# New Caribe Setup



## Eric99 (Nov 29, 2006)

I just added 2 XXL Amazon Swords and 2 XXL Oriental Swords last week. I think they look great in there. I love the fact that they get along with the little Tetras too!


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## Guest (Apr 11, 2011)

Nice setup and fish


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## jp80911 (Apr 3, 2008)

it looks good. did you take any cariba out? I only counted 5 in there.


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## Smoke (Sep 8, 2010)




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## Eric99 (Nov 29, 2006)

There are 8 total. I had 10 but two died due to illness. My biggest ones are 11" now.


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## kove32 (Oct 26, 2004)

Hey now THAT Is a nice looking tank! Congrats! I also see that you are from Pittsburgh! Where are you located?


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## Mr. Hannibal (Feb 21, 2003)

Very very nice!


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## Eric99 (Nov 29, 2006)

Canonsburg. It's close to Washington, Pa. Are you looking for Caribe's?

Thanks everyone! I am happy with the new look.I might even try more plants and more Tetras soon. I have 30 or so in there now. I would love to see the Caribe's and small Exodons work. Too bad Exodons might eat the scales of the Caribe's though. I love my Exodon tank almost as much. They get along with crabs, Plecos, Flower Shrimps and others.


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## Smoke (Sep 8, 2010)

A member recently posted a video of his Pygo tank with Exos in them... not sure how long he's had it running for, but he's doing it. Not saying it's recommended, just throwing it out there...


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## Eric99 (Nov 29, 2006)

Also does anyone know where I could get a semi decent CO2 kit pretty cheap? I had the Amazon swords before and they started looking like crap in a few months. I did add 4-18 pound bags of Flora Max under the sand this time.


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## rhom15 (Dec 20, 2009)

nice setup there


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## Guest (Apr 11, 2011)

Eric99 said:


> Also does anyone know where I could get a semi decent CO2 kit pretty cheap? I had the Amazon swords before and they started looking like crap in a few months. I did add 4-18 pound bags of Flora Max under the sand this time.


Try ebay, plenty of working second hand regulators out there, or if your into DIY could build your own. You planning on dosing fertz? Also what's your lighting?


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## Eric99 (Nov 29, 2006)

Traveller said:


> Also does anyone know where I could get a semi decent CO2 kit pretty cheap? I had the Amazon swords before and they started looking like crap in a few months. I did add 4-18 pound bags of Flora Max under the sand this time.


Try ebay, plenty of working second hand regulators out there, or if your into DIY could build your own. You planning on dosing fertz? Also what's your lighting?
[/quote]

I use Flourish Excel two times a week. I have Flora Max substrate on the bottom. My lighting is two 36" double tube Nova Extreme T-5HO with one daylight and one plant bulb in each fixture. I know the lighting isn't overkill but it is really all I want to use for this tank.


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## Guest (Apr 12, 2011)

You should dose excel daily (helps keep algae away) and look into a DIY CO2 setup. Getting an actual setup wouldn't be worth it IMO if you're not adding more plants dosing fertz and bumping up lighting.
Swords can be tricky plants, they either die or take over the tank in size, I have some in a High Tech setup now and the bast*rds just won't grow. Yours on the other hand are very nice and a great size, you can add some root tabs directly under the swords also to help.


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## Eric99 (Nov 29, 2006)

All the diy CO2 setups I could find are the 2 liter bottles with yeast used for fermentation. I found nothing on pressurized diy CO2 systems. Drs. Foster and Smith have fully automatic CO2 kits for about $415 but I really don't want to spend that kind of money on a CO2 kit at this time.


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## Guest (Apr 12, 2011)

Yep that's the DIY CO2 I was talking about. All you really need if you want to go pressurised is a regulator, bubble counter, piping(standard air pump tubing works) and a CO2 tank. Look into a Milwaukee regulator with solenoid, you can DIY your own bubble counter, then all you need is the CO2 tank. As far as adding CO2 to the tank, you could use a wooden air stone to produce fine bubbles, or build yourself a DIY reactor(best option for dissolving the CO2 into the water).

You'll also need a drop checker to check CO2 levels, this can be DIY'd.


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## serrasalmus_ve (Feb 12, 2008)

very nice


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## jp80911 (Apr 3, 2008)

amazon swords are heavy root feeder and they need a lot of iron as well.


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## Eric99 (Nov 29, 2006)

I am pondering the idea of selling them too. I might and I might not. What is a fair price for a Caribe that is 8", 9", 10", 11"?


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## His Majesty (Apr 5, 2005)

great looking setup


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## Da' Manster! (Sep 1, 2009)

Excellent setup and Caribe!...They both rock like a STONE TEMPLE PILOTS concert!!!...


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