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Future tank questions.
Hi all. I have this 125 gallon tank sitting all set up in my room, flourite
gravel, BIG Ocean Clear canister filter, 1200 GPH Little Giant pump, lots
of good slate and driftwood, and all I'm wanting for it is the lights. I've
figured out from past experience that even regular flourescents placed close
to the tank with glass tops will get my temperature to a good 84 degrees
(based on my 55 gallon with 4 Chroma 50s and my FLORIDA locale...), so metal
halides are out of the question. I've pretty much decided on lights from AH
Supply in a custom hood, unless anyone has any miracle stories with better,
cheaper lights, or any nightmare horror stories with the AH lights. With
that out of the way, there are a couple questions I'd like to run by you
gurus. First order of business: Siamese algae eaters. I have searched 16
LFSs in my general area, and not a single employee knew what they are. I
got dumb looks, and plenty of them. I called them all with the scientific
name, and description, and they got hold of all their suppliers, who
informed them that I must be talking about Chinese algae eaters, and
cheerfully volunteered to send a shipment. I am not getting anywhere with a
local search, so if anyone could point me in the direction of an online
source for SAEs, I would be much obliged. Secondly, I am going to make this
tank a serious go at a real plant tank, and I want to avoid anything that
would endanger the algae-destroying machines who will be my saviors in said
tank, however, I am in love with the Congo Tetra. I want the (mobile)
centerpiece of this tank to be a big meatball of them. Like 30 of them. If
I bought them small, and kept them fed, are they likely to prey on the Amano
shrimp? I can see a danger, given that they are a relatively large fish
when they mature. And they do develop a relatively large mouth. If I
raised them on a predictable diet, would they even seek anything outside
their food? And are there any other nasty things that might come up with
Congo Tetras that I should be aware of before I actually spend that much
money on them? Third order of business: Jobe's Fern Spikes. I have
checked all of the department stores, K-mart, Home Depot, and such for a
thirty mile radius from my house, and I have found so many plant spikes it
would make your heads spin. The problem? "For beautiful houseplants" "For
beautiful flowering plants", and THAT'S ALL THERE IS, ANYWHERE!!!! :( I
asked them if they would order them for me. No. I furthermore did a search
of all of my nearby nurseries and such for the spikes. Nada. I then asked
them to call their suppliers and see if they could find them. I even
promised to buy an entire box, because they don't carry them. Nada, zilch,
nothing. Does the Jobe's company have a website? I did a search of the
web, and nothing. Could anyone out there tell me where to go from here?
Maybe someone could ship me a box, or tell me where in the
Tampa/Sarasota/Bradenton/North Port/Port Charlotte/Venice area of Florida I
could find these highly prized and coveted plant spikes?!
Thanks in advance to anyone willing to at least read this novel, and many
thanks to those of you who might have the information I am in such need
of!!! :)
Matt
In sunny Florida, where the tap water is liquid rock, and the tanks boil if
you try to put any light on them.