How many ABP for 140 gallons

michu · 06-19-2009, 05:54 AM

I want to get some ABP for my 140 gallon tank to help with algae, but have no clue how many I should get. Anybody know?

susankat · 06-19-2009, 01:59 PM

If you have lots of wood and plenty of hiding places I would start out with 3. If you want babies get 1 male and 2 females.

michu · 06-19-2009, 03:28 PM

Thanks susankat. Lots of wood I have.

I'm so glad you answered. I was thinking of buying 6-10. LOL

PasD · 06-19-2009, 03:52 PM

What's an ABP?

susankat · 06-19-2009, 04:59 PM

Albino bristlenose pleco.

bannh · 06-19-2009, 08:25 PM

An ABN will easily take care of 20-30 gallons worth of cleaning as a big juvenile or an adult. With the amount of waste they excrete, more doesn't really mean cleaner. You may not have much algae or leftover food but you will have a lot of poo... That is a big tank but unless you don't mind vacuuming often, I'd go with up to 6, not more. They have a fairly high bioload each.

An average spawn will have more males than females. If you are buying them young and unsexed, it's extremely likely you will end up with more males than females. If they grow up together in a large tank there shouldn't be much fighting. With only several to start, you can always add females later.

With 10 unsexed fish you could easily end up with 6 or 7 males. Rarely does their fights result in real harm but it *can*. I have had one male who killed other males given a chance (he had to leave). At the least, their squabbles can involve a lot of thrashing about which can make a mess of delicate plantings. Females can squabble too but it's brief and less disruptive. They are a great fish IMO, but not one to overstock with.

michu · 06-19-2009, 08:28 PM

Thanks, bannh. 3 sounds better and better.

Left C · 06-20-2009, 03:55 AM

My LFS got some in about two months ago. I got the last two. They are a little over one inch long. The sales person told me that they were raised locally. The person that brought them in said that he raises them in his pond. I'm in NC and it can get cold in the winter. That's a tough story to believe.

toddnbecka · 06-22-2009, 05:53 AM

I can hook you up with 4 1.25" juvies for $20 shipped Priority Mail. Odds are good you'll end up with at least one female that way.

Hilde · 07-15-2009, 07:45 PM

Could you post a picture of the tank?

I got 5, mini version, at Local aquarium association for $5. Perhaps there is an association near you. Since I have had them I have no algae on the walls, even after leave the tank alone for 2 weeks. I occasionally see them on the plant leaves too.

michu · 07-15-2009, 08:18 PM

Sorry, I forgot about this thread. I am purchasing from another person that I promised I would buy from when her "babies" grow large enough to ship. That might be a while since they're tiny.

As for the tank, I can't take much of a pic right now since I only have one light running that lights 1/3 of the tank. 2 ballasts went out from my MH that I ordered from DrsFosterSmith.com. They contacted Coralife to send me two more. Unfortunately, they didn't arrive until after 10 days, then they were the wrong ballasts. Itty bitty ballasts for some power compact. DrsFosterSmith has started the process all over again.

My algae is pretty much gone. I went out of town for a week and did not ask my daughter to fertilize. Combine that with the crazy lighting scheme I'm currently running (1 ballast for 3 lights running each for 8 hours so that the entire tank has had 8 hours of light within a 24 hour period), along with the SAEs and ottos, algae seems to be wiped out. I was fairly amazed at how clean the tank looked. I thought daughter had cleaned it for me, but she hadn't.

Hilde · 07-15-2009, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michu

Sorry, I forgot about this thread. I am purchasing from another person that I promised I would buy from when her "babies" grow large enough to ship. That might be a while since they're tiny.

I don't understand why you are buying plecos out of town. I see the long versions at most stores.

Quote:

Originally Posted by michu

My algae is pretty much gone. I went out of town for a week and did not ask my daughter to fertilize. Tank has had 8 hours of light within a 24 hour period), along with the SAEs and ottos, algae seems to be wiped out. I was fairly amazed at how clean the tank looked. I thought daughter had cleaned it for me, but she hadn't.

Doesn't seem like you need plecos since the other algae eaters are keeping the tank clean. Watch those SAE's. I have heard of one eating the slime off of a goldfish.

I read that when you go off lowering the lights and just leaving the tank alone is the best thing to do. That is what I did last time I left for 2 weeks.

lauraleellbp · 07-15-2009, 11:34 PM

One ABP juvie (about 2") cleaned up my entire 46gal in 2 days flat. And the tank walls had been coated in algae.

That being said, you can put just about as many as you'd like to in a 140gal- just make sure you supplement them with plenty of veggies and keep up the water changes since like all plecos they're little poop factories.

06-19-2009, 05:54 AM	#1
michu Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9/100%) Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Bristol, TN Posts: 281	How many ABP for 140 gallons I want to get some ABP for my 140 gallon tank to help with algae, but have no clue how many I should get. Anybody know?

06-20-2009, 03:55 AM	#8
Left C Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (19/100%) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Burlington, NC Posts: 5,009	My LFS got some in about two months ago. I got the last two. They are a little over one inch long. The sales person told me that they were raised locally. The person that brought them in said that he raises them in his pond. I'm in NC and it can get cold in the winter. That's a tough story to believe. __________________ EHEIM PIMP #164 Classic 2011, Classic 2213, Classic 2217, ECCO 2236, Pro II 2028, Liberty 2040, Liberty 2042 VICTOR PIMP #1 VTS253A-1993, VTS250B-580, VTS253D-320, HPT500-40-350-4M, SGT500-40-4F-DK

07-15-2009, 11:34 PM	#13
lauraleellbp Fresh Fish Freak (View User Tanks) PTrader: (69/100%) Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 22,486	One ABP juvie (about 2") cleaned up my entire 46gal in 2 days flat. And the tank walls had been coated in algae. That being said, you can put just about as many as you'd like to in a 140gal- just make sure you supplement them with plenty of veggies and keep up the water changes since like all plecos they're little poop factories. __________________ Geckos galore: Geckos in Tails, and follow Geckos in Tails on Facebook 29 gal Planted Tetra Tank, 46 gal Betta simplex community, 90 gal Low Tech Community, Amazon Fishing; my Journal of 10 days in Bolivia along the Rio San Martin

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06-19-2009, 01:59 PM	#2
susankat Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (18/100%) Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tulsa, Ok Posts: 718	If you have lots of wood and plenty of hiding places I would start out with 3. If you want babies get 1 male and 2 females.

06-19-2009, 03:28 PM	#3
michu Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9/100%) Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Bristol, TN Posts: 281	Thanks susankat. Lots of wood I have. I'm so glad you answered. I was thinking of buying 6-10. LOL

06-19-2009, 03:52 PM	#4
PasD Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (16/100%) Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bay Area, California Posts: 250	What's an ABP?

06-19-2009, 04:59 PM	#5
susankat Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (18/100%) Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tulsa, Ok Posts: 718	Albino bristlenose pleco.

06-19-2009, 08:25 PM	#6
bannh Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (18/95%) Join Date: May 2008 Location: Reading, MA Posts: 190	An ABN will easily take care of 20-30 gallons worth of cleaning as a big juvenile or an adult. With the amount of waste they excrete, more doesn't really mean cleaner. You may not have much algae or leftover food but you will have a lot of poo... That is a big tank but unless you don't mind vacuuming often, I'd go with up to 6, not more. They have a fairly high bioload each. An average spawn will have more males than females. If you are buying them young and unsexed, it's extremely likely you will end up with more males than females. If they grow up together in a large tank there shouldn't be much fighting. With only several to start, you can always add females later. With 10 unsexed fish you could easily end up with 6 or 7 males. Rarely does their fights result in real harm but it can. I have had one male who killed other males given a chance (he had to leave). At the least, their squabbles can involve a lot of thrashing about which can make a mess of delicate plantings. Females can squabble too but it's brief and less disruptive. They are a great fish IMO, but not one to overstock with.

06-19-2009, 08:28 PM	#7
michu Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9/100%) Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Bristol, TN Posts: 281	Thanks, bannh. 3 sounds better and better.

06-22-2009, 05:53 AM	#9
toddnbecka Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (50/100%) Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Cumberland, MD Posts: 726	I can hook you up with 4 1.25" juvies for $20 shipped Priority Mail. Odds are good you'll end up with at least one female that way.

07-15-2009, 07:45 PM	#10
Hilde Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: May 2008 Location: Mableton, GA Posts: 3,961	Could you post a picture of the tank? I got 5, mini version, at Local aquarium association for $5. Perhaps there is an association near you. Since I have had them I have no algae on the walls, even after leave the tank alone for 2 weeks. I occasionally see them on the plant leaves too.

07-15-2009, 08:18 PM	#11
michu Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9/100%) Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Bristol, TN Posts: 281	Sorry, I forgot about this thread. I am purchasing from another person that I promised I would buy from when her "babies" grow large enough to ship. That might be a while since they're tiny. As for the tank, I can't take much of a pic right now since I only have one light running that lights 1/3 of the tank. 2 ballasts went out from my MH that I ordered from DrsFosterSmith.com. They contacted Coralife to send me two more. Unfortunately, they didn't arrive until after 10 days, then they were the wrong ballasts. Itty bitty ballasts for some power compact. DrsFosterSmith has started the process all over again. My algae is pretty much gone. I went out of town for a week and did not ask my daughter to fertilize. Combine that with the crazy lighting scheme I'm currently running (1 ballast for 3 lights running each for 8 hours so that the entire tank has had 8 hours of light within a 24 hour period), along with the SAEs and ottos, algae seems to be wiped out. I was fairly amazed at how clean the tank looked. I thought daughter had cleaned it for me, but she hadn't.