New 125g Community - "Stump" Driftwood Planted Build

[TexasDomer]

Tank looks great!

I might personally take out the SAEs and otos because they don't have much temp overlap with your warm water fish. Your pearls and angels look fantastic in the pics!

 

[Anders247]

Sorry I'm late, had to get a new computer..... I agree with TD's advice.

 

[Jamieson22]

Got a call at work today from my WFH wife who said she “heard a pop and then hissing” from my fish tank. Turns out it was my regulator as she sent a picture of the back frozen. Had her turn everything off till I could get home and troubleshoot.

Guessing a diaphragm blew as when I turn tank on now with regulator off gas leaks out the back. Fun stuff this co2!

 

[TexasDomer]

Uh oh. Glad there wasn't more damage!

 

[Jamieson22]

Uh oh. Glad there wasn't more damage!

No kidding! When she said "hissing" my mind went to water spraying. Luckily this only requires a new regulator. This one lasted 3.75 days. LOL

 

[TexasDomer]

What brand was it?

 

[Jamieson22]

AGA. Dual stage and stainless. Was a beauty! Was...

 

[Jamieson22]

New regulator arrived so got my post body swapped and it I up and running again.



Also grabbed som Crypt WendtiI Red and Spiralis locally. Curious to see how bad they melt now that they are submerged but was a TON of plants when split up. Not bad for $15 total.





Also grabbed a few other stem bunches and some crypt Undulata and replanted some more. The replanted hygro has grown quite a bit already.

 

[Jamieson22]

It has been about 3 weeks since major trim and replant plus addition of CO2 and I had to trim a bunch of hygro and ludwigia. Replanted the ludwigia but gave way too much hygro. This was removed:

 

[TexasDomer]

Amazing! Such great growth! Super jealous, I want your hygro haha

 

[Jamieson22]

Amazing! Such great growth! Super jealous, I want your hygro haha

This stuff is like a weed! Unfortunately our weather in Chicago has been brutally cold. As soon as it turns, I'll happily send you some! Doesn't seem like I'll be running short on it anytime soon.

 

[TexasDomer]

How fast did you notice a difference with the CO2? Remind me what kind of ferts you're using?

 

[Jamieson22]

How fast did you notice a difference with the CO2? Remind me what kind of ferts you're using?

CO2 has only been running 3 weeks I think and 5 days of that was no CO2 due to blown regulator. At same time I set it up I also did major trim and replant and stuffed a bunch of osmocote root tabs in substrate. Most plants in my tank had been in it for quite some time - and could go months without needing a trim. On top of that the growth on these plants looks healthier and fuller than they ever did before. Leggy willow hygro and ludwigia are now dense and compact. Have anubias which survived but never thrives now kicking out new leaves. It is seriously night and day. It was same day I added that I saw pearling I never saw before. Probably a week to clearly see better looking plants.

I am using Thrive liquid fert and have also been dosing Seachem Iron more sporadically as I have it and want to bring out more reds where I can. Not sure if I'll continue with that however.

Something that is odd since adding CO2: I see my cory a LOT more - they are way more active. My sterbaI used to hide in the rocks under my driftwood and now they are out foraging the substrate and glass surfing all the time. And the rest of my stock seem more active. The tank just seems to have a lot more activity. CO2 has dropped my pH from 8.5 to 7.5 so not sure if that has something to do with it?

 

[TexasDomer]

From what I understand, the drop in pH is a false drop of sorts - it doesn't actually lower the GH, if I recall, just makes the water more acidic due to the CO2 in the water. If you turn the CO2 off at night, you should see the pH go back up.

 

[Jamieson22]

From what I understand, the drop in pH is a false drop of sorts - it doesn't actually lower the GH, if I recall, just makes the water more acidic due to the CO2 in the water. If you turn the CO2 off at night, you should see the pH go back up.

But pH is pH, no? With the pH controller, I am maintaining a 1 pt drop in pH constantly - so it never reverts back to 8.5 it is now always 7.5. I guess to say that maintaining my pH is how I ensure 30ppm of CO2 in water.

 

[TexasDomer]

Not necessarily, because it doesn't lower the GH, which is what fish are affected by (among other things in the water). If you turn your CO2 off, the pH will go back up. I don't think that has to do with the change in behavior because the GH isn't changing. They might be more bold now that the plants are filling out.

 

[Jamieson22]

There seems to be a big diff betwen my tap and my tank as far as pH. When I do a PWC, my 8.5 tank becomes 7.2 or so (think my tap is 6.5 or so). Always wondered why my fish seem a bit "stunned" after a PWC. As my tap CO2 off-gasses it settles at 8.5 so would think regardless of GH change - the pH drop from CO2 certainly affects my fish, no? I still have a lot to learn on CO2 so this is more a question than valid point.

 

[TexasDomer]

The lower pH in the tap could be from dissolved CO2 in the water - as it gasses off, the pH is rising.

Unless you have rocks in your tank that are raising the pH? I can't remember.

From what I've read and heard from people with high tech tanks, the pH drop from CO2 doesn't affect the fish. The CO2 can affect the fish though, if it's too high, and then you'll see them near the surface gasping. But I haven't heard of anyone having issues with pH because the GH and KH stay the same. Not sure if TDS does too, but I think so. And those are what really affect the fish.

 

[Jamieson22]

Water change day. Noticing in one corner quite a bit of debris not vacuuming up. What are those - seed pods? Closer look - GODDAMNIT SNAILS!!!

They are small - but what’s my prognosis here?

 

[TexasDomer]

MTS, I'm afraid. It's a pretty permanent situation. You can live with them, or you can spend countless frustrated hours trying to remove them only to not succeed haha

 

[Jamieson22]

MTS? Hey Thurgood11, didn't you just buy these to add to your tank? HA! I got them for FREE!

In all seriousness, there are not a ton. The ones in there were small but not easy to crush. Do I set traps, add assassins or just live with it?

 

[TexasDomer]

Malaysian trumpet snails

You may not see a lot, but they live in the substrate, so there are most likely more that you can't see.

Traps, assassins, or living with them are all options. Some people like them because they stir the substrate and the eat leftover food and plant detritus. Not too bad of algae eaters, either.

 

[Jamieson22]

They aren't pond snails? Guessing they hitchhiked in from plants from a "meh" LFS.

 

[Jamieson22]

Flipped the lights on real quick early this morning and there are a LOT more that what I could see last night. If its not one thing in the aquarium life, its another

 

[TexasDomer]

Pond snail generally refers to bladder snails, but they are both considered pests by many. Bladder snails don't bury themselves in the substrate like MTS do though.

Pest snails are usually hitchhikers on plants, yes! And they mostly come out at night, so that's when you'll see many on your substrate and glass.

 

[Jamieson22]

So they all seemed to disappear into the sand substrate when the lights went on but they don't look as spiraled as MTS. They are all fairly small still though. Will try to grab some when they come out for more positive ID.

 

[TexasDomer]

They could be another species of pond snails that look similar to MTS (I've had them before), but are a little thicker. The specific ID doesn't matter though, they do the same thing

 

[Jamieson22]

I built a snail trap based off a Mzjinkzd vid on YouTube. Had to take it out after 4 minutes!

 

[vikingkirken]

I have lesser pond snails in one of my tanks. They look like miniature pond snails. Pond snail shells curl one way and bladder snail shells curl the other way; look for pictures, it's hard to describe direction.

Botia loaches would also help, if you have room for them.

 

[ChaosCorrupter]

LOL, I hate when my fish did that. I just ended up putting a piece of lettuce in the bottle without the funnel part and just removing whatever snails where on it.

 

[Jamieson22]

LOL, I hate when my fish did that. I just ended up putting a piece of lettuce in the bottle without the funnel part and just removing whatever snails where on it.

I bought a few sera snail traps so will try those when they arrive. I put 2 big slices of cuke in last night - nothing on them this morn,=.

Botia loaches would also help, if you have room for them.

I think I have room. Current stock is as follows (I know I should get rid of oto and SAE). I did plan to order 10 more sterbaI once weather warms up a bit

• 2 EBA
• 1 Rainbow Cichlid
  
• 3 Angel
• 4 Pearl Gourami
• 8 Diamond Tetra
• 1 L129 Hypancistrus
• 8-10 (?) Cory Aeneus
• 4-6 (?) Cory Sterbai
• 6 Oto
• 4 SAE
• 4 Nerite snails

 

[TexasDomer]

I would not add botia loaches with your long finned fish. They are boisterous and nippy. I'm never a fan of adding fish to fix a snail problem.

 

[Thurgood11]

Ha you caught a case of the snails... lol

I got my MTS for free from a fellow fish guy here in Houston. They have definitely helped with stirring up the substrate and the areas where debris settle.

 

[Jamieson22]

Ha you caught a case of the snails... lol

How's that CO2 treating ya?

 

[Thurgood11]

How's that CO2 treating ya?

Burn lol

 

[Jamieson22]

So what would be a good addition to my tank? I did not have any luck with GBR, and feel I am missing what they would bring to the tank.

• 2 EBA

• 1 Rainbow Cichlid

• 3 Angel

• 4 Pearl Gourami

• 8 Diamond Tetra

• 1 L129 Hypancistrus

• 8-10 (?) Cory Aeneus

• 4-6 (?) Cory Sterbai

• 6 Oto

• 4 SAE

• 4 Nerite snails

 

[TexasDomer]

I would add another angel and more of the schooling species.

 

[Jamieson22]

I would add another angel and more of the schooling species.

Planned to up the sterbaI by 10 and add an new angel once I can find one I like as I recently lost my favorite Blue Angel. How many more diamond would you add?

 

[TexasDomer]

This thread is long and I remember you changing tank sizes but I don't want to look through every page haha. Remind me of tank dimensions?

 

[Jamieson22]

This thread is long and I remember you changing tank sizes but I don't want to look through every page haha. Remind me of tank dimensions?

No tank change. Is a 6’ 125g.

 

[TexasDomer]

Must be thinking of another thread, sorry!

I think another 6-8 would be fine.

 

[Jamieson22]

Must be thinking of another thread, sorry!

I think another 6-8 would be fine.

Would keeping my 8 diamond and adding 8 congo tetra work?

 

[TexasDomer]

Yes, but it wouldn't be quite the same (or quite as pretty, in my opinion), as a larger school of a single species.

 

[Jamieson22]

Looking extra blue around the edges today!

 

[vikingkirken]

There needs to be a "wow" emojI for that! Gorgeous fish!

 

[Jamieson22]

So I did a major trim and replant last night. This morning I hear a big splash, which isn't too uncommon with my EBA, and see them lip-locked! Have never seen them do this before but had noticed one of them seemed to be hiding down near substrate under my huge sword a lot last month or so. I purchased them as 2" juvies about a year ago.

I broke it up and there was some chasing for a bit but seems to have died down. One of them definitely seems quite flared and dominant vs the other. Do I need to separate/re-home or think the change in site lines from plant trim escalated this? Got video after I broke up initial fight, before I broke this one up:

 

[Jamieson22]

Here are some before and after of my tank trim last night. Still need to order a bunch of new plants (need reds badly) so definitely a work in progress.





After:







Also seems someone is eating my blue hygro. Has been in tank for ages with no damage before.





And is this a deficiency, damage, or dying sword leaves?



Also have some holes/damage on my AR:



And here is better shot of my pest snail. First time I have seen one out during daylight. They normally only come out when dark then hide in sand. Have done traps a few times and only catch 4 or so. They are rather tiny and very hard to crush.

 

[kjlife]

Looking extra blue around the edges today!

View attachment 413168

I find it weird how rainbows vary so much in color mine is almost completely green with blue fin tips like yours I'll post a picture later when I'm home. At first I was trying to figure out what type of fish it was

 

[TexasDomer]

I've heard of EBAs munching on plants - maybe they're eating the Hygro? The sword looks like a deficiency to me. Not sure what's going on with the AR though - it may be getting eaten too.

You would think there'd be enough room for the EBAs to have separate territories, but if it continues/gets worse, you may need to think about rehoming one.

Lovely tank!

 

[Jamieson22]

Willow hygro looking way better now that I have CO2. Was so leggy previously!



Also crypt wendtiI “red” and crypt spiralis growing in nicely.