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Hope everyone is doing good and all the fish are fine.
Wanted advice on this tank and if anyone recommends changing something please let me know!
Here is my setup for the plecos
5X L204 & 4X L397. (Messiest fish I ever kept)

It's an 80 uniquarium filtered with marinepure spheres.
Rio 2100 with the sponge stack in one corner and an eheim streamon 5000 in the other corner to hit the caves with more current.
Thanks in advance to you pleco pro's I appreciate all the help. I'm getting ready to move the L397 to there own 120 gallon tank in a few weeks.
Thanks again to Eric for the great deals at the plecocaves store.

Hi Howie,

That tank looks pretty good. The two large diameter caves in the center might be too wide to interest the fish, but the rest of the caves will be popular.

I like the layout. The two recommendations I have are (1) add some wood over the tops of the caves, to create a sense that the caves are not exposed from above. (2) Dim the lights if you can.

Good luck,
Eric

Thanks for your message! I'm gonna do some more aquascaping!!

Looks good, may have sweet success.

Looks good, would worry the pH might get lower than 6 in that set-up. Perhaps add some shells or other calciferous items if you don't have naturally hard water.

Jools

Thanks Jools very much I appreciate your message!
I use cholla wood and have lots of hollow driftwood.
My PH comes out of the tap at 8.4 in Miami and stays at around 7 with the wood and leaves.
I was thinking of taking out some wood what do you guys think?

fishguy1978 wrote: ↑07 Jan 2021, 21:17 Looks good, may have sweet success.

Thanks very much means alot to me!
This l204 has been hanging out in this cave.
The L397 are all hanging in a hollow log.

I would say you should keep the wood for sure. These things live on it. Just keep an eye on the pH...

Jools

Excellent advice.
I was wondering anyone know how much a piece of large cholla wood 2' long will effect the PH in an 80 gallon tank? I have lots of driftwood already. The plecos love the cholla I just don't want to over due it.

Hi,

You can't tell realistically how it would affect pH because you need to know water change regime, other things in the tank, stocking levels and a whole host of other parameters. As I say, adding some shells to the set-up is the simplest way to offset the risk of the pH falling or crashing once the tank is well up and running with all the plecos.

HTH,

Jools

Excellent I understand!

Anyone use these cones?
(Cariniana Savu Trumpet Pods)
I been looking for alder cone or bamboo caves for more variety for the plecos!

AmazonTank wrote: ↑10 Jan 2021, 16:26 Anyone use these cones?
(Cariniana Savu Trumpet Pods)
I been looking for alder cone or bamboo caves for more variety for the plecos!

I have not seen those before. I like the idea. What size hole?
I tried to respond to you comment on youtube but it only shows in my notifications. Thank you for subscribing.

Totally! I think those pods are very small. I ordered some so I'll let you know!
My l397 have been loving my new tighter caves!

Looks good, like Eric said though, wood over the caves and maybe less lighting. You can never have enough wood with these guys. Mine love bamboo caves but they destroy them pretty fast so I don't even bother any more. They also enjoy Alder bark if you're looking for variety.

How often are you having to clean the sponge stack on your Rio? Years later I'm still trying to figure out a way to filter this tank without the constant attention, not sure that's possible given my setup.

Hi! I clean that fine top sponge out every other day.
I also vacuum the bottom every morning along with doing 10%-15% water changes every day.
I'm learning plecos can be really messy.

and Panaqs, in my experience, are the worst

I made one of those diy gravel vacuums with a Rio 2500 attached to a Lees vacuum tube.
It has been working very well, I'm able to clean up the tank without a water change!
On some of my bigger tanks I just have been leaving it in the tank awhile and it sucks up a lot of debris. Especially my yellow chubby tank I have a group of 6 giants and they are also very messy.
I had a 2' Armatus payara back in Cali that I now consider a clean fish compared to plecos.

I have a male L397 trapping a female L397 today.
I was planning on moving out the L397's and give them there own 120 gallon.
They are only 3" tl so I'm surprised they are old enough to breed.
Those L204 have some amazing streamers.

Let those L397 go at it. They may break up a few times and get back together before they finally spawn. But in general, I've found L397 to be focused once they get in that cave.

Cheers, Eric