Really Nice Aquarium Audience

I am really enjoying this newsgroup. I am a full-fledged newbie with
newsgroups per-say. I've attempted to scour over the various postings and
crash-coursing myself. It's been twenty years since I had the fish-bug. I
decided this month to setup a 55gal freshwater kit from Walmart. Spent
'round 350 thus far in decor and preps. It's home to a male and female
betta until I get my raise next month [on the 3rd ;( ] ...I'm alittle
overwhelmed at some of the new product lines for aquariums. I lost all my
fish bibles...and trying to remember what I knew and practiced with
fish-keeping, at times, hilarious, now that I've hit 45+ years.

I've planned on a pair of Discus but I can't understand the price jump from
, say, black angels. Are Discus are rare breed these days? Anywhoo..Its
great to jump back in the hobby again and to read your postings and
solutions.

MEAlston

I wonder the same thing myself. I think part of it may be because
Discus are finicky in regards to water quality and habitat. Not quite
as simple (IMO) as rearing and keeping livebearers. I guess I kind of
view them as the Cadillac of FW fish... Very pretty, not really
uncommon, over priced and high maintenance.

I'm boiling sand right now with the hope of killing off any unwanted
inhabitants before I 'scape the bottom of my tank. I wonder how long before
the tank will clear up since I don't have a canister filter yet?

"MEAlston" wrote in message
...
I am really enjoying this newsgroup. I am a full-fledged newbie with
newsgroups per-say. I've attempted to scour over the various postings and
crash-coursing myself. It's been twenty years since I had the fish-bug.
I
decided this month to setup a 55gal freshwater kit from Walmart. Spent
'round 350 thus far in decor and preps. It's home to a male and female
betta until I get my raise next month [on the 3rd ;( ] ...I'm alittle
overwhelmed at some of the new product lines for aquariums. I lost all my
fish bibles...and trying to remember what I knew and practiced with
fish-keeping, at times, hilarious, now that I've hit 45+ years.

If you really want to be mind-boggled pick up TFH magazine and do some
Googling for Aquariums.

I've planned on a pair of Discus but I can't understand the price jump
from
, say, black angels. Are Discus are rare breed these days?

They've always been on the pricy side where ever I've lived. I never bought
any because they're too high-maintenance.

Anywhoo..Its
great to jump back in the hobby again and to read your postings and
solutions.

MEAlston

I'm glad you joined us. Hang out awhile....... :-)
--
Koi-Lo....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
Aquariums since 1952.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Aquarium FAQ are at:
http://faq.thekrib.com/
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

MEAlston wrote:
I am really enjoying this newsgroup. I am a full-fledged newbie with
newsgroups per-say. I've attempted to scour over the various postings and
crash-coursing myself. It's been twenty years since I had the fish-bug. I
decided this month to setup a 55gal freshwater kit from Walmart. Spent
'round 350 thus far in decor and preps. It's home to a male and female
betta until I get my raise next month [on the 3rd ;( ] ...I'm alittle
overwhelmed at some of the new product lines for aquariums. I lost all my
fish bibles...and trying to remember what I knew and practiced with
fish-keeping, at times, hilarious, now that I've hit 45+ years.

Welcome. Ask as many questions as you like. Check out the FAQ
http://faq.thekrib.com and the archives at the Krib http://www.thekrib.com.

I've planned on a pair of Discus but I can't understand the price jump from
, say, black angels. Are Discus are rare breed these days? Anywhoo..Its
great to jump back in the hobby again and to read your postings and
solutions.

See if you can find a local discus breeder. You're likely to get better
prices than from a fish store. I think part of the price difference is
because discus require such high water quality. Most folks who breed
them have to invest in RO water and keep them in relatively large tanks
compared to angels. Shipping costs and losses are higher too. Were
discus cheap 20 years ago? They sure were expensive fifteen years ago
where I lived.

--
Put the word aquaria in the subject to reply.
Did you read the FAQ? http://faq.thekrib.com

Yeah...I think it was 'round 1983..when I picked out my first discus pair at
the local fish store. They were $5.99 then..the size of a nickel. They
survived two moves and passed on after 2 years of transporting them across
the country.

The very same pet store I mentioned above is still in operation...its close
to 30 miles away from where I live now. I have inquired about some blue
turquoise discus to be drop-shipped to my house. He guessed they would run
around 40 bucks each before the drop-ship. I didn't ask him what size they
would be..but from what I gather from other breeders and online vendors..it
seems they like to ship the discus around 2.75-3.00 inches in size. Must
have a greater tolerance for transport at that age..I dunno --

Was curious to whether I should opt for one of the new Bio-Wheel filters
rigs..(Penquin) or just stay with the Aqua-Tech 30/60 that came with the
kit. I plan on buying a diatom filter for periodical use and water clarity
and I will keep the 55gal tank's population to a bare. IE..the 2
bettas...pair of discus..pair of cories...lots of foliage.

Thanks for your attention. -ED

Forgot the subject line detail...oops!

MEAlston wrote:
Yeah...I think it was 'round 1983..when I picked out my first discus pair at
the local fish store. They were $5.99 then..the size of a nickel. They
survived two moves and passed on after 2 years of transporting them across
the country.

The very same pet store I mentioned above is still in operation...its close
to 30 miles away from where I live now. I have inquired about some blue
turquoise discus to be drop-shipped to my house. He guessed they would run
around 40 bucks each before the drop-ship. I didn't ask him what size they
would be..but from what I gather from other breeders and online vendors..it
seems they like to ship the discus around 2.75-3.00 inches in size. Must
have a greater tolerance for transport at that age..I dunno --

I've never even seen a nickel sized discus before and I worked in a fish
store for a while. I've seen nickel-sized angels and they're a pain in
the butt. Discus around 3" acclimate fairly easily so maybe that's why
they're shipped at that size.

Was curious to whether I should opt for one of the new Bio-Wheel filters
rigs..(Penquin) or just stay with the Aqua-Tech 30/60 that came with the
kit. I plan on buying a diatom filter for periodical use and water clarity
and I will keep the 55gal tank's population to a bare. IE..the 2
bettas...pair of discus..pair of cories...lots of foliage.

I wasn't sure what an Aqua-Tech 30/60 was so I typed it into Google.
The very first link has instructions on how to add Penguin BIO-wheels to
and Aqua-Tech 30/60. Apparently Aqua-Tech and Penguin filters are made
by the same company.
http://www.aquariumfish.net/informat..._filters_2.htm

BIO-wheel fiters are supposed to be nice. I've never bothered with them
for planted tanks because the plants provide plenty of surface area for
bacteria and also directly absorb ammonia.

It sounds like you'll have a beautiful setup.

--
Put the word aquaria in the subject to reply.
Did you read the FAQ? http://faq.thekrib.com

"MEAlston" wrote in message
...
Forgot the subject line detail...oops!


Welcome Ed, if you're coming back after a long break, this might be of
interest to you (30 years of aquarium technology changes):
http://www.2cah.com/netmax/basics/changes/changes.shtml
--
www.NetMax.tk

This Aqua-Tech outside filter came with the aquarium kit. I looked up
the name and chased link after link 'till I realized it was a ghost
effort. Anyway..its a typical dual-filter deal..2 disposable Media
filters with integrated charcoal set behind a bio-mesh filter.

This kit from Walmart included the 55 tank, power filter, 2 hoods, 2
lights, fishnet, Tetra's staple food, thermometer, Tetra's
AquaSafe...$170.00 out the door. Picked up the stand there as
well-$83.00..grabbed 70# of pea gravel, some plants (plastic), some
Cycle..dug around back and found a couple petrified wood-rocks and had
it up and running in a couple of hours. I confess to being a clean-freak
so I have to curtail my ambitions at time to remember that the tank can
handle itself if properly populated and maintained.

Thanks for reminding me about the foliage providing surface area for the
bacteria..my clean-freak side would end up with a filter and cleaning
regiment that would surpass our own drinking water here!!

I live in a rural community..no traffic lights..one cop on the couch, a
dollar-general and a grocery store(yawn). We basically watch the winds
blow here in West Alabama. But that's cool these days. It's either
Columbus, MS or Tuscaloosa, AL for my aqua needs so I rely alot on the
net and UPS. Foster and Smith have a nice catalog.

I'm somewhat lost on the "Aquaria" being placed in the subject
field...but I will try to remember to do so.
Thanks for the reply and the link..its rewarding and humbling to find a
newsgroup that's polite and attenative- ED