Just a quick note, I am really excited!

[PitterPatti]

Hi, Patti here, I lost my little loaches and balas a few weeks back to ich...... :cry:

well, I took the 55 gallon tank down and am finishing cleaning it up, and then will start again. I am getting bio spira Friday, will be bringing in a dozen new guppies and eventually meld them into the only 5 guppies that made it thru the ich. Going to get semi aggressives for the loach tank and put the guppies together in a guppy tank with a couple other guppy loving fish.

Then on to my loach tank! I am really excited! I am getting a 90 gallon stand this weekend and canopy, and then just need a 90 gallon tank.....but I can be patient. Just having the stand makes it more real that I can upgrade when need be......I guess I will have to start the loach tank within a few days of the purchase of the bio spira. I want to wait at least a week to check the tank water, numbers etc. and I cannot find the small loaches up here in denton texas anyway. Will have to venture down to the metroplex in Dallas somewhere. I would like to get the 2 inch loaches to start........it is going to be a long life together, might as well start them out young, :lol:

I want to do like a river rock tank, with some plants added along the way, and probably sand......that black looks nice! this all in itself will be a big project as I am actually overwhelmed in my life right now...so will have to take getting the tank done slow.

I really like the looks of my gravel, and could use that again until I get my 90 gallon though. Sorry to say, I am not money bags.....I have schnauzers too that need dr visits, dentals etc.! hee! not sure which is more expensive, schnauzers or fish, I think it is fish!!!!

So, just a hi again for now.
Patti

PS ... FIRST QUESTION, FOR A 90 GALLON TANK HOW MANY LOACHES..... I WOULD LIKE AT LEAST 6 CLOWNS....AND OTHER LOACHES, AND A FEW MIDDLE OF THE TANK TETRAS OR SOMETHING THAT THE LOACHES WILL LIKE....OF COURSE I CAN UPGRADE IN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGAIN TO 120 GALLON OR SOMETHING......

IF ANYONE HAS A CHEAT SHEET, WHAT LOACHES CAN I ADD TO THE SEMI AGGRESSIVE CLOWN TANK THAT LIKE SIMILAR TEMPS ETC....SAY SAND, AND JUST A FEW PLANTS IN THE SAND, NOT REALLY SPECIAL PLANT LIGHTS ETC FOR STARTING.....MAYBE MORE DOWN THE ROAD FOR PLANTING.

[Diana]

Add only as much Bio Spira as you add fish. Keep the rest in the fridge, I believe it can be kept up to 6 months. Add a little each time you add fish to minimize the minicycle that happens as the nitrifying bacteria grow to match the new waste load.

[PitterPatti]

Hi, thanks! I have read thru the bio spira lit. before, but will definately have to go back and reread. I was wondering.......

I don't want to hurt 6-7 new little loaches, and I don't mind using the bio spira, and waiting, but I have to feed it a bit......I have heard using fish food or throwing in a raw uncooked shrimp would do it?

Maybe I need to read again before questions?

Also, I bought 50 lbs or silica pool sand today. Rushed to get it, before everything closed, I don't have saturday available to me...... Now I am worried that the silica sand may be too sharp, but I have read a few posts on this list that others are using it and no problems.

I plan to have loaches that burrow in the sand too..........< big smile> :lol:

Anyone have any issues with the silica pool sand...??? or should I go with it? (rinse rinse rinse of course)

thanks
Patti



thanks
Patti

[Rubix]

speaking of rinsing sand, is there an easy way to do this? i currently only have a 2-3 galllon bucket i do water changes with but aside from that ive got nothing. i do plan on buying a 5-8 gallon tub or two for when i move in a month so that will help i suppose. any methods or techniques anyone uses in particular?

[mistergreen]

speaking of rinsing sand, is there an easy way to do this? i currently only have a 2-3 galllon bucket i do water changes with but aside from that ive got nothing. i do plan on buying a 5-8 gallon tub or two for when i move in a month so that will help i suppose. any methods or techniques anyone uses in particular?

It's easier to rinse a little at a time.. You'll get it cleaner that way.. and you can get those big giant plastic storage boxes from walmart to rinse.. A big surface area will make it easier than a bucket.

And I'm not an expert with loaches like the guys here but I think they prefer a well mature tank. So, don't rush in putting all 6 loaches at the same time.. Maybe set up the tank with the guppies for 2-3 weeks. And then add a few loaches at a time.

[NancyD]

Now that it's warm outside, I use a garden hose & big plastic tub. The sand comes up less than halfway in the 20? gal.

Tilt an end up on a brick to help lift & the lighter stuff runs off. Run your hand through the sand to stir. Then, because it was heavy, I scooped out some to carry. Put the lid on to keep out bugs etc. I thought it was kinda fun on a hot day.

[shari2]

As for rinsing sand? Either the hose outside or a clean plastic bowl or even a well cleaned/rinsed pasta pot will do. Don't add too much sand at a time, and have a bucket you plan to put the rinsed stuff in. (Every fishkeeper needs a few 5 gallon buckets...) Trust me, after you think you have it all rinsed, you'll see it needs one more time...

i have a double sink and do about 1/4 bucket of sand at a time, tipped, like Nancy said so the cloudy stuff runs out. Swish, stir, lift, spray in more water, and keep going at it till the water that runs off is clear. Stick your clean stuff in the 'clean' bucket and do some more.

[TammyLiz]

I got a bag of pool filter sand a couple of months ago and to my surprise it didn't need to be rinsed. I rinsed the first few batches of it before realizing I wasn't getting anything out of it.

I have had a couple of terrible experiences with dirty sand, though. I'm never going back to buying sand at the hardware/gardening store as long as there are pool stores around!