Hello guest! Are you an Apistogramma enthusiast? If so we invite you to join our community and see what it has to offer. Our site is specifically designed for you and it's a great place for Apisto enthusiasts to meet online. Once you join you'll be able to post messages, upload pictures of your fish and tanks and have a great time with other Apisto enthusiasts. Sign up today!
Thanks Apisto-nut. Do you leave the pump in the barrel to heat the water or use a heater as Mike suggests and what about keeping the water moving? I live in Massachusetts so I will look around here for the barrels. Tom
Apisto-nut. I am not familiar with "food grade" barrels--where can you get them? Also, neither you nor Mike mentioned using a sump pump--is one necessary and if not how do you get the water from the barrel to your tanks? Tom
Hi. In order to have a large quantity of water available for water changes, people have mentioned using a large plastic trash barrel. I would like to keep the water warm--is there some type of heater that people commonly use? Also, do you need to have any other equipment for aging the water...
Mike, thanks for the tip about ceramic rings--I was a real estate attorney so have some knowledge of superfund sites but in my next life I am going all environmental. Thanks, Tom
Wow, that is really interesting. I guess I will try going without and also try some of that Renew I first mentioned. I appreciate the information and advice from an expert and a great forum to learn from. Tom
Hi Lisa. To be honest, I thought everyone used carbon. Is it necessary for certain types of fish? I have kribensis, rams and cacatuoides and use whisper power filters which come with carbon as you know. What do you think? Tom
Has anyone used "Renew" filtration media in place of carbon for apisto tanks? It is sold by That Fish Place and many others probably and is said to act just like carbon but without the side effects. Thanks.
Andrew, from what you said and what I have read in other posts in this forum, it appears that I should reduce the ph of the water I will use for water changes before putting it into my tanks. What are your thoughts about using either Kent Black Water Expert or Tetra Black Water Extract and...
After a month to 2 months, the acidity level lessens which I attribute to the age of the driftwood I use and the addition of the 7.0 water I add with each water change. What do you think? I will also check into the use of peat as suggested earlier. Thanks, Tom
For water changes, I age my tap water for 2 days to 2 weeks in plastic, one gallon jugs and the ph is 7.0 and the water is very soft and the kh very low. Is there any safe way to lower the ph to 5.0-6.0 before I use it or is a RO unit the only solution? As it is, I have to use alot of...
Any opinions--pro or con about Vita-Chem or Cyclop-eeze wafers would be greatly appreciated. These products are new to me and before I buy would like to know if they are worth using.
The breeding eggs have 1/2 inch holes. I also have been using small flower pots and made an opening in the rim (with much difficulty, until I learned from this forum that one secret is to soak the pot before trying to cut it) but the opening was about 1 inch wide and 3/4 inch tall. It seems...
I bought some regular size breeding eggs from cichlidbreeding.com for my cacatuoides and aggies but the caves seem quite small to me. Has anyone used this size or is the jumbo sized eggs more suitable?
Christine, I checked out the breeding eggs you suggested and in fact just received my order in the mail. I purchased the regular size but in person they look quite small. Did you purchase this size or the Jumbo ones? I was planning to use them for my cacatuoides and/or some aggies.
Just wanted to add that I tried soaking a pot and then chipping away with a pair of pliers and it worked great--was easy and fast. Once the pot dries, I will smooth the edges with a file which I have done in the past with success.
As my tanks all have a safe but higher than I would like nitrate level I have been doing more and more water changes. The LFS recommended trying some AmQuel Plus--has anyone tried this and what did you think of it? Thanks
About white clouds, one LFS told me that they are illegal here in Massachusetts--but I seem to recall seeing some several months ago. I will do some research on this but perhaps I could get them on Aquabid.