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violet
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Posts
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7
Location
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West Toledo, OH
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I have had freshwater aquariums and fish all my life it seems but they have all been the community type with mostly plastic plants and gravel. Ever since I have joined this site I have been reading and learning so much!! I have new inspiration:) I was just reading a post about the guppies, and substrate was mentioned. I guess I never realized I could use anything other than gravel. Could someone give me a few pointers on different subtrates like the soil and sand and how does it get cleaned (or does it?). I have a 50gal set up with cichlids and i'm pretty happy with that set up-lots of rock for them to hide. I have a 15 gal i just set up and would like to plant and add some smaller fish. I'll stop rambling for now-thanks for reading:)
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pundam
Moderator
Posts
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1072
Location
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Toledo
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violet said :
. Ever since I have joined this site I have been reading and learning so much!! I have new inspiration:) I was just reading a post about the guppies, and substrate was mentioned. I guess I never realized I could use anything other than gravel. Could someone give me a few pointers on different subtrates like the soil and sand and how does it get cleaned (or does it?).
:::::rubbing hands together gleefully:::::
Oooh Violet, there are several of us on here that are huge converts to NOT using gravel! Not that gravel is bad mind you-- I just don't like it anymore for my planted tanks, lol. I'm so NOT able to do the technical explanation justice, but FarmerTodd's got a whole thing written up explaining it that I'll try to find the link to and post.
I too found the learning curve to be steep and swift when I joined TRAC. I love the free and willing exchange of information!
We have several threads floating around dealing with sand/soil substrates, as well as alternative options such as kitty litter(seriously!). Try some keyword searches using soil and sand and substrate.
One thing you will find is that people here may disagree sometimes on what is "best" but it's always respectful of each person's individual preference. It's one of the things I most appreciate about the membership here.
I'm so glad to see you are reading and posting! Have you put up any pix of your tank yet?
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Mary
I've got a mind like a steel....Ohh! Shiny! ::::wanders off::::
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schambers
Posts
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1457
Location
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Sylvania Township, Ohio
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Here's the link to Todd's site. farmertodd.com/pdfs/native_fish_tank.pdf
I used to think gravel was the thing to use, too. Now most of my tanks have dirt and sand substrates. I love it, it looks more natural.
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North American Native Fishes Association forum
If you were to make little fishes talk, they would talk like whales. - Oliver Goldsmith |
coupedefleur
Posts
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568
Location
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the Great Black Swamp
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I've had a tank (20 long) of cobra guppies set up with dirt / sand / turface for over a year. The tank is so packed with plants that it's hard for them to move. The tank has the smallest hang-on-back filter, with a piece of nylon stocking over the intake to keep the lil guppies out, so the flow through the filter is really slow.
Todd's tanks had really high water movement, with loads of native fish, and the tanks I have set up this way simulate a weedy Trinidad riverbank, I suppose. You probably wouldn't want any fish that dig with this type of set-up, but other than that it seems to work pretty well, given the right soil, etc.
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pundam
Moderator
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1072
Location
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Toledo
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coupedefleur said :
You probably wouldn't want any fish that dig with this type of set-up, but other than that it seems to work pretty well, given the right soil, etc.
HAH! No, no you do not! Not if they are anything near as industrious and determined as my albino cory cats! Those little buggers have the sand in their 10gal stirred up ALL the time-- looks positively murky in there.
(they moved then buried all the gravel I put down over top of the sand to minimize their digging)
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Mary
I've got a mind like a steel....Ohh! Shiny! ::::wanders off::::
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violet
Posts
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7
Location
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West Toledo, OH
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That is an excellent read!! I can see I'll have to start doing some experimenting of my own. I dont have any pix of the entire fish tank but I have a partial I can post. I will be giving some of these fish away mabye as early as this weekend cause' these fish are reproducing so quickly that I am being overrun. Thanks for all of your replys!
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RJS8540
Posts
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737
Location
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Lambertville, MI
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violet said :
That is an excellent read!! I can see I'll have to start doing some experimenting of my own. I dont have any pix of the entire fish tank but I have a partial I can post. I will be giving some of these fish away mabye as early as this weekend cause' these fish are reproducing so quickly that I am being overrun. Thanks for all of your replys!
Welcome to T.R.A.C. Violet,
I might suggest to you to try Sweet Feed stores. I once had a pair of Red Jewel Cichlids that were breading 2-3 Hundred Fry every 5-6 weeks. At one time I think I had as many as 700 Fry in my house and I was able to trade some of them at the store for foods or what ever else they had. Maybe check with Trilby Tropical they once bought a bunch of them from me.
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http://www.freewebs.com/rjs8540
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Malicoire
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6
Location
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Oak Harbor
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RJS8540 said :
I might suggest to you to try Sweet Feed stores. I once had a pair of Red Jewel Cichlids that were breading 2-3 Hundred Fry every 5-6 weeks. At one time I think I had as many as 700 Fry in my house and I was able to trade some of them at the store for foods or what ever else they had. Maybe check with Trilby Tropical they once bought a bunch of them from me.
Out for curiosity RJS, what was the exchange rate on the jewels?
I have a pair currently that is starting to lay eggs, they ate their first batch. Was wondering what the approximate rate was.
Also, Hi Violet, I'm new here as well. Everyone has been great so far!
--Chris
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RJS8540
Posts
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737
Location
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Lambertville, MI
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Malicoire said :
RJS8540 said :
I might suggest to you to try Sweet Feed stores. I once had a pair of Red Jewel Cichlids that were breading 2-3 Hundred Fry every 5-6 weeks. At one time I think I had as many as 700 Fry in my house and I was able to trade some of them at the store for foods or what ever else they had. Maybe check with Trilby Tropical they once bought a bunch of them from me.
Out for curiosity RJS, what was the exchange rate on the jewels?
I have a pair currently that is starting to lay eggs, they ate their first batch. Was wondering what the approximate rate was.
Also, Hi Violet, I'm new here as well. Everyone has been great so far!
--Chris
PM sent. 
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http://www.freewebs.com/rjs8540
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vance71975
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1011
Location
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Bryan,Ohio
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i just converted back to Pea Gravel for a few reasons mostly just the substrate i chose was great for a Reef but not so great for plants. Eco Complete is highly recommended for those new to planted tanks because of its ease of use.You can also use Topsoil capped with sand, it can be messy though if the sand cap gets mixed up to much and you end up with a tank that looks like a mud puddle(been their done that) I like Pea Gravel Capped with Sand. Looks neat and provides tons of surface area for Biological filtering.
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Check out this site, these are some really good people!
http://www.wilmasthecause.org/
They helped me out,i feel adding the site to my Sig is the least i can do.
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