Hey guess what?

[mandelyn82]

For all you guys who remember my fish photography in Germany... I got my tank set back up!!!

Still a work in progress, I'm having problems with the lighting. But get this, I spent a small fortune on everything I needed for it back in Germany.

So I was trying to avoid that this time, and I went down to this family owned pet store that has a big focus on fish. I walked in the door, they asked what I needed. I started spouting off a list, and the guy was like, "Are you paying cash or credit"... so I asked what the difference was. He said the discount factor.

First he tried to get me to do overkill on the filter... it was a $229 filter, said he'd take $80 off. I told him it was overkill, asked about the correct one. He took $40 off of that one, making it $120.

Already ahead of what I spent in Germany by $60.

Then I got two bulbs, Germany they were $35 each, got them discounted down to $18 each. Not bad for 36" color showing, plant growing, as close to sunlight as you can get lights.

Gravel bags, $1.50 each marked down from $3.99. Water treatment and freshwater salt additive, 40% off.

Then I asked about fish, wanted to get the cycling started. He told me they would all day. I had been playing dumb a little... seemed to help with the discounting. So I asked for feeder gold fish, he gave me a dozen for free.

Now, I've never lost a fish during cycling.. ever. So I really am going to wait out the whole month, then take every last one of them in there to trade in. Should I act surprised that they all live?

Haven't decided yet what direction I'm going to go in as far as fish. Might do the Cichlids again, might do a full assortment of tropical live bearers (mollies, swordtails, guppies, with some added rainbow tetras for color and schools)

But the lighting... man... I either have to order bulbs from Europe, then switch the power over (the US bulbs have different prongs on the end and they don't fit), or take the whole top off and buy a US hood and lamp system.

That would change the look of it... it should look ok with I do that. Right now it's flat across the top, level with the height of the glass of the tank. The US style would go up into a flat area where your access lid is, then up again into the eltric for the lights and the light holders, then back down in the back where traditional filters hang on the back. I have grooves cut into the glass on mine for piping.

So no boring goldfish pictures... there's no light yet!

Oh, to make this a novel instead of a short story... the guy said if I had any issues with the filter to bring it in and he'd hook it up so that I only had to plug it in... cause they're complicated. Then he said it takes awhile for them to prime, even if you fill the filter tank up first. I got it home, threw the directions on the couch, hooked it all up, plugged it in, sucked on the exit tube, and had full force in under 10 seconds. Guess he didn't believe me when I said I'd done this.. a lot.

But hey, it was fantastic service, and cheap! In total it ended up being over $200 cheaper this time around. The only thing I forgot was food for the goldies. And I need 3-5 more bags of gravel, but I didn't feel like carrying them all... they're heavy!

So in about a month, I'll be back to fish photos.

[Jess6092]

oooooooo sounds exciting. Congrats on getting going again and saving money is ALWAYS a plus. Can't wait to see pictures.

[farmergal]

OK go ahead and brag!!!! some people have all the luck.

I bought 12 feeder gold fish tossed them in my garden pond under my dining room window and 5 are still alive. Then I bought a koi put it in my 55 gal in the house. That died a few days after the warranty was up.

Not all of us are so lucky. I'm just happy something still lives. I am pleased however that you got some great deals. I'll be glad to see those fish pics again.

[FastHorses000]

Cool! I love fishies! I have a 55 gal tank that looks like a real underwater oasis!! Ill have to upload pics!