Do you know where I can get...

[Misty]

sunblock for the fish?

I have before and after shots. We went from a few live plants to all live, and if you consider the plant pots as natural (hey, they're clay aren't they?), then this tank is now as natural as it can get.
We went Friday night and got some plants from Fishman, and he gave us more great info on lighting. We bought one of his lights but David can't get the non-working part to work at all so we went today and bought new lights from JFP. We went from 80 watts (standard lights) to 154 whatever they are...if you want to know more about that, ask David because he's the light crew. The only other thing I know is that we have 1½ watts per gallon when we should have 2-3 watts. If we had that much lighting, there would be a blue glow eminating from every window and crack in this house and the neighbors would think we're wierd again. We also got a Luna Light (??) to aid is spawning, I guess.

Here's before:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/EmBeeTM/Photos/Image3-3.jpg
and after:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/EmBeeTM/Photos/Image2-3.jpg
We also added 3 Emerald Corys (from Fish Gallery), 3 Neon Dwarf Gouramies and two more female Rams and a stray Red Lamp tetra that Webster at DNA didn't want to mess with. If you want him, come and get him!

For all of those that say Rams don't like bright lights...pfffft! Mine do...they're out and about more now than they were, even after being put in the 100g. It's nice to finally see many at once instead of the occassional darting blur.

I also found a place that will buy any Ram fry I manage to raise to a good size.

Saw Blake at Fish Gallery...almost saw him at JFP before that, apparently he came in there right after we left, according to Ritchie (sp?).

[supersmirky]

Tank looks awesome Misty! You certainly amped up on lighting!!! Interesting the Rams come out more with brighter lights! Wonder why.

Did you ever end up finding some of that CO rock?

[Misty]

Thank you!
No matter what I've heard about the Rams, there's always someone else to come along and say that's wrong. I don't mind it, I just quit listening because the more practice at it, the better I get with them.

About the rock, no we didn't. I've decided to stick with the wood in there and maybe expand it out a bit. I had a hard time finding small pieces today...that were at a good price. So many of the fish really like the pile, I guess for all the little hidden places in it. There's a path through it by accident that leads to the back of the tank, I guess this is easier for them than going over everything, they all use it and every now and then Sticky like to plow through all of the hidden fish he finds in there, lol.

[fishyjoe24]

looks really good.

[Misty]

Thank you Joey!

[EAST_TX_RN]

Wow! That really pops now! I notice you do what I did, have little food cans on top. I got tired of knocking them off, so I bought some little plastic containers and mixed my NLS and Dainichi supreme in one and the veggie deluxe with algae wafers in the other. I keep my flakes in a can still. No more knocking the cans of food off now when I mess around with the top of my tank, and looks so much nicer!

[bra8ndy8]

wow!!!!! it looks great!!

[Misty]

Wow! That really pops now! I notice you do what I did, have little food cans on top. I got tired of knocking them off, so I bought some little plastic containers and mixed my NLS and Dainichi supreme in one and the veggie deluxe with algae wafers in the other. I keep my flakes in a can still. No more knocking the cans of food off now when I mess around with the top of my tank, and looks so much nicer!

I started that when I had 3 or 4 different types of Dainichi for the fronts and wafers for Sucker Bob. I hated having to mix a little for each feeding so I put it all in a bowl, mixed it and grabbed some to toss in. Plus, it kept it fresher because I could pop the lid back on instead of remembering to zib each bag up.

Thanks y'all. We're having a good time with it. I'm up to 4 female Rams and 4 males...plus the juvies. There's some serious courting and defending going on in there now, lol.

[lellison]

very nice!

[AndrewH]

Dang, I loose internet service at the house and miss all of the good threads.

Very nice improvement with that lighting upgrade. Do you plan to inject CO2 or fertilize (you might be doing that already)?

List out the tank specs for us :D

[Misty]

:D

I've got CO2 in there right now but it's a really small setup for this tank so we're planning on adding another, it's just a matter of getting there to get it or something more fitting this tank size.
I do fert. twice a week with Flourish and I've only lost two plants...two red ones that we got from Fishman, they kept coming out of their binding and I think I dmamged the stems when I put a weight on them. I haven't, and it doesn't look like I will be, lost/lose the papery pink ones that I posted a pic of. Those are the ones I worried about the most but they're doing better than expected.

As for "specs", what are people looking to hear when they ask that? I really have no idea...you'd think I'd have learned that much by now. :rolleyes1:

[AndrewH]

Spec =

Tanks size
Lighting info
Lighting duration
Ferts used (amount and schedule)
Fish list
Plant list
etc.
etc.

Something along those lines. Basically, it's to help answer questions before they come up, or to help people get an understanding of what all they would need to have to setup a similar tank of there own.

It's not require by any means but interesting to know.

[Misty]

Spec =

Tanks size
Lighting info
Lighting duration
Ferts used (amount and schedule)
Fish list
Plant list
etc.
etc.




Tank: 100g (technically 99½)

Lights: 154 watts

2-24" Compact Flourescent 50/50 Combo Strips
1-13" of the same (for the brace)
On 10 hours off 14 hours-will probably be adjusted once we get the timers on
Plants:

Bronze Cryptocoryne Wendtii
Moneywort
Red Melon Sword
Rotala Rotundifolia
Cardinal Plant
Amazon Swords
Giant Bacopa
R. Macrandra
Narrow Leaf Chain Sword
Two other kinds from Fishman that I can't rememberFertilizer: Flourish by Seachem 2x weekly

Fish:

10 Bolivian Rams (males and females)
3 Neon Dwarf Gouramies (males)
3 Emerald Corys (who knows?)
2 Albino Bristlenose (male and female)
2 leftover Mollies (males)
1 bonus Red Lamp Tetra (who knows?)
2 leftover Neons (who knows?)
2 Mexican Mollies (males, not added yet)Misc:

8 pieces of driftwood
various med. rocks
natural peat substrate
clay pots
Fluval 304
Hydor CO2 Green NRG Natural (it's for up to 39g but it's just a trial run, having never used CO2 before, lol)Is that it? I didn't know if that's all or too much, lol.

Just ignore the formality of it, I did so I could print it out.:rolleyes1:

[AndrewH]

:clap: excellent

[REYREY]

tank does look nice... how much was the lighting???

[Misty]

Thank you both!:D

Rey, the lights all together where about $135 or so after a 10% discount.