- Messages
- 11,622
What are you doing to your tank today?
Advertisement
Advertisement
- Messages
- 5,747
I started setting up the tank for the Bujurquinas, I tried to copy (with a bit of artistic license) the habitat they came from, which was a clear, quite fast flowing river at the foothills of the Andes with a rocky bottom. I added some wood pieces to help provide a little more height without having to collect a load more sand - difficult just now as the river is very high (I should have done it a few weeks ago!). But the wood was dry so I had to place some rocks in less than ideal positions for the moment to hold the wood down. As for the artistic license, I will probably add a bit of java moss, some floating plants and dead leaves. For now just set up the heater and filter, will probably finish tomorrow. The water is not very clear yet...
I have also been working on the dwarf pike tank - its been raining a lot I have been collecting rain water, over the last few days I have been changing a bucketful (5 gallons?) in the morning, and another in the afternoon. That way the proportion of rainwater added at a time is very small so I don't need to heat the rainwater first. At last I have seen a reduction in pH - it is now around 5.5 first thing in the morning, but 6 later on, I presume due to the plants removing CO2. I have also increased the temperature of their tank to just over 28C. The idea is to simulate the rainy season and hope they decide to spawn - the male is doing a lot of spectacular displays and the female looks fat but is not really responding much to the displays though they are often together- fingers crossed! I wish I could film the displays, but never know when he will do it, also the water is very dark and during the day there are reflections from the window opposite (I did film it once but with a big reflection over the best bit!).
It was actually meant to be water change day today but I didn't have time - will do it tomorrow.
I have also been working on the dwarf pike tank - its been raining a lot I have been collecting rain water, over the last few days I have been changing a bucketful (5 gallons?) in the morning, and another in the afternoon. That way the proportion of rainwater added at a time is very small so I don't need to heat the rainwater first. At last I have seen a reduction in pH - it is now around 5.5 first thing in the morning, but 6 later on, I presume due to the plants removing CO2. I have also increased the temperature of their tank to just over 28C. The idea is to simulate the rainy season and hope they decide to spawn - the male is doing a lot of spectacular displays and the female looks fat but is not really responding much to the displays though they are often together- fingers crossed! I wish I could film the displays, but never know when he will do it, also the water is very dark and during the day there are reflections from the window opposite (I did film it once but with a big reflection over the best bit!).
It was actually meant to be water change day today but I didn't have time - will do it tomorrow.
- Messages
- 95
It looks fine to me. It's hanging out under the spraybar behind an elbow in the pipe, so I can't get a good picture. If I go near that part of the tank, it swims away with the others and seems fine, but then goes right back to the spot and swims vertically.
Best picture I can get at the moment. Glass neds to have algae scraped.
- Messages
- 95
Advertisement
- Messages
- 12,570
If that’s the case then the Ich is gone. A week without any sign of a spot is enough to consider it cured.
The fish in the image looks a bit bloated and it also has some oddly lumpy looking bits on the belly though as you note, not the greatest picture so I can’t zoom in on it.
I’d get the copper out of the water (Seachem Cuprisorb works great for this).
- Messages
- 3,122
Winter goldfish sighting. So far so good with the bubbler, but no real freeze just yet. The main "threat" being the main pump and water loss through freezing is eliminated. The question is if the bubbler will be enough to keep a sufficient open space when it does freeze.
I did drain some water lol Time to do it again. Normally I lose water due to wind, plant growth etc... which is topped off by rain. No waterfalls no wind loss. I do miss the sounds though. Water shouldn't be still or silent.
- Messages
- 12,570
It can be a very soothing, even mesmerizing sound can’t it?
Used to love driving up to the Forks of the Credit River in winter, way back when. It’s not that far north of me.
The water level would be low, the edges frozen & the noise was more or less a trickling brook sort of sound. Very quiet otherwise.
It’s all developed around there now so it isn’t the same anymore - nowhere even to pull over and just listen.
- Messages
- 11,622
- Messages
- 3,122
A lake is nice, but it's even nicer when you're close to the stream feeding it
Usually a different and more living ecosystem too. More birds tweeting, squirrels being squirrels maybe some larger animals. It's just more alive. I get a lot of birds bathing in the outflow of the filter. The new filter setup is giving them a larger more stream like setup with willow for perching with irises and strawberries for cover and forage. Going with a larger pump and feed hose too. I want a bit more flow than what I have. I want that gurgling of water moving around larger rocks / depressions and I just don't have that capacity yet.Advertisement
- Messages
- 12,570
Sounds terrific.A lake is nice, but it's even nicer when you're close to the stream feeding it
- Messages
- 12,570
All too often, when I change water in my rimless 31G, this happens.
The riccia is getting too thick and as the water level drops the riccia smothers the big driftwood hunk in the back corner so it looks like this.
Looks like something the Grinch would like, doesn’t it?
The riccia is getting too thick and as the water level drops the riccia smothers the big driftwood hunk in the back corner so it looks like this.
Looks like something the Grinch would like, doesn’t it?
- Messages
- 3,122
- Messages
- 12,570
- Messages
- 3,122
- Messages
- 200
Happy New Year everyone! I live on the west coast of Canada and we just returned from visiting family in Newfoundland, the very eastern most coast. I usually come back with a couple rocks for my tanks - I've found some real beauts - but didn't get a chance to look this time.
Looking at my tank and thinking new scape for 2025 featuring rocks from Newfoundland. I've had this tank the same for years mostly because it's all I seem to be able to do. It's in need of a good trim anyway as you can see so..... I'd love to try something completely different. Anyone else thinking of new year new scape? Thoughts? Suggestions?
Looking at my tank and thinking new scape for 2025 featuring rocks from Newfoundland. I've had this tank the same for years mostly because it's all I seem to be able to do. It's in need of a good trim anyway as you can see so..... I'd love to try something completely different. Anyone else thinking of new year new scape? Thoughts? Suggestions?
Attachments
- Messages
- 3,165
- Messages
- 829
- Messages
- 95
Looks beautiful and algae free. Go watch some MD Tanks videos on YouTube for inspiration.
This video on his maintenance free tank is a good one.
Today was moving day for 3 of my apistogramma borelli. The two ladies went to my new jungle tank and the male went to my new rock tank. Quite the upgrade from the 1.5 gallon crackerbox they were sharing. Hopefully, this week, I'll move my large male borelli out of his 5 gallon tank to the tank with the females.
If you look closely, you can see both females. They did a little tailslapping, but nothing serious. 20 gallons with lots of wood, rocks, and plants should be plenty for them to find their own territories.
The first picture is actually later after he colored up more. He's really about a 3/4 size fish since he was raised from fry in such a small tank. His future tankmates will be CPDs and white cloud mountain minnows. This tank will be a lower temp tank, probably around 72 F.
- Messages
- 3,122
Bringing in rainwater to warm up to top off the live cultures and Stickleback tanks.
Peamouth chubs are growing fast.
Amoebas
Daphnia are doing well. But the tiny specks all over the glass? Scud babies
Peamouth chubs are growing fast.
Amoebas
Daphnia are doing well. But the tiny specks all over the glass? Scud babies
Advertisement
- Messages
- 12,570
- Messages
- 3,122
Maybe? I dunno lol A brain storm I've had going for awhile. Enjoying the snails, but I have wanted to do a PNW ecosystem for awhile. I have a spare screen lid that's a bit rusty from being used on the saltwater crab tank. I'll cut the screen on that one out of the middle so it still extends slightly under the IKEA greenhouse. I'll cut much of the floor out leaving an inch or so for mosses and other aroid plants to grow on a ledge around cedar and willow. More soil in the bottom with some lava rocks under it and planted with the different varietals of violets, mosses and licorice fern growing on a decaying piece of wood. Need to fix the broken plastic side too. A victim of storing next to my car jack lolAmoebas? Look more like planarians on steroids to me
- Messages
- 11,622
Bought a red & white Ryukin for the Granddaughter's goldfish tank this morning.
She name her Sabrina "Carp"enter, after her favorite singer.
"Darwin" the Black Moor apparently likes his new tankmate. Sabrina began eating immediately after acclimation.
Btw, I had no idea fancy goldfish were so expensive.
She name her Sabrina "Carp"enter, after her favorite singer.
"Darwin" the Black Moor apparently likes his new tankmate. Sabrina began eating immediately after acclimation.
Btw, I had no idea fancy goldfish were so expensive.
Attachments
- Messages
- 12,570
- Messages
- 3,122
lol Yeah, they can get really expensive depending on the breeder, markings, body type etc.... As with discus, I watch vicariously through other users lol I do keep pond goldfish and did my first selected breeding this past year and am raising babies
So, I remembered I have a small bowfront aquarium and it should fit perfectly on one side of the bottom ten. I was going to use a shallow dish, but why not provide a space for amphibians? Maybe keep a newt or a pair of tree frogs from my annual grow out before the verbal pond disappears.
Holding it up it should fit. I may have to sand the back lip corners a bit. Have it about 1/4 or 1/3 buried with plants and mosses around it? Maybe even hook up some sprayers. I have some nice SS intercooler sprayers from a Mitsubishi Evo MR I could use lol Really nice mist pattern just couldn't figure out how to make it fit a Subaru. Especially a Forester lol
- Messages
- 1,103
What is expensive? I hear some koi go for well over $1 million dollars.
- Messages
- 11,622
- Messages
- 3,122
That is spendy, but add a zero to start with breeder selected
I think my "butterfly koi" (He's a bristol Shubunkin with blue markings) was probably around that but I bought when half off. He was the sire this year with an orange / white koi patterned comet. Only hatched out some and of those only about a dozen have any potential. Some of those really spendy ones are just insane with color intensity, body shape / size / ratio etc...
But I keep mine outside and a lot of those things don't do well with colder weather.
lol Yeah, they can get really expensive depending on the breeder, markings, body type etc.... As with discus, I watch vicariously through other users lol I do keep pond goldfish and did my first selected breeding this past year and am raising babies
So, I remembered I have a small bowfront aquarium and it should fit perfectly on one side of the bottom ten. I was going to use a shallow dish, but why not provide a space for amphibians? Maybe keep a newt or a pair of tree frogs from my annual grow out before the verbal pond disappears.
View attachment 914039
Holding it up it should fit. I may have to sand the back lip corners a bit. Have it about 1/4 or 1/3 buried with plants and mosses around it? Maybe even hook up some sprayers. I have some nice SS intercooler sprayers from a Mitsubishi Evo MR I could use lol Really nice mist pattern just couldn't figure out how to make it fit a Subaru. Especially a Forester lol
Took down a 2.5 gallon today. Now I'm wondering about maybe using that lol It is nice to have spares sitting around to play with. First step is cleaning out the greenhouse and cutting the bottom out, get it mounted to the old screen top and on the ten. Then empty the snail tank into the garden and clean it out to start test fitting things. That will wait a bit until the snails outdoors start coming out again.
- Messages
- 1,103
- Messages
- 11,622
I just finished modifying my Granddaughter's TopFin HOB filter.
I stuffed the media box with cycled Fluval ceramic media.
Although the TopFin filter was very inexpensive & bare bones as compared to other well known HOB's, it runs quiet and has a very strong flow rate.
I was completely surprised and amazed on how efficient this cheap filtration apparatus functions.
I guess, really all a filter needs to do is quietly propell water over, around and through filter media.
I'm regretting all the money spent on expensive AC'S and Marineland filters bought over the years.
I stuffed the media box with cycled Fluval ceramic media.
Although the TopFin filter was very inexpensive & bare bones as compared to other well known HOB's, it runs quiet and has a very strong flow rate.
I was completely surprised and amazed on how efficient this cheap filtration apparatus functions.
I guess, really all a filter needs to do is quietly propell water over, around and through filter media.
I'm regretting all the money spent on expensive AC'S and Marineland filters bought over the years.
Advertisement
- Messages
- 5,747
I finished the tank for the Bujurquinas today. I wasn't too happy with how I had left it before and yesterday was able to collect some more sand which enabled me to build the back up more and weigh the branches down in a better way as well providing more hiding places for the fish. I added some leaves, moss, floating plants and a branch from their original tank as well as the pre-filter sponge (which I swapped for a clean one) so I hope this will be OK re cycling, I'll keep a careful watch anyway. Catching them was.....interesting - the first I caught quite quickly, but then they and the Guianacaras became stressed and hid away under logs and rocky caves. I had to remove some of the branches but didn't want to disturb the rocks, it took a while but I managed to catch 3 of the 4, then eventually gave up, as I didn't want to stress the fish for so long.
Here is the tank, I disturbed it adding more sand so it is not very clear yet.
I also collected a load of mosquito larvae which the fish enjoyed, did a small water change (rainwater) on the dwarf pike tank, and made some fish food with shrimps, fish, veggies and bug bite flakes.
Here is the tank, I disturbed it adding more sand so it is not very clear yet.
I also collected a load of mosquito larvae which the fish enjoyed, did a small water change (rainwater) on the dwarf pike tank, and made some fish food with shrimps, fish, veggies and bug bite flakes.
- Messages
- 3,122
- Messages
- 200
- Messages
- 1,974
- Messages
- 11,622
I have three Marineland 400's, that have Fluval replacement sponges placed horizontal at the bottom of the media box. I stacked Fluval ceramic media on top of the sponges. I occasionally will use the filter pads.
I greatly increased the water flow by super gluing the top half of the impeller together with the bottom part. The 400's have impellers that have a wierd top to bottom sliding action. Once glued together there is no sliding action, which translates into a more powerful water flow.
I also have a new Marineland 450, but haven't really modified it yet. Only using filter pads and ceramic media. The 450's have a new and improved impeller, which doesn't need modification.
I greatly increased the water flow by super gluing the top half of the impeller together with the bottom part. The 400's have impellers that have a wierd top to bottom sliding action. Once glued together there is no sliding action, which translates into a more powerful water flow.
I also have a new Marineland 450, but haven't really modified it yet. Only using filter pads and ceramic media. The 450's have a new and improved impeller, which doesn't need modification.
- Messages
- 95
Over the last week, I've relocated all of my fish from the small tanks to the larger 20 gallon tanks I recently built. I was able to move some cycled media over from the old tanks to the new ones, so hopefully, I won't have any ammonia issues. Both tanks showed between 20-40 ppm nitrates, no nitrites, and no ammonia.
I put my two female apistogramma borelli into the jungle-style tank (set to 77-78F) first and gave them 3 days or so to figure things out. Prior to putting them in, I added 3 amano shrimp They stayed together a lot and did a little tail-slapping, but generally, they get along. I put the small male apistogramma borelli into the rock-style tank (73-74F) at the same time. He still hasn't really colored up yet. Last night, I broke down my 5 gallon Fluval Spec-V. I put the 4 CPDs and a red cherry shrimp (that I didn't know was still there) into the rock-style tank with him. I think he'll color up now that he has some dither fish and isn't alone. He was in tight quarters with the two females since he was born.
I noticed what might be some CPD breeding behavior in just a few hours. Two males were chasing around a female very closely. Probably the drop in temperature and new tank had something to do with that.
I put the large male apistogramma borelli and one otocinclus cat into the jungle tank with the two female apistos. The male introduced himself to the females in a hurry.
The two tanks sit next to each other and all the fish seem pretty intent on getting into the other tank.
Here's the two male apistos having a stare off.
Here's the big guy intently following a female. The algae looks pretty bad at this angle.
I put my two female apistogramma borelli into the jungle-style tank (set to 77-78F) first and gave them 3 days or so to figure things out. Prior to putting them in, I added 3 amano shrimp They stayed together a lot and did a little tail-slapping, but generally, they get along. I put the small male apistogramma borelli into the rock-style tank (73-74F) at the same time. He still hasn't really colored up yet. Last night, I broke down my 5 gallon Fluval Spec-V. I put the 4 CPDs and a red cherry shrimp (that I didn't know was still there) into the rock-style tank with him. I think he'll color up now that he has some dither fish and isn't alone. He was in tight quarters with the two females since he was born.
I noticed what might be some CPD breeding behavior in just a few hours. Two males were chasing around a female very closely. Probably the drop in temperature and new tank had something to do with that.
I put the large male apistogramma borelli and one otocinclus cat into the jungle tank with the two female apistos. The male introduced himself to the females in a hurry.
The two tanks sit next to each other and all the fish seem pretty intent on getting into the other tank.
Here's the two male apistos having a stare off.
Here's the big guy intently following a female. The algae looks pretty bad at this angle.
- Messages
- 12,570
- Messages
- 1,103
- Messages
- 95
Yeah, I probably should lower temps on that tank. I'm trying to figure out a good temp to also accommodate dither fish and take into account what sex fry I'll get. I try to get them out after they are free swimmers for a week or so. I've read that around 77 gets you a nice mix of males and females. I think lower is more females and higher is more males.
Also, if anyone has a good suggestion for some dither fish, I'd appreciate it. I had hockeystick pencilfish with them in my 29 gallon, but I lost all of them inside a year. I need a surface dweller that's pretty hearty.
ETA: We keep the house at 71 in the winter during the day and 67 at night. We have it at 75 in the summer. I could probably remove the heaters altogether. The tanks would probably only get down to 69-70 at night in the winter due to thermal mass.
Today I'm doing some water changes based on TDS. While I understand that just about anything can raise the TDS in your tanks, I'm finding that that when it gets above 450 I've got unhappy fish and unattractive water. All my other water chemistry looks good in all of my tanks. 450 seems to be the action level for me, however I know every tank is different.
Advertisement
- Messages
- 1,103
I know there are some warmer species that you will want 77 but not sure that is true for borelli with regards to 50:50 m/f. Dither - right now my favorites are emerald eye rasbora and nannostomus marilynae. 29 is border line for the rasbora given their activity level as they are a tight schooler with constant swimming in the upper range. n. Marilynae is a smaller fish (than most pencil) that again prefers to group up but will sometime go to mid levels.
- Messages
- 95
- Messages
- 1,103
- Messages
- 95
- Messages
- 18,074
- Messages
- 5,747
Did water changes on all tanks and finally got round to trimming the big planted tank. Java moss has gone mad in there and started taking over other plants, Heteranthera had gown too tall and there was an excess of Vallisneria to remove.
- Messages
- 4,173
Unfortunately, I had to set up a hospital tank today. When treatment is finished it will NOT become another permanent fish tank. Please hold me to this if I weaken!
Random Great Topic!
Today's Deals
Advertisement
Advertisement