> Question?
> 1. what is a net gallon?
The net gallon measurement for a tank is the actual volume of water that a tank holds minus gravel, rockwork, filters, fish and anything else that is in there.
For instance. Your 55 gallon tank is probably closer to 52 or 53 gallons because the manufacturer measures it from the /outside/ of the glass. If you did the actual measurements from the inside and then the calculation it'd probably be closer to 53 or so.
So, if you've got a 55 with rocks and gravel you'll need to figure out what the net gallon volume of the tank is before you go adding salt to it.
The absolute easiest way to do this is if you use a preconditioning system like this:
http://happycichlids.com/Tank_Setup_and_Maintenance/Water_Conditioning_and_Prefiltering.html
Of course, it doesn't have to be a 55 gallon barrel that you are using, but something that is a defined gallon amount that you can use to measure out your pre treated water.
If you go that route, it's a bit easier, since you add your salt to your water as you pre-treat it and you know the net gallon amount.
> 2. Im not to sure, but I think if I was to add 1.5 cups of salt to my
> tank I would think all my cichlids would have a heart attack.
:) Yup, adding it right away would probably send them into shock and might kill them.
The first thing to do is get a test kit and then do some experimentation with tap water and a 5 gallon bucket. You can measure out 4 gallons worth of water and then add a mix of the Doc Well Fish's salt and the Instant Ocean until you get to the right salinity percentage and PH. As I mentioned. I use 1 cup of Doc Well Fish's salt to 1/2 cup of Instant Ocean per 55 gallons but that's based on my tap water.
I use the Instant Ocean to increase the PH. Your water and salt recipe will vary depending on your tap water.
>
> I have:
> 1. 75gal tank
> with:
> 1-Red Oscar
> 1-Tiger Oscar
> 1-Tiger Shovelnose Cat
> 1-Retropinnis Bichir
Very cool. I don't know much about the Retropinnis Bichir except that they are African river fish that are pretty passive. How does he do with the oscars?
> I Have:
> 2- 55gal tanks
> the first one has: 12 Cichlids
> 3-Electric Yellows
> 2-Blue Peacocks
> 2-Electric Blue
> 3-Fuelleborni
> 2-OB Peacock
> 1-Clown Loach
An interesting mix. I'd be careful mixing the different species of Peacocks as they might hybridize and would also be a bit wary of the mixing Peacocks with mbuna. You'd probably be OK with the Electric Yellows but the Fuelleborni are super aggressive, and when they get big they become terrors. Not that they are bad fish, I've just found that they do best in at least a 125 single species tank with only one male and about 10 females.
>
> The other one has: 5 Cichlids
> 3-Frontosa
> 2-Tretocephalus
> 1-Clown Loach
Cool, tanganyikan tank!
Hope this helps.
-- Ryan Chapin
HappyCichlids.com
