----------



## Luke78

Thanks, yeah the children are still growing,and those natural colours still stand out for me everytime i see them.



-N/A- said:


> Man, oh MAN, I love those flat fish  They look GREAT, Luke.


Thanks, got a bit worried this past month or so, my L14 stays in the same corner as these guys and chases them around all the time.They end up getting spooked and running into everything afterwards.Witnessed some breeding behaviour as well a few weeks back as well,but nothing came of it.



2wheelsx2 said:


> Those discus are looking MIGHTY fine, Luke.


Yeah i have these guys as well,they were transfered over from my previous setup(66G).Had 6,but one passed on a while back.Combined two worlds into one and created this Yeah i saw his list,my wallet is traveling light these last few days so the field trip is gonna be postponed until next week!



jobber604 said:


> Haha, I never knew you had flats fish. Only saw catfishes. BTW, Mr. Chuck has new fish in...


----------



## Luke78

Just adding a little update and a few photos that i managed to get of the residents.Had some deaths these last few weeks and iam trying to find a balance with my GH/KH levels.They were coming out way too low(had a zero across the board) and now have it a few numbers up (3+).A dozen plus skunk corydoras gone and several tetras, not impressed.Learning from my mistakes, and not spending enough time to address the situation.Well heres a few photos of some plecos and cories!


----------



## rich16

Always impressed with the way your tank looks, Luke. Love to see it in person one day! How many corys / plecos do you have in there?


----------



## Luke78

Rich,

Thank you for the kind words,a move is in the works for the near future but once iam settled in your welcome to come have a look.Got the stats on the first page regarding the numbers,but recently lost a dozen plus skunk cories so i have to change that.



rich16 said:


> Always impressed with the way your tank looks, Luke. Love to see it in person one day! How many corys / plecos do you have in there?


----------



## Luke78

Since its been a few months without an update,alot has changed with the 100G.I no longer house the Tefe's any more and there were adopted by another member on this site.The L14 was also picked up by another member too,and now its all cats(plecos&cories) followed by a dozen plus bloodfins,rummynose,and lemon tetras.Was really considering shutting down the entire unit,but was convinced by a few good people to keep it going.Although a possible move is nearing soon,i will continue with it and apply some refreshing changes to it.Theres a few cories added,so pictures will follow soon.Keep you posted!


----------



## crazy72

Glad you kept it, Luke. It's such a beautiful tank. Sometimes it's amazing to see how refreshing it is to change some fish and rescape. It's like having a completely different tank. Just as exciting as starting a new one.

Have you sold your apistos too? (just curious - ok, ok, possibly interested, too  ).


----------



## mdwflyer

If you do end up having to move, I'm sure there would be some good help available to make sure the fish get through it okay. 

Glad to see you are keeping it up and running, it's a beautiful setup.


----------



## monkE

love the tank Luke! great to see everyone is happy and healthy  how bout some full tank shots???


----------



## jobber

See...told you 
It's a great tank. Rescape, restock is exactly like getting a new tank. But since you have a 100g, there is literally a ton of water volume providing quality water for your fish.


----------



## crazy72

mdwflyer said:


> If you do end up having to move, I'm sure there would be some good help available to make sure the fish get through it okay.


+1. Absolutely. Just put a note up.


----------



## jay_leask

nice plecos


----------



## Luke78

Franck,

Thanks for the kind words.Yeah was about to almost leave the hobby/downsize to a medium setup.Was stuck on the fence for while on this with alot of personal stuff to deal with,but i was convinced by a few good friends here to keep it and work with it.Gonna refresh it a bit,started by adding those nice lemons,a few new corries as well.Got some extra manzanita kicking around so that will go in with a few new rocks/stones.The cats need a few hiding spots so it seems.Yeah the apistogrammas are gone sorry buddy.



crazy72 said:


> Glad you kept it, Luke. It's such a beautiful tank. Sometimes it's amazing to see how refreshing it is to change some fish and rescape. It's like having a completely different tank. Just as exciting as starting a new one.
> 
> Have you sold your apistos too? (just curious - ok, ok, possibly interested, too  ).


Mdwflyer,

Thanks for the kind words,yeah theres alot of good people here willing to help iam sure if i post something up in the near future the help is there.



mdwflyer said:


> If you do end up having to move, I'm sure there would be some good help available to make sure the fish get through it okay.
> 
> Glad to see you are keeping it up and running, it's a beautiful setup.


Mike,

Thanks, glad you like it.Yeah all is well so far,lost a few corries a while back(GH/KH crash) but things are stable once again.Gonna post a few full tank shots soon.Was charging the camera battery a few hours ago.



monkE said:


> love the tank Luke! great to see everyone is happy and healthy  how bout some full tank shots???


Ming,

Thanks alot buddy, gonna take the advice and work with it a bit.Yeah al lthe pieces are there sort of speak,just tweak it out and go from there.Any thoughts,comments,ideas you have iam all ears I guess a current full tank shot helps huh? On it!



jobber604 said:


> See...told you
> It's a great tank. Rescape, restock is exactly like getting a new tank. But since you have a 100g, there is literally a ton of water volume providing quality water for your fish.


Jay,

Thanks, theres a few in there along with alot of corries.Seems everyone gets along well,but i need a few more hiding spots for them.



jay_leask said:


> nice plecos


----------



## Luke78

After collecting a few new pieces of manzanita,stones,and man made caves(Big thanks again to Franck,Ming) i set off to re scape the setup and refresh it up a bit.Finished just before 3am this morning, so everything is still cloudy and the stock ain't stressed anymore from me putting my hands in there all the time.I snapped a few pics of the stock, but tank shot wise gonna wait until a bit later today/night to post the changes.I am happy to report that after running into some issues water wise(GH/KH), the levels have stabilized and stayed consistent through out.Mentioned in a previous post in this journal that lost some cories, assuming this was the cause since then no more losses.Keep you posted as i go!


----------



## jobber

A re-scape means a new fresh look. Certain the fish will be happy campers. Glad you're able to identify a possible source to the past casualties.
Look forward to the pics.


----------



## crazy72

Yay, a new scape! Looking forward to the pics.


----------



## Luke78

Franck,

To me doesn't look likes much changed, you be the judge but i know there's more caves and hiding spots in there for most of my cats.This was a small issue prior to the change, which i hope makes them a bit more happy.Thanks again for the pleco caves!



crazy72 said:


> Yay, a new scape! Looking forward to the pics.


Ming,

Yeah tell me what you think, i tried a few different things with the extra rocks you gave me.They sure came in handy i tell you, i guess its got a bit more of a 'river feel' to it the more i look in to it.Need another HK to get more water moving, plus everyone likes the waves Yeah the GH/KH levels were extremely low for my liking and the products i was using before didn't even put a dent in them.I know most these cats live with low levels from where they come from,i was still seeing symptoms exhibited of low nutrients in their water which lead to their death and i blame myself for not correcting fast enough.



jobber604 said:


> A re-scape means a new fresh look. Certain the fish will be happy campers. Glad you're able to identify a possible source to the past casualties.
> Look forward to the pics.


----------



## Luke78

As anticipated, i finally got to taking some photos, uploading to photobucket, and now here.A few of them are of a small re scape i did,and the others are of my tetras(hard to take pics these guys are fast), some of my plecos, and cories. These guys i tell you hate the T8 bulb and went crazy when i turned it on.Doesn't help much when i barely use it,but they prefer low light as i have found out. The some what new look has a feel of a 'river bed' with lots of rock work and branches everywhere.So far so good all are happy and the cats love the hiding spots.A total of four branches were added,four man made caves which i tried hard to cover,and a bunch of stones.Feel free to comment, enjoy the pics!


----------



## Luke78

I am sorry for the horrible pictures, i cant take them well at all!


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Looking good Luke. One thing I would change is to move that powerhead lower to that it goes over the rocks on the bottom. Aim it horizontal. I found that it gets the plecos "in the mood".


----------



## charles

Nice size nugget there  YOu are missinng some flat fish


----------



## 2wheelsx2

charles said:


> Nice size nugget there  YOu are missinng some flat fish


No, I think Luke's missing some Pseudas.....


----------



## crazy72

Looking great, Luke. Very natural.


----------



## Morainy

It does look very natural. Lovely!


----------



## Luke78

Gary,

Thanks for the tip, will make the change over today.Need another one to get the lower parts of the water moving.Any extras kicking around let me know!



2wheelsx2 said:


> Looking good Luke. One thing I would change is to move that powerhead lower to that it goes over the rocks on the bottom. Aim it horizontal. I found that it gets the plecos "in the mood".


Charles,

Yeah the nugget has taken well to its surroundings, flat fish huh?? Coming back soon but waiting it out for now! Unless you bring in some Reds then i might change my mind!



charles said:


> Nice size nugget there  YOu are missinng some flat fish


Gary,

Pseudas huh? well i will give you my list,my birthday is in june and we go from there !



2wheelsx2 said:


> No, I think Luke's missing some Pseudas.....


Franck,

Thanks, don't know if i am gonna settle with the rock work, we shall see ming brought up a few ideas!



crazy72 said:


> Looking great, Luke. Very natural.


Maureen,

Thanks for the kind words, trying hard to create their natural environment but unlikely.Close to it ,i will settle for!



Morainy said:


> It does look very natural. Lovely!


----------



## monkE

I love that tank Luke!! looks great!


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Luke78 said:


> Gary,
> 
> Thanks for the tip, will make the change over today.Need another one to get the lower parts of the water moving.Any extras kicking around let me know!
> 
> Pseudas huh? well i will give you my list,my birthday is in june and we go from there !


If I make the changes I want in the cube, I should have a couple available in sizes that work for you....I'll let you know. As for the Pseudas, L114's are very affordable, we just have to get Charles to get some.


----------



## rich16

Like the look of that tank Luke...looks so natural.


----------



## charles

he needs a BEP in there


----------



## 2wheelsx2

charles said:


> he needs a BEP in there


Hahaha...yeah, because when the BEP is done he'll need a new bigger tank!


----------



## Luke78

Mike,

Thanks for the kind words! Needs more plecos i think



monkE said:


> I love that tank Luke!! looks great!


Gary,

Thanks buddy please keep me posted, L114s huh? just did my homework and now these have peaked my interest a bit Ok 'pleco godfather' whats it gonna take to get this coming this way? I know money works , can i interest you in some nicely cooked Lamb ? Shank or shoulder cut?



2wheelsx2 said:


> If I make the changes I want in the cube, I should have a couple available in sizes that work for you....I'll let you know. As for the Pseudas, L114's are very affordable, we just have to get Charles to get some.


Rich,

Thanks for the kind words,hows your setups doing?



rich16 said:


> Like the look of that tank Luke...looks so natural.


Charles,

BEP huh? how about some L114's instead? Read top post please for further details!



charles said:


> he needs a BEP in there


Gary,

Hahaha, that one he has is beast! where the heck would it hide in my setup?



2wheelsx2 said:


> Hahaha...yeah, because when the BEP is done he'll need a new bigger tank!


----------



## rich16

Luke78 said:


> Rich,
> 
> Thanks for the kind words,hows your setups doing?


Nothing new for either set up. Time and finances have conspired against any changes or new additions lately. Everything running along reasonably smoothly otherwise, thanks for asking!


----------



## charles

Luke, you might some smaller community cat like porthole and driftwood cat.


----------



## Luke78

Rich,

Glad to hear all is good with your setups,liked the planted one the most! Very green indeed.Hear you on the finances and time, would have gone over the end and acquired more but life has other plans for us sometimes.



rich16 said:


> Nothing new for either set up. Time and finances have conspired against any changes or new additions lately. Everything running along reasonably smoothly otherwise, thanks for asking!


Charles,

Are these ones you still have kicking around, or getting in? Those mouse catfish are something else,spook very easily and go knocking into everything any time i am near the tank,light goes on,feeding, or walking by.Drives me crazy,they remind me of my discus whom did the same! Actually thinking of selling them off,they have put on weight and size!



charles said:


> Luke, you might some smaller community cat like porthole and driftwood cat.


----------



## jobber

Luke78 said:


> I am sorry for the horrible pictures, i cant take them well at all!


Four weeks since the last update??!? wtfrig. Jk.


----------



## Luke78

Ming,

Hahaha no offense taken, there's been a quite a few losses i am not to proud of.Lost a few expensive plecos after my water perimeters went south again As of these week things have turned a corner again for the best,just trying to keep everything stable and monitor it more frequently.I do take the blame for some of it, let the maintenance slide a bit.Pretty close to shutting it all down and starting fresh again,but who knows whats next.


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## 2wheelsx2

I wouldn't shut it down Luke. I think if maintenance is a problem then since you've had some losses, just don't add anything and keep the bioload down. I was over at Franck's yesterday to drop some plants and his tanks are marvelously low maintenance. Everyone was happy and healthy. I think sometimes we try to do too much with our tanks. I'm going to try to keep from getting any more stock after this tetra addition.  Hopefully I can keep my work down and enjoyment up that way. I think you should also consider going this route until such time you have more time to deal with things.


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## Luke78

Gary,

Your absolutely right, so are the others whom offered their help during our lunch the other day.First i was battling low GH/KH levels,they stabilized,and then shot up to extremely high levels(5+).I take blame for this, let the maintenance slide a bit and everything went to heck and back.Surprised the PH didn't crash on me and stayed in between 6.6-6.8.Other levels were 0 across the board.I kept the temps around 26-27C and never let it rise or fall.Other stuff i add to my water is Prime and Equilibrium(but a smaller dose due to wild stock). I positioned my power head as per our conversation, and will be adding another and possible HOB filter for a bit more mechanical work. Franck's setups are a good example and will consider them in how i keep mine.Way to go Franck,although what you said to me works as well.



2wheelsx2 said:


> I wouldn't shut it down Luke. I think if maintenance is a problem then since you've had some losses, just don't add anything and keep the bioload down. I was over at Franck's yesterday to drop some plants and his tanks are marvelously low maintenance. Everyone was happy and healthy. I think sometimes we try to do too much with our tanks. I'm going to try to keep from getting any more stock after this tetra addition.  Hopefully I can keep my work down and enjoyment up that way. I think you should also consider going this route until such time you have more time to deal with things.


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## crazy72

I agree. Franck's tanks are the best.


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## 2wheelsx2

crazy72 said:


> I agree. Franck's tanks are the best.


I would "like" this post, but then people might think I agree with it.


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## charles

wait, who was that in the lunch that gives you all kinds of idea


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## crazy72

Ha ha I knew this one would spur comments. :bigsmile:


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## jobber

No loss is a good loss, except for ramshorns, bba, white fuzzy stuff, brown stuff, stingy stuff,...
My sympathies and empathy for your losses. I wouldn't shut it down, just enjoy your tank for the simplicity and the ones that are still in there. At least you're not doing discus , which I heard requires more upkeep. Things like this happen sometimes, nature righting the balance perhaps. The other's are looking ok still right?

Speaking of which, I just did a water changed, walked away for 10 minutes during refilling...not a overflow but after a 80% wc, temperature dropped to 16°C. Lucky nothing croaked here ;D


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## Luke78

This has been a hard decision to make and was given some serious thought,but after today's post i will no longer be posting updates to this thread.The setup will be take apart, hopefully the stock find some new homes(keep your eyes on the classifieds, and the equipment either kept or sold).I have a new project that's been sitting on paper for quite some time and will likely take that on once i am settled into my new home(the one i am in now is sold). I wanted to pay thanks to all whom posted,the friends i have here whom helped along the way, and the new ones i met.

Regards,

Luke


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## monkE

Very sorry to hear about your losses Luke. This was such a beautiful tank. I'm sure the next project is going to be stunning as well.


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## tony1928

Best of luck with the new home and new setup. Will look forward to your new thread.


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## 2wheelsx2

Sad news that this tank is coming down, but good news that there is a new projmect on the horizon.


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## Luke78

Mike,Tony,Gary

Thanks guys appreciate it, trust me it was a hard decision to make.Especially since things have become stable and steady.But excited for the new project coming up,but will be a bit of time until i settle in my new place.

Luke


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## crazy72

Luke, this is your decision and you've obviously given it a lot of thought, so it is the right decision. Thanks for starting and maintaining this journal, and good luck with the new project.


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## jobber

So....new project eh?!?!?


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## Luke78

Ha ha in the middle stages as we speak, equipment has been purchased just looking for the right layout so hopefully up and running before Christmas.Missing this 'old setup' and hope the new one(yet a bit smaller) comes close to this one with a few new twists and changes! Keep you posted!



jobber604 said:


> So....new project eh?!?!?


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## jobber

Yeah, but Boxing Day sales is the day after Christmas 
Look forward to pictures of even the equipment haha


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## Luke78

Funny you posted this, i was actually thinking about starting a new journal and posting up pics of the equipment but decided to hold off for a bit.



jobber604 said:


> Yeah, but Boxing Day sales is the day after Christmas
> Look forward to pictures of even the equipment haha


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## jobber

Do hold off, it keeps the suspense open and helps with our patience


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## rich16

jobber604 said:


> Do hold off, it keeps the suspense open and helps with our patience


Patience? What is this "patience" you speak of? INSTANT GRATIFICATION, demanded NOW! hahaHAha :bigsmile:


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