Guppy Breeding Set-Ups

[icu2]

I had a small operation (12 - 10g tanks) years ago, before I had ever done a pond
or had koi, and I feel like I'm getting a better understanding of water quality needs now,
and would like to try it again.
The operation was actually profitable (barely ), but I'd rather try and work on different
strains as opposed to "breaking even" now.

I'd love to see some guppy breeding set-ups if anyone has one (or links)...
I do remember that water changes in that many tanks was a pain, so I'd like to make
that easier with drains, either manually with ball valves, or automated with air lifts "to
waste" on a timer. But any other pitfalls I should think about that I've forgotten about?
Any other ways to make caring for multiple tanks easier/healthier that I probably didn't
even know about?

Thanks all,
Steve

[icu2]

Well, after that overwhelming response I'll post some links that I found over the last few days so maybe, if somebody does a
"search" and stumbles on this thread, it'll help...

Some breeding setups I found...

http://guppylacelovers.com/forums/index.php?topic=197.0

http://guppylacelovers.com/forums/index.php?topic=106.0

http://guppylacelovers.com/forums/index.php?topic=38.0

http://guppyroom.blogspot.com/

http://www.dermandar.com/p/aPIpZr/my-fish-room (It's a 360* viewable)

I'm redoing the floor in the bedroom, to replace the carpet with something a little more durable to water spills...

And I'm going to set up another "flow through" type system, like the ponds, but with all the single "tanks", so this should be fun.

I found this design of an overflow with out drilling bulkheads in the tanks... might give it a try.

[andrew davis]

A pitfall I came across visiting a chap who tried raising aquarium fish by the lake full, he quit doing it when it became apparent raising guppies in numbers kept being hammered by untreatable viruses devastating the fish quality, it occurred to me that the capacity to rotate stock annually to disinfected ponds would seem to be an essential routine, like, a farmer rotates his crops, to avoid legacy problems

[epse30]

Not sure how that overflow would work, seems to me that water would be spilling over the tank edge, well before it reached the low point of the inside diameter of the PVC tubing, especially as shown, where the water has to climb above the thickness of the PVC elbow too.....

Regards, Eric

[kingkong]

Wow this is a head scratcher...still thinking about this. So you start a siphon to fill pipe and away she goes.....would need to try it but looks possible.

[kingkong]

I have only 4 tanks 20's outside so water changes are easy..use well water. I also keep tanks planted so water is much easier to keep and gups seem to enjoy as well.

[icu2]

Thanks all... and I know the confusion, I had to stare at it a long time, and read the article about 10 times!
My understanding is the pipe in blue stays full with water like a siphon, and where the tee level is, is where your
water level in the tank will remain (red line)... like a water level works.
I'll just connect all the outflow of the tanks together and run them to waste, and have a constant drip flow
from the house water supply.



Here's a link to the article too... http://www.aka.org/aka/modules/content/index.php?id=6

They say you need about 10 tanks per strain... I'll start with a dozen smaller breeding tanks, and some 10's, and work from
there I guess. I just would like as little "routine" chores as possible... the ponds already keep me busy enough!

[Midorigoi]

Aw I remember when I had a 55g full of guppys, there had to be over 100 in there at any time, probably more

You should get some endler's livebearers too, smaller than guppies and pretty decent $$ compared to other tiny tropical fish

[icu2]

Thanks Stacy!

I've seen pictures of them on guppies.com and they look fun... but I've only got so much space!
To start, I've got it narrowed down to getting a trio from a breeder in California named Luke Roebuck, and see if I can maintain them...
then I'll venture out from there.

I got the room painted today, and I'll replace a section of sub-flooring that has been broken since I bought the house, tomorrow. Then I'll start
laying some vinyl flooring, that should with-stand the inevitable water spills better than the carpeting that was there before.

Steve

[Leekinneykoi]

If you have a floor drain in the room or a basement below, at the pet shop we simply had the clear hose to a drain and I would use the syphon off of the end of a python to gravity vacuum over 200 tanks once a week. Seems like a lot but doing 25% weekly keeps things running well and goes quite quick in 10 and 20 galon tanks. We had a large bertha type carbon filter to remove chlorine and simply adjusting Temp. and re filling was easy also.

[icu2]

Thanks Lee,
I didn't put in a drain but might wish I had.
After getting some feedback from the smart people on guppy.com, I think I've resolved to just drill the tanks and put
bulkheads in at the top for overflow. A couple of people had the overflow I showed before, fail because of dissolved oxygen
in the water collecting at the top of the pipe, and breaking the suction... and since I want this as a flow-through type system,
that wouldn't be good.

I want to set up a drip type feed with a setup like used with drip irrigation, but I'm not sure of what I need and I was going to
see if anyone has insight on how to build one...
I don't know the exact pressure of my house line, it's not real low or high... but I understand I need a pressure regulator, but
10psi? 20psi? I'm not sure if it matters, or if I'm just looking at the gpm flow?

I'll need (to start, but want to be able to expand), about 24 emitters, 16 going to 4g tanks, and 8 going to 10g tanks, so different
flows. I'll only need to change about 1.5 quarts a day in the smaller tanks, and a gallon in the 10g tanks to reach 10%/day, and
haven't seen anything able to automatically do that low of flow, so I guess I just get a valve type emitter and adjust them?

Also, what size tubing from pressure regulator to emitters... 1/2"? 5/8"? Or does it matter?
Did I miss anything?

The only other thing I'm concerned with on the flow through is the temp of the incoming water... it's usually in the low 50's
from the well, so I don't want the temp to drop too much in the tanks from it... or I'll have to figure out a
way gravity feed the whole drip system, and put some type of storage barrel in the room itself and warm the incoming water first, I guess.
I hope not.

Thanks!

[icu2]

Making progress slowly... rack plumbed, and lighted. Bulkheads, screens, and foam filters on their way...
I think I have the drip system figured out and will be buying and plumbing it next...

Petco is having their "$1/gallon" aquarium sale, so I went and got some 10g ones to see how they'd fit.

[midnight]

hi, join the IFGA if you haven't ....wealth of info and some pics of fishrooms as well as forum and very helpful people...good luck

[icu2]

I've been to the website, but was kind of surprised that you had to join to even "see" the forum, and
wasn't sure it would be worth $25 just to see what it looked like... I'd also heard varying opinions of the
club itself, so it's nice to have a positive review! I joined guppies.com and they also are a helpful and
knowledgeable group.

I'll go and check out the IFGA again... thanks!

[Midorigoi]

That is looking awesome! I've recently started plans for something similar, for bettas though

How many fish do you think you'll be keeping there?

[rainblood]

Making progress slowly... rack plumbed, and lighted. Bulkheads, screens, and foam filters on their way...
I think I have the drip system figured out and will be buying and plumbing it next...

Petco is having their "$1/gallon" aquarium sale, so I went and got some 10g ones to see how they'd fit.

Holy smokes...looks like you got bit by the bug

[fishin4cars]

Steve, I don't know if your interested or not but there seems to be a new trend starting ( 2-4 years since the first breeders starting introducing them to the hobby)for Cherry red shrimps, Crystal red shrimp, and Bee shrimp. Some are going for as high as $500 a trio. They require very minimal maintance, and require selective breeding to get the best colors. Similar to Koi. Just something you might want to look into. Some are very cool, I just ordered some Matano Blue Dot and some Blue Tiger Bee shrimp for a small Nano tank. Not cheap but not the high dollar guys either. Nothing against guppies as that was the fish that started me off in the hobby of fish keeping some 40 years ago. But they just don't seem to attract the interest that they once did. I have no clue if the shrimp hobby will continue to grow but for now there is a high demand, and only a handful of breeders in the US. Oh, and if you do think about them as a small business adventure, there are a bunch of plants, aquascaping tools, minerals, and foods that can be sold with them that can make a decent amount of profit in a very small business.

[Fast Eddie]

Looks similar to zebra danio set ups. Is your plan to try and breed your own color mutations? I took down my reef tank about a year ago and set up a simple freshwater for my daughter. I enjoy it more than her, surprise surprise lol.

[icu2]

That is looking awesome! I've recently started plans for something similar, for bettas though

How many fish do you think you'll be keeping there?

Thanks!
Each strain requires 8-10 tanks, so I'll start with one trio of one strain and work from there...

Holy smokes...looks like you got bit by the bug

See what happens when it's too cold outside and too much time on my hands now with no kids living at home.

[icu2]

Steve, I don't know if your interested or not but there seems to be a new trend starting ( 2-4 years since the first breeders starting introducing them to the hobby)for Cherry red shrimps, Crystal red shrimp, and Bee shrimp.

Thanks! Wow, those are beautiful! That sure seems like a interesting option... I do the guppies because I enjoy the complicated genetics of breeding,
and want to learn more. I had grand visions of making money when I was younger, but quickly learned better.
But I sure will investigate breeding shrimp... they look really fun. Thanks!!