100% with Shane. I had G. steindachneri in my 125 gallon with some Panaque (fairly big) and Pseudacanthicus (and other plecos, such as L129) and when they were in there but plecos didn't get enough food. Once I sold them my plecos became bolder, and I started getting fry out of the L129.

It'll only raise the TDS if it is soluble. If it is not dissolved in the water, then it's not part of the Total Dissolved Solids.

My wife works as a full time chemist in a massive research facility and she always laughs at me when I read the pH on my monitors. She's like, you know on those meters that you can afford, the decimals places are almost meaningless right? She told me the regular titration kits are actually more cons...

That isn't true, it's variable. The Amazon basin is a rather large area and you don't find any of the Dekeyseria spp. that we're talking about in the Amazon main channel. Also, the OP may, or may not, have naturally soft water. In terms of keeping these species, it depends on which one you're keepi...

Ah true. Never thought of that. I was just thinking of the continuous release aspect like Catappa. Would be a nasty mess to clean out of the filter bag.

This is a very informative discussion. So you guys basically steep it and pour the tea into the tank? Can you put it in a media bag and put it in your canister filter/sump/behind an HMF? Would it have the same effect or would it be too weak? I use Catappa and as mentioned elsewhere it makes a big me...

There are a number of articles on the web but I have found this one to be very good (I have not used it since all my tanks have plants so I never fishless cycle). http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/fishless_cycling.php As for ammonia you just have to check the ingredients on the bottle. You don't...

Do you want to catch 25 military grade torpedoes =)) Honestly that sounds like a great idea but I don't know where I would put them, the only other tank is the Amaralia hypsiura tank and I'm sure I would have a few less rummy nose after that. Where does everybody get their ammonia or ammonia chlori...

Why not remove the rummy nose and use ammonia to do a fishless cycle and jump start it with media from another tank? Then you can get it kickstarted and don't have to worry about livestock.

Yes I use a powerhead and a second airstone even in my fry tanks to get the oxygenation going in the tank. Would have to try this in a 40 gallon. Thanks for the details.

I like the spray bar idea but I would guess that you would need to use a water pump to drive it and not an airpump, which would really reduce the usable size of a 15 gallon.

Yes, I can't imagine it will, but I was surprised no one mentions this as a possibility. My 15 gallon is lidded although with an old school plastic canopy and the foam goes right to the top.

Hmmm...sounds like I might need some mesh over the outlet....or go to sponge filters. My biggest hassle is taking apart the filter to catch them to sell. Defeats part of the purpose of the HMF which was to make catching easier.

I had always suspected it to be a possibility but tonight I confirmed it. I have been running an HMF in a 15 gal tank for raising various fry (BNP, L260, L333, L134, etc) mainly if I want to sell them. If I want to keep them I just leave them in the tank they were bred it so I don't mix. Tonight I w...

Same with me, I've never had any problem with large coarse foam (PPI10 or PPI20) filters that are regularly cleaned. This is the rub. I agree with what you and others have said about the pre-filters, but they just don't work people who don't work at a fixed site 24/7. For people who have to be away...

I passed on the Fluval FX5 as I was told it is relatively noisy although I think it represents value. I have four Eheim pro 3 2180s in the fishroom. And you'd be right. I have an FX5 in the basement near my home office, along with 2 other canisters. It's 3 meters away from me and I can hear it. One...

That guy is selling you a line. I've had blue and white moonlights and the fish don't care what colour it is. I don't like the blue moonlights as it's not natural viewing. Very dim white LED's work well for that purpose. The fish still come out but the colours are natural.

That last pic looks like it might be developing into a long fin?

Thanks, I normally only have 1 type spawning at a time. Not sure what's going on this year as everyone is getting into it.

I try to separate mine, but with 4 different pleco types breeding and a total of 6 tanks already, I'm pretty much out of room unless I start a fish room. That's not going to happen until I renovate the basement and build a new office.

I feel for you guys out east as it's been sunny and 13+ Celsius out west. I guess for the same reasons, I have had spawns from L333, L066, L260, and my BNP's nonstop. I'm hoping for something from my L239 and my L134 which have mysteriously stopped for over a year now.

Post some pics. Is this your first clutch? What I have found is that the long fins don't compete well and don't grow as fast as the short fins. So if you have had die-offs, it's likely that the long fins died first.

In my calico BNP, bred by lf man and sf female, I can tell the lf in about 10 days to 2 weeks. There'll be the odd one that looks like it's long fin where they are free swimming, but usually it takes a little while.

Yep, I leave mine with the father for days at a time. If there are no predators in the tank, just leave them be and the father will raise them until they come out on their own. When I don't need the extra babies (because I have lots to sell already), I just let the father raise them. I only take the...

You can keep just about any smaller plecos with your L24". Where you would run into problems is if you keep same sized or bigger aggressive plecos. There are so many different ones that you can keep it would be much simplier if you asked about the specific ones you're interested in.

L273 would be shy. L600 is much bolder. At least my L600 is. Either would be fine in your 75 as long as you don't get a monster to start with.

True albino would lack any pigmentation. This isn't an albino for the same reason that isn't an albino.

My L600 grew tremendously in its first year (I've had him a year). He is now 6". The growth rate seems to have slowed down. So my experience seems to be opposite from Linus_Cello. I also got a 2" L114 at about the same time, and the growth rate on that one is equal to the L600, so it has s...

Yep. I buy it in bulk. $20 worth of leaves lasts me a year in 3 tanks. I buy it from this lady from Singapore and buy the lowest grade (cheapest) stuff since it all breaks down anyway. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Amys-200-grams-Grade-C-INDIAN-ALMOND-CATAPPA-KETAPANG-LEAVES-betta-discus-/251243537682?pt=...

Or you can just leave the leaves in there. I do that to create leaf litter at the bottom of the tank. It does break down and make a bit of a mess, but nothing that my weeky maintenance doesn't deal with. The caveat is that I use India Almond leaves so I'm sure sure if it would be safe with oak and b...