HermitMandy
New member
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2015
- Messages
- 8
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 1
- Location
- CT
- Country
- United States
- Display Name
- Mandy
Hey folks! Super excited to finally be posting here. A little background first:
I've been keeping fish, mainly goldfish, for the past four years, so I'm no stranger to the hobby. I started working at my favorite LFS a couple months ago, and about a week or two after we got in our first axy. He sold pretty quick, and we got another in a couple weeks ago. Thanks to my manager being a horrible enabler, I've decided to get one (or two,maybe) as a graduation present for myself this coming May. I'm looking to get a melanoid and/or golden albino baby, probably around 2-3 inches long.
That being said, moving on to my setup details. I have an almost-new 10G,glass top,nothing-special lighting, that I plan on using to start out with,currently being used as a QT for my little telescope goldfish, whose moving into a 20G tonight, but have plans to upgrade the axy to that 20G once I can upgrade my goldfish to a 40G or bigger. Most definitely using sand down the road when the little guy(s) are big enough. Been using Carib-Sea's Super Naturals Tahitian Moon Sand in my newest 5G planted tank, and really liking it thus far, so I'll probably go with that or a lighter variant. Filter wise, I have a few options. I have an AquaClear 10 on it right now, but also have an AC 50 and Aqueon Quiet-Flow 20, and Eheim 2013 (Older version of the Classic 250) if any of those would be better suited for an axy. All but the Eheim are running currently,and are holding a cycle. I'm becoming a plant fanatic (moreso than I used to be
), and so the axy tank will certainly have some live plants in there. Thinking an Anubias Barteri to start out with, perhaps some of the Bronze Wendtii I just bought depending on how well that takes off, and go from there. Unless I find something more aesthetically pleasing(such as something more natural, like a log/rock formation), broken(but sanded smooth) clay pots of varying sizes will be the hides.
The big issue I'm having right now is figuring out the cooling situation. In the winter, it won't be a problem as my bedroom, where the tank will be kept, sits at an average of 61-65F. The summer is another story. It can get to around 85F, even with the ceiling fan and AC running(window unit in the next room, need to use a floor fan to blow it in).I keep my 10G split betta running at 79, and I hardly ever see the heater turn on during the summer,only occasionally at night near the beginning or end of the summer. I've heard of using fans on the tops of the tank or the ice-bottle method, and have also been looking at chillers. In your opinions, what would be the best option to cool down the tank? The ice-bottle method I can almost guarantee won't work, as I'll be working full-time and won't be home, and I can't depend on my family to do it. If the best option does turn out to be a chiller, do you have any recommendations as to which brand or model?
I've been keeping fish, mainly goldfish, for the past four years, so I'm no stranger to the hobby. I started working at my favorite LFS a couple months ago, and about a week or two after we got in our first axy. He sold pretty quick, and we got another in a couple weeks ago. Thanks to my manager being a horrible enabler, I've decided to get one (or two,maybe) as a graduation present for myself this coming May. I'm looking to get a melanoid and/or golden albino baby, probably around 2-3 inches long.
That being said, moving on to my setup details. I have an almost-new 10G,glass top,nothing-special lighting, that I plan on using to start out with,currently being used as a QT for my little telescope goldfish, whose moving into a 20G tonight, but have plans to upgrade the axy to that 20G once I can upgrade my goldfish to a 40G or bigger. Most definitely using sand down the road when the little guy(s) are big enough. Been using Carib-Sea's Super Naturals Tahitian Moon Sand in my newest 5G planted tank, and really liking it thus far, so I'll probably go with that or a lighter variant. Filter wise, I have a few options. I have an AquaClear 10 on it right now, but also have an AC 50 and Aqueon Quiet-Flow 20, and Eheim 2013 (Older version of the Classic 250) if any of those would be better suited for an axy. All but the Eheim are running currently,and are holding a cycle. I'm becoming a plant fanatic (moreso than I used to be
), and so the axy tank will certainly have some live plants in there. Thinking an Anubias Barteri to start out with, perhaps some of the Bronze Wendtii I just bought depending on how well that takes off, and go from there. Unless I find something more aesthetically pleasing(such as something more natural, like a log/rock formation), broken(but sanded smooth) clay pots of varying sizes will be the hides.The big issue I'm having right now is figuring out the cooling situation. In the winter, it won't be a problem as my bedroom, where the tank will be kept, sits at an average of 61-65F. The summer is another story. It can get to around 85F, even with the ceiling fan and AC running(window unit in the next room, need to use a floor fan to blow it in).I keep my 10G split betta running at 79, and I hardly ever see the heater turn on during the summer,only occasionally at night near the beginning or end of the summer. I've heard of using fans on the tops of the tank or the ice-bottle method, and have also been looking at chillers. In your opinions, what would be the best option to cool down the tank? The ice-bottle method I can almost guarantee won't work, as I'll be working full-time and won't be home, and I can't depend on my family to do it. If the best option does turn out to be a chiller, do you have any recommendations as to which brand or model?