New 20g Shellie Setup

[190MPH]

Well I've got everything but fish in my 20g shellie tank. I originally had just the shells in there, but I added a small slate pile in case I consider a Calvus or a pair of Julies later. So tell me what you think of the 'scape.

[krystalsohun]

Very nice looking your shellies are gonna have a field day in there lol. Definitely like the divesity of shells you have.thumbs2:

[Northernguy]

Its a nice looking tank!thumbs2:
Those shells will raise your ph too!

[R2 Ranch]

Looks great!!! Your going to have some very happy Shellie's.thumbs2:

[Deleted User]

That looks really good!!!

[Lab_Rat]

Lots of good size shells, they'll like that. What shellies are you getting to go in there?

[190MPH]

Thanks everyone! Lab-Rat, I'm going to go with Multies. There's a guy local to me who has a quad(1m/3f) for sale. I've PM'ed back and forth a few times with him while I wait for the bacteria to catch up in this tank. The filter I had running on my other tank for 8 months took 4 days to remove 1ppm ammonia, almost like starting over. I'm waiting for nitrite to disappear now. I'm considering just moving forward and getting the fish and watching the nitrite closely and controlling with WC's.

[Lab_Rat]

I'd wait til the nitrite is totally gone before adding them. Hopefully by tomorrow it will be.

Multies are a great choice and they'll look awesome against the black sand. I've got my colony over white sand and they blend in way too much. They're cichlid politics are fun to watch and they breed quite easily.

[AmyLynn]

I'm so glad you put up pics! I'm kind of leaning this way with my 29 gallon once I get the 55 gallon "finished". I was thinking more of white sand, but Lab_Rat brings up a great point about the contrast. Can't wait to see what it looks like once the fish are home. thumbs2:

[190MPH]

I don't know LabRat, it took 4 days for the ammonia, and doesn't the nitrite removing bacteria take longer? Time will tell, but I hope it's quick so I don't lose the shot at that group. I can't wait to watch the antics!

Good luck with yours AmyLynn, hopefully you've been inspired!

[Lab_Rat]

When I fishless cycled my 75g with some used media it took a couple days for the bacteria to catch up to the amount of ammonia I used. I didn't even see nitrites til the end cuz it was being processed at the same time as it was being formed. When the ammonia went down there was a 1 day lag with nitrite spiking then it was gone the next day.

[AmyLynn]

Good luck with yours AmyLynn, hopefully you've been inspired!

I have been, thanks! Where did you get all of those wonderful shells? I think I'd like to start hunting them down so I have them all when I'm ready to start.

[190MPH]

Thanks LabRat, I'll keep an eye on it and my fingers crossed.:ssmile:

AmyLynn, nice to know I inspired someone! This is the place I got the shells from. http://cichlidbreeding.com/

FYI, when I first looked, he was out of the ones I was looking for. I e-mailed him about availablilty and he responded and had gotten them that day. FYI, I have the whale eye, and silver and gold mouth turbo shells. Good Luck

[AmyLynn]

Thanks LabRat, I'll keep an eye on it and my fingers crossed.:ssmile:

AmyLynn, nice to know I inspired someone! This is the place I got the shells from. http://cichlidbreeding.com/

FYI, when I first looked, he was out of the ones I was looking for. I e-mailed him about availablilty and he responded and had gotten them that day. FYI, I have the whale eye, and silver and gold mouth turbo shells. Good Luck

Great site! Much thanks. thumbs2:

[190MPH]

You're welcome!

[190MPH]

Well LabRat, you hit the proverbial nail on the headthumbs2: . The nitrite disappeared about 2 days after the initial dose of ammonia processed and .5ppm for the last 2 days. So now I'm just maintaining it until I stock, hopefully this week!:19:

[Lab_Rat]

Well LabRat, you hit the proverbial nail on the headthumbs2: . The nitrite disappeared about 2 days after the initial dose of ammonia processed and .5ppm for the last 2 days. So now I'm just maintaining it until I stock, hopefully this week!:19:

Excellent!!! thumbs2: :19: Can't wait to see pics once you get the little guys in there!

[cer]

I'm hoping to get a 25 gallon for christmas for shellies. But I'll be keeping brevis. Nice Tank!

[190MPH]

Thanks again. I contacted the guy selling the multies, so it looks like I'll be getting them sometime tomorrow. I dosed ammonia this morning, so that'll be it until their in the tank. I'll start up a new thread with pics after they're settled in.

[190MPH]

Bummer, seller just PM'd me that one of the females bit it at the hands of a young Front. Now I'm second guessing just getting 3 for a 20g. Do you think I should still go ahead if the rest are unharmed and add a couple more females later, or look elsewhere for stock? I did see some on aquabid. I had planned on getting them from my LFS but he hasn't had shellies in a few weeks.

[AmyLynn]

What did you end up doing? Did you get the 3 or are you still waiting?

[190MPH]

Yeah, I got the 3. I'm going to hope they breed and add to the colony, and then I'll get rid of the extras. If they don't breed, then I'll have to see about getting 2 more females.

[AmyLynn]

Hmmmmmm I thought we were going to get pics when all was set up???? *waiting very impatiently*

Did you happen to say what you used as a substrate? I can't remember. (crs)

[190MPH]

Happy to oblige, forgot completely(ditto on the CRS). I used black Estes Marine Sand for the substrate. The pics seem a little blue, it's either my setting or the actinic half of my lighting making it look that way. It doesn't seem that way in person.

[Lab_Rat]

Very nice, congrats!

[190MPH]

Thanks LR!

[AmyLynn]

They look great!