Crazy Fish Keeprs advice needed!!!

[BushFishRox]

Ok well I have a 150gal tall (4'x2'x31") I am running 2x Emp 400's and 1 FX5 and I am thinking about getting a powerhead to help with surface agitation, circulating the water because one side is very calm and I think it would help with all the fish in the tank what do you guys think?

Also would I be able to safely add to this stock or just leave it as it is or what would you change?

Current stock:

2x Leopard Ctenopoma
1x Angel (girl friends fish)
3x RH
6x Apollo Minnows (Sharks)
1x Common Pleco

Now I am thinking about either adding another three Silver Dollars or RH if I can find them OR maybe another 1 or 2 Angels, what do you guys think? do you still think I have room or just leave it the way it is? also I do a 75% water change every 3 days no mater what the nitrates are at...

 

[davidefc]

i think you could but another3-5 fish in there

 

[Wolf3101]

2 Emporer 400's will provide all the water movement that you need in a 150 gallon tank. IMO theres no need for additional powerheads.

Unless you simply like lifting buckets for the exerorcize then your water change schedule is a waste of time. Water changes are done to remove nitrate that builds up in the tank over time. There is no advantage...nor are you a better fishkeeper... by changing that much water that often. What we are looking for is stability. If all of this water is coming out of the tap rather than bieng seasoned first then your doing more harm than good.

Massive water changes and over filtration will keep the fish in a grossly overstocked tank alive but thats about all... A single problem with the filters (power outage ect...) or an interuption in your schedule...(away for a few days for an emergancy ect.) and toxins build up so fast that your fish die in hours rather than days.

 

[BushFishRox]

Unless you simply like lifting buckets for the exerorcize then your water change schedule is a waste of time. Water changes are done to remove nitrate that builds up in the tank over time.

who said anything about lifting buckets? that what a python is for

as for the water changes I like to keep the nitrates well below 20ppm, so as long as the temp and pH of the new water match what is in the tank then there wont be any harm done to the fish...

A single problem with the filters (power outage ect...) or an interuption in your schedule...(away for a few days for an emergancy ect.) and toxins build up so fast that your fish die in hours rather than days. Today 03:53 PM

That is true but I know my tank isnt grossly over stocked, and in case of a power outage I would just do a water change thats not a problem...

 

[Wolf3101]

This is of course assuming that you have perfect tap water...not many of us do. Ours is better than most but I still wouldn't use it in my tanks. I know from perodic testing that our tap water changes from day to day and I don't belive in dumping in chemicals to compensate.

The overstocking comment was by way of a general example rather than one about your stocking levels... I always keep my tanks as lightly stocked as I can...for example, I have a 100 gallon tank with 3 medium sized fish in it.

 

[BushFishRox]

I only use SeaChem Prime I dont add any chemicals to my aquarium

 

[Wolf3101]

Prime and the like is what I'm talking about....If you have to add ANYTHING to the water to condition it and make it safe then it's not properly seasoned IMO.

 

[vfc]

I have the same tank (150G Tall). I have an XP4 and an XP3 for filtration and circulation; no powerheads. Tanks been running 8 months with about 25 3-5" African Cichlids. WC's are weekly at 30%.

The key to efficient circulation is the position of the spray bars. Some people use the brute force method; using multiple HOBs, powerheads, and canisters.

I also have an extension on my XP4 uptake tube that draws the water off the bottom. The XP3 is hooked to a surface skimmer. So I'm drawing cooler water from 30" down and warmer surface water.

 

[balton777]

This is of course assuming that you have perfect tap water...not many of us do. Ours is better than most but I still wouldn't use it in my tanks. I know from perodic testing that our tap water changes from day to day and I don't belive in dumping in chemicals to compensate.

I've been keeping fish for over 10 years and always used a water conditioner like Prime and tap water(probably just like 99% of other MFK'ers). My fish are very healthy and vibrant. A tank bred and raised fish is accustomed to conditioned tap water.

The overstocking comment was by way of a general example rather than one about your stocking levels... I always keep my tanks as lightly stocked as I can...for example, I have a 100 gallon tank with 3 medium sized fish in it.

If it were true that you keep your tanks as lightly stocked as you can, you would only keep one fish in the 100 gallon. 3 medium sized fish is not as lightly stocked as the tank can be. (j/k)

Prime and the like is what I'm talking about....If you have to add ANYTHING to the water to condition it and make it safe then it's not properly seasoned IMO.

The only thing I need properly seasoned is my large order of curly fries. The water is fine and the fish are fine and dandy.

 

[BushFishRox]

ha ha found my problem it has been a while since I cleaned my Emp 400's (never since I got them 9-10 months ago ha ha) so now everything is back to normal and dont need the powerhead...

any thoughts or opinions on the fish?