Just a bit of idle curiosity really. I have been on a bit of a shop tour trying to get rid of my cichlids and I couldn't help but notice that all of the store setups I have seen seem to look the same. Is there a company out there that supplies such setups? Could it be that there is just a standard construction template?

its just a tried and tested way that happens to work.

Most shops have a single filtration system managing their tanks. This is a problem because a problem in one tank will spread throughout the entire system

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1.1 leos, 1.1 fat tails, 0.2 Beardies, 1 Whites, 2.0 Cresties, 4.1 Cats, Fish: 4.4 P. Dovii, 5.5.6 Peacock Bass (5 sp), 1.1 C 'Cobra', 1.1 festae, 1.1 green terror, 1.1 nics, 1.1 C. Marmorata, 1.1 C. Johani, 1.1 C. 'Strigata', 1.1 C. 'red tapojas'; 1.1 P. Friedrichsthalli, 1.1 Mots, 1.1 managuense, 1.1 H. Bocourti, 1.1 H. Pearsi, 1.1 H. Carpinte, 1.1 H. Cynoguttatum, 1.1 V. Argentea, 1.1 V. Zonatus, 1.1 N. Salvini, 2.2 Grammodes, 3.4 Hoplarchus Pssiticus, 2.2 Trimacs, 3.4 haitiensis, 1.1 tetracanthus, 3.2 Red tiger mots, 14 Uaru (2 sp) 1.1 Umbies, 2 Arapaima, 3 Red tail catfish, 1.1 P. Leopoldii, 1.1 P. Motoro, 3 Silver Arowana, Var. polypterus, var. Channa sp, M. wyckii, 3 siamese tigers, 2 jelly catfish, 1 Golden dorado
Member number 1717

its a good method, most shops fish will be kept on under gravel filters which is easy to maintain, with gravel and a few plastic plants it good as its easy to use and problems with fish can be spotted quickly, if they occur

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My Collection1.0.0 corn1.1.0 equadoran rainbow boa1.0.0 hoggie0.0.1 taiwanesse beauty snake0.1.0 emperor scorpion0.0.1 pink zebra T
0.0.3 brazilian red T
0.0.1 centipede - scolopendra sp.

pm me if interested
for sale 3 brazilian red 1 pink zebra

under gravel filters aren't great really. Nowhere near effective enough for most shops. Which is why most shops form a system and use a huge sump filter. Or use individual sponge filters.

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1.1 leos, 1.1 fat tails, 0.2 Beardies, 1 Whites, 2.0 Cresties, 4.1 Cats, Fish: 4.4 P. Dovii, 5.5.6 Peacock Bass (5 sp), 1.1 C 'Cobra', 1.1 festae, 1.1 green terror, 1.1 nics, 1.1 C. Marmorata, 1.1 C. Johani, 1.1 C. 'Strigata', 1.1 C. 'red tapojas'; 1.1 P. Friedrichsthalli, 1.1 Mots, 1.1 managuense, 1.1 H. Bocourti, 1.1 H. Pearsi, 1.1 H. Carpinte, 1.1 H. Cynoguttatum, 1.1 V. Argentea, 1.1 V. Zonatus, 1.1 N. Salvini, 2.2 Grammodes, 3.4 Hoplarchus Pssiticus, 2.2 Trimacs, 3.4 haitiensis, 1.1 tetracanthus, 3.2 Red tiger mots, 14 Uaru (2 sp) 1.1 Umbies, 2 Arapaima, 3 Red tail catfish, 1.1 P. Leopoldii, 1.1 P. Motoro, 3 Silver Arowana, Var. polypterus, var. Channa sp, M. wyckii, 3 siamese tigers, 2 jelly catfish, 1 Golden dorado
Member number 1717

i'm sorry but thats total balls!!!!!!!!! under gravel are great i run all my tanks on them except the terrapins! a well known local shop owner who had been in the buisness for over 40 years would only use under gravels and his water is perfect, he wasnt just a shop owner either he is well respected in the show world and was a big breeder of snakeheads!

there only crap if you dont set them up properly

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they are good for your average tank yes. But the majority of shops which have stuff like cichlids nad other digging fish find them completely in-practical

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1.1 leos, 1.1 fat tails, 0.2 Beardies, 1 Whites, 2.0 Cresties, 4.1 Cats, Fish: 4.4 P. Dovii, 5.5.6 Peacock Bass (5 sp), 1.1 C 'Cobra', 1.1 festae, 1.1 green terror, 1.1 nics, 1.1 C. Marmorata, 1.1 C. Johani, 1.1 C. 'Strigata', 1.1 C. 'red tapojas'; 1.1 P. Friedrichsthalli, 1.1 Mots, 1.1 managuense, 1.1 H. Bocourti, 1.1 H. Pearsi, 1.1 H. Carpinte, 1.1 H. Cynoguttatum, 1.1 V. Argentea, 1.1 V. Zonatus, 1.1 N. Salvini, 2.2 Grammodes, 3.4 Hoplarchus Pssiticus, 2.2 Trimacs, 3.4 haitiensis, 1.1 tetracanthus, 3.2 Red tiger mots, 14 Uaru (2 sp) 1.1 Umbies, 2 Arapaima, 3 Red tail catfish, 1.1 P. Leopoldii, 1.1 P. Motoro, 3 Silver Arowana, Var. polypterus, var. Channa sp, M. wyckii, 3 siamese tigers, 2 jelly catfish, 1 Golden dorado
Member number 1717

yeah i have to agree they both have advantages, under gravel are very easy to use and are a tried and tested method, work well, easy to maintain. but nowdays, more mechanical pumps and sump filters are used. most good shop systems run in banks or entire systems. where each bank /system has a sump, skimmer, and maybe a sand filter or something along those lines oh and a uv system as well. this is what maidenhead aquatics use, and TMC have huge sytems which basically run everybit of water in the whole factory. so i would personally use them.

company wise try out john allen who are doing alot these day and also casco who do more interesting unique build stuff.

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Frisbys kept all chiclids on it from all over the world... i'm not disagreeing that there isnt now adays better systems but i wont here them be called rubbish as there not

oh as a note i keep my frontosas, jags, texas, mouthbrooders all on under gravels

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dont think i once said rubbish.

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1.1 leos, 1.1 fat tails, 0.2 Beardies, 1 Whites, 2.0 Cresties, 4.1 Cats, Fish: 4.4 P. Dovii, 5.5.6 Peacock Bass (5 sp), 1.1 C 'Cobra', 1.1 festae, 1.1 green terror, 1.1 nics, 1.1 C. Marmorata, 1.1 C. Johani, 1.1 C. 'Strigata', 1.1 C. 'red tapojas'; 1.1 P. Friedrichsthalli, 1.1 Mots, 1.1 managuense, 1.1 H. Bocourti, 1.1 H. Pearsi, 1.1 H. Carpinte, 1.1 H. Cynoguttatum, 1.1 V. Argentea, 1.1 V. Zonatus, 1.1 N. Salvini, 2.2 Grammodes, 3.4 Hoplarchus Pssiticus, 2.2 Trimacs, 3.4 haitiensis, 1.1 tetracanthus, 3.2 Red tiger mots, 14 Uaru (2 sp) 1.1 Umbies, 2 Arapaima, 3 Red tail catfish, 1.1 P. Leopoldii, 1.1 P. Motoro, 3 Silver Arowana, Var. polypterus, var. Channa sp, M. wyckii, 3 siamese tigers, 2 jelly catfish, 1 Golden dorado
Member number 1717

wow calm it, we are all intitled too our opinions

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My Collection1.0.0 corn1.1.0 equadoran rainbow boa1.0.0 hoggie0.0.1 taiwanesse beauty snake0.1.0 emperor scorpion0.0.1 pink zebra T
0.0.3 brazilian red T
0.0.1 centipede - scolopendra sp.

pm me if interested
for sale 3 brazilian red 1 pink zebra