Any apistos robust enough...

[LDP]

Please pardon my ignorance. I'm in the midst of cycling a 75 gal (48"×18"×18") tank. I have a very young pair of Honduran Red Points, possibly an orange seam pleco (undecided if I'm going to move it), two large (each over 2 feet long and 14 inches tall), unlimited supply of cave making materials, and intend to have live plants. Are there any recommendations for apistos, other than rams, that I could add to this mix?

Thanks for any and all information.

 

[abrooks12376]

2 large what exactly?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I'm in the midst of cycling a 75 gal (48"×18"×18") tank. I have a very young pair of Honduran Red Points.....and intend to have live plants

I think the simple answer is that any Apistogramma sp. and Honduran Red Points won't be a good mix, due to aggression.

When you say cycling do you mean adding ammonia? If you are you can stop, and plant the tank. If you have a heavily planted tank you don't need to cycle it in the traditional manner, but you will need to leave it to "grow in" for several weeks.

Have a look at <"75 gallon Apisto tank">.

cheers Darrel

 

[LDP]

2 large what exactly?

Two large pieces of driftwood. My brain and fingers weren't communicating very well apparently.

 

[LDP]

Hi all,I think the simple answer is that any Apistogramma sp. and Honduran Red Points won't be a good mix, due to aggression.

When you say cycling do you mean adding ammonia? If you are you can stop, and plant the tank. If you have a heavily planted tank you don't need to cycle it in the traditional manner, but you will need to leave it to "grow in" for several weeks.

Have a look at <"75 gallon Apisto tank">.

cheers Darrel

Thank you sir. By cycling I meant just that.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Thank you sir. By cycling I meant just that.

I won't post it all here, but there is a much fuller discussion at <"UKAPS: Best way to cycle a second filter"> (and linked PlanetCatfish threads).

The basic premise is that:

• dissolved oxygen (not ammonia) is the most important parameter in biological filtration.
• the linear scheme of aerobic nitrification, Nitrosomonas oxidising NH3 to NO2, and then Nitrospira/Nitrobacter oxidising NO2 to NO3, where each process occurs in sequence, is only a small part of a larger story.
  
• Ammonia oxidising Archaea (AOA) are the primary ammonia oxidising organisms in bio-filters. ("Aquarium Nitrification Revisited: Thaumarchaeota are the Dominant Ammonia Oxidizers in Freshwater Aquarium Biofilters"<"http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0023281#pone-0023281-g004">)
  
• A canister filter is not the only, or best, site for nitrification (and potentially the simultaneous anaerobic decomposition of NO3 and out-gassing as N2)
• Plants are not minor contributors to biological nitrification, but the single most important factor, with plant/microbe systems having about an order of magnitude more potential than microbe alone systems. (Stottmeister et al (2003) "Effects of plants and microorganisms in constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment" Biotechnology Advances 22 pp 93:117)

cheers Darrel

 

[LDP]

Hi all, I won't post it all here, but there is a much fuller discussion at <"UKAPS: Best way to cycle a second filter"> (and linked PlanetCatfish threads).

The basic premise is that:

• dissolved oxygen (not ammonia) is the most important parameter in biological filtration.
• the linear scheme of aerobic nitrification, Nitrosomonas oxidising NH3 to NO2, and then Nitrospira/Nitrobacter oxidising NO2 to NO3, where each process occurs in sequence, is only a small part of a larger story.
  
• Ammonia oxidising Archaea (AOA) are the primary ammonia oxidising organisms in bio-filters. ("Aquarium Nitrification Revisited: Thaumarchaeota are the Dominant Ammonia Oxidizers in Freshwater Aquarium Biofilters"<"http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0023281#pone-0023281-g004">)
  
• A canister filter is not the only, or best, site for nitrification (and potentially the simultaneous anaerobic decomposition of NO3 and out-gassing as N2)
• Plants are not minor contributors to biological nitrification, but the single most important factor, with plant/microbe systems having about an order of magnitude more potential than microbe alone systems. (Stottmeister et al (2003) "Effects of plants and microorganisms in constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment" Biotechnology Advances 22 pp 93:117)

cheers Darrel

Thank you again. That explanation was well above my paygrade. I was not using straight ammonia and should have been more clear. I have a small colony of alcolapia alcalica and took a sponge filter from there tank with roughly an additional 4 gallons (~15 liters) of their water to start the process. Thank you very much for all of the information.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I have a small colony of alcolapia alcalica and took a sponge filter from there tank with roughly an additional 4 gallons (~15 liters) of their water to start the process.

OK. That should be fine for the Central American cichlids, which are "hard water" fish as well.

cheers Darrel

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I have a small colony of Alcolapia alcalica

Very nice, that is a rare fish, and about as different as you could get from Apistogramma in terms of water requirements.

cheers Darrel

 

[LDP]

Hi all, Very nice, that is a rare fish, and about as different as you could get from Apistogramma in terms of water requirements.

cheers Darrel

They are a lot of fun to watch and much more active than I'd first thought. You are, of course, correct about the water. They aren't called "soda cichlids" for nothing.