|
Post by kagome on Dec 4, 2008 23:09:59 GMT -5
Ok, so a buddy of mine had ammo chips and a little drawstring net bag. So I put in the chips but I couldn't figure out how to fit the bag into the HOB filter so I put the bag on the bottom of the tank right under the flow of the filter. I hope that will be ok. I measured out the chips according to the package and trying to get it into the filter was like trying to fit the proverbial 10 pounds of poop into a five pound bag. I made sure to rinse it well before putting it in the tank, as per the instructions. Tomorrow I plan to do a 30% water change.
My buddy also had a brine shrimp spirulina algae mix food that his fish did not care for. I gave a little bit to my gourami and he went so crazy for it that it was funny. He kept coming up to the glass and flashing his colors so I gave him a little bit more to reward him for putting on such a good show. He didn't want to let the clown loach to have any but Spike is just too fast for him. I figured I would pinch a little off every few days and give it to them as a treat. I really wonder why my friend's angelfish didn't want it, I guess they're finicky. I was going to give my pleco some cucumber as a treat but I wasn't sure if I should blanch it or give it to him raw.
|
|
|
Post by kagome on Dec 4, 2008 18:07:10 GMT -5
What about temporarily replacing your tank background with festive wrapping paper? Also, I'm pretty sure you could use any kind of polyresin Christmas decoration in the tank. Just as long as it's hollow so it won't sink. Just a thought. Oooooo! Also check out glazed ceramic decorations! The stores should be full of them right now.
|
|
|
Post by kagome on Dec 4, 2008 13:51:21 GMT -5
Also, I was wondering how long it takes for good bacteria to colonize filter media in an established tank? I was thinking of putting the sponge prefilter from my 10g on the intake of my 38g filter to further the "seeding" process, but the prefilter has only been in the 10g for ten days. Once the 38g was fully cycled I would then put that filter back in the ten since the 38 has the big sponge filter.
|
|
|
Post by kagome on Dec 4, 2008 13:30:22 GMT -5
well sorry, I'm sure you guys think I'm never going to leave you alone but I have some questions about cutting the water Don't worry a bunch of us ask a ton of questions all the time. Sometimes I worry that I'm being a pest but then I think "That's what Carl and Jon get for being so smart!" lol I don't know what I would do without you guys! ;D
|
|
|
Post by kagome on Dec 4, 2008 13:14:00 GMT -5
did you ever try the ammomia chips? they're cheap and work great! Crap!! I totally forgot about that! I can't believe I did that! It must have been because of all the craziness with getting ready for Thanksgiving and then the whole family was in town and then I was cooking for ten hours and then cleaning up after everybody left. Plus, at all times I must take care of the 15 month old, or as I like to call him the Tiny Tornado! I'll try and run down the street and get some today once the little guy wakes up from his nap. But will using the ammo chips effect the cycling of the tank?
|
|
|
Post by kagome on Dec 4, 2008 13:03:54 GMT -5
You could try putting pantyhose over the intake of the gravel vacuum and hopefully not suck them up to begin with. I'd be really careful when removing the pantyhose to make sure nobody was stuck to it when you went to take the vacuum out of the water. BTW, I've never actually tried this, it's just an idea that struck me. Good luck!
|
|
|
Post by kagome on Dec 3, 2008 22:41:17 GMT -5
I put some gravel from the 10g into the 38g. I'm hoping that this will help seed the good bacteria in the tank. The ammonia is still at 1.0. For now when I do water changes I will only siphon off water instead of vacuuming the gravel. Once the ammonia comes down completely I will do a thorough vacuuming of the gravel. So far when I have vacuumed there was almost nothing there anyway. With just the 3 little clown loaches there really isn't much mulm anyway.
I'm still looking into loaches for the 10g when the bigger fish go to the big tank.
|
|
|
Post by kagome on Dec 3, 2008 9:26:20 GMT -5
I've always wanted a pond out here but my mom is dead set against it since ponds out here do tend to attract water moccasins (some people know them as cotton mouths). I was thinking of having one of those little free standing ones that step two makes. I put it on the patio and have like three goldfish in it. But it does get down to freezing here so I guess I would have to add a heater. Our climate is much more like southern Alabama than that of what people, including myself, think of as typical Florida. I used to live in south Florida, just north of the Everglades, we went surfing on Christmas day, that was the LIFE!
|
|
|
Post by kagome on Dec 3, 2008 9:19:42 GMT -5
Welcome to the forums! This place is great! No snobbery or cattiness, everyone is very friendly and helpful. I'm so glad I found this place and you will be, too!
|
|
|
Post by kagome on Dec 3, 2008 0:30:08 GMT -5
Thanks for the article Carl. I always learn so much from your online stuff. I've had brown algae before and it has always disappeared once the tank was settled in. Hopefully that will also be the case this time.
I was thinking that once the big tank is cycled and I put the pleco and clown in there that I will need a suitable cleaning crew for the 10g. I think I will get a Chinese butterfly loach since I now have such good flow in the tank and the lighting does ensure algae growth. I want some sort of small bottom feeder that will not outgrow the tank and so can happily live out its life in that tank. I was thinking of yoyo's or zebra loaches since they don't get very big but then they need to be in groups so I'm not sure if that would be wise. Maybe some upside down cats or cories. Hmmmmmmmmm... I have to admit that I have a thing for loaches, so maybe I'll try and squeak out three zebras. Of course I still have time to ponder all of this. I swear, all I do lately is day dream about what kinds of fish I'm going to put in my tanks.
|
|
|
Post by kagome on Dec 3, 2008 0:08:41 GMT -5
Not to be a pest, but there are documented cases of clown loaches that are in public aquariums that are over 45 years old. They are also one of my most favorite fish. I've considered one day setting up a 90g that is dedicated solely to clown and other species of loaches. I just love the little guys.
|
|
|
Post by kagome on Dec 2, 2008 14:20:15 GMT -5
Welcome chevelle! My buddy Jason has a flaming orange Chevelle that he has been restoring and tinkering with for about 11 years now. He loves that car, it's his BABY!! I'm glad you joined our group and I look forward to seeing you on the forum!
|
|
|
Post by kagome on Dec 2, 2008 10:21:16 GMT -5
Current 38g numbers Nitrate-under 20 Nitrite-0 Gh-150 Kh-80 Ph-7.2 Ammonia-1.0 Also, brown algae is starting to pop up in the tank.
|
|
|
Post by kagome on Dec 2, 2008 9:56:49 GMT -5
Renee,
I know you were hoping for a little less work but I think that given the number and kinds of fish that you have that what you are doing is right on the money. My grandfather raised guppies as a side business for twenty years and he had a cleaning schedule very similar to yours. He also constantly had containers of water that sat out to "age" and then took out at least one gallon a day from each tank and replaced it with aged water and used the water he took out of the tanks to water his vegetables. He also did the siphoning and vacuuming on the same schedule you do. Given his totally awesome results and the fact that you also have very healthy fish I would tend to say that unfortunately your work load should probably stay about the same. I also think that if you were truly over cleaning you would see adverse reactions in your fish.
|
|
|
Post by kagome on Dec 1, 2008 14:51:32 GMT -5
Thanks Carl.
As for filtration I have a HOB that is a 20-40. Then on the other end of the tank I have the sponge filter with the powerhead that I ordered from you that is meant for a 15-35g. I tend to like to over filter my tanks (if there is such a thing) so in my opinion the filtration could be better. I asked my husband for a UV sterilizer for Christmas which I would also add to this tank. I can just see the eye rolling now if I ask to get a bigger or another filter for that tank. It's all good fun though, he might roll his eyes but then he just gets me what I asked for anyway. I'm a lucky girl.
|
|
|
Post by kagome on Nov 30, 2008 22:23:16 GMT -5
Thanks for the help Carl.
So I checked the ammonia level in the 38g again as usual and unfortunately it is still at 1.0. I just keep adding the Prime and trying to be patient. The clown loaches still seem to be doing great. They are very active and becoming much more responsive to me. They eat every scrap of food that I put in the tank and still spend a good part of the day foraging. They are also growing quite nicely. I've noticed that they have their own little pecking order. I make sure to break up the sinking wafers into several pieces to make sure that everybody gets to eat. They now definitely associate me coming up to the tank with food being dropped into the tank and so they come and beg for food even when I'm doing things like trying to run water quality tests. Every day they seem to get more comfortable with their surroundings. It's also funny that they completely disappear every night after 7:30pm. I keep trying to figure out where they hide at night but I haven't been able to so far. I just really want that damn ammonia level to come down and I hope it finally starts dropping soon.
I'm starting to worry about my gourami. I think he may be at the end of his lifespan. I've been looking up blue gouramies and everything says that they live somewhere around four years and I've had him for five years now. He still swims and eats and doesn't look sick but he just doesn't look as robust since he got sick this last time. He used to be more active, resting very little and swimming a good part of the day. I know he can't live forever, but he's my little buddy and I would hate to see him go.
Oh yeah, and I asked my husband to get me a UV sterilizer for Christmas. What a weird girl I am, I asked for a fish tank for our anniversary and now I'm asking for more fish tank stuff for Christmas!
|
|
|
Post by kagome on Nov 30, 2008 19:44:48 GMT -5
My grandfather put his guppie fry in with his giant oscars to raise them up to size. It was so funny to see itty bitty tiny fish swimming around gigantic fish with huge gaping mouths. It reminded me of the schools of little fish that swim right in front of a shark. I guess the fry were just too small for the oscars to pay any attention to. But man, when he put a feeder fish that was the right size in there it lasted all of five seconds.
|
|
|
Post by kagome on Nov 29, 2008 12:10:49 GMT -5
Welcome crazy4fish!! I'm glad to see you've jumped in and started swimming with us! It's awesome to have another member from the British Isles!
|
|
|
Post by kagome on Nov 29, 2008 0:11:16 GMT -5
Welcome, welcome welcome!!
|
|
|
Post by kagome on Nov 28, 2008 23:55:45 GMT -5
You can get tests so that you can test your own Ph and other parameters. Basically you have two choices, either get dipstrips or liquid tests. I would recommend using the liquid tests for two reasons, they are more accurate and cheaper per test in the long run. Plus, if it only one certain parameter that you are having trouble with you can test for that and only that when you need to instead of wasting tests for other parameters when you only need the one. In my area the liquid tests run about $6.99 for somewhere around 130 to 150 tests per box versus $15.99 for 25 tests with dipstrips. I was using dipstrips to check ammonia and tried a little experiment and found that I got radically different results even though I was testing the same water in the exact same way, so I gave up on the dipstrips and just so liquid now.
As far as I know I think you can only pick up Medicated Wondershells by ordering them through Carl. I don't know what part of the country you live in, but I live in Florida and it usually takes about five business days for my orders to get here. I used the Medicated Wondershells to get rid of a nasty little protozoan infestation in my tank that was eating at my gourami's fins and it worked great. I must warn you that it will turn the water blue for a few days but it works great. My fish really looked pitiful but he's doing very well now and has grown back all his fins. And I have a clown loach in the tank and they can be very sensitive to medicines but the he did great with the Medicated Wondershells. Just make sure when you order that you click on Medicated and not regular.
As far as whether or not the wondershells are appropriate for your particular problems, I am definitely not the one to tell you that, I just thought I'd let you in on my experience with them.
Welcome to the forum, I hope your fish gets better!
|
|