22 gallon office build

[NY_Caveman]

I always bought local. NY and CT.

 

[Katrina71]

Sir, that's illegal in most states, I won't be apart of that.

You will. We all said we won't in the beginning.

 

[Waters]

@mch1984 , @Waters , @Lowell Lemon , @crusso1993 where do you purchase your freshwater plants? Which plants will you be using (have you used successfully) in your tanks?

Here are some of the shops I've seen during my searches:

• GLA (Green Leaf Aquariums) - GLS and Tropica 1-2-Grow
• AFA (Aqua Forest Aquarium)
• AquariumPlants.com (Fresh Florida)
• Buceplant
• APF (Aquarium Plants Factory) - also have an Amazon store - have purchased from them, plants have been healthy, although they ship standard post so it can take 5 days to receive a shipment

I have bought from a couple of different places...most came from http://aquariumplants.club/shop/ or https://aquariumplants.com/. To be honest I never really saw any difference between different places as far as quality. Whoever had what I was looking for, I usually purchased from them. As far as types, I always included Dwarf Hairgrass as a lawn, tall stem plants in the back (any fast growing plant works well), and different types of ornamental plants in the foreground (red swords, crypts, etc). I used Anubias strictly for low light aquariums.

 

[Waters]

@neoGeorge, @Lowell Lemon, @Waters (me and @crusso1993 already talked about it) what do yall use for your water? RO, RODI, tap? My initial thought was RO, but wondering if anybody uses RODI and just uses fertilizer?

I always used straight tap water with a water conditioner. Seemed counterproductive to remove all the necessary minerals by using my RO/DI water, then pay for a product to add them all back in.

 

[mch1984]

I always used straight tap water with a water conditioner. Seemed counterproductive to remove all the necessary minerals by using my RO/DI water, then pay for a product to add them all back in.

I understand that thought, which is why I think I’ll go RO and no DI.

 

[mch1984]

I’ve used these guys before for fish and plants and they are a real pleasure to do business with.

https://www.wetspottropicalfish.com/

 

[mch1984]

Also, where as everybody went for their freshwater shrimp? There are so many vendors our there and prices are all over the board.

 

[Waters]

Also, where as everybody went for their freshwater shrimp? There are so many vendors our there and prices are all over the board.

I always bought my shrimp and snails locally......never bought much freshwater livestock online due to the numerous freshwater fish stores around me.

 

[neoGeorge]

I always bought my shrimp and snails locally......never bought much freshwater livestock online due to the numerous freshwater fish stores around me.

I've purchased mine locally as well. I did purchase some from LiveAquaria, but they perished within a day - I know many have had great success with LA, but my invert and fish purchases from them have had huge mortality rates for some reason.

 

[mch1984]

I always bought my shrimp and snails locally......never bought much freshwater livestock online due to the numerous freshwater fish stores around me.

I've purchased mine locally as well. I did purchase some from LiveAquaria, but they perished within a day - I know many have had great success with LA, but my invert and fish purchases from them have had huge mortality rates for some reason.

Yeah that's the problem, I don't have decent store for shrimp around here. I could probably find some ghost shrimp but that's about it.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Yeah that's the problem, I don't have decent store for shrimp around here. I could probably find some ghost shrimp but that's about it.

I recently purchased a colony of rcs off ebay came in healthy and are growing quite nicely. Was going to do the LA route but i just wanted shrimp not breeder quality at $100 for 3 shrimp [emoji23]

Years ago i ordered amanos the same way they died of old age and wanted something that would actually breed in the tank. Use critter cages to examine before adding.

Shrimp parasites are pretty noticeable to the naked eye.

 

[mch1984]

I recently purchased a colony of rcs off ebay came in healthy and are growing quite nicely. Was going to do the LA route but i just wanted shrimp not breeder quality at $100 for 3 shrimp [emoji23]

Years ago i ordered amanos the same way they died of old age and wanted something that would actually breed in the tank. Use critter cages to examine before adding.

Shrimp parasites are pretty noticeable to the naked eye.

That's part of the decision I need to make. If I go shrimp only then I am going to be extremely picky about it, if I add fish then maybe not so much. Just need to decide which direction I'm going to go.

 

[crusso1993]

I always used straight tap water with a water conditioner. Seemed counterproductive to remove all the necessary minerals by using my RO/DI water, then pay for a product to add them all back in.

As @mch1984 already knows, I'd love to use straight tap water too but the city I live in is constantly jacking with the water. I am always fighting blooms in our tank. As a matter of fact, the dental office where my wife works is always having problems with their water distillery because of the incoming water. In the last 1.5 months the city sent out letters to local businesses apologizing for the water issues and it surprises me that no one ever calls them to task. However, after talking with a LFS owner, he told me the water is so bad in this area that it varies wildly from one part of the city to another. The good news is I scored a brand new SpectraPure RODI with an extra set of filters for $100 this past weekend. Going to get the booster pump below and hopefully hook it up this sometime this week. The pump has an autoflush built in which I really like.

 

[mch1984]

I looked at our city's water report the other day, we supposedly passed everything except arsenic. That makes me feel good about drinking the water around here, who doesn't need a little arsenic in their diet.

 

[crusso1993]

I looked at our city's water report the other day, we supposedly passed everything except arsenic. That makes me feel good about drinking the water around here, who doesn't need a little arsenic in their diet.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were whining about a little arsenic. Ppfffft...

 

[Waters]

As @mch1984 already knows, I'd love to use straight tap water too but the city I live in is constantly jacking with the water. I am always fighting blooms in our tank. As a matter of fact, the dental office where my wife works is always having problems with their water distillery because of the incoming water. In the last 1.5 months the city sent out letters to local businesses apologizing for the water issues and it surprises me that no one ever calls them to task. However, after talking with a LFS owner, he told me the water is so bad in this area that it varies wildly from one part of the city to another. The good news is I scored a brand new SpectraPure RODI with an extra set of filters for $100 this past weekend. Going to get the booster pump below and hopefully hook it up this sometime this week. The pump has an autoflush built in which I really like.

Nice Obviously in your case, you don't have much of a choice. Better to start with a clean slate then introducing WAY more nutrients than you need. Our city water is pretty good so everything is balanced just by removing the chlorine and adding the normal ferts.

 

[Waters]

If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were whining about a little arsenic. Ppfffft...

I read arsenic is good for the skin

 

[Jeight]

Tired today and 2 men short so I am loading trucks...not above dock work but thats where I started 30+ years ago.

My coral beauty died overnight...did a postmortem on the remains...no signs of velevt or ich...did a freshwater dip no flukes..not sure what happened here..he/she's belly seemed a little bloated but other than that fins all 100% no bite marks was in tank 5 weeks no problems..added a yellow tang last Thursday and Im not sure but I think it stressed the beauty out and maybe some underlying issue I didnt notice with her took over

Did a fast 3 last night 15:00 pace was third day in a row for me so tonight I rest for a long 5 miler tomorrow night

Grats Matt on 2 miles at a decent pace you will be doing halves with me soon

4.5 weeks till Football Hall of Fame Half for me

 

[dantimdad]

I have been using Black Diamond blasting sand in the medium grit for years with planted tanks and all of them grew well, except my current 2.5 desk tank. I think I am going to tear it down soon and start over.

I think its a product of some bad plants I got off a guy on plantedtank.net.

 

[crusso1993]

@mch1984 and @Jeight

Had one of my good buddies with me for today's run... we both have to get back in the groove again.