What are you doing to your tank today?

[Maryellen]

Hi all, long time no post! (like 3 years) Im in the process of getting up more tanks again after only having 1-2 small ones over the last 4 years. Cycle started last week for my new 20 long setup- hoping It will be done soon as im using some old media from my other tank... Bought some plants today and got them situated.

Wanted to share my nerite snail though. He's been with me for about 5 years and is now larger than my thumb. Hoping to get many more years out of my favorite glass cleaner.

How old are your guy's oldest and largest nerites? Any tips and tricks into keeping them past 5+ years? Also after this long, I think this lad deserves a name. Suggestions welcome

 

[ckarta]

I assembled, programmed and installed a DIY light timer on my shrimps tank today. Now it will have lights coming on and off in 2 batches every morning and in the evening. This is to avoid an algae bloom with 6 hours of photoperiod and a 5 hour siesta window.

The small 6W light makes a nice night light too, as seen in the attached photo.

 

[mulletmcnasty]

Feeding time in my non aquascaped shrimp tank.

 

[tinylostwine]

Looking for a broom to clean up another mess:

 

[tinylostwine]

This is from yesterday - but someone once complained that my tanks weren't very dark because well the phone compenstates for the darkness so i present these two pictures of the same aquarium:



The above shows the top looking straight down to the bottom of a 20 long (~10 inches or so) with a flash you can barely see the bottom.



This shows the entire length of the 20 long with sponge filter at the far end....

 

[TClare]

Yes, the phone always seems to make tanks look brighter than they really are…

 

[tinylostwine]

Yes, the phone always seems to make tanks look brighter than they really are…

It isn't all bad; if i took the image on manual mode it would be black and nothing would be visible. Of course you still can't see the 40+ fishes in there.... so there is that to consider.

 

[tinylostwine]

Just checking on the frys:

el:



and nt - mother is in the shadow to the right under a leaf:

 

[tinylostwine]

The danger of keeping too much chocolate:

 

[tinylostwine]

Today no picture but a tiny story:

So a while ago - maybe 3 months - no just found receipt - 5 months around Feb 28th - hum 4 1/2 months - anway i purchased 5 tiny pleco - 3 L239 (very pretty small pleco) and they were barely 1 1/2 inch - so tiny i was worried my chocolates would snack on them as bite size candy - and 2 L208 around 2 inches. And the first day they popped up on the glass right in front of my desk - but after that gone - kaput nothing. Then around 2 months ago the L208 started showing up and i see them at least once a week now - but more amazing just last week i saw one of the L239 so i know at least one is in there - somewhere but haven't seen it or the other two since.

Only time will tell. The aquarium is a 600 and i've posted a few pictures of it prior. Conversely i've started to see my oldest clown loach more often (it is 8+ years of ownership) and that sucker is getting large - maybe 7 or 8 inches. But she is a BIG bulky female very wide. I do have a 2nd old one slightly longer but slimmer male. The other 10 or so clown loaches are all newer and much smaller. She kind of lazy and i don't see her very often as she usually stays in her cave (she is a bit more social then the male who has a cave all to himself - the two of them NEVER shared cave in the old 120 they each had separate caves - and would actually fight if one of them even approach the other's cave... weird fishes if only they could talk. Not sure if it is a male/female thing or clown loach thing (remember clown loaches are slow growing and take a long time to reach maturity so they were doing this well before they were mature).

 

[StarGirl]

Tackled a one foot wide root ball from the Crypts in the corner of the 55g. Scraped glass and it looks like a different tank. The old lone SAE in there has a cleaner tank now. I want to get more fish for the tank but I know as soon as I do the SAE will croak and I wont have room in the littles for the new fish. 2 tanks seems to be looming faaarrr into the future still.

 

[ckarta]

Spent about 3 hours worth of elbow grease on the 20G to rid it off diatoms. Scrubbed all the wood, rocks, removed a bit f decaying matter. The tank looks like new, but far from diatom free! Will do the same today and tomorrow. Right now the cannister filter is clearing the water to crystal clear in about 30 min after I'm done scrubbing, so will do few large water changes in the days to come.

 

[tinylostwine]

Spent about 3 hours worth of elbow grease on the 20G to rid it off diatoms. Scrubbed all the wood, rocks, removed a bit f decaying matter. The tank looks like new, but far from diatom free! Will do the same today and tomorrow. Right now the cannister filter is clearing the water to crystal clear in about 30 min after I'm done scrubbing, so will do few large water changes in the days to come.

I wouldn't it will be gone 2 or 3 weeks on its own just do the regular weekly water changes.

 

[ckarta]

Addiction successfully inherited! The kid was lazing around before bed time, suddenly got up, picked up the electric toothbrush and started scrubbing a spot I had missed yesterday.

I wouldn't it will be gone 2 or 3 weeks on its own just do the regular weekly water changes.

I waited for it to vanish for a couple of months, I guess it was time to scrub scrub scrub...

 

[tinylostwine]

View attachment 930652

Addiction successfully inherited! The kid was lazing around before bed time, suddenly got up, picked up the electric toothbrush and started scrubbing a spot I had missed yesterday.


I waited for it to vanish for a couple of months, I guess it was time to scrub scrub scrub...

That is a nice setup - i wonder if it is diatom or something else - usually you don't have to scrub diatom also something is probably feeding it if it last months... hum - i guess some regions might have silica in the water.
- edit

Interesting i just asked Mrs google if India had silica in their tap water and it appears some regions do in fact have such.

Hum i just asked Mrs google if every city i ever lived in have had silica and she said yes - not sure what to make of this response.

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Added some more plants to the tubs the other day. Decided to scoop the tubs to check on microfauna and holy daphnia lol

 

[VSA]

My fluval spec V filter has been playing up recently. Tried taking it apart and putting back together but seems like it’s probably due to it being set up since 2018. Decided to set up a little hang on filter in conjunction with the current filter with the plan being to turn the internal filter off completely in 8 weeks.

 

[CWL7211]

Today I set up my new tank. I took the new filter media out of the tank and swapped it with my year old tank’s filter media.
It’s a 6 gallon betta tank from fluval. I got 6 amano shrimp that I just released in the tank.

I think it’s really pretty. It has water sprite, some type of moss, a java fern, parrots feather I think, a litter bit of anubias nana petit, amazon sword, money wort, some arrowhead plant on top (with just roots in water) frogbit, red root floaters, and some silvinia minima.
I’m not sure if I should keep it clear water or add some tannins to make it tea colored. I ordered this very pretty female koi plakat that will go in.

 

[tinylostwine]

Usual water change on 15 aquariums i have down stairs - this is one:

 

[mulletmcnasty]

Noticed the first ever flower I've had, although the plant has emerged well, It's still an event to me

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Tubs are doing well, still need some elodea.

 

[tinylostwine]

Just feeding the kribs; never had to feed the domestic ones i had years ago but these guys..... which are wc.....





Such a happy pair don't you agree and

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Just a little daphnia lol

 

[Dechi]

Today I’m setting up my first Co2 system ever.

I bought the Co2 art Pro SE regulator and CO2 neo diffuser and separate drop checker. I did the lead detection tests, diffuser is in warm water as we speak and ready to be installed.

 

[CWL7211]

I unboxed my new betta on Friday, it’s been a few days and she’s settled in now. She’s very curious, maybe too curious considering a little bit ago she wedged herself into my drift wood.
I got this piece of drift wood that was hollow with holes scattered around it and there was a large hole that I figured the shrimp could go hide in. When I went to go check on her and turn her light off earlier I could not find her anywhere in the tank. I panicked thinking that maybe she jumped out through the small opening in the lid and flopped off the lid and into the floor. I started moving furniture, and rugs only to see from a very odd angle, a red fin poking out of the hole in the drift wood. Long story short my dad had to break the drift wood open for her to fall out because she was so snug in there. ‍♀️
She didn’t seem hurt, just scared but I dosed the tank with a bit of medicine and clipped some plants.
Although she’s caused me lots of stress, she’s very curious, calm, and very beautiful, I’ve always wanted a betta just like her

 

[bgarthe]

She’s pretty.

 

[tinylostwine]

I unboxed my new betta on Friday, it’s been a few days and she’s settled in now. She’s very curious, maybe too curious considering a little bit ago she wedged herself into my drift wood.
I got this piece of drift wood that was hollow with holes scattered around it and there was a large hole that I figured the shrimp could go hide in. When I went to go check on her and turn her light off earlier I could not find her anywhere in the tank. I panicked thinking that maybe she jumped out through the small opening in the lid and flopped off the lid and into the floor. I started moving furniture, and rugs only to see from a very odd angle, a red fin poking out of the hole in the drift wood. Long story short my dad had to break the drift wood open for her to fall out because she was so snug in there. ‍♀️
She didn’t seem hurt, just scared but I dosed the tank with a bit of medicine and clipped some plants.
Although she’s caused me lots of stress, she’s very curious, calm, and very beautiful, I’ve always wanted a betta just like her

Definitely one multi-colouration - not sure how you would make the windows and shades match her pattern

 

[tinylostwine]

Well that was annoying - i put this pair of old fishes in a 15 and today decided to replace them with a younger pair. The female was easy enough to catch but the male - well an hour later and i finally snagged him. Stupid fish. Hum. Or maybe it was stupid human.

 

[tinylostwine]

Watching my female admire her fry:

 

[Dechi]

Today, after 5 days of fiddling, I managed to get that 1.0 PH drop you want when dosing co2. This is new to me so I’m learning as I go.

 

[mulletmcnasty]

I'm doing a water change with a YouTube video about the new Hyger AquaSense HGY0007 that records certain parameters. A good gimmick? I'm skeptical.

 

[tinylostwine]

Yet another couple of messes to clean up - it seems like every few days i need a new broom:


and i discovered this accidently during this morning water change:


If i had to guess the eggs are likely s. aureus eggs which is a pretty decent whiptail but who wants 1000s of them running around ?


They aren't cory eggs since they are about 1/3 the size of the hastus cory in the aquarium
-
also i have 6 blue phantom - most are 3/4 inches and one is 6 to 7 inches - all are around 4 or 5 years old. Some guy was selling 1/2 inch blue phantoms back then for like $5 each so i napped a few.

They are scattered - this one is in the 600 with another one that is a bit darker blue. The big one is by itself in a 180 with b. cupido:

 

[tinylostwine]

Did usual water change on my bedroom aquarium - alas my crypts has this weird disease where their leaves having strange colouring:




One of these days i'll find the cure for it...

 

[bgarthe]

Just got done with cleaning out my six Santa Monica Algae Scrubbers. All that algae would have been present in the tank water as nitrates, but since algae grew from nitrates and was removed, the actual nitrates in the tank water are surely less than had I not done it.

And this is the clumpy stuff. The smaller pieces of algae washed down the basement laundry sink. I do this once a month and it only takes about an hour or so.

 

[Gnop1950]

Just got done with cleaning out my six Santa Monica Algae Scrubbers. All that algae would have been present in the tank water as nitrates, but since algae grew from nitrates and was removed, the actual nitrates in the tank water are surely less than had I not done it.
View attachment 931156
And this is the clumpy stuff. The smaller pieces of algae washed down the basement laundry sink. I do this once a month and it only takes about an hour or so.

Good way to export excess nutrients like nitrates. I use Salvinia Minima for nutrient export. It may also absorb some harmful trance elements like heavy metals. That is one of the things I did to my 90-Gallon this morning. Removed a couple of fist fulls of Salvinia Minima. It grows fast so I end up removing a good amount every couple of weeks.

Same idea as the macro algae refugium on my saltwater tank.

 

[tinylostwine]

I'm baby-sitting again as some of my Sturisomatichthys aureus have hatched (really a lovely fish):

 

[tinylostwine]

This was really bizzare - i mean crazy - since a lot of the eggs had fungus i decided to grab a few more - not sure how many as they stuck together - i put them in a cup with tank water and rinsed my hands and walked downstairs (so like 10 or maybe 15 seconds). I then looked in the cup to see how many eggs i had snatched and dang they were gone - gone with the wind never to be seen again:



Yep in the few seconds it took to walk downsairs they all hatched....

 

[tinylostwine]

another saturday more water changes - some buces grown emersed. Someone once told me emersed buces would not have that nice luster colouring - i don't know but maybe i disagree or maybe my eyes have weird colour glasses on them ?


The 2nd one is more typical common species:

 

[newjungletank]

I unboxed my new betta on Friday, it’s been a few days and she’s settled in now. She’s very curious, maybe too curious considering a little bit ago she wedged herself into my drift wood.
I got this piece of drift wood that was hollow with holes scattered around it and there was a large hole that I figured the shrimp could go hide in. When I went to go check on her and turn her light off earlier I could not find her anywhere in the tank. I panicked thinking that maybe she jumped out through the small opening in the lid and flopped off the lid and into the floor. I started moving furniture, and rugs only to see from a very odd angle, a red fin poking out of the hole in the drift wood. Long story short my dad had to break the drift wood open for her to fall out because she was so snug in there. ‍♀️
She didn’t seem hurt, just scared but I dosed the tank with a bit of medicine and clipped some plants.
Although she’s caused me lots of stress, she’s very curious, calm, and very beautiful, I’ve always wanted a betta just like her

I almost got some female koi betta a few years ago. This makes me want to do it again.

I've been away from the forum for a little while and just got caught up.

I finally moved my apisto borelli babies from the 1 gallon breeder box into their own 10 gallon next to the other 10 gallon full of babies. As the experiment goes, the fish from the breeder box are almost just as large as the ones I let grow up in the 10 gallon.

Here's the 10 gallon they were all born in currently.


Here's the other 10 gallon, now with some babies. They're very spread out, but probably at least 15 in there.



Here's the 20 gallon of a generation older males I have left.



My adult white cloud minnows are really dropping like flies. I started with 10 and the population boomed to probably 50. There's now only about 4 left, but they started reproducing again and there's probably 10 to 20 babies of various sizes. I also added 6 serpae tetra to my 29 gallon community tank with neons, black neons, bristlenoses, and Siamese algae eaters. I need to do a little work on those two tanks before I get some pictures.

 

[Lucy]

Those are gorgeous fish!

Water change today, cleaned out some plants, Took a little inventory. I had gotten a few sparkling gourami, just babies, so teeny! I hadn't seen them all at once since I put them in the tank.
All are accounted for, just living their happy little fish life amongst the dense plants.

I'm glad I sat watching everyone closely for a long time. There was a cory face down inside the tube of my sponge filter. Poor thing.

I keep the sponge in the tank, not running for power outages or a quick QT cycle
Luckily, he was alive, and now swimming with its fishy friends. I would have felt horrible if it had died in there.
Needless to say, I took the tube part out.
It's this kind:


Finally got around to shortening the hose on the python.
It's so much easier to handle and hang to dry!
Shortening a Python No-Spill | Freshwater Tank Equipment Forum
Thanks FishDin kallililly1973 and KingOscar

 

[Leeman75]

I almost got some female koi betta a few years ago. This makes me want to do it again.

I've been away from the forum for a little while and just got caught up.

I finally moved my apisto borelli babies from the 1 gallon breeder box into their own 10 gallon next to the other 10 gallon full of babies. As the experiment goes, the fish from the breeder box are almost just as large as the ones I let grow up in the 10 gallon.

Here's the 10 gallon they were all born in currently.


Here's the other 10 gallon, now with some babies. They're very spread out, but probably at least 15 in there.



Here's the 20 gallon of a generation older males I have left.

I too have been away from the forum for some time and am getting back to it. I love those Borelli! Top 5 favorite all-time fish for me! Yours look great!

Those are gorgeous fish!

Water change today, cleaned out some plants, Took a little inventory. I had gotten a few sparkling gourami, just babies, so teeny! I hadn't seen them all at once since I put them in the tank.
All are accounted for, just living their happy little fish life amongst the dense plants.

Sparkling Gourami, with their iridescence and electric blue/turquoise-colored fins are so underrated! Especially in a planted tank. They are so cool!


My water changes were done yesterday, so I get a Sunday to just watch my fish and enjoy them. I also spent time cleaning an extremely dirty Penguin 350 that was given to me for free recently. It looks good as new and I can't wait to get it installed on one of my tanks for extra filtration. Low-key, probably my favorite filter of all time!

Much has changed with my tanks while I've been working and on sabbatical from Fishlore. I'll have to make an update thread soon highlighting my new stockings and tank set ups. In the meantime, below are 3 of my current favorites each from a different tank.

 

[newjungletank]

I too have been away from the forum for some time and am getting back to it. I love those Borelli! Top 5 favorite all-time fish for me! Yours look great!


Sparkling Gourami, with their iridescence and electric blue/turquoise-colored fins are so underrated! Especially in a planted tank. They are so cool!


My water changes were done yesterday, so I get a Sunday to just watch my fish and enjoy them. I also spent time cleaning an extremely dirty Penguin 350 that was given to me for free recently. It looks good as new and I can't wait to get it installed on one of my tanks for extra filtration. Low-key, probably my favorite filter of all time!

Much has changed with my tanks while I've been working and on sabbatical from Fishlore. I'll have to make an update thread soon highlighting my new stockings and tank set ups. In the meantime, below are 3 of my current favorites each from a different tank.

View attachment 931385View attachment 931386View attachment 931387

Nice Ram and Acara. Is that a German Blue?

 

[Leeman75]

Nice Ram and Acara. Is that a German Blue?

Believe it or not, it's actually a Bolivian Ram. I gave 4 of them and they are the most colorful Bolivians I've ever seen!

 

[newjungletank]

Believe it or not, it's actually a Bolivian Ram. I gave 4 of them and they are the most colorful Bolivians I've ever seen!

I've always heard that Bolivians are the way to go, much more hardy than German Blues, but not as colorful. However, yours looks amazing.

 

[tinylostwine]

I've always heard that Bolivians are the way to go, much more hardy than German Blues, but not as colorful. However, yours looks amazing.

I've always been partial to man-made gold rams - gbr are robust IF you keep them correctly - they are just less tolerant of bad care including improper water. There is a third ram i think the common name is butterfly or spot tail ram but species name is maculicauda

 

[bgarthe]

I did for the first time since I kept native fish, replaced my resin fake wood with real wood. I had to make a few slate anchor bases, but after the multi day soak, all went well with my 75g Congo Tetra tank, the 33g long Diamond Tetra tank, and my 33g long Cardinal Tetra tank. They really came out ok….like them. There are still other tanks with resin wood. Hopefully the wood will last.

Here are some pics. Got a couple real cool pieces for the Congo Tetra 75g tank.

 

[mulletmcnasty]

I did for the first time since I kept native fish, replaced my resin fake wood with real wood. I had to make a few slate anchor bases, but after the multi day soak, all went well with my 75g Congo Tetra tank, the 33g long Diamond Tetra tank, and my 33g long Cardinal Tetra tank. They really came out ok….like them. There are still other tanks with resin wood. Hopefully the wood will last.

Here are some pics. Got a couple real cool pieces for the Congo Tetra 75g tank.
View attachment 931448View attachment 931449View attachment 931450View attachment 931451
View attachment 931453

What a great setup you have there.

 

[Blk69]

This evening have 4 male RCS circleing the tank like crazy. Should be expecting some shimplets in about a month i hope.

 

[bgarthe]

My Congo Tets in their 75g w new wood. These two pieces of driftwood were rather big and pricey, but the fish seem to enjoy it, swim around the whole tank more and it does look better than before imho.

 

[newjungletank]

My Congo Tets in their 75g w new wood. These two pieces of driftwood were rather big and pricey, but the fish seem to enjoy it, swim around the whole tank more and it does look better than before imho.

I like it. Now you're ready for some real plants. Get some anubius and some Java ferns and glue it to that nice chunk of wood. Maybe add a crypto or two to the substrate.