my new baby... AKA The Café

[Lost in the Sauce]

OMG...They changed the color of the secret santa badge to puke green,...;Vomit;Vomit;Facepalm

Badge Bunny much?

 

[Soren]

@Soren ,this is why i was so worried about .22 acrylic ,i have these units ,really flimsy .22 ...
i would not even attempt to fill without a full reweld.

Thanks for the reference and advice, Frank.
What are the dimensions on those tanks? They look noticeably bigger than the ones I designed? I would not be considering .22" acrylic at all if it were not for small compartment tanks, but it may still not be thick enough for even my smaller compartmentalized tanks.

After the advice here, though, I am leaning towards not doing these custom QT's at all or redesigning to make from glass. I did some estimations based on prices on @Joe Glass Cages 's website for cut glass pieces and may go that route or even get a quote with Glass Cages for custom tanks (though shipping would probably be a killer for this, though maybe that is the case whether assembled or just flat sheet glass?).

Something like individual tanks 6" side-to-side, 16" front-to-back, and 9" top-to-bottom, or the same dimensions for double tanks at 12" side-to-side, 16" front-to-back, and 9" top-to-bottom with a middle panel to divide into two compartments.

We'll see if anything comes of these plans. First, I need to finish the FOWLR transfer to basement and make more progress on my 125-125 build.

 

[Soren]

Sorry for the double post, but this is a separate question/consideration:
My 40-gallon QT's are still running at low pH just over 7 according to test strips. Should I correct for this by doing water changes often, such as once a day, or should I try to shift pH up by adding baking soda or soda ash? I have any of these options available, but would rather not change water daily unless necessary.

How big of a problem is low pH in a fish-only system? I'm still concerned this is due to CO2 build-up, but I have vigorous top flow, fresh-air bubblers in each tank pulling air from my living room, and oxygen tested a little over 6 ppm with the Salifert test. The fish still seem to be breathing faster than I would like, but maybe I am just not familiar with how often they should take a breath. There are no other obvious symptoms of any issue and all are eating fine and acting as normal as I understand other than still breathing about 100 or so times per minute average. The fish seemed a bit better with more relaxed breathing for a time after doing a 30% water change after PraziPro dosing, but I don't really know.

@fishguy242 @F i s h y @Eagle_Steve @Lost in the Sauce @LRT @sp1187 and anybody I missed that might know how to advise me here...

 

[danieyella]

my wife started working at HD after she "retired" from the last place.
what a cluster. management is worse than the customers.
she only gets part time hours.
a co-worker told her her direct super is trying to get her to quit.
she wants someone younger.... allegedly.
they schedule her to open (6am) twice a week and close (9pm) twice a week.
plus most weekends.
she had her "30 day review" this week.
upper upper management did the review.
she was asked how her training went.;Clown;Clown;Clown
her reply "what training? no one has done any training with me."
they was shocked.
i just might have to go fill shopping carts, with no intent of buying, and then reshelf stuff 20 aisles over.

Pfft My favorite employee is a cashier in her late '70s. I actually brought her with me from my old store.

But yeah, I hear stories like that even with our company.

 

[BeltedCoyote]

Badge Bunny much?

 

[fishguy242]

Thanks for the reference and advice, Frank.
What are the dimensions on those tanks? They look noticeably bigger than the ones I designed? I would not be considering .22" acrylic at all if it were not for small compartment tanks, but it may still not be thick enough for even my smaller compartmentalized tanks.

After the advice here, though, I am leaning towards not doing these custom QT's at all or redesigning to make from glass. I did some estimations based on prices on @Joe Glass Cages 's website for cut glass pieces and may go that route or even get a quote with Glass Cages for custom tanks (though shipping would probably be a killer for this, though maybe that is the case whether assembled or just flat sheet glass?).

Something like individual tanks 6" side-to-side, 16" front-to-back, and 9" top-to-bottom, or the same dimensions for double tanks at 12" side-to-side, 16" front-to-back, and 9" top-to-bottom with a middle panel to divide into two compartments.

We'll see if anything comes of these plans. First, I need to finish the FOWLR transfer to basement and make more progress on my 125-125 build.

yes 6'l x 18x12"t , compartments. upper unit is shallower, maybe 10" t ,4 units.
i bought to use/fix/acrylic ??...
as far as getting something from Joe,should only be about a 4 hr ride to pick up??

Sorry for the double post, but this is a separate question/consideration:
My 40-gallon QT's are still running at low pH just over 7 according to test strips. Should I correct for this by doing water changes often, such as once a day, or should I try to shift pH up by adding baking soda or soda ash? I have any of these options available, but would rather not change water daily unless necessary.

How big of a problem is low pH in a fish-only system? I'm still concerned this is due to CO2 build-up, but I have vigorous top flow, fresh-air bubblers in each tank pulling air from my living room, and oxygen tested a little over 6 ppm with the Salifert test. The fish still seem to be breathing faster than I would like, but maybe I am just not familiar with how often they should take a breath. There are no other obvious symptoms of any issue and all are eating fine and acting as normal as I understand other than still breathing about 100 or so times per minute average. The fish seemed a bit better with more relaxed breathing for a time after doing a 30% water change after PraziPro dosing, but I don't really know.

@fishguy242 @F i s h y @Eagle_Steve @Lost in the Sauce @LRT @sp1187 and anybody I missed that might know how to advise me here...

fish guys /gals?? , i am not that exp w fish...;Facepalm

 

[Soren]

yes 6'l x 18x12"t , compartments. upper unit is shallower, maybe 10" t ,4 units.
i bought to use/fix/acrylic ??...
as far as getting something from Joe,should only be about a 4 hr ride to pick up??

I'm still tossing around the idea of buying two 48"x48" sheets of .22"-thick acrylic and giving it a go, though I am not sure I'm ready to drop even the $200 for this or to take the risk on losing fish if they leak... I'll probably wait on the tanks for now.

As it is, I checked the maps and I live almost 4 hours from you and 7-8 hours from GlassCages...

 

[fishguy242]

I'm still tossing around the idea of buying two 48"x48" sheets of .22"-thick acrylic and giving it a go, though I am not sure I'm ready to drop even the $200 for this or to take the risk on losing fish if they leak... I'll probably wait on the tanks for now.

As it is, I checked the maps and I live almost 4 hours from you and 7-8 hours from GlassCages...

i thought you were near Springfield.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I'm still tossing around the idea of buying two 48"x48" sheets of .22"-thick acrylic and giving it a go, though I am not sure I'm ready to drop even the $200 for this or to take the risk on losing fish if they leak... I'll probably wait on the tanks for now.

As it is, I checked the maps and I live almost 4 hours from you and 7-8 hours from GlassCages...

The emus alone at GC are worth the drive lol.

 

[Soren]

i thought you were near Springfield.

Nope, must be miscommunication/misunderstanding. I'm 30 minutes north of Peoria, IL and a bit west...

The emus alone at GC are worth the drive lol.

It looks like it, but I won't have time for such a trip any time soon.

 

[BeltedCoyote]

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Sorry for the double post, but this is a separate question/consideration:
My 40-gallon QT's are still running at low pH just over 7 according to test strips. Should I correct for this by doing water changes often, such as once a day, or should I try to shift pH up by adding baking soda or soda ash? I have any of these options available, but would rather not change water daily unless necessary.

How big of a problem is low pH in a fish-only system? I'm still concerned this is due to CO2 build-up, but I have vigorous top flow, fresh-air bubblers in each tank pulling air from my living room, and oxygen tested a little over 6 ppm with the Salifert test. The fish still seem to be breathing faster than I would like, but maybe I am just not familiar with how often they should take a breath. There are no other obvious symptoms of any issue and all are eating fine and acting as normal as I understand other than still breathing about 100 or so times per minute average. The fish seemed a bit better with more relaxed breathing for a time after doing a 30% water change after PraziPro dosing, but I don't really know.

@fishguy242 @F i s h y @Eagle_Steve @Lost in the Sauce @LRT @sp1187 and anybody I missed that might know how to advise me here...

Ok. First, I do not trust test strips. To much margin of error for them.

Second. If co2 was high enough to bring the ph that low, you would fell like crap after being down there for any length of time.

Third, if high co2, then the more aeration you have the quicker the water gets to equilibrium with co2 in the air.

Forth, even though I do not trust test strips, you can still use them for this test. Take a cup of water outside. Stir vigorously or use a bubbler to to get that water in equilibrium with the outside air. Then use strip to test ph.

5th. The salifert oxygen test is iffy, at best in my experience. Although, if accurate 6ppm is fine for 90% of fish. We do not keep marlin and tuna in our tanks lol.

 

[Soren]

Ok. First, I do not trust test strips. To much margin of error for them.

Second. If co2 was high enough to bring the ph that low, you would fell like crap after being down there for any length of time.

Third, if high co2, then the more aeration you have the quicker the water gets to equilibrium with co2 in the air.

Forth, even though I do not trust test strips, you can still use them for this test. Take a cup of water outside. Stir vigorously or use a bubbler to to get that water in equilibrium with the outside air. Then use strip to test ph.

5th. The salifert oxygen test is iffy, at best in my experience. Although, if accurate 6ppm is fine for 90% of fish. We do not keep marlin and tuna in our tanks lol.

Thanks for the advice, @Eagle_Steve !
2 more questions (double questions, really):
1. Do you have any advice to other possible concerns that would slightly elevate breathing levels? ...and do you happen to have any reference on how many breaths per minute are normal for fish, such as foxfaces and Auriga butterflyfish in particular?
2. Is there any danger in adding soda ash or baking soda a bit to increase pH, or is this a bad idea? ...and what is a reliable way to measure pH?

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Thanks for the advice, @Eagle_Steve !
2 more questions (double questions, really):
1. Do you have any advice to other possible concerns that would slightly elevate breathing levels? ...and do you happen to have any reference on how many breaths per minute are normal for fish, such as foxfaces and Auriga butterflyfish in particular?
2. Is there any danger in adding soda ash or baking soda a bit to increase pH, or is this a bad idea? ...and what is a reliable way to measure pH?

1. Foxy should be between 80-100, but will increase with stress. Most butterfly fish I have seen are around 100-120, but some smaller ones I have seen up to 150.

2. pH is best measure with a probe that has just been calibrated. I would not add anything to increase, as the ph boost is only temporary. You would have to keep adding it slowly to maintain it, this is why kalk is best dripped. But you also have to have something to take in the alk or it keeps rising. On a side note, salifert and Red Sea ph seem to be close for ph. At least when I checked them to a new calibrated probe.

Best thing to do is to use a few test strips, as you have them and to test the tank 3 times and average the result. Then take a cup of water outside and aerate it for 3 minutes and then use 3 test strips to measure it. Average those 3 and see how much it went up. If it didn’t go up much, your ph is not as low as you think.

 

[Soren]

1. Foxy should be between 80-100, but will increase with stress. Most butterfly fish I have seen are around 100-120, but some smaller ones I have seen up to 150.

2. pH is best measure with a probe that has just been calibrated. I would not add anything to increase, as the ph boost is only temporary. You would have to keep adding it slowly to maintain it, this is why kalk is best dripped. But you also have to have something to take in the alk or it keeps rising. On a side note, salifert and Red Sea ph seem to be close for ph. At least when I checked them to a new calibrated probe.

Best thing to do is to use a few test strips, as you have them and to test the tank 3 times and average the result. Then take a cup of water outside and aerate it for 3 minutes and then use 3 test strips to measure it. Average those 3 and see how much it went up. If it didn’t go up much, your ph is not as low as you think.

Thanks, Steve, I really appreciate it.
If breathing rates follow the ranges you suggest, my fish are probably fine and I am just over-reacting due to lack of experience. I'll count breaths tonight to see if there is any concern (much lower already now that I am not dosing PraziPro), but I'm pretty sure they are within range.

I'll try your pH test recommendation to see how it goes. To maintain the QT's, I'll probably just continue to do weekly or bi-weekly water changes and not be so concerned about parameters.

Thanks for the advice, I'm signing off for tonight!

 

[F i s h y]

HOLY CRAP MOMENT ...
yall know i was burning in strong wind today, fire trucks wizz past house to the east,downwind...
i was out and careful. but c'mon ..make a heart skip a beat...;Wideyedall i could see was black smoke and flames 50' in the air.

@Lost in the Sauce there's your dumpster fire

 

[fishguy242]

the birth of frankentank 11/28/20 ??

the death of "ft" a few days later...

it lives again...

glory ???...

lil prob, no prob...more to come...

 

[BeltedCoyote]

the birth of frankentank 11/28/20 ??

the death of "ft" a few days later...

it lives again...

glory ???...

lil prob, no prob...more to come...

hey Frankentank and I share a birthday

 

[fishguy242]

hey Frankentank and I share a birthday

which one... going to be #3 soon...

 

[BeltedCoyote]

which one... going to be #3 soon...

the one in the pic you posted lol.