capekate

My Blog is going to start off with detailing the progress from start to finish on my new 125g tank. The tank has been ordered and should be here in about 1 week or less. My husband is going to build me the cabinet/stand for it. Tonight we go to Home Depot for supplies. I will detail the build in its own thread when he starts. I will list supplies and photos in the chance that someone else may want to build their own. My husband is a carpenter by trade and I have confidence that he will build me a fine cabinet.
Another thread in my blog will be on hood and lighting issues. Which I would welcome any input there in hopes to get the right set up. Another thread will be on the move itself. Which consists of, moving my 55g to the dining room, moving the 29g to another wall, the taking down of a second 29g that will be empty at that point. and the last, setting up and filling the new 125. Sounds easy on paper but we have our work cut out for us in the next week. This time I am investing in a Python system, no more hauling 5g buckets.
Any input... advice, personal experiences with their own moves are all welcome here. I may be able to learn some tips that others can share that will make the move of the tanks and set up easier, things that experience has shown them to work for them. Lastly, Im going to try real hard not to get too stressed out over this.

Shawnie

awesome kate!!!!!Im so doggon happy for you..and jealous LOL
I cant wait to see the progress and dont forget pics along the way

getting some extra media in all your filters now will help you seed that big boy fast!!

capekate

Hi Shawnie..
Thanks! I have already started that. I have extra media sponges in all the tanks that have been there for a long time anyway. I also went and bought more sponges and the bags of aqua clear bio orbs and put them in the back of the tank to gather up BB along the way hoping to jump start the cycle. I also plan on ordering which will come in with the tank, some Tetra Safe Start as well.

Lucy

I'm glad you started a blog. It'll be fun watching your progress for this wonderful tank

capekate

g'morning Lucy
I think we will really need that 'hair pulling' smiley soon! lol.... Im sure I would find it very handy over the course of this endeavor . hahah..

capekate

Last night my husband and I moved the first tank out of the way to make room for the 125. We emptied the 29 of water, put the Angelfish and the Discus in a bucket with the battery powered aeration and quickly moved all the decor and plants/gravel to a third bucket. We moved the tank out of the dining room to my computer/artroom/fishroom and fits very nicely in here. Refilled, added the fish and the two of them are doing really well. Tank looks nice and clear this am when everything settled.
Next step was to move the 55 to this space that has opened up, but we decided rather than move the 55 and then the couch to where the 55 is, which would open the wall up for the 125 in the living room we decided to just put the 125 in the 29 tank place in the dining room. Makes less work and it leaves the 55 ready for the inhabitants of the other 29 which are two JDs and a convict.
Im looking to add to this group but still not sure what to add. I really would like to add firemouths but they may end up in the 125 instead.
any suggestions on adding to the 55 stock would be appreciated.

MissMTS

Hey Kate

Congrats on the new tank! A 125.......I am so jealous!!! You are wise to invest in a python system. That would be a lot of buckets otherwise I am glad that moving the tanks went well. That can be really stressful. I think your 55 will be pretty much stocked when your JD's mature. What are you planning to put in your new 125?

capekate

Thanks MissMTS
I plan on putting all the fish that I currently have in the 55 into the 125. There will be room for more and I am thinking about the stock now but have not made any decisions yet. Im thinking of adding two firemouths in with the JDs and eventually move them to the 125. I am also thinking of a nice group of cory cats as well since I am going to use sand substrate in the new tank. Will also buy some Tetra Safe Start and use all the sponges and bio orbs that have been collecting BB for awhile now.
Any suggestions on stocking ideas for the 125 that include the fish I already have are welcomed! I do want SA fish since my pH is so low..

MissMTS

Firemouths are gorgeous when they are mature. I would definetly get a pair. Rotkeil Severums are really pretty too, but they are pretty hard to find. Will cory cats be okay with your JD's? You know what would be pretty is a big Gold Nugget Pleco. Just a few ideas off the top of my head. Good luck with the new tank

capekate

The cory cats will go in the 125 and wont be with the JDs. The gold nugget Pleco is gorgeous! Same with the Adonis and the Zebra Pleco as well. BUT...
with the heavy bio load of the BR Parrots that I will be keeping in there, Im afraid that the Pleco will add an awful lot more and I really dont want to have to go crazy with a lot of water changes even tho I will have the python lol..
I love Severums as well, but after having Discus, well.. they are a lot alike.

MissMTS

Whoops, I think I got your stock list mixed up, lol. I can see why you wouldn't want to get sevs after having discus. Have you looked into blue acaras? I just got a juvie for my planted tank and he/she is such a pretty fish with a good disposition. If you can I would definetly add 3-4 BN plecos to keep the algae at bay, especially since you are planning on planting the tank. I have 2 in my 80 gallon and they keep it clean so maybe 3 in a 125g? Here's a link to a pic of my blue acara just so you can see what they look like:

http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/me...lue-acara.html

The blue acara is the one at the top.

capekate

I have had BN Pleco's before and neither of them would eat algae which is strange I know lol. I heard that when the Pleco gets larger they stop eating the algae and the two that I brought home were already 5 inches long.
So that may have been the problem. Even tho I have java moss in my tank there is not a speck of algae anywhere. I think that the Striped Raphael Catfish who loves to keep the driftwood clean as can be may be cleaning up the gravel as well, but I dont know for sure. But for whatever reason, none of my tanks have any algae present. If I were to go with the pleco I would have to get the zebra or gold nugget. They are gorgeous.
How big does your acara get? I heard that some do get large, but it may be a type of Acara. Yours is gorgeous as is the rainbow cichlid in that photo! Very nice~ Im not sure if I would be able to find that kind of acara around here, but it may be worth looking into. I like the look of the fish.

MissMTS

You are lucky that algae has never been a problem for you. Usually when people start to see it is when they start upgrading the lighting on their tanks. If you ever do get an algae problem, Siamese Algae Eaters do a great job too.

Mine will get about 6 inches which I think is a pretty good size (he's only about 3 inches now). I actually found mine at Petsmart which really suprised me. There is a Petsmart about 30 minutes from my house that occasionally gets some interesting fish. I got my curviceps cichlids there as well. If you can't find one, maybe your LFS could do an order for you.

capekate

My Petsmart is about the same distance as well. The 'curvicep Cichlid what is that? Is there a common name for it?
I wanted to ask as well. I was just looking at the coralife T-5 set ups but they come in different wattages. Can you tell me what wattage yours is?
Thanks so much!

MissMTS

No problem

Here is a good link for curviceps cichlids. They are also known as dwarf flag cichlids. The males get really bright and beautiful when they get ready to breed.

http://www.cichlidforum.com/profiles/species.php?id=140

I believe that my T-5's are 30 watts each. I am at work right now so I can't check and make sure. I have two of them plus a regular standard 48 inch fixture on my 80 gallon.

capekate

Thanks for the link.. I will have to check out other photos of them as well. I do recall hearing of them, with the common name of Dwarf flag.
Thanks again on the wattage, at least I have something to look for as far as numbers go. Ok im going to do some research on the best price to compare when I talk to the supplier where Im getting my tank. If its a huge difference I will order mine online and I believe that Big Als has the best price for them of the sites I have checked out so far. Only problem is that I want them quickly.. and not have to wait a long time for them, whereas I can put it in my order with the tank and it will be ready for pick up on tuesday evening.Many things to consider before putting the order in somewhere. lol.....

MissMTS

I know the feeling, lol. Good luck