Author Topic: The tribulations of cycling a new tank - need advice (Read 13914 times) 79 replies

fcmf · « **Reply #60 on:** June 20, 2019, 03:33:08 PM »

Unfortunately, the only details they seem to provide are a weblink - however, it seems to be non-existent/non-functioning now, as is another contact I found (Union of Scottish Aquarists). However, this seems to be an option: http://www.scotcat.com/gadas.html and https://www.scotcat.com/webmaster.html seems to contain an e-mail address at the bottom which might be worth a try as it (plus a Facebook page) does suggest something is still in existence albeit in another guise from originally.

Nan · « **Reply #61 on:** June 21, 2019, 07:47:42 AM »

Thanks!

Nan · « **Reply #62 on:** July 08, 2019, 07:36:59 PM »

So, we gave away a half-dozen baby corys, bought an oto for the algae, and also have now a dwarf gourami. Big Bertha flipped out that there was a non-cory in the tank and is spending most of her time under the log now. But she also hasn't spawned in four days (since the gourami came home).

Littlefish · « **Reply #63 on:** July 10, 2019, 07:12:22 AM »

Please feel free to post pics of your new fish when they have settled (hint, hint

), and let us know if Big Bertha has come to terms with having a non-cory in the tank yet.

Nan · « **Reply #64 on:** July 10, 2019, 09:45:30 AM »

I spoke too soon. Eggs. (sigh)

I scraped the ones off the glass and some got loose (oh. no.) but Gouri seems to enjoy 'em. So. That part is working! The oto is making a good dent in the algae. Some plants I thought were close to death just were covered in brown algae, it seems.

Photos shortly!

Littlefish · « **Reply #65 on:** July 10, 2019, 09:58:57 AM »

Although it was almost a week without spawning, and the gourami treating them like snacks it should help to keep the numbers down.
Great to hear about the 0to & the plants too.

Nan · « **Reply #66 on:** July 10, 2019, 10:05:27 AM »

Yep. Big Bertha & the Boys (Thing 1 and Thing 2) were out this morning when the light came on. They just ate their wafers as if nothing had happened. Gouri was hiding somewhere (under the filter, I think) but he seems to be very shy so I'm not terribly surprised. I put in some bugnuts for him and he showed up and started eating them (stalking them from below as they floated by). The oto is somewhere in the plants, I assume.

When we first put Gouri in he was like trying to interact with the corys, but they would have nothing to do with him. He would even swim down to be right at their level, too. Not sure what went on overnight, but now instead of the corys hiding and the gourami swimming around like king of the tank, it's the other way around. (He's harassing the snail in the attached photo. Yes, I see the eggs. Sigh.)

Tried to get some photos of the whole tank from the front, but the light at my back from the windows is reflecting in the glass of the tank even when I put the blinds down. So tonight when it finally gets darker I'll try again.

Do have a question about my java fern, though. It's gotten dark spots on some leaves that eventually lead to the death of the leaf in question. I've cut the worst of it out, but would like to have the plant survive. Have you guys ever seen that happen? The black spots, I mean.

Littlefish · « **Reply #67 on:** July 10, 2019, 12:05:58 PM »

Your gourami is a lovely looking fish. Very nice colours.

Aren't fish funny with each other, it's fascinating watching them. Hopefully they'll all get used to each other, and everything will settle down.

I've had problems with java ferns previously, and have managed to kill them on a regular basis. @Matt should be able to shed some light on your plant issues.

Matt · « **Reply #68 on:** July 10, 2019, 08:41:57 PM »

The black spots will eventually form into baby plantlets attached to the 'mother leaf'. This does lead to the leaf dying unfortunately and it's normally the plants response to stress ie. a change in water conditions. As you tank is now stabilised, it is likely that these now plantets would be worth growing out and keeping

I gave up on all the original java fern I bought and just kept the plantlets and now it is thriving

Nan · « **Reply #69 on:** July 10, 2019, 08:55:04 PM »

Actually they're kind of more brown than black. And where they start they kind of spread out until the whole leaf goes brown and sort of melts away. I think you might be able to see it on the other photo (of Gouri)? The leaves below the ones with the eggs stuck all over them have it.

Here's another of Gouri that shows his colors better.

Matt · « **Reply #70 on:** July 10, 2019, 08:58:15 PM »

Ahh yes I see now, that is different. Do you have the plant planted in the substrate?

Nan · « **Reply #71 on:** July 10, 2019, 09:12:56 PM »

It came attached to a piece of wood. there is another on the other side of the tank that is doing wonderfully well (same thing, on wood), but not this one. I do put plant fertilizer liquid in once a week when I do the partial water change.

Matt · « **Reply #72 on:** July 10, 2019, 09:17:18 PM »

Does this piece get less light that the other one do you think?

Nan · « **Reply #73 on:** July 10, 2019, 09:20:11 PM »

Hmmmm, possibly a little bit. There are other plants near to it that sometimes shade it a bit. I'll try scooting it out away from them a little bit to see if that helps. The leaves that have already died and been cut away were not shaded, though, come to think of it. So...

The only thing that's really different is that this one gets more of the current than the other one does. And it's closer to the log. Here is a photo of the tank when I very first set it up. The one that's not doing well is the one at the front left.

Matt · « **Reply #74 on:** July 10, 2019, 09:24:36 PM »

That sounds like a good move... see if you can prop it up higher in the tank too... everyone recommends java fern as an easy plant when it is quite demanding actually... more co2 and light near the surface should help it out.

Nan · « **Reply #75 on:** July 11, 2019, 10:15:28 AM »

Hmm. Will see if the move helps it. Here's the best shot I could get of the tank this morning. Unfortunately, when it is dark enough outside to not have window-light interfering with the photo, the lights on the tank are long off!

I trimmed back some of the plants behind it, as well. I've just been cutting them and letting the larger pieces float in the hopes they'd develop roots so that I could plant them elsewhere. It's getting noticeably more light now. I also note that there are some shoots developing in an area that had lost leaves, so that's good!

Littlefish · « **Reply #76 on:** July 11, 2019, 12:46:16 PM »

Your tank looks great.

Nan · « **Reply #77 on:** July 11, 2019, 05:57:38 PM »

I'm happy with the way it came out.

Matt · « **Reply #78 on:** July 11, 2019, 08:47:55 PM »

Quote from: Nan on July 11, 2019, 05:57:38 PM

I'm happy with the way it came out.

So you should be...looks great

Nan · « **Reply #79 on:** July 12, 2019, 09:52:23 AM »

Thanks! I've trimmed back the plants by about 25% and pulled the floaters (most of them) off the surface to try to get a bit more light to the java fern. Once it has a few more leaves that are not going brown on it, I'll move all that stuff back and see how it goes. (It's in the small tank now, to the delight of the neons in there.) Hopefully that will be a fix for that one java fern. I do note it has some new growth appearing down at one end of the log, so hopefully that will be soon. I do have one of those stick-on feeding rings up at the surface and have some floating plants in it, so the gourami (now renamed to "Opus") should still have the root-bar to graze on as he wishes. So far he seems to prefer eating sinking wafers with the corys, tho.

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The Tribulations Of Cycling A New Tank - Need Advice

The Tribulations Of Cycling A New Tank - Need Advice

Author Topic: The tribulations of cycling a new tank - need advice (Read 13914 times) 79 replies

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