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Ok, Im giving this another try. Hopefully I can get some breeding going on in here. I read another post about a slate bottom so I figured I would try it. I used un-guaged 1ft tile squares that fit perfect. I just wasnt willing to go bare bottom and was hesitant of sand. The bubble wand in the back I just figured I would try. I never had one and always thought the were dorky. I might get rid of it. I will also be adding some potted Java ferns and sword plants.

The big question. Will slate with all the rusty looking colors leach anything harmful in the water?????? Im kinda nervous about it.




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lrry93 wrote:The big question. Will slate with all the rusty looking colors leach anything harmful in the water?????? Im kinda nervous about it.

I was just thinking that when looking at the pictures - that looks like something containing Iron, and it may introduce iron into the water... I would not use that piece... H. zebra isn't exactly fish that you just go buy another few if they die, so it's not really worth the risk, IMO.

--
Mats

Hi!

I've got the same opinion as Mats..> Iron.

The tank is a bit too lightish, also, and not enough hiding-places!


Greetz Tobi

What a coincidence!

I've just set up (yesterday) a very similar L262 breeding tank.

I too chose iron rich slate. It looked fine at the garden centre, but when I split it, it revealed the same rust like stuff you have on yours.

I scrubbed it, then I soaked it overnight in RO water, and the next day there was a reading of 0.1mg/l of free (toxic) iron. Free iron is toxic at about 0.3mg/l.

I soaked for a further week in tapwater, and there was no reading.

It may be that it was just the stuff on the surface that caused the iron reading, or maybe it only leaches in acid water?

I took the plunge and used it anyway. The test fish are still alive, (some otos and pencilfish).

If I detect anymore, I will use a dechlorinator that chelates metals to stop the problem, then rethink my decor.

I will keep testing and keep you posted.


On your tank Irry93, I would agree that you need to reduce the light intensity and add more decor. This is what I have done so far, but I shall try to improve it......




I'll get some better pics when I can find my good camera!

Irry,
Get a background to make your tank darker. Even a piece of black or brown paper stuck to the outside will do and it's going to cost you little to nothing.

Irry, I think you're off to a good start.
Can't wait to see more pix.

Racoll, looks good! Is that brick wall behind the aquarium just the wall, or a special backround for the tank?

Also, many plant fertilizers are rich in iron - I was not aware that there was a danger to fish. Certainly I have been using them for years. Please tell me how the iron-rich slate is different. I added a piece of iron-rich river rock to a freshwater tank about three years ago, and never thought anything of it.

Deborah

Ive never heard of issues with the Iron. I add Iron to all my planted tanks and overdose it everytime. As for the decor. Im going for a sterile as possible enviroment without going bare bottom. I will be housing 20 Zebra plecos in here. Its a 45gal. I plan on adding more caves but that is about it. The light is overkill. Its 4X65watt PC bulbs. I tore down a planted tank to make this. I will only be running around 1 bulb when the fish go in.
Last night I added 16 white clouds to test and condition the tank. So far so good with no deaths.

Racoll: I like your tank but what are you doing about securing the slate? I would be afraid it would shift killing fish.

I was not aware that there was a danger to fish

Ive never heard of issues with the Iron.

Yes, I don't think i made myself very clear. I'm not too sure of the exact chemistry, but all the aquarist needs to know is that there are two forms of iron in the aquarium.

There is "free" iron which is toxic, and can be released from certain rocks.

There is "chelated" iron, which is a more stable and biologically useful form of iron. This is not toxic, and is the type we feed our plants with.

Racoll: I like your tank but what are you doing about securing the slate? I would be afraid it would shift killing fish.

Yes, the caves supporting the structure are siliconed together.

Is that brick wall behind the aquarium just the wall, or a special backround for the tank?

It is a brick wall (outside the tank). The tank is set into a fireplace.

racoll wrote:The tank is set into a fireplace

Now let's hope no-one is going to light it

Thanks for clearing that up Racoll. I will look into the iron issue.

It looks good. I would cut a black garbage bag to fit the back to use as a background. I would also add a HEATER GUARD.... you don't want to lose any fish to heater burn. I would also lose the Ventri device on the power head.... You don't need it if you keep the bubble wands. Good luck with your tank. One question though.... how are you going to get twenty L46 shipped to Hawaii? And from Who?

here a few of what I got. Im am getting some from zebrapleco.com as well. Shipping to Hawaii is no different. Just have to pay more. Plus I have a full permit to import just like a pet shop. OOh, and the venturi is off

I noticed a couple of the fry are very pale and white! Did they pull through for you?? I remember having one that looked like that and it died shortly after.

jerms5 wrote:I noticed a couple of the fry are very pale and white! Did they pull through for you?? I remember having one that looked like that and it died shortly after.

Yeah, All those pics are from when I first got the fish. Ive had the fry for about a year. I lost a few about 5 months ago due to neglect from my wife taking care of them while I was gone.

racoll wrote:... know is that there are two forms of iron in the aquarium...There is "free" iron which is toxic, and can be released from certain rocks...There is "chelated" iron, This is not toxic, and is the type we feed our plants with.

I believe racoll means our aquatic plants. I killed one of my favorite goldfish with a bit of the iron pellet used in gardening--the outside, in the ground kind. I thought at the time it was a case of too much, but maybe it was the wrong kind?

From the pix, I would wonder about copper--I see a lot of green.

troi

With the competition and roughousing that the males can get into, I avoid as many sharp edges as possible. It is bad enough treating peduncle damage from tails whipping against cave openings.

I have converted to a light colored sand substrate using a non-carbonaceous product from Carib-Sea. It is a soft grain that does nothing to affect water hardness, and it fluffs well due to the larger grain size.

For decor, and cover, I have always used driftwood. Breaking up the sightlines between caves seems to lower tensions, and the water is also softened. Although I have had success with Hypancistrus in a variety of water chemistries, soft with lower pH has been the best combination. Aged driftwood brings the value down to between 6.0-6.5.

Slate for the caves is fairly inert, but I avoid any other rockwork. Much of the nice decorative rock for sale is nice because of the metals contained within. Why add to any difficulties?