30 US gallon community journal

How are the Crypts doing, StinkyLoaf?

First off I’m going to admit to moving one of them to the side... sorry. I wanted to give it some more space to grow because it was close to the glass. The leaves on the crypt I moved seem to be brownish but most of them are covered in sand. I won’t move the crypts around again.

The leaves are nice and thicc. I remember when I got them at the start of the month they were thin. They all seem to have a burgundy colour so I’m think I have a species of crypt that has this colouration. For now all I know is that they’re not wendtii.

I’m still not sure if I should get more peppered cories and it’s a shame because they’re my favourite cory for some reason... probably because I’ve kept the species for so long.

 

I didn’t get any new cories this weekend because I’m unsure if it’s a good idea provided what I’ve been made aware of here. However big things have happened to the 30 gallon today!

I cleaned out the filter, rinsing the sponges and ceramic rings in a bucket of tank water. I removed plenty of trumpet snails and debris from the sponges. Even the filter retains the function of an ecosystem that the aquarium has! Seeing animals adapt to such harsh conditions is so interesting to me...

Don’t misunderstand me; I’m not looking to rid my tank of the trumpet snails. They’re very beneficial but to clean the sponges I had to remove some of the snails on them. I can’t guarantee that all of them were alive in there anyway.

Also, a new piece of driftwood has been added! I was going to add this to the 60 gallon but space is limited. Here it is on the right-hand side of the tank:


I’m hoping this new wood will act as a defence against the sneaky angels during water changes!

All three crypts are looking great. When looking at older pictures of them from less than a month ago it’s easy to see how much they’ve grown!

 

Here is how the aquarium is looking after I just moves the wood into a better looking (and more convenient) place:


I managed to shuffle things around without moving the crypts. When I picked the wood up the bristlenose darted out from the top! It looks like a wooden volcano in it's new position.

I found some more trumpet snails just now. Trumpet snails are being really interesting to me as of late. It's seeing them survive and even thrive in such harsh, limited conditions that makes them so cool. In the filter, deep under the sand and basically anywhere else in the aquarium they will call home.

Please note: I don’t keep the curtains shut like this unless I’m taking a picture of the tank.

 

Looks good! I have the worst luck with crypts they always melt or die for some reason :/ I like the driftwood piece.

 

Today marks the first month of having live plants. The second round of root tabs has just been added underneath the crypts.

My red rainbowfish is a very bright red. I think spring is the time of year when rainbowfish mate, causing mine to display brighter colour.

Today I’ll do the weekly water change.

 

Everything is looking great, StinkyLoaf! Keep it up!

 

Four new arrivals have been added to the 30 gallon (well, not exactly new because they've been in there before): apple platies. I was trying to lower the stocking density in my 15 gallon so I removed them from there and added them to the 30 gallon. To make them feel welcome I fed them frozen daphnia.

 

A bit of a plot twist... I was playing with the aquarium calculator feature and discovered that 120 litres is equal to 36 US gallons. The tank is actually slightly bigger than 30 US gallons (I always use US gallons as opposed to UK gallons)!

Anyway with this update I better say some more. The crypts are huge compared to their initial size. It’s as if they noticeably grow by the day!

The bristlenose pleco can sometimes be seen sitting on the new piece of wood, or viewed from the holes in the top.

 

A bit of a plot twist... I was playing with the aquarium calculator feature and discovered that 120 litres is equal to 36 US gallons. The tank is actually slightly bigger than 30 US gallons (I always use US gallons as opposed to UK gallons)!

Anyway with this update I better say some more. The crypts are huge compared to their initial size. It’s as if they noticeably grow by the day!

The bristlenose pleco can sometimes be seen sitting on the new piece of wood, or viewed from the holes in the top.

You got some new pictures of your Crypts, StinkyLoaf?

 

You got some new pictures of your Crypts, StinkyLoaf?

Quality is poor since I took this on my school iPad, but you can see they’re very large now.

 

Quality is poor since I took this on my school iPad, but you can see they’re very large now.
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Now that is some great plant growth there! You should be proud of yourself.

 

This weekend I’m rehoming most of the fish in my 60 gallon and I’ll be replacing them with the angels and rainbows in the 30 (secretly 36 ) gallon tank. I’ll get more rainbows of the same species to create shoals in the 60 gallon. I’ll keep you guys updated on their progress though!

This means that there will be less fish in the 30 gallon but that makes me happy. I want to lower the stocking density.

My bristlenose pleco has learned where I drop the algae wafers before bedtime. It’s very satisfying when the wafer lands in the perfect spot; sometimes it lands in his piece of wood or on it where he can easily access it

Anyways, as always, stay tuned for more updates.

 

The three rainbows and one of the angels are out of the 30 gallon and the other fish are visibly grateful for the new room. I’m hoping the blue angel (who is still in the 30 gallon) will grow now that there’s no dominant male releasing hormones to stunt him.

 

I can’t believe I never saw this thread. The tank looks great

 

I can’t believe I never saw this thread. The tank looks great

Thanks. Here’s what I currently looks like. Mind the dirty camera lens of my iPad:

 

Thanks. Here’s what I currently looks like. Mind the dirty camera lens of my iPad:
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How does everyone find such cool pieces of driftwood. Nowhere I go as any cool ones

 

How does everyone find such cool pieces of driftwood. Nowhere I go as any cool ones

My LFS always has a variety to choose from.

 

How does everyone find such cool pieces of driftwood. Nowhere I go as any cool ones

I have found a couple cool pieces at petsmart of all places. Got a spiderwood piece soaking right now. Trying to waterlog it so I can attempt my first aquascape this weekend.

 

Thanks. Here’s what I currently looks like. Mind the dirty camera lens of my iPad:
View attachment 791234

Looks great matey. How are the other fish settling into their new digs?

 

Looks great matey. How are the other fish settling into their new digs?

They’re doing really well. I plan to get more rainbows for the 60 gallon soon.

I actually kept the geophagus (we discussed this on another thread, remember?). Here’s why: a worker at my LFS has a similar size tank with multiple geos, other cichlids and community fish and they all coexist peacefully. His stocking density is much higher than mine will be but he does very little to maintain peace. He thought I should keep the geo; he didn’t want to see me to let him go and I now see why. The geo is pretty much peaceful, and scared of the new arrivals if anything, not knowing what to do if the tiny angel ventures into his favourite area.

This is, of course, in exchange for the other angel. The geophagus is fully grown. Eventually I might add the other angel, might not.

As for the fish in the 30 gallon they love having the space to themselves. Hopefully we will see some growth in the blue angel.

 

It’s been a while...

The platies have bred. There is at least one fry in the tank. It’s difficult to tell if I’m seeing the same one over and over. Anyways, my plan is to leave the fry alone and see if it survives. I don’t intend on setting up a fry tank and using it for every little fry I see.

In the past I’ve had three livebearer fry survive to adulthood. Two were platies and one was a hybrid.

The plants are huge and the amanos are flourishing. Many of the amanos look gravid and are flushing their tails, but I’m doubtful that any larvae they might be carrying will survive.

 

It’s been a while...

The platies have bred. There is at least one fry in the tank. It’s difficult to tell if I’m seeing the same one over and over. Anyways, my plan is to leave the fry alone and see if it survives. I don’t intend on setting up a fry tank and using it for every little fry I see.

In the past I’ve had three livebearer fry survive to adulthood. Two were platies and one was a hybrid.

The plants are huge and the amanos are flourishing. Many of the amanos look gravid and are flushing their tails, but I’m doubtful that any larvae they might be carrying will survive.

That is great to hear your tank is doing well! I love my new Amanos already, they know the food comes through the top already and freak out when I put food in the tank. They are hilarious when they are frantically swimming all over the place for food, much different than my more laid back Cherries! Have any new pics of the Crypts by the way? If they are doing well, maybe you should get another type of plant in your tank.

 

That is great to hear your tank is doing well! I love my new Amanos already, they know the food comes through the top already and freak out when I put food in the tank. They are hilarious when they are frantically swimming all over the place for food, much different than my more laid back Cherries! Have any new pics of the Crypts by the way? If they are doing well, maybe you should get another type of plant in your tank.

I would like to get another plant, particularly a rhizome plant. Not sure I'm allowed though.

 

I would like to get another plant, particularly a rhizome plant. Not sure I'm allowed though.
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I don't know what is cooler, your awesome Crypts or your nice chubby group of Harlequin Rasboras...
Probably the Rasboras, they look super healthy and fantastic in your tank!

 

I don't know what is cooler, your awesome Crypts or your nice chubby group of Harlequin Rasboras...
Probably the Rasboras, they look super healthy and fantastic in your tank!

Harlequins and the like have really grown on me. I’m almost certain that at least three of the fish you’re seeing are in fact copper rasboras.

These are neat fish, although I don’t think they’re the best of tankmates for platies.

 

Harlequins and the like have really grown on me. I’m almost certain that at least three of the fish you’re seeing are in fact copper rasboras.

These are neat fish, although I don’t think they’re the best of tankmates for platies.

I agree with your statement. In my personal opinion I think livebearers should not be mixed with Rasboras or Tetras, but that is just my own opinion on that matter.

 

I agree with your statement. In my personal opinion I think livebearers should not be mixed with Rasboras or Tetras, but that is just my own opinion on that matter.

The reason they’re with each other in the first place is because I’ve had most of my fish before my Fishlore days. Back then I thought pH and hardness is negligible... due to the high pH and hardness of the water in the South of England the platies probably like the water more than the harlequins. The water is roughly around the threshold between what harlequins prefer and what platies prefer.

 

The reason they’re with each other in the first place is because I’ve had most of my fish before my Fishlore days. Back then I thought pH and hardness is negligible... due to the high pH and hardness of the water in the South of England the platies probably like the water more than the harlequins. The water is roughly around the threshold between what harlequins prefer and what platies prefer.

Oh, my statement is just from personal preference, not from water params and such. I know you are a fully capable aquarist friend, no need to explain yourself.

 

The platy fry is still alive and looks slightly bigger than it was last sighting. I’m now really hoping it survives. One of the adult platies looks very gravid.

There’s trumpet snails everywhere. There are big ones and small ones. Not a bad thing IMO.

 

I want to do a fasting day or two on the tank and siphon out some of the trumpet snails on the glass because the snail situation is getting out of hand. I receive constant nagging about it. I’ve come to the conclusion that the trumpet snail population is growing so fast because there’s less fish than before but I’ve been feeding the same quantity of food per feeding. Time to add less food and do some population control.

 

I can tell you the platy fry is still alive. It’s turned very orange, almost like a floating egg yolk.

 

My BN in the usual position they're photographed in:

 

Amanos enjoying a Thursday afternoon snack:

 

What does your new username mean??

 

What does your new username mean??

It’s the name of a local river of mine. I really wanted to change the old one to something else.

 

It’s the name of a local river of mine. I really wanted to change the old one to something else.

I like it! Which part of the UK? Not that I would know where it is. I’ve only visited twice.

 

I like it! Which part of the UK? Not that I would know where it is. I’ve only visited twice.

It’s source is in North Yorkshire. It flows down south to my county (Bedfordshire) and meets the North Sea at Norfolk. So it’s not in just one specific part.

Edit: I’ve confused the River Ouse with the River Great Ouse. I’m referring to the River Great Ouse, which actually starts closer to home.

 

Nice new username you have there, ex StinkyLoaf. It is certainly a unique one, friend.


I might have to do another change myself soon. I wonder if they still have the username change limits or not...

 

Nice new username you have there, ex StinkyLoaf. It is certainly a unique one, friend.

Thanks, ex Cheesehoarder.

 

Thanks, ex Cheesehoarder.

I still chuckle a bit more than I should when I hear that username.

To remain on topic with this thread, I like your Amanos a lot. They definitely look like some big fellas indeed. I do not remember you owning Amano shrimp before, when did you get them?