In my case stock wont change I have been thinking the stock out for a while and purposely growing these fish out in 2 75 gallon tanks for this purpose. So all bio media has been transferred from both tanks as well.
What else would you add to my 180 gallon
- Thread starter SandNukka15
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In my case stock wont change I have been thinking the stock out for a while and purposely growing these fish out in 2 75 gallon tanks for this purpose. So all bio media has been transferred from both tanks as well.
The only problem I have is that the only greenery I would add are a bunch of java fern tied to rocks and I'm not sure how much debris will collect around the plants.. I'd like it to be wc only with minimal gravel vac.
Filtration wise you guys think im good?... as a rough estimate what w/c schedule do you think I should go with?... pothos are helping with nitrates.
I think another 6 or 7 wouldn't hurt, the more the merrier if your maintenance routine allows the extra biolode.
I also agree that you will need to keep an eye on the angels as they mature and a pair forms. Maybe remove the spare one if and when this happens. Spawning angels can be very hard on each other ime.
We can't tell you a WC schedule. Testing your water will tell you your WC schedule.
Test pre water change. Change out 50% of the water you loss 50% of your nitrates. Now next WC test again before you change the water and you learn how much Nitrates you generate over the time between the two water changes. Then you pick a number you want to keep your nitrates at, most go 20 or less. And then do WCs to keep them at that level. Keep in mind tho that your fish are still growing. So what they make now will increase as their size does.
This is how I gauge when to do water changes, although I also check pH for that reason.
If pH is 7 right after a water change, but drop to 6 in one week, to me that means allowing one full week between water changes is too long, which is why I did a 30-40% water change every other day over the last year.
My nitrate goal is 5ppm, and a pH drop of "no more" than 0.4 between water changes,
But of course as fish grow that schedule will need to adapt to waste output as they grow.
I set up the 180 gal Panamanian biotope tank (above) about a year ago with almost the same stock it has today.
Since that time, many of the fish have doubled (or at least gained another 3rd ) in size, even though I feed only 2 out of 3 days.
The plants aquatic and terrestrial have flourished, but I now do smaller "daily" water changes to maintain nitrate at my goal of 5ppm.
Over the year cichlid territorial disputes have eliminated at least 4 o fthe dozen Andinoaara I started with, and a friend managed to catch an Eleotris goby nearby, added to the tank 6 months ago, that went from 6" to now nearly a foot in a very short time, straining the plant to fish waste use ratio.
These hefty bottom dwellers add quite the nutrient load quickly.
Being near the OPs window should help that Pothos take up plenty of nitrate, and the roots should fill in nicely.providing cover and interest.
I find almost any tropical, terrestrial plants to be great nitrate suckers, and add plenty of visual appeal outside the tank..
I tend to do one large water change a week bc I age my water due to the gases and ph swings. I'd like to be able to do 2-3 smaller ones straight from the faucet.
maybe up the count of angels to 1 more so that one pair can't target a single fish.
