What are you doing to your tank today?

I just checked parameters on one of my house tanks. The one I added the four habrosus corys to.
Everything fine, but I'm not understanding why I hardly see anybody. Even the Ember Tetras are hanging out by the back wall unless I am feeding them.
I guess I better do a temp check, but it feels normal. Weird.
 

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Ok, so the betta yawned in my face and decided to move now....and the white thing fell off, so something he rubbed against in the tank....lazy boy!!!! :D
 

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The white spot on the dottyback is gone this morning, so I'm hoping that I'm right that it was just a bit of sand.

I threw a small piece of raw table shrimp into the QT tank with the Gold Nugget Pleco last night, and lo and behold it was gone this morning. I thought these guys were omnivorous with a veggie-lean? Hmm. The Electric Blue Acara and remaining Gold Wonder Killi are both doing well in QT, too.

Nanaue (my flowerhorn) has been beating on his sailfin pleco roommate pretty hard lately. Just some ripped fins, no damage to the body, but still. It's concerning. I'm thinking maybe I need to invest in a couple pleco caves that are big enough for the pleco, but not for Nanaue.
 
The white spot on the dottyback is gone this morning, so I'm hoping that I'm right that it was just a bit of sand.

I threw a small piece of raw table shrimp into the QT tank with the Gold Nugget Pleco last night, and lo and behold it was gone this morning. I thought these guys were omnivorous with a veggie-lean? Hmm. The Electric Blue Acara and remaining Gold Wonder Killi are both doing well in QT, too.

Nanaue (my flowerhorn) has been beating on his sailfin pleco roommate pretty hard lately. Just some ripped fins, no damage to the body, but still. It's concerning. I'm thinking maybe I need to invest in a couple pleco caves that are big enough for the pleco, but not for Nanaue.
My pleco eats the blood worms when I feed them. Poor sailfin. Naughty Nanaue. :mad:
 
My pleco eats the blood worms when I feed them. Poor sailfin. Naughty Nanaue. :mad:
The sailfin eats a couple whole table shrimp a week, so I was prepared to feed some meaty items. I had just read online that Gold Nuggets were typically more likely to eat veggies - but it ignored veggies when I offered them and went straight for the meat the next day. Weird.

Nanaue has officially become an angsty teen, I believe. I think he's been chewing on the huge Anubias I've got in the tank, too. I probably just need to rearrange the tank and get some new hides for him and the sailfin - he doesn't really fit the pots anymore!

3 months apart


 
What am I doing today? Sitting here wishing I had the money for a bunch more plants......

But that would require putting one or more of the aquariums in storage back in service....... Hmmmmmm. (Looking around at what could be sold, just as the cat walks by.... Meow?
 

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Not much today - i accidently startled my angles which wasn't good. I was wearing a jacket when i went into the room and they didn't recognize me - even with the lid on they managed to get me pretty wet.
-
I also took a picture of one of my mutt guppy. Not a great picture but this one is pretty interesting. It is a mix of a red delta and cobra green. The body is green and there is a green streak through the tail but otherwise the fins are red:
guppy.jpg
 
I just noticed the filter needs serviced indicator starting to pop up on my new blackwater tank...
I'll keep an eye on it :D

I should have some glass for this tank tomorrow and then it will be easier to service the canister, so I'll probably looking into the HOB tomorrow, too.
 
What am I doing today? Sitting here wishing I had the money for a bunch more plants......

But that would require putting one or more of the aquariums in storage back in service....... Hmmmmmm. (Looking around at what could be sold, just as the cat walks by.... Meow?
Leave the kitty alone, kitties are for luvin's, not sellin's!!

Pulled a dead platy out of the 29. Was one of the originals, so no surprise there. Reckon i better actually do that water change today now, after all.
 
Finished water change on the platy tank. Cleaned off the thermometer so i can read it again and cleaned the outside glass.

Also, after pulling a dead adult out earlier, found a couple babies during the water change!!

*cues Elton John* IT'S THE CIRCLE OF LIFE......
 

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Finished water change on the platy tank. Cleaned off the thermometer so i can read it again and cleaned the outside glass.

Also, after pulling a dead adult out earlier, found a couple babies during the water change!!

*cues Elton John* IT'S THE CIRCLE OF LIFE......
That's the best thing about livebearer tanks... there's always something new going on in there when you least expect it.
The more I look at this scape, the more I like it. I added the other piece of Val I have, and a tiny plantlet that was growing off of a Crypt in Nanaue's tank.


I'll absolutely be moving the HOB away from the powerhead soon - I'll be getting a lid for the tank in a day or two, and will move it then. That'll help get rid of all the bubbles.
 
Five days in :)

Jan 2 22.jpg

I should probably see if those stones can be removed now. They look like a bunch of baked potatoes sitting there,
 
Today I didn't do much, I did create the LITRACTOR (Lily Trajectory Control adjustable Orfice) to stop my next bloom from needing to be babysat as often.

20220102_200924_HDR~2.jpg

Ok, so it's really just some airline tubing with se slits in it, but it can change diameter and should help me aim the lily bloom out of the tank with less friction this time.
 
Today I didn't do much, I did create the LITRACTOR (Lily Trajectory Control adjustable Orfice) to stop my next bloom from needing to be babysat as often.

View attachment 829983

Ok, so it's really just some airline tubing with se slits in it, but it can change diameter and should help me aim the lily bloom out of the tank with less friction this time.

How did you join the ends?
Mine always come out looking like an odd shaped oval.
-------New Post--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I checked the Big Four on my new tank just now.
pH 6.6
Am 0 (down from .25)
Trites 0 (down from .5)
Trates 0 (down from 5)

I was expecting the Am and Nitrites to go up like my last two tanks, but then I remembered that I added the HOB filter, heater and a piece of driftwood from the 27g I just took apart.

I threw some flake and shrimp pellets into it to see what happens.
 
How did you join the ends?
Mine always come out looking like an odd shaped oval.
This one wasn't a real feeding ring, I slit both ends and a spot in the middle so it would slide onto the f-channel and glass. That holds it pretty nice.

When I have needed a ring, I cut the hose cleanly at the length I need. Then I heat and stretch a piece of scrap hose until it will fit and use it as an internal sleeve with a few drops of super glue gel. I found that stretching the tube until it fits only on one end causes a spiral tear drop shaped oval because it thins the wall of the tube making a weak spot next to the joint, but I can't make a clean circle with my method unless it's larger than 3-4" diameter anyhow.

A method I haven't tried yet, stretch just one end (the easiest way), put it together with a little glue, then dunk it in a boil. Hold it round until it cools. I imagine this should work, but I haven't tried it. Yet.
 
Ah... heat and stretch to make smaller. Make an inside sleeve.
I've tried heating one end and putting something into it to make it larger. Then slitting the other end and pushing into it. I never like the way they come out.

I'm going to give this a try. Making a separate inside connector.
And the boiling water should help soften it, too. It seems my tubing always has a preset shape/bend to it.

Thanks
 
my tubing always has a preset shape/bend to it.
Yup this is true. I always boil my new vinyl hoses, airline, siphon, spray bar etc. I don't boil the whole spool of airline at once, but as I need 3-10' sections I boil them and lay it straight to cool. Makes keeping the tanks looking straight allot easier. I hadn't thought of cooling it in a formed shape until today but I think it should work.

If you haven't already boiled your siphon hose and straightened it, do it today. It's life changing.
 
If you haven't already boiled your siphon hose and straightened it, do it today. It's life changing.

I'll bet!
The only good thing about a curved siphon hose is being able to easily push it into a corner to keep fish from being sucked into it.
I was even thinking of fastening the end to a wood dowel so I could clean algae off of plants easier.

I haven't boiled anything for my tanks in a while. Boiling the siphon hoses will give me something to do.

Do you take it out while it's hot and stretch it straight?
Or does simply heating it make it straight? Like wood having a memory?
 

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I boiled a siphon tube last month and ruined it :(

it did give me an excuse to go to the lfs though
 
Do you take it out while it's hot and stretch it straight?
I stretch them while they're hot and lay straight them on the floor. My longest is about 50', it was hard to get the air bubbles out but I figured out if I feed it in and let it coil around the inside of the pot very carefully I could do it from one end/half the hose at a time. I store them rolled up but they pop straight from memory.
I boiled a siphon tube last month and ruined it :(
This is a bummer. Was it a clear (or sometimes blue tinted) polyvinyl hose or a harder plastic one?

I've never ruined a polyvinyl hose, but have accidentally shrunk some hard plastic parts like the siphon bell and extension tube. I have seen some siphons with the harder plastic accordion style hoses, I wouldn't recommend boiling those.
 
Got some good news today!

I dropped my car off at the shop last night because of some creakiness in the front end. I was already planning a several hundred dollar bill - but, luckily for me, it was just a piece of the front fender had come loose and was rubbing up against a shock. Phew. The bill only came out to like $30 for the oil change.

I gotta change some water today.
  • The 5 gallon pea puffer tank has gone about 5 months since the last water change. Nitrates are in the 40's - not so bad. I'll do a 50%.
  • The 40 gallon flowerhorn tank is looking a little rough. I switched over the HOB filter and moved some of the biological media around, so I think I caused a slight bacterial bloom. Oh, well. 50% here, too.
  • The 10 gallon QT tanks need some work - I haven't tested them today (they're cycled), but I'll do a 50% change on both.
  • The 36 gallon green spotted puffer tank just got a large water change in the middle of last week, but I figure I'll do another 50%, just to stay ahead of the curve. The little guy is a filthy animal.
The question is - how lazy do I want to be today? Hmm...
 
Got some good news today!

I dropped my car off at the shop last night because of some creakiness in the front end. I was already planning a several hundred dollar bill - but, luckily for me, it was just a piece of the front fender had come loose and was rubbing up against a shock. Phew. The bill only came out to like $30 for the oil change.

I gotta change some water today.
  • The 5 gallon pea puffer tank has gone about 5 months since the last water change. Nitrates are in the 40's - not so bad. I'll do a 50%.
  • The 40 gallon flowerhorn tank is looking a little rough. I switched over the HOB filter and moved some of the biological media around, so I think I caused a slight bacterial bloom. Oh, well. 50% here, too.
  • The 10 gallon QT tanks need some work - I haven't tested them today (they're cycled), but I'll do a 50% change on both.
  • The 36 gallon green spotted puffer tank just got a large water change in the middle of last week, but I figure I'll do another 50%, just to stay ahead of the curve. The little guy is a filthy animal.
The question is - how lazy do I want to be today? Hmm...
Hey ChrissFishes01,

What is the best way to keep those qt tanks that are cycled going? Do you add fish food or ammonia? Just curious...
 
Hey ChrissFishes01,

What is the best way to keep those qt tanks that are cycled going? Do you add fish food or ammonia? Just curious...
I have tons of old sponges laying around, so I typically just keep one either in a display tank's filter or hidden away inside the display tank somewhere 24/7. Then, when it comes time to get new fish, I'll take the sponge out of the display tank that they'll be going into and use that to cycle the QT. After the QT period, I take the sponge that I was using, wash it and dry it out, and put it into a new tank to repeat the process.

I don't really keep my QT's up and running all the time - I've found my method easier.
 
Water change, filter maintenance and a really good gravel vac on my 300l tank today. I do try to vac under big stones and wood at least a few times a year haha.

I had a spare internal filter which I rigged up in there too in a way I can't see it. Don't think I really need the extra filtration but have a feeling I might need cycled media for my niece when she starts her little tank :D
 
Got some good news today!

I dropped my car off at the shop last night because of some creakiness in the front end. I was already planning a several hundred dollar bill - but, luckily for me, it was just a piece of the front fender had come loose and was rubbing up against a shock. Phew. The bill only came out to like $30 for the oil change.

I gotta change some water today.
  • The 5 gallon pea puffer tank has gone about 5 months since the last water change. Nitrates are in the 40's - not so bad. I'll do a 50%.
  • The 40 gallon flowerhorn tank is looking a little rough. I switched over the HOB filter and moved some of the biological media around, so I think I caused a slight bacterial bloom. Oh, well. 50% here, too.
  • The 10 gallon QT tanks need some work - I haven't tested them today (they're cycled), but I'll do a 50% change on both.
  • The 36 gallon green spotted puffer tank just got a large water change in the middle of last week, but I figure I'll do another 50%, just to stay ahead of the curve. The little guy is a filthy animal.
The question is - how lazy do I want to be today? Hmm...
Admit it - the car repair money you had spent in your head has now been spent on fish paraphernalia!
 
Admit it - the car repair money you had spent in your head has now been spent on fish paraphernalia!
Shhhhhh! I'm trying to save up for a house...

I don't need y'all whispering in my ear! Lol
 
I was already planning a several hundred dollar bill -

The bill only came out to like $30

Cool! That's like free money!
I think a trip to the LFS is in order :D


What is the best way to keep those qt tanks that are cycled going? Do you add fish food or ammonia? Just curious...

I have always wondered the same thing.
From what I've read, it seems like some simply move a sick fish into a new tank. Maybe it's the lesser of two evils?
But what if you ordered some fish in and want to QT them?

THAT is the question.

I picked up the partial glass lids for a few tanks.
Now, on my new tank, I'll have a place to set the canister filter on while I service it. I read that if it is higher than the tank you can break it down without getting water all over from the hoses.

And when I looked at the HOB I found that it was registering dirty because I had filter floss in it. So I removed that and put it back together. The particles in the water had all been cleaned up anyway. And now it has a better flow.

I'm kind of getting skeptical about having fish shipped now. The temp has been in the twenties and winter is finally here.
I've got half a mind, maybe more, telling me to go back to the far LFS and settle on A. Agassizii instead of some type of Checkerboard.
 
Cool! That's like free money!
I think a trip to the LFS is in order :D




I have always wondered the same thing.
From what I've read, it seems like some simply move a sick fish into a new tank. Maybe it's the lesser of two evils?
But what if you ordered some fish in and want to QT them?

THAT is the question.

I picked up the partial glass lids for a few tanks.
Now, on my new tank, I'll have a place to set the canister filter on while I service it. I read that if it is higher than the tank you can break it down without getting water all over from the hoses.

And when I looked at the HOB I found that it was registering dirty because I had filter floss in it. So I removed that and put it back together. The particles in the water had all been cleaned up anyway. And now it has a better flow.

I'm kind of getting skeptical about having fish shipped now. The temp has been in the twenties and winter is finally here.
I've got half a mind, maybe more, telling me to go back to the far LFS and settle on A. Agassizii instead of some type of Checkerboard.
Lol, stop tempting me! If I had any good stores left around me I probably would go check one out, honestly.

Those dirty filter indicators are pretty dumb, IMO. Mine were always saying they were dirty because of how much media I'd shove in there - it was convinced it was filthy 24/7.

It's in the mid 20's here, and they're calling for lots of snow accumulation on Thursday and Friday. Not a good thing in Appalachia, unfortunately.
 

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I've always wondered how most people who say they have cycled qt tanks ready when needed keep them going if they don't have fish in them. Keeping sponges and moving them when needed sounds like a really good convenient way to do that. And I guess if you set up an uncycled qt tank, it would be ok, if you do freqent water changes (this is what I do). Just wondering if one way is better than the other...
 
I've always wondered how most people who say they have cycled qt tanks ready when needed keep them going if they don't have fish in them. Keeping sponges and moving them when needed sounds like a really good convenient way to do that. And I guess if you set up an uncycled qt tank, it would be ok, if you do freqent water changes (this is what I do). Just wondering if one way is better than the other...
I'm too lazy to take care of an uncycled tank, personally. Fish-in cycles are way too much work unless I have no other choice.

That said, if it works, it works. Nothing wrong with it as long as you can keep up with water quality!
 
It's been a while since I posted here.

Thinking of moving some plants around in the 40g. Did a deep substrate suction the other day to get stuff that made it's way below into the sand under the Fluval Stratum. FIsh and shrimp are doing wonderful.

The amano shrimp seem to try and tease Seiryuu (betta) but he just ignores them. Or he does when I'm there watching everyone.

The one pleco, Torako, seems to love the Christmas Tree. I hadn't seen her in MONTHS!!! I put the tree up and there they is. I took the tree down, and they've gone back to hiding.

The other pleco, Toramaru, they seem to love this one piece of wood so much, they don't care about hiding. Though if they notice I'm watching, they scoot off to the side in an attempt to hide.


This year for sure, I will finish getting the plants and fish I want for the 40g. Money became tight last year then when I had the funds the fish I wanted were sold out. This year for sure!
 
Dangit. An online store just received another 175 of my hard-earned dollars.

I blame all of you.
 
Dangit. online store just received another 175 of my hard-earned dollars.

I blame all of you.
Blame the honest car mechanic, not us! If he had ripped you off, none of this would have happened.
 
As for me I'm just gonna stare at my tank and think about all the things I could and should do but probably never will... Hush I don't have a problem
 
Marvelling at the difference a couple of months can make ! B8CED9A7-43D1-4093-811A-71D89FF1D47C.png
I’ve researched a heck of a lot, I’ve had some amazing advice from the wonderful people on here and I can’t thank you all enough :)

693CAFE5-4332-414C-ADC5-EF19C67B2918.jpeg
Yeah it needs a big trim plant wise but it’s thriving ! I’ve never enjoyed a tank so much, only fishy minded folk will understand the comparison to a “display tank” and one that catches your heart and piques your interest like no other. I hated this tank before, now I get excited to turn the lights on and see what today’s addition and change is. Thanks again you fantastic bunch!!
 
Yeah... I took a drive today...

IMG_0798.jpg

A nice little pair of A. Agassizii.

I met the manager of their aquatics dept and had a nice 45 minutes talk with him.
He put some fish in the plastic container, showed me how to tell male from female by the gill plate, and said he'd check stock with some of their suppliers on some other S.A. fish I was interested in.
He said they (S.A. fish and Apistos) were just starting to catch on here (my area), but by very few people so far. He also said he has more suppliers than the my usual shop because he doesn't mind getting them flown in. He picks them up at the airport himself.

He also gave me the rundown of the store and a lot has changed since I was in there a few months ago.

I may have found a new home away from home :)
 
Yeah... I took a drive today...

View attachment 830068

A nice little pair of A. Agassizii.

I met the manager of their aquatics dept and had a nice 45 minutes talk with him.
He put some fish in the plastic container, showed me how to tell male from female by the gill plate, and said he'd check stock with some of their suppliers on some other S.A. fish I was interested in.
He said they (S.A. fish and Apistos) were just starting to catch on here (my area), but by very few people so far. He also said he has more suppliers than the my usual shop because he doesn't mind getting them flown in. He picks them up at the airport himself.

He also gave me the rundown of the store and a lot has changed since I was in there a few months ago.

I may have found a new home away from home :)
Very nice! I've yet to see any Apistos in stores here. Rams out the wazoo, but they're all low-quality, just like the discus.

I'd give an arm and a leg for a local source of high-quality apistos, rams, angels, and other smaller SA cichlids.
 
Very nice! I've yet to see any Apistos in stores here. Rams out the wazoo, but they're all low-quality, just like the discus.

I'd give an arm and a leg for a local source of high-quality apistos, rams, angels, and other smaller SA cichlids.

Now that you mention it, no angel fish there either.
For all I know they are only getting in what the guys in the aquarium department like, lol.
And that's fine by me.

I'm really hoping I get a call from them on the Diptails.
 

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Now that you mention it, no angel fish there either.
For all I know they are only getting in what the guys in the aquarium department like, lol.
And that's fine by me.

I'm really hoping I get a call from them on the Diptails.
I mean, lets be real - usually if the aquarium department guys like the fish they're getting, they'll be better taken care of. Having worked in a fish store, I definitely spent more time looking at the fish I liked (white clouds, barbs, oscars, angels, black neons, etc.) than the ones I didn't (african cichlids, convicts, black skirt tetras, etc.). It's not that the tanks I liked less got less maintenance, I just wasn't looking at them as often to spot issues with the livestock.

And, unfortunately, I was the only one who could spot issues with the livestock *eye-roll*
 
ChrissFishes01 , between today's guy and the one last week, they definitely seemed up on their stuff. It was refreshing to talk with someone in person that was in tune with what I was doing.
Coincidentally they both breed S.A. Cichlids, too.
 
ChrissFishes01 , between today's guy and the one last week, they definitely seemed up on their stuff. It was refreshing to talk with someone in person that was in tune with what I was doing.
Coincidentally they both breed S.A. Cichlids, too.
Sounds like you found a diamond in the rough!

There's a Petco about 45 minutes away from here that's actually decent. The nearest LFS that I'd consider good is in Lawrenceburg, Ky, almost two hours from me - and I've only been there once. Other than that, there's supposed to be lots of good stores in Louisville, Cinci, and Nashville, but they're all 2-3 hours away at a minimum.

Back in the day, there used to be good stores everywhere here. Or, I remember them as being good, as a kid.

It's alarming to consider that when I was a kid, the only cooperate chains in my hometown was Walmart and Lowe's, and fast food. Everything else was family-owned. Now, everything from pet stores to restaurants to hobby stores are cooperate. How things have changed in 20 years, lol.
 
... when I was a kid, the only cooperate chains in my hometown was Walmart and Lowe's,

There ya go with that age thing again.
When I was a kid it was Kmart and 84 Lumber :hilarious:

But yes. Pretty pleased with the change in this store. And I don't even know who owns it. I know who used to own it, the two sons of someone who had a small aquarium (and sometimes pet) shop maybe 8 miles down the road. I used to go there, too. Then it became an archery store. I was pretty much out of aquariums when the sons had the new store with the same name.

I'm not sure how the change came about to hire these new guys, but someone made a smart move. The guys in the store a month ago were sales people but not fish people.

And word to self: I shouldn't complain about having to drive 35 minutes to get there ;)
 
There ya go with that age thing again.
When I was a kid it was Kmart and 84 Lumber :hilarious:

But yes. Pretty pleased with the change in this store. And I don't even know who owns it. I know who used to own it, the two sons of someone who had a small aquarium (and sometimes pet) shop maybe 8 miles down the road. I used to go there, too. Then it became an archery store. I was pretty much out of aquariums when the sons had the new store with the same name.

I'm not sure how the change came about to hire these new guys, but someone made a smart move. The guys in the store a month ago were sales people but not fish people.

And word to self: I shouldn't complain about having to drive 35 minutes to get there ;)
I remember seeing Kmart commercials on TV, but they were dead before I ever went into one! Lol.

I'm glad you found a good store. I'll have to stop into it if I'm ever up that way.
 
Better yet, both Apistos were swimming around (not together) checking stuff out a couple hours later.
It took me a while to find them with the lights dimmed, but there they were :)

Really unfortunate the first two didn't make it, but I'm suspect with the health of the one I never saw after acclimating and have no idea what killed the second. At least I have a sighting of these two right away.
 
Jeez, I've been kinda lazy.

I water changed my pea puffer tank and moved it from next to my kitchen sink to next to my stove. Much better viewing angles that way. I'd like to switch up the scape and plants in here, but at this point, it's been going well for so long I'm afraid to touch anything lol. Something I put in here has put tons and tons of tiny hair-like roots out into the tank that have made a mess that I really want to get rid of - but I can't get them all out! Ugh.

I did a 50% on Nanaue's tank and added in a piece of 3" PVC. Too small for Nanaue to get into, but just right for the pleco to hide in. Poor guy is really getting beaten up all of a sudden :(

The question now is whether I'll get to the QT tanks and GSP tank tonight, or if that'll be a tomorrow project.
 
Holy Cow!
I'm looking at my new tank. And something is swimming around in there!

I have no idea what. It might be a shrimp type thing. But if I can figure out a pattern I might take a vid.

Totally unexpected.
It sure is fast though.
 
Holy Cow!
I'm looking at my new tank. And something is swimming around in there!

I have no idea what. It might be a shrimp type thing. But if I can figure out a pattern I might take a vid.

Totally unexpected.
It sure is fast though.
Maybe a bug of some sort from your plants?
 

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