Think Fish Keepers Daily News. [2016-2019]

Got my fingers crossed for you Sue...

We were only away 3 nights. I fed the fish on Monday before we went (I know they shouldn't be fed until an hour after the lights come on, but I didn't have much choice) and then again on Thursday afternoon as soon as we got home.


I still can't find the male gourami, and the female has been showing stress colouration as well. I wonder if it has anything to do with the peacock gudgeons. These supposedly bottom dwelling fish have been spending a lot of time swimming in the floating plants recently, and one of the males is quite large. Has he stressed the gouramis too much?

Yet another hitch-hiker snail found last night, speeding along the tank glass, despite siphoning deep into the substrate and being convinced I'd finally removed them all from every conceivable place. I think that large Echinodorus plant must have grown around a nest of snails' eggs and the snails must be constantly reproducing.

I know that Prime contains a whole host of chemicals but Seachem won't say what.

Microbe Lift Extreme contains something to remove chlorine, something to bind metals, something to detoxify ammonia, something to detoxify nitrite, "a multi-part skin-slime replacer", "essential electrolytes" and something to "boost alkalinity" - in other words, it contains a lot of chemicals in addition to the chlorine remover and something to bind metals.
Looking at their SDS sheet, it contains
sodium hydroxymethanesulfonate (removes chlorine, breaks up chloramine and removes the ammonia from the chloramine)
sodium bicarbonate (the alkalinity booster)
sodium chloride - common salt (the essential electrolytes) which should not be added to freshwater tanks
edetate sodium - aka EDTA (to bind metals)
aloe vera (the skin slime replacer) which is known to cause problems with protein skimmers and clog fish's gills



API Tap Water Conditioner contains just 2 chemicals - thiosulphate to remove chlorine/split chloramine then remove the chlorine; and EDTA to bind metals.


It's those extra chemicals that can cause the 'oil slick'

Including the QTs, how many tanks is that now?


I'm getting betta withdrawal symptoms. I want a new betta!
We didn't want the work moving the radiator done before we went away in case it developed a leak, and the plumber has been away this week. If the work isn't done soon, I won't be able to wait any longer!!

I'm down to 14 tanks, including the empty ones.

The plumber phoned an hour ago, he'll be here at 8 am tomorrow to do the radiators - 3, including relocating the kitchen one.

I have filled a bucket with water from the 26 litre tank, which is now on the dining room floor with the heater and filter running.
I have removed the sand and washed it with the remaining tank water, and a bucket of warm dechlorinated water, and put it in the bucket in the dining room.
I have cleaned and dried the tank.
I have attached a glass strip to one long side of the tank.
On Wednesday I will attach a second glass strip to the other long side.
On Friday, or maybe Saturday, I will put the sand and water from the bucket in the dining room back into the tank, and top up with new water.
And next week I can go a buy a new betta 


The tank came with plastic 'things' which slot over the sides of the tank and have a flange on the inside to support the cover. The problem with air powered sponge filters is that they create spray which condenses on the underside of the cover, runs along the cover to the supports then capillary action takes the water under the bracket, over the edge of the glass and down the outside walls. I've panicked on a few occasions when I've found water under the tank, and it's just been escaped condensation.
My first tank had glass strips on each long side. When it finally started to leak, I removed the strips because "they could come in useful". I bought a glass cutter and trimmed them to size and these are what I'm siliconing to the betta's tank. My reasoning is that with strips 2 cm below the top of the glass, condensation will just sit on the glass strips and not run down the outside of the tank.

I hope.




And before anyone asks, I have been adding ammonia to the tank since the last betta died 

Friday could be new fish day.
This is exciting news. 

Looking forward to hearing LF's and Sue's imminent "new fish" news.
 

Me too! Saw a lovely koi Betta today... was very tempted!

OK full disclosure...I've got a 12 litre or tank on the cheap I'm trying to figure out what to do with... shrimp only and filterless or Betta tank...

More to come!... though I'm really liking the idea of growing some of the plants emerged so that will definately be a feature!