chickadee

I spent the day moving fish and redoing and reorganinzing my tanks so here is my roster now:

Tank 1 25 gallon tall in my bedroom with Eclipse 2 hood:

Ariel (halfmoon Betta)
5 Dwarf Loaches (found a Dwarf Loach I did not know was in there when I did the move)
2 Sterba's Cories
2 Yo-Yo Loaches (my smaller ones 3" and 4")
2 Otocinclus Catfish

It is right at capacity or a tad over but it gets a 50% change every week and does have a lot of plants right now that helps to keep the nitrates down so I think it will be okay and the gravel gets vacuumed every time I do the water change as that is how I change the water so it will be okay I think.

Tank 2 12 gallon Eclipse tank

Qwin (Doubletail Crowntail Betta)
2 Dwarf Loaches
1 Otocinclus Catfish (he is antisocial does not like the others)
1 Queen Arabesque Pleco

This tank has had this compliment for a year now and does well with it. The fish like each other and do well together so I did not want to rock the boat, so to speak. It also has plenty of plants.

Tank 3 10 gallon Kritter Keeper tank

Diablo (Rosetail Betta)
1 Gypsy King Tiger Pleco

Now do not yell at me I know that he is too big for this tank and he is not going to stay there. But he is not going into the 25 until I have a chance to do some fixing of the situation in there. I am also thinking that I may see if I can find a new home for him and bring the little otos from in the bedroom to the tank with Diablo or just leave Diablo in the tank alone but I needed to put him somewhere until I could come up with a new home for him and the other tanks had to go today. He only has one plant at present but when I decide what I am doing for sure I will probably get him more.

So that is what they look like now and when I get all finished I will see about pictures. But as of right now they look like what they are newly finished tanks that have been severely worked over.

Rose

Shawnie

I cant wait to see pics!!!

I have two over crowded tanks and I do every other day changes...gosh I wish I could figure a way to get the python to work here hahaha..my 75 gallon kills me with those darn buckets!

MissMTS

Hi Rose,
Those sound like great tanks. I am currently in the process of setting up a tank for one of my bettas and I am going to include a few small plecos and some cories. I am glad that the combinations that you have are working out for you. It is a nice feeling to get your tanks organized and I am glad that it is working out for you. I can't wait to see pics when you finally take some

chickadee

I would not have lost my fish for anything but since they died it was time to simplify as the hobby was becoming too much for me with the 5 and sometimes 6 tanks to maintain. With my present situation I needed to cut the work back some and this seemed like the time to do it but the work getting the simplification done has been murder today. I will have to admit to being a bit worn down tonight. I broke 2 tanks down and cleaned 3 and moved one tank, not counting all the fish catching and extra water toting to clean things to pack away. I am happy it is over.

Rose

Shawnie

now relax and enjoy your hard work

Martinismommy

Rose,

I'm glad you cut back...I know your kids are happy and Mommy needs some rest...It can become overwhelming at times when you have so many tanks up and running...

I'd love to see some updated pics of the gang when you are up to it....

Shawnie

not to mention US kids drain u with help''s all the time LOL ...wait till next mothers day rose

shellbell4ever

Good for you Rose,I know your doing whats best Your Tanks sound wonderful Can't wait for new pic's!
I too am currently thinking about cutting back... The maintenance is getting a bit much with 8 tanks I'm constantly do something somewhere in the tanks,and hubbys complaining about the electric/water costs (tight wad :0)Sometimes we just gotta do what we gotta do.

Lucy

The tanks sound good, Rose, I'm glad you cut back. Does that mean the water situation has gotten better?
What filter and heater are you using for the Kritter Keeper?
I thought about getting one for a Qt tank.

Can't wait to see your pics.

nmwierman1977

I'm glad you were able to re-do the tanks and bring them down to just 3. It is a lot of work espcially for you rose with everything you do with taking care of your mother and yourself with your own heath conditions. This will be a huge break for you. I know its sad when we lose our fish babies, but in a way for you it was a blessing in disguise. Everything happens for a reason. Just remember that.Natalie

0morrokh

Losing fish stinks but I'm glad you were able to scale down a bit. Can't wait to see pics!

COBettaCouple

Wish we could take that gypsy king tiger pleco off your hands. We're glad to see that you've reordered your tanks to make a bit less work for yourself. I know you hated to lose those fish, but this will be good for you - we don't want you overdoing it too much.

chickadee

Shawnie I do not have to lift buckets but do not use a python either. I made a homemade version of the thing with a really neat little deal made to clean the bio-orbs but it also is sent with a screw on attachment to do regular tanks and it plugs into 1/2" diameter plastic tubing so I got 50 feet (yeah I said 50 feet) of the 1/2" tubing) and one of the plug in syphons for each tank and it plugs in and out and I will see if I can get a picture but I run the thing out the front door and into my flower bed and it has a bulb to sqeeze in the tubing and it starts itself and vacuums the gravel while it drains the tank. Then I give the tank a quick once over with a paper towel or two to wipe the inside down and refill with gallon jugs of water. The gallon jugs are all I lift and since I use a Rollator walker it does most of the carrying about 2 or 3 gallons at a time and it works pretty well.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...ductId=2755281

that little stubby end is barbed and fits pretty tight into the large tubing below:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...fm?pcatid=8002

now you can unplug and use the same piece for all the syphons but I have a different syphon for each tank as I do not trust the cross contamination thing with infection yet. The last tank I run a bucket of clean dechlorinated water through the long tubing to clean it out for the next use. So far it has worked like a charm. I also soak the ends of the syphons on Net Soak with my nets to disinfect them. It does not have to be rinsed and will not hurt the fish but will kill any bacteria that gets on the syphon.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...fm?pcatid=3851

That is very concentrated and makes a lot of gallons and it lasts a long time. When it loses its color you change it out. I keep a bucket of it where no kids or pets can get in it all the time with nets and syphons and other tools soaking all the time.

Rose