Man, it's been a while since my last blog.  Looks like it's been a long time since anyone else has been blogging.  Maybe we can change that.

The biggest news in the Bolen Fishroom is the fact that I've emptied four 20 gallon tanks, two 55 gallon tanks, and four 10 gallon tanks in anticipation for the Spring collecting season.  I'm looking forward to collecting in a few spots, namely, my parent's stream near Emporia, KS; then a place that Jeremy (Peanut_Power) has told me about, and maybe NW Arkansas or SW Missouri, if I have time.  Mainly looking for darters or other smallish fish; although I am looking to acquire a couple of pairs of Longear Sunfish.

Other new things in the fishroom include spawns from Apistogramma agassizi "double red" (ate their eggs), Apistogramma eunotus (Orangeshwanz), and Apistogramma schwarzkinn "black chin".

We did a group order from aquariumplants.com and I got tons of crypts, swords, and vals for pretty darn cheap.

I'm also ordering SIXTEEN 75 gallon tanks here in the next week from L&L Pets in Emporia, although, I won't be setting them up for several months, maybe even a year, until I have enough time to build the new fishroom in the garage.

The auction was GREAT.  I didn't have the opportunity to buy anything because I was working the registration/check out table, but still had a great time.  I sold almost 50 fish, which was an attempt to clear out the tanks listed above.

All in all, I'm happy with where I'm at in my hobby.  And I'm super stoked about spring on it's way!

Thanks for stopping by!

Bb

After a month and a half of ordering odds and ends equipment, planning, replanning, surfing the internet and replanning again I finally just decided to jump in.  My main plan for the tank was to set it up for my angels so I decided on an Amazon biotope.

Last week I set the tank up, cleaned all the components that came with the tank, gravel, aquarium decor.  I put together the new light fixture, tried to map out where everything was going to be plugged in - the basic stuff.

Wednesday  the boys and I went to House of Rocks and picked up some rocks then we swung by Home Depot to pick up terra cotta dishes to anchor driftwood and egg crate to elevate the rocks.  When we got home I couldn't find the masonry drill bit.  I also realized one of the rocks I bought was too wide for what I wanted so the project was stalled there.

Thursday we picked up some amazon sword from Jack and went to Home Depot again.  I  picked up a blade to cut the rock and a masonry drill bit.  It didn't take too long to put everything together, maybe an hour or two, but when I went to fill it up both of our outside hoses were frozen.  I ended up using 5 gallon Homer buckets!  Tony helped by using a pitcher while I used the buckets.  30 minutes in I told him he could stop but he said he didn't want to because it is about time we put some fish in there.  lol.  When I told him no fish for a week he brought me a bathtub fish toy to add.  I explained why that wouldn't be a good idea.

Of course at this time the filter didn't work.  I took it apart again and realized I didn't have the impeller engaged completely.  Thirteen  hours later the tank is running.  I went to sleep hoping the filter wouldn't quit or the aquarium wouldn't spring a leak.

Here are some pics.  It looks very vacant.  I am going in on the plant order next week so hopefully this time next week I will be able to post photos of the completely planted tank   I'm going to read up on fishless cycling too so I don't know if it will have swimmy residents next week or not.  I know I am not going to do huge, daily 50% water changes until I have a trash can on a dolly and a hose attachment for my bathroom sink.

Here is the overall tank:
[img]http://sites.google.com/site/auroraphoenix/home/75 gal.JPG[/img]

The left side.  The driftwood has java fern attached.  The plant on the far left and center are water sprite.  Behind the rock wall I plan to put A. Reinecki for a splash or reddish/green and add some stargrass to the right of the driftwood.
[img]http://sites.google.com/site/auroraphoenix/home/75 gal left.JPG[/img]

This is the right side of the tank.  My mom found the driftwood at the lake this past weekend.  Ignore the big rocks weighing it down, I didn't soak it long enough and once the water got 3/4 up the driftwood it started to float   Anyway, it also has java fern attached and the tall and shorter plants behind the driftwood are swords.  The short ones will eventually grow too huge for three to take up the space if Jack's are any indication of what size they will grow to, but for now I have three.  I am going to order a couple more of the taller swords and some smaller foreground plants.  [img]http://sites.google.com/site/auroraphoenix/home/75 gal rt.JPG[/img]

I know, too much info for my first journal entry.  If you are still reading, thanks for hanging in there

It's been a busy couple of weeks since the last time I posted.  I had a real nice Bolivian Ram spawn.  The mother was doing great, but I got paranoid she was eating the wigglers, so I stole most of them and placed them in a 10 gallon.  They started jumping yesterday, but I went to the fishroom this morning and they were all dead.  She did eat all of her fry in the community tank as well.   Next time, I'm letting her parent raise until the fry are free swimming.  I say once they are freeswimming, they should be ok.  The apisto fry are doing great.  The double red agassizi age her wigglers, but I have two females in that tank, and both are gravid.  Should have eggs shortly.  The other apistos look like they are on the verge of, if not have already, spawning.

The fishroom got down to 68 degrees while we were gone, which wasn't good.  Might have lost power, but not able to tell.  The digital thermometer I have measures lows and highs for the past 48 hours...I've since put some plastic up across an open wall, and the fishroom is a comfy 75.

Hope everyone has a safe and fun New Year.   2009 has been great, looking forward 2010.

Thanks for stopping by.

Bb

Wow.  What a year it has been.  The first six months were, in terms of the fishroom, uneventful, as we were still living in an apartment in the northland.  At that point, I only had three aquariums setup; two 75s and a 35.  I don't even remember what I kept in one of the 75s!  Oh yeah, they were peacocks.

Starting in June, after we bought out house, I started working on plans for a fishroom.  With the MCA coming, I had to act fast.  After the fish from the apartment got moved, it was time to start building.  Here's somewhat of a progression tank and gallon wise.

JUNE: Tanks: 3 // Gallons: 185

JULY:  Tanks: 18  // Gallons: 460 (added eight 20s, one 55, six 10s)

AUGUST: Tanks: 22 // Gallons: 500 (added four 20s)

SEPTEMBER: Tanks: 21 // Gallons 425 (lost a 75)

OCTOBER: Tanks: 25 // Gallons 465 (added four 10s)

NOVEMBER: Tanks: 30 // Gallons  560 (added a 55 and four 10s)

DECEMBER: No tank activity

As far as spawns, I've had 10 different new species spawn for me this year:

Aulonocara hueseri
Cynotilipia afra "cobue"
Labidochromis caeruleus "Lions Cove I"
Labidochromis hongi
Pseudotropheus acei "Msuli"

Apistogramma eunotus (Orangeschwanz)
Apistogramma schwarzkinn / black-chin

Corydoras aeneus "albino"

Nanochromis teugelsi
Pelvicachromis taeniatus "kienke"

September was my favorite month, because of the MCA.  It was a great time, and I was able to pick up some rarer or unusual fish.

All in all, I'll give 2009 a grade of A+ in terms of personal success in the fishroom.  Here's looking to 2010 will be just as great.

Thanks for stopping by.

Has been a great couple of days.  Got my Nanochromis teugelsi have free swimming fry as of today.  I'm really excited about those, as they are an unusual west african that I don't see alot of.  My apistos are all doing great.  Going to pull the adults from that tank here after Thanksgiving for the fry to be counted and grow out.  I would like to get them to the 3/4" mark before BAPing them, and at least an 1" before selling them.

Plans for the "big" fishroom have been pretty much finalized.  The new room will contain 36 twenty gallon tanks, 8 seventy five gallon tanks, and 20 ten gallon tanks, for a total number of tanks of 64, with a total of 1,520 gallons.  Granted, it's no Walter or Steve fish room, but it will do, for me, for now.

Still a lot of work to do before framing in of the walls.  I have to tear down all of the hanging fixtures, all the light fixtures, a previous owner's copper air delivery system, and figure out a way to frame around the garage door.  All of the electrical outlets are ran (there are 12).  The space is 26 feet long and 12 feet wide.  I only have 7' high ceilings though. 

Here's a few pics...

"GENERAL LAYOUT"

"RIGHT SIDE"

"LEFT SIDE"

This is the first entry and as every journey has a beginning of a single step.  This is going be the first step of documenting two projects.  The two projects are completely linked.  One the finishing of the basement of the new place and the second the completion of a fish room.

The old house that Julie and I lived in did not have a fish room so the tanks were scattered all over the house.  When we moved to the new location we were in a pinch to have tanks already set up, to try and reduce the stress of the move.  This worked some what and one of the issues is that the tanks are sort of centrally located in the basement.  However, the tanks are spread out throughout the basement, and  I am not happy with the current set up but it is a heck of a lot better than a poke in the eye!

But since I still have vision in both eyes here is the plan for the fish room.  Tanks on two walls, possibly a third.  The third wall is where the water spigot is currently.  Below is the "third wall" with the water spigot. 
The other pic is where the "soft" plumbing will go towards the basements grinder pump and on the other side of the wall with the 55 is a drain that goes to a grinder pump.  With the plumbing in place it should make the water changes pretty easy.



 

Been a while since I posted...a lot has been happening in the fishroom though.

First of all, got the furnace fixed, which the fish really appreciate.  Didn't lose any fish that I could see, so you can't be too upset about it.

Second, added a three tiered rack of ten gallon tanks, five on each tier.  This was intended for the Wet Spot order, as well as raising tanks.  Turns out, I may be getting more cories, so it will have to be home to them instead of raising tanks, which means...more tanks.  To date, I have 26 wet tanks and 540 gallons.

Thirdly, the Wet Spot order came in last night.  Thanks to those that organized it and did the running around delivering fish.  I got:

Corydoras trilineatus
Corydoras similis
Corydoras schwartzi
Corydoras sterbai

Apistogramma agassizi "double red"

Everyone came in healthy and alive.  I'm really excited about the cories.  A couple are pretty common, the other two are a little more rare, a little more difficult to breed.

On a personal note, I found out Thursday that November 20 will be my last day at my job.  We have been expecting it, and it's no surprise.  Actually surprising it lasted this long.  I'm excited about taking some time off and really finding something that I want to do.

It's getting late, so I shall go now.  Thanks for reading.

Bb

This being my first blog on the site, I thought I would share a little about the progress of the fishroom in the last couple of weeks.

After the MCA, my wife and I returned to find my prized 75 gallon tank leaking from the bottom seam.  By leaking, I mean gushing.  This put a serious dent in my carrying capacity for fish, as I had set that tank aside for my new Central American purchases (more on this later).

Then, last Friday (October 9th), I went to go turn on the furnace, because it was getting quite chilly.  It wouldn't fire up.  Five days later and two trips by the furnace repair man has restored the fish room from 65 degrees back up to a manageable 72 degrees.  During that time, I have had corys spawn, and hatch; and also lost some peacock fry.  Ugh.

But, now all is well at the Bolen Fishroom.  Heat is on, water changes done.  Time to try to take some pictures tomorrow and see how things are progressing with the apistos.

Speaking of apistos, still trying to nail down an accurate identification on them.  The folks who were selling them at the MCA not only had them  mislabeled, but also mixed.  Grrr...

More later.