What are you doing to your tank today?

[Rose of Sharon]

That is a male apistograma hongsloi dubbed Jimmy Apisto Jr. (Play on the show Bob's burgers) he has a female in here named Tina. That's why he's all peacocking right now.

Oh my, that is so funny!!! I love Bob's Burgers, lol!!!!

 

[bucketaquatics]

Oh my, that is so funny!!! I love Bob's Burgers, lol!!!!

One of my favorites. We watch every episode. Lol couldn't resist naming him that after getting him a girlfriend who he constantly flashes his butt around at. She's a little resistant but, she secretly enjoys the show lol.

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Hard to even look at the tanks today. Having a bad mental health / anxiety day

 

[Fisch]

Watching my little quarantine tanks with now 11 Corydoras Babies..... they are all very active today. I am not looking forward to disturb their little paradise to catch the bigger ones. But 11 Corydoras in a 5gl tank is not sustainable....though petsmart has 10gl tanks for $14
The Cory in the big tank is over her infection, just a little white spot is the last indication.
Happy Thanksgiving to all Fishlore friends.

 

[Wendybrass]

A new pet store opened recently so I went to check it out. It's another big box chain but new to our area. I wasn't excited about the prices of supplies but I did like that they have stuff the other stores don't carry. The person working the fish room asked if I had any questions so I asked who their supplier was, asked about the system they have (they have the tanks in several different towers each on their own water system. The towers do not share water, kinda neat) then asked if they quarantine their fish at all. Oh yes she says. We wait at least an hour before adding them to the tanks.

 

[StarGirl]

An hour is not adequate?

 

[bucketaquatics]

A new pet store opened recently so I went to check it out. It's another big box chain but new to our area. I wasn't excited about the prices of supplies but I did like that they have stuff the other stores don't carry. The person working the fish room asked if I had any questions so I asked who their supplier was, asked about the system they have (they have the tanks in several different towers each on their own water system. The towers do not share water, kinda neat) then asked if they quarantine their fish at all. Oh yes she says. We wait at least an hour before adding them to the tanks.

They don't just do the 20 minute bag float method? Lol

 

[StarGirl]

They don't just do the 20 minute bag float method? Lol

That would be plop and drop. lol

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Had to cull about 6-8 females from various tanks with wasting disease. 4 tanks and every single one was a snakeskin. No cobras, no plain, no saddlebacks. Just the snakeskins.

Edit: I should add, none of these were in any of the display tanks. Most were in the female tank with a couple in other breeder tanks

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Kiddos Betta successor, Blaze.

Visited 2/3 of LFS today. Missed going to the new one yet again due to Google maps wanting me to make a right turn from I-5 to I-5 then to do a u-turn on the highway.... lol There's been construction going on there for awhile.

 

[Sewerrat]

Treating the 37 gallon came back to a failed heater tank at 60 degrees and all the platies looking rough.

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Did some water changes and algae scrapes yesterday. Today I'm noticing the kitten foot prints and smudges so I guess I'm cleaning outside glass and lids today lol

 

[airfix2]

so i got a betta for my 10 gallon a few days ago, and put him into quarantine. However, what i have noticed is that he has velvet like symptoms(it looks as though he has pollen all over his body), and he will only eat betta pellets(he spits out the xtreme krill flakes i give him but then he eats expired hikari betta bio gold)

 

[FunnyFish]

Well, it's not filled yet or anything, but this morning before work I was working on scaping the driftwood for the tank transfer that's going to happen this weekend. The background are my curtains, not the background of the tank, lol.

It's going to be a big job, but I'm excited piecing it together

 

[Fishfur]

Picking sneaky duckweed, that appears to be spontaneously appearing in both betta tanks, off the surface a few at a time. Such a pain in the posterior. It hides in the riccia and salvinia to frustrate me.

Plucking out all the long strands of stringy moss that simply refuses to take hold on rock underwater the way it has so beautifully on my tiny long tank emersed rock.

I don’t think this moss likes growing underwater. Apparently, when it finds itself submerged, it simply races straight up for the air as fast as it can! Good thing I have terrariums to use it in.

Removing rotted stems of something that might be a myriophyllum but I’m really not sure - new growth is lovely but it has to be removed from the rotting remains of the emersed form.

Planting what I think is V.Nana (boy do I hope that’s what it is ) which was labelled H.tenellus of all things! Quite the misnomer and my good fortune to be in the right spot at the right time to find it. It is very unusual to see it around here.

It has been flourishing while it floated and has grown lots of roots and started several runners.

I also learned an interesting wee factoid about Aponogeton natans. It is the smallest of the species but it may well apply to all the species.

Its flower stalks stop growing when they find the air so if one has allowed the tank level to drop a little too far, (bad fish keeper, no cookie!) then when one changes water and fills up, the poor flowers are underwater. Teach me to let topping up slide, won’t it?

Not done yet but I am out of fresh and frozen meat for the haus lion, the haus panther and the haus jester so off to the local Asian market for pork shanks and odder things so they don’t starve.

 

[Blacksheep1]

I’ve done a plant chop , added a few rocks , moved things around and a really good filter clean with a 50% wc. It’s not a good photo but it’ll do

it nice to watch the pencils do their thing though.

 

[Fishfur]

I’ve done a plant chop , added a few rocks , moved things around and a really good filter clean with a 50% wc. It’s not a good photo but it’ll do View attachment 893659

it nice to watch the pencils do their thing though. View attachment 893660

Purple pencilfish? So gorgeous. I had some and would give much to have some again but they were crazy expensive the first time snd zi can’t imagine how much crazier the price will be if they show up again.

 

[BlackOsprey]

For now, top-offs. I might do some more involved rearrangments and cleaning later. That actually sounds really relaxing.

 

[mulletmcnasty]

Bought some moss a few weeks ago, went brown on me. I don't think it's regenerative, so that's $30 down the drain

 

[Fishfur]

Bought some moss a few weeks ago, went brown on me. I don't think it's regenerative, so that's $30 down the drain

Do you recall what species it was? Even very brown looking stems sometimes put out new growth if you give it enough time but of course, not always.

 

[mulletmcnasty]

Do you recall what species it was? Even very brown looking stems sometimes put out new growth if you give it enough time but of course, not always.

They couldn't specify what type it was at the LFS, but I'm going to leave it a while and see, I've never had moss fail before. So I'll give it a chance.

 

[kansas]

They couldn't specify what type it was at the LFS, but I'm going to leave it a while and see, I've never had moss fail before. So I'll give it a chance.

My water wouldn't grow java or christmass moss.

 

[Fishfur]

My water wouldn't grow java or christmass moss.

Christmas moss wants much more intense light than any of the others one commonly sees. It can be a pain - I want to try it emersed.

 

[kansas]

Christmas moss wants much more intense light than any of the others one commonly sees. It can be a pain - I want to try it emersed.

I got java moss to grow in a terrarium until the pump for the waterfall failed.

 

[mulletmcnasty]

My water wouldn't grow java or christmass moss.

Yes it's a real mystery. I've grown moss so many times. Anyway I won't change it just yet, there's baby shrimp all through it.

 

[Fishfur]

I got java moss to grow in a terrarium until the pump for the waterfall failed.

Or you install a misting system instead. I had to, to keep my geckos happy and all the high humidity tropical plants.

The thing that’s making me shake my head is the riccia that’s growing on my emersed rock. I had no idea it could do that. There were a few bits mixed into the stringy moss that I couldn’t be bothered to pick out. I thought they would just sort of fade away. Instead they are thriving.

The rock has a trickle of water running over it at least while the pump works anyway. The silly riccia is growing right along with the stringy moss and it looks pretty neat, but it apparently only grows emersed natin very wet soil - mud in other words.

It even has the ability to take hold with rhizoids, which I had no idea was possible for riccia.

So if the pump goes queep and dies I suspect the riccia will die without that trickle.

Unless maybe I put it into a small terrarium with close to 100% humidity?

Plants can play tricks on us - some delightful, some very frustrating .

 

[airfix2]

i bought a betta a few days back. he only eats betta bio gold pellets(mine are expired lol) and didn't eat any of the xtreme krill flakes i tried feeding him. however, i have noticed he seems to have velvet(it looks like hes covered in pollen).

 

[FunnyFish]

For now, top-offs. I might do some more involved rearrangments and cleaning later. That actually sounds really relaxing.

I have a tap (attached hose) that I cannot hook a python up to for easy removal and refill of water, so buckets is not relaxing. I do find rearranging and everything else relaxing though.

 

[Fishyfreeonz]

I have a tap (attached hose) that I cannot hook a python up to for easy removal and refill of water, so buckets is not relaxing. I do find rearranging and everything else relaxing though.

I also use buckets mostly cuz I'm paranoid and have a hard time with the idea of dumping conditioner in the tank and then adding the water in so I'd rather fill buckets treat the water and then add it to the tank. Anyway it was hurting my back pretty much every time lifting a 5 gallon bucket up over my shoulder to fill my taller tank so I picked up a bottom suction water pump and connected a 6-ft hose to it and I just leave it in a bucket and I set the bucket in front of the tank throw the hose over the side and I usually have somebody hold their hand over the end to keep it from blowing a hole in the sand on the bottom but I'm working on some kind of fitting to make that unnecessary but then I just fill the pump bucket from another bucket turn on the pump and keep it topped up until the tank is full. It's been working out very well.

 

[FunnyFish]

I also use buckets mostly cuz I'm paranoid and have a hard time with the idea of dumping conditioner in the tank and then adding the water in so I'd rather fill buckets treat the water and then add it to the tank. Anyway it was hurting my back pretty much every time lifting a 5 gallon bucket up over my shoulder to fill my taller tank so I picked up a bottom suction water pump and connected a 6-ft hose to it and I just leave it in a bucket and I set the bucket in front of the tank throw the hose over the side and I usually have somebody hold their hand over the end to keep it from blowing a hole in the sand on the bottom but I'm working on some kind of fitting to make that unnecessary but then I just fill the pump bucket from another bucket turn on the pump and keep it topped up until the tank is full. It's been working out very well.

When you're doing a water change again, would you mind showing me a picture so I can get a better idea. This sounds great.

My new tank is going to be 2.5 inches shorter than my current one is, but I just had surgery and cannot lift more than 10lbs so my spouse has to lift the buckets while I use my hand to stop the gravel hole, so I completely understand lol. He doesn't mind doing this for me, but it means I need to wait for him to be available and plan it out. Also, with going up to a 50 gallon this weekend, my couple of buckets are going to turn into way more.

I've been using a 5 gallon bucket to drain, but only a 3 gallon bucket with a lip to fill, so when I refill it's about 5-6 buckets vs the two 5 gallon to drain. It can be a lot of work so always looking for work arounds.

 

[Fishyfreeonz]

When you're doing a water change again, would you mind showing me a picture so I can get a better idea. This sounds great.

My new tank is going to be 2.5 inches shorter than my current one is, but I just had surgery and cannot lift more than 10lbs so my spouse has to lift the buckets while I use my hand to stop the gravel hole, so I completely understand lol. He doesn't mind doing this for me, but it means I need to wait for him to be available and plan it out. Also, with going up to a 50 gallon this weekend, my couple of buckets are going to turn into way more.

I've been using a 5 gallon bucket to drain, but only a 3 gallon bucket with a lip to fill, so when I refill it's about 5-6 buckets vs the two 5 gallon to drain. It can be a lot of work so always looking for work arounds.

He looks like I don't have a picture of the pump but here's a picture of me using it the first time and a screenshot of the pump..
Here's a picture of using it the first time and a screenshot of the pump. It's only $30 right now.

 

[FunnyFish]

He looks like I don't have a picture of the pump but here's a picture of me using it the first time and a screenshot of the pump..

Here's a picture of using it the first time and a screenshot of the pump. It's only $30 right now.

This makes so much more sense now. I'm a visual learner so I had to see it to understand, lol. Thank you so much

 

[Fishyfreeonz]

I'd like to add an air bulb style foot switch so that I can turn it on by stepping on an air bulb without any risk of getting shocked. At the moment I either plug it in and unplug it or use my toe to turn on and off a power strip.

This makes so much more sense now. I'm a visual learner so I had to see it to understand, lol. Thank you so much

Sometimes I forget to not everybody can visualize a 3D model of things in their head.
Sorry about the screenshot I keep forgetting about that I've never run across that on any other forum so I I'm a bit forgetful.
Here's a link to the pump. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07TXF46BW?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

 

[Fishfur]

I have a tap (attached hose) that I cannot hook a python up to for easy removal and refill of water, so buckets is not relaxing. I do find rearranging and everything else relaxing though.

I have that same problem so I have my DIY python hooked up to the shower arm with a diverter valve.

Very easy to do with a simple diverter switch on the shower arm and one or two adapters depending on just what is needed. Very handy though not as handy as a sink hookup.

 

[FunnyFish]

I have that same problem so I have my DIY python hooked up to the shower arm with a diverter valve.

Very easy to do with a simple diverter switch on the shower arm and one or two adapters depending on just what is needed. Very handy though not as handy as a sink hookup.

I do have a showerhead that has two heads and I can decide which one the water comes from or both. I should look into this because the wall that my tank will be on is the wall the bathroom is on, on the other side. It would likely be less than 25". Thanks!

 

[BPSabelhaus]

so i got a betta for my 10 gallon a few days ago, and put him into quarantine. However, what i have noticed is that he has velvet like symptoms(it looks as though he has pollen all over his body), and he will only eat betta pellets(he spits out the xtreme krill flakes i give him but then he eats expired hikari betta bio gold)

My little female had little spots like that (I assumed ich) Turned the temp up a bit and it cleared up in a few days.

 

[John58ford]

I use a little bit of both, ideas, and am actually doing it right now lol.
I drain outside, which saves me a step allot of you have to go through to dispose of water. I drain into one of 3 planter beds. I use a long vinyl hose and a few different length drain heads that fit each tank.


I mix my minerals for each tank in a 5 gallon bucket agitated by a cheap jajale 525 gph pump( triggered by a surge strip).


I fill that bucket and the tanks out of a RV food grade garden hose, connected directly to the emergency shut off valves under a bathroom sink where the temperature is automatically regulated. There a good diy tutorial around here how to build each piece.


I moved about 150 gallons of water each way this morning, started at 7:30, finished at 9:00 and wrote this while I got ready for work.

 

[FunnyFish]

I moved about 150 gallons of water each way this morning, started at 7:30, finished at 9:00 and wrote this while I got ready for work.

Wow, this is impressive!!! This looks like a great setup. I know the hose to outside is a huge key too. My spouse does that part for me, and after each bucket he asks if there will be more and then rinses it out for me on the outside tap. This would definitely make my life easier though.

Are you moving 150 gallons weekly, or do you do less water changes with your bigger tanks?

 

[John58ford]

Are you moving 150 gallons weekly, or do you do less water changes with your bigger tanks?

I do all of my tanks on a 10-14 day as needed schedule, but if one needs, they all get balance and reset the clocks. I monitor nitrogen and pH levels regularly. As I start the drain system I check the nitrate, KH/GH in all the tanks and kh/GH in a source water sample to figure what's coming out, and what needs to go in to maintain my fertilizer free philosophy. On a light change day I probably only move 100 gallons each way, on a heavy day probably 175. This cycle was actually due by indicators on 2 tanks last Saturday but we had company that included a toddler so it got pushed, and ran a bit to the heavy side. My tap water is incredibly soft but the parameters change regularly with seasons and storms as it's a mountain spring well, I've had to buffer to keep things right from the beginning and run 2 very different biotopes.

Here's the link to that diy build, it has links to the drain system too. If I had to move water up hill, I would drain into a bucket that housed a second big pump connected to a hose, with a float switch, that pump would have to be big enough to clear the head height to get outside, but that's what I would do.
Thread 'John's DIY auto-temp fast/easy fill system' John's DIY auto-temp fast/easy fill system | Cleaning and Maintenance Forum

 

[airfix2]

it seems that i have posted twice.

i bought a betta a few days back. he only eats betta bio gold pellets(mine are expired lol) and didn't eat any of the xtreme krill flakes i tried feeding him. however, i have noticed he seems to have velvet(it looks like hes covered in pollen).

 

[FunnyFish]

I do all of my tanks on a 10-14 day as needed schedule, but if one needs, they all get balance and reset the clocks. I monitor nitrogen and pH levels regularly. As I start the drain system I check the nitrate, KH/GH in all the tanks and kh/GH in a source water sample to figure what's coming out, and what needs to go in to maintain my fertilizer free philosophy. On a light change day I probably only move 100 gallons each way, on a heavy day probably 175. This cycle was actually due by indicators on 2 tanks last Saturday but we had company that included a toddler so it got pushed, and ran a bit to the heavy side. My tap water is incredibly soft but the parameters change regularly with seasons and storms as it's a mountain spring well, I've had to buffer to keep things right from the beginning and run 2 very different biotopes.

This is pretty impressive to me. I'm sure there are lots in the hobby that prefer a fertilizer free philosophy, but I don't think I've come across anyone posting about it yet that I've seen anyhow.

This must be a lot of years in this hobby to be able to get this good at it all.

 

[John58ford]

. I'm sure there are lots in the hobby that prefer a fertilizer free philosophy,

It's on principal to me, it's much easier if one has decent "average" tap water to just do more water changes than needed and dump a bottle of average fertilizer designed for average use. Since it all starts with the source water, and mines not average it just evolved. It didn't take me too long but I'm a very scientific minded person. I think about 6 months into my first project it was discovered that my water is unstable, then I did quite a bit of research on pond and water science and came up with my methods. It was probably all decent a year in, and I got it dialed for multiple biotopes and flexibility by year 3. It does take a solid 6-8 months to get a tank balanced without fertilizers or aquasoils, it limits what I can grow, but it works.

 

[GouramiGirl100]

Been a bit MIA because I’m about to graduate nursing school and move in the next few weeks so I’ve been downsizing on tanks and rearranging. Here’s photos from today

 

[Fishfur]

Been a bit MIA because I’m about to graduate nursing school and move in the next few weeks so I’ve been downsizing on tanks and rearranging. Here’s photos from today
View attachment 893723
View attachment 893724View attachment 893725View attachment 893726View attachment 893727

That is one seriously blue crustacean! Gorgeous. And congratulations on becoming a nurse!

As for me, I cleaned the filter in the black orchid’s tank as I realized it was barely moving water.

In the process I discovered that the fragments of Utricularia gibba I let alone in that tank are flourishing - maybe a little too well - it’s an interesting little carnivorous plant but has an irritating habit of sticking to anything it touches and then binding it all together in a messy clump.

It’ll keep assorted wee beasties eaten up, which could be a plus for some, though I like seeing them scooting around. But I keep hoping it will flower - I’d love to see that.

So I put up with the nuisance aspect of having it around.

 

[FunnyFish]

Been a bit MIA because I’m about to graduate nursing school

Congratulations!!!

Well today is "try and waterlog your driftwood" day, lol. I'm hoping this won't take too long but they're definitely too big to try and boil to get them logged so my tub will have to do.

 

[Fishfur]

Congratulations!!!

Well today is "try and waterlog your driftwood" day, lol. I'm hoping this won't take too long but they're definitely too big to try and boil to get them logged so my tub will have to do.

Y’know, something I keep meaning to try but haven’t yet got round to ( those round-tuits do tend to accumulate, don’t they? ) and maybe I’ll think to try it with the next chunk o wood I need to sink, is to drill some holes in it to see if that might speed up water penetration.

Very small holes - I’m thinking a drill bit of maybe 1/16th”, but plenty of them, located discreetly.

Might remember to try it before I depart this life as we all must at some point.

 

[FunnyFish]

Y’know, something I keep meaning to try but haven’t yet got round to ( those round-tuits do tend to accumulate, don’t they? ) and maybe I’ll think to try it with the next chunk o wood I need to sink, is to drill some holes in it to see if that might speed up water penetration.

Very small holes - I’m thinking a drill bit of maybe 1/16th”, but plenty of them, located discreetly.

Might remember to try it before I depart this life as we all must at some point.

These pieces of wood have some cracks in them so hoping they will log quicker. The other one is so tiny too so it shouldn't take as long. Otherwise they are going in the tank anyhow with rocks on them to weigh them down, haha. I wouldn't trust myself with a drill and how much money I had to pay for "wood"

 

[bucketaquatics]

Just positioning the Christmas tree to be near centered with the 55 and 125 lol.

 

[John58ford]

Just positioning the Christmas tree to be near centered with the 55 and 125 lol.View attachment 893741View attachment 893742

I'm surprised no one has started the traditional show off your Christmas decor thread. If it pops up make sure to repost, I can't start it as we haven't decorated yet.

 

[bucketaquatics]

I'm surprised no one has started the traditional show off your Christmas decor thread. If it pops up make sure to repost, I can't start it as we haven't decorated yet.

If it starts, I'll be sure to get in on it. Lol