135 gallons transformation

TClare · Oct 3, 2026

Hopefully it will work out, but if in the end you do have to catch them the easiest and least stressful and destructive way would be with bottle traps, I have used this very successfully with small cichlids, you just cut the top off a plastic drink bottle and invert it inside the bottle to form a funnel, make a small hole in the trap so that it sinks easily and put some nice food inside. You have to keep an eye on it as a fish will eventually find the way out, but honestly it’s much easier than trying to chase them with nets in a planted tank.

Dechi · Oct 3, 2026

Hopefully it will work out, but if in the end you do have to catch them the easiest and least stressful and destructive way would be with bottle traps

That’s what I used today. The problem is, you have 10, 20 fish around the bottle, trying to get to the food. Including the diadem and festivum. No way the tiny acara is coming to feed in there.

I caught a cory this morning…

TClare · Oct 3, 2026

Yes I know what you mean, it’s not selective and even if the opening is too small for the other cichlids they will still try! Still better than a net…

Dechi · Oct 4, 2026

I decided to add some plants to help the dwarf acaras be in peace. So I went to my LFS and got 2 x 1-2-3 go plants and put them in front of their territory.

But the royal acara was very curious and I guess not happy with them so he started uprooting them. I figured it would be best to put something more solid, like rocks or wood.

So I removed the plants and tried some rock I had.

I thought it wasn’t big enough and I didn’t like it’s color. So I tried the only suitable piece of wood I had. I don’t remember the name of it, but it’s not California driftwood for sure. I bought this wood about 20 years ago.

Everybody was very curious about it, especially the royal acara. I replanted the plants around it and hopefully it leaves them alone now. I don’t like it because it’s not the same wood as the rest, so maybe I’ll go buy a piece and replace it. But for now it will have to do.

Dechi · Oct 11, 2026

Unfortunately the female (I think) laetacara died after 6 days. One fish had jumped from the holding container at the store and fell on the counter about 14-16 inches lower so I believe it might have been her and why she didn’t make it. I should have asked for another one instead but it happened too fast and I didn’t think about it.

The male has a very good weight and is eating well. Today I saw some light blue lines on both sides of his face. Very pretty. He is more and more adventurous and a little less bothered by the diadema. I’m giving it time before I decide if I should a female back. Tank is now at capacity for sure but these fish live on the bottom.

Today I also added a young SAE, hoping it will make a difference in the BBA presence. Meanwhile, I finally bought a new API nitrate test and found out my levels were high, not at all 0 like I was told by my LFS when they tested it last, 2 weeks ago. Either their test was as faulty as mine, or it was really 0 and jumped through the roof when I increased my Thrive+ dose. I think they were elevated for a while, which contributed to BBA greatly.

Nitrates were probably over 40 ppm, hard to tell exactly. After a 25 gallons WC, they were still above 30 ppm, which was to be expected. I am doing another 25 gallons WC tomorrow morning and stopping Thrive+ for the day. Then I’ll be going back to my daily 8 gallons WC.

The water change really helped make the water clearer. I’ll be testing a lot for the next few weeks, until I find the sweet spot for giving the plants what they need without having elevated nitrates. My goal is 10 ppm of nitrates and phosphate should follow in the right range.

I’ve added more plants but so far I can’t say I am seeing that much growth and extraordinary colors. I’m still adjusting my reef lights but it might not be enough. I’ve started looking at Week Aqua light and might buy one strip to complement what I have.

A201 · Oct 11, 2026

If a store employee drops a fish or it flips out of a store container, its either free or opt for a different one.

The prices of fish have never been higher and I don't think they are going down any time soon.

Dechi · Oct 11, 2026

If a store employee drops a fish or it flips out of a store container, its either free or opt for a different one.

The prices of fish have never been higher and I don't think they are going down any time soon.

I guess it’s not their policy. I should have reacted but I did not.

I’m used to the prices of saltwater fish though so to me, freshwater fish are very cheap. But shipping fees are insane (70$ vs 30$ or 40$ for saltwater fish).

TClare · Oct 11, 2026

I agree they should not have sold the fish that went on the floor, shame about the female whether or not this was the cause.

No suggestions re the plants I’m afraid, I’ve never tried high tech, I only have “easy” plants, sand substrate, no CO2, basic home store floodlights and I haven’t used fertilizer in a long time.

Dechi · Oct 12, 2026

I did another 25 gallons WC this morning and nitrates still look above 30 ppm and phosphate around 1.8. TDS is 160.

My instincts were telling me 0 nitrates wasn’t possible with the amount I was feeding and I was right. I delayed getting the nitrate test and relied on the LFS for testing my water. That was my mistake.

Later this afternoon I will do a 50-60 gallons WC with the python (it will be a lot faster) and hopefully after that my nutrients levels are right. I have also decreased the amount I feed. I’ll still do it twice a day, but a lot less. I’ll also trim the leaves that have a lot of algae and hopefully things start to settle.

This is my first time using co2 and more demanding plants so I am learning.

Dechi · Oct 12, 2026

I did another 58 gallons WC with the python as planned. I trimmed the affected leaves and used peroxyde on the wood with BBA now that it was out of the water. I also siphoned the bottom even though I did it not long ago.

Finally, nitrates are about 8 ppm, phosphate 1.25 and TDS is 136. Tomorrow back to the usual WC and dosing routine. I’ll test in 48 hours to see if I have stability and if not I’ll make whatever changes are needed.

Once this is dialed in, I’ll only be testing weekly, for a while.

Dechi · Oct 17, 2026

The festivum is out most of the time now. It’s twice as big as the diadema, who’s still very much growing, and has started chasing him more. He also sometimes picks on the angel, but no real chasing.

As you know I want a peaceful tank, for my own enjoyment but also for my fish health. From your experience, is this going to change when the diadema grows bigger ? Or will there always be aggressive behaviors from the festivum ?

SheepAquatics · Oct 25, 2026

If there is anything left, it will be a very tiny quantity (I vaccuumed the tank and sump after it was dry and then rinsed it and towel dried it) . I’ll be doing a large WC after the cycle too so it should be okay.

Wouldn't some white vinegar get that off better? I think I replied to a really old post disregard this

Dechi · Oct 26, 2026

Wouldn't some white vinegar get that off better? I think I replied to a really old post disregard this

That’s okay. It was really hard to come off. I don’t even remember what I used but now I don’t Even see it. I think it’s gone !

davidkwilson · Oct 30, 2026

Welcome back to the freshwater side! 40+ years is amazing. Your equipment plan is super high-tech and will make maintenance so much easier.

Your plant choices are perfect for those AI Primes on low. Just a quick heads-up on stocking: a chocolate cichlid and a blue acara might get a bit big and grumpy for a 48" tank, especially with the angels and gouramis. You might want to pick just one big centerpiece cichlid to keep the peace.

Your cycling plan with the Fritz and ammonium sounds solid - just go slow like you planned. Can't wait to see the new setup!

Dechi · Oct 30, 2026

Your plant choices are perfect for those AI Primes on low. Just a quick heads-up on stocking: a chocolate cichlid and a blue acara might get a bit big and grumpy for a 48" tank, especially with the angels and gouramis. You might want to pick just one big centerpiece cichlid to keep the peace.

Hello and thanks for your encouragement !

Tank has been set up for over 3 months now. The cichlid chocolate idea was dropped and replaced by aequidens diadema. The EBA had to be rehomed and one other fish.

AI Prime were not enough so I added a cheap black box that’s doing the job for now but that will eventually be replaced. Things are going better now.

TClare · Oct 30, 2026

Previous post seems to be AI generated?

Rusty_Shackleford · Oct 30, 2026

Dechi How's it going with the CO²?

Dechi · Oct 30, 2026

Previous post seems to be AI generated?

Yeah, that’s what I think too but I replied just in case.

Dechi How's it going with the CO²?

I think it’s going better now. I did some adjustments, recalibrated, recalculated my baseline and I think it’s working. I have seen pearling for 2 weeks now and the red plants are staying red.

If it keeps going well I might try a hard plant to grow but I only have about 60 par on the substrate.

Dechi · Oct 31, 2026

I have a bit of black mold in the sump. I’ve been cleaning it every few months but it’s coming back. It’s on the shelves on my doors and the back, on the left hand side. The hole in the back isn’t big enough. My fault, I asked the builders not to do it too big for fear of losing too much heat.

I cleaned everything thoroughly today, with vinegar this time and I ordered a PC fan that I will be testing for the next few weeks. I might also paint the shelves and the inside of the door in anti-mold paint.

TClare · Oct 31, 2026

You can also get some small dehumidifiers that are meant for cupboards etc, they might help.

135 gallons transformation

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