unclenedsfishfactory.com

I run a fluval '05 filter
floss in the bottom ceramic "do das" in the middle and lower half of the top and a purigen bag at the tip top

some plants
some cichlids

chemicals used
Prime on water changes
Florish every other day
Melifix when the fins get nipped for 3 days after seeing the damage (love the smell)
Clarify when the water looks cloudy

Nitrates always 40ppm even after a 33% water change
amonia is always 0

tried "cycle"
to bring the Nitrates down but it didn't work

Thoughts on a Nitrazorb bag, De-Nitrate in the filter or the fluval nitrate bag
or am I dorking out on something

Lost a good fish and don't want to loose any more (7 year old son picked him out of your misc tank and named it)

http://bp2.blogger.com/_ziYiJvJGQy4/Rkj ... CF3827.JPG

what size tank do you have?
how often do you do water changes?
how often do you feed?

I run a fluval '05 filter
not bought from me I sell Eheim..not a big deal 'tho
floss in the bottom ceramic "do das" in the middle and lower half of the top and a purigen bag at the tip top.....not bought from me, not a big deal 'tho
ceramic s'posed to go where the water goes in first, probably the bottom ..not a big deal 'tho

some plants usually not kept with Malawi cichlids
some cichlids usually not kept with some plants

chemicals used
Prime on water changes not bought from me, not a big deal 'tho
Florish every other day plant tanks and cichlid tanks are different, discontinue flourish probably
Melifix when the fins get nipped for 3 days after seeing the damage (love the smell) Do not overdose Melafix, you should need zero Melafix anyway...
If you are getting nipped fins , you do not have enough cichlids in there and/or your temperature is too high, try keeping 'em at 71 degrees F.
Clarify when the water looks cloudy
Clarifying solutions should almost never be needed

Nitrates always 40ppm even after a 33% water change
amonia is always 0
40 ppm nitrate just means your filter is working...
40 ppm nitrate is HARMLESS, 400 is bad, 4000 is fatal...
as long as you are changing a good amount of water and cleaning the gravel twice a month, don't worry about nitrate

tried "cycle"
to bring the Nitrates down but it didn't work
no "Cycle" makes nitrate
not bought from me, I don't sell it, not a big deal 'tho

Thoughts on a Nitrazorb bag, De-Nitrate in the filter or the fluval nitrate bag
If you can't buy it from me
(except on a special order)
you don't need it.
I'm not bragging, it is just true.
I don't sell Nitrazorb
If you really want it I'll get it, but you don't need it

or am I dorking out on something
You sound like a T.I. victim
(there are thousands, not to worry)
...here's the thing...
forget everything else...
rule 1) change the water
rule 2) feed the fish
rule 3) there are no other rules

Lost a good fish and don't want to loose any more (7 year old son picked him out of your misc tank and named it)
Never name a cichlid
unless it lives alone
they kill each other normally....
when keeping cichlids
it is best to keep a hospital or jail tank (or both)
to seperate victims and bullys

I think there is a Red Peacock in your picture
looks like it has fungus on it's dorsal
this is rare to see in a cichlid
...that fish should be seperated if you want to save it...
I would skip the Melafix entirely,
and put in 2 teaspoons of salt per gallon of water maximum,
at least temporarily,
or at least in the seperate tank where you should treat the fungused fish...
(the salt will kill the live plants, another reason I usually don't put live plants with cichlids)

Ned,

LOL. I think this is one of the best responses ever. You really should take your show on the road.

looking at the tank pics on his blog - I don't see any calcarious gravel or rockwork - looks like its all quartz based.

I wonder if he's keeping the pH where the plants like it or where the Rift Lake fishes like it ?

Low pH might contribute to the fungus and finrot...

pretty agressive mbuna to be in with peacocks (in my opinion -- I usually don't mix mbuna and peacocks ) unless they're milder mbuna like "yellow labs"...

okay the stupid factor hit when I was buying fish because "gee that one looks cool"
I am on this form to increase my knowledge so don't be shy I have thick skin and don't want to make the same mistakes twice.
and before you ask no a can not set up a 100 gal tank in my house

some of the fish I know what they are some not a clue
what I know:
Red cap ndumbi (yes got it at Neds)
Orange Zebra
Yellow lab
red empress
cobalt zebra
Jacob fredi (one yellow one red)

what I think:
Zebra Hybrid (large cichlid $5.99 thank you)
Chopoke (cool blue color
Socolofi another cool blue color

bully of the tank .... ndumbi

I bought a bag of crushed coaral (the white flecks) and added that to the gravel pH is a 8.2 according to my API fresh water test tube kit
rocks are a broken up fieldstone, piece of lava flow and a piece of petrified wood, I have taken my piece of drift wood out

Ned do you have the Sera test kit???

I can rebuild a motorcycle engine, lace a wheel but still learning the fish thing

BTW I got into the fish tank when a college friend left it an a tank full of Cuttler cichild at my house (he swiped the pregnant fish from the Aquarium as an intern is the story I was told).
I lost power while away for work and fun
auto fish feeder kept dumping food, filter air pump and heater never came back on = dead fish +

Thank you, thank you

we'll be here all week
3 shows a night
don't miss the early bird sundays

tell your freinds

goodnight everybody!
you've been great

duc-duc-guzzi,

I didn't want to imply that your questions were stupid. No such thing as a stupit question. Only that Ned has a flare for humorous answers.

jj

Seriously 'tho

How big is that tank?
Adult Malawi cichlids don't do well in a tank less than 4 feet long.

I carry some Sera products
(they have the best dechlorinator and heaters)
None of their test kits in stock 'tho.
Which test kits did you want?

For pH tests on cichlid tanks
I like Tetra 5.0 - 10.0

for Nitrate & NitrIte & Alkalinity I just use any of the 3 brands of 5-in1 dip strip tests.