central system

[Randy & Deb Carey <carey@spacestar.net>]

Mike Jacobs wrote:

> <snip>       I chose not to
> go with a "central" filter because of the vastly different types of fish I
> keep.  I have some Apistos kept at pH of 4.5-4.9 and some African cichlids
> kept at pH of 8.3.  Some of the apistos have virtually "pure" R.O. water
> again all the way to the African cichlids that are in microsiemens in the
> 600-700 range.  Trying to work all of those tanks around a "central" system
> just didn't seem feasible to me although maybe some of you folks have solved
> that riddle???????  <snip>
>
> Mike

I'm rebuilding my fishroom, and I *refuse* to go with a central filter system.  I
have seen such systems and their consequences.  Once hydra breaks out in any
tank, the infestation spreads to all tanks on the system.  This is true of any
desease or parasite -- it's just that hydra is easy to spot and to observe how it
spreads.

I'm designing the room so that (eventually) each tank will have a dedicated hose
that connects to a common drain pipe, and each tank will have it's own valve
providing fresh r/o water, but what water goes into one tank will never go into
another tank.  I'm also establishing a section for quarantine tanks so that no
new fish will go into one of my established, aquascaped tanks until they've been
in quarantine for at least a month.  I do get a good amount of wild-caught fish
and I've been burned before by cutting corners.

We all know that quarantining fish/plants and isolating tank water is the correct
way to do it.  So I made that a requirement as I redesigned my room.

--Randy
http://characin.com



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