Author Topic: Intro and my fishy project - Cora (Read 52128 times) 306 replies

Fiona · « **Reply #120 on:** May 23, 2016, 11:04:53 AM »

Good plan

Too much ammonia will potentially mean too much nitrite and the cycle will stall if it gets too high. I know this because I did it by trying to cycle the tank from memory.

Once I'd done a partial water change to get nitrites down the cycle restarted. Thank goodness for Sue is all I can say

Cora · « **Reply #121 on:** May 24, 2016, 09:59:09 AM »

I've seen Osmocote and Miracle Gro and other similar plant fertilisers recommended online, in small amounts, mixed in with substrate. Leaving aside whether one needs additional fertilising agents or not, I was worried because these products contact phosphates, something I thought was a no-no for aquarium fertilisers.

There are some who claim to use these products without any problems, but all the bespoke aquarium plant foods you see don't contain phosphates. I am thinking about 6-monthly and annual boosts for the plants. For example, Tetra Initial Sticks you can plug into the substrate and these are safe.

But, I'd rather use a much cheaper fertiliser in bulk which does the same job - but without phosphorus compounds.

And I'm not sure if it's even necessary as I have liquid plant food to use weekly. But as plants absorb nutrients through their roots I'd rather not be dosing the water with chemicals if I can help it.

Cora · « **Reply #122 on:** May 24, 2016, 10:06:49 AM »

Answered my own question: I'd just play it safe and go with branded aquarium tablets for plants. For the sake of a few quid it's not worth the risk.

ColinB · « **Reply #123 on:** May 24, 2016, 10:11:31 AM »

There're a series of 4 articles here about the natural planted tank that are an interesting read. Grab a coffee (or wait 'till after 5pm and grab a wine

) and read on.

Cora · « **Reply #124 on:** May 24, 2016, 10:18:36 AM »

Cheers, Colin. There's my evening sorted

Cora · « **Reply #125 on:** May 24, 2016, 10:33:40 AM »

Just a note on my fish choice, in case it's gotten lost since: with the Bolivian Rams, despite them being pair-forming, for reasons discussed earlier, I intend to get 1 male and 3 female. Do people agree this is the best way to go with them?

Cora · « **Reply #126 on:** May 24, 2016, 01:29:16 PM »

Ammonia: 2.0
Nitrites: 0.5
Nitrates 0.0

I think what little nitrate is being produced is being eaten by the plants hence the zero reading. Ammonia is coming down but even despite the water change is happening slowly.

Sue · « **Reply #127 on:** May 24, 2016, 04:39:35 PM »

There is one big problem with deciding on 1m 3f Bolivian rams. The fish in the shops are juveniles and extremely hard to sex. With these fish the only reliable way is by the shape of the breeding tube, and the ones in the shops are unlikely to be old enough for this method yet.
However, should you find a shop that has Bolivians with visible breeding tubes, males are the ones with small breeding tubes that taper to a point. Females have larger tubes that are the same width all the way down. If you think about what has to pass down the tubes, you'll see the reason for the shapes

I'm attaching 2 photos of the Bolivian rams I had years ago. They were taken as they were spawning so the female's breeding tube is a bit bigger than usual but the pics do show the difference.

Keep on testing every 48 hours till the ammonia reading is below 0.75

Fiona · « **Reply #128 on:** May 25, 2016, 08:01:00 AM »

Quote from: Cora on May 24, 2016, 01:29:16 PM

Ammonia is coming down but even despite the water change is happening slowly.

Patience Grasshopper

It took me 40+ days to cycle my first tank

Cora · « **Reply #129 on:** May 25, 2016, 10:17:02 AM »

Quote from: Fiona O'Mahoney on May 25, 2016, 08:01:00 AM

Quote from: Cora on May 24, 2016, 01:29:16 PM
Ammonia is coming down but even despite the water change is happening slowly.

Patience Grasshopper It took me 40+ days to cycle my first tank

Haha

This morning: Ammonia 2.0 ppm. Nitrites - I swear these have dropped to 0.25.

Sue, your rams are beautiful

Such a pretty fish. I've requested from the fish keeper that he get the rams sexed (he's very experienced). If not I'll take a larger group. Or choose something else.

Cora · « **Reply #130 on:** May 26, 2016, 09:00:03 AM »

Update: I have decided on a different aquascape and arrangement of plants. To make it easier to setup and install the new plants I've drained most of the water off, will do the necessary work today, then refill.

I'm already going ahead with this because it will be worth it, and now's the best time! I'm just wondering what the effects on the cycle will be. I might lose bacteria on existing surfaces but the filter should be fine.

Littlefish · « **Reply #131 on:** May 26, 2016, 10:02:08 AM »

If it's any help, you are doing this at the right time.
I set up my tanks with silk plants, and have had the hassle of moving fish around tanks to be able to change the substrate and install live plants. My filters were put into other tanks while I was planting, then put back into the original tank. I found that it didn't impact on the performance of the bacteria in the filter and everything kept running as before. Admittedly, this was with tanks that had completed cycling, and been up and running for several months, but things seemed to go quite well.
I have now replanted 3 of my tanks (2 temperate and 1 betta, which has since had half a dozen panda cory added) and the fish seem to prefer the live plants as they seem to be easier to swim through.
I'm now in the process of replanting my 125L tank and next I'll be changing my axolotl tanks to live plants.
Best of luck with your planting & cycling, I'm sure it will all be fine.

ColinB · « **Reply #132 on:** May 26, 2016, 10:03:17 AM »

oooo - an excuse for more piccies. Grand!

Cora · « **Reply #133 on:** May 26, 2016, 10:24:00 AM »

Cheers guys

I tried to upload a pic yesterday but it failed. You're missing out on so many! But don't worry - you'll see everything eventually.

I always planned to go with live plants in this tank - but because of the number of planets and the layout I need to re-scape. I love the "underwater jungle" look in other peoples' tanks but I must say - it seems to really dominate the tank and obscure the fish. I want to plant in such a way that it's dense but not opaque! The more I read, the more I'm sure you can't have too many live plants - but because I don't intend to add CO2* I need a good substrate.

*E.g. diffuser etc. I will add liquid CO2 but when I'm fully stocked the fish should generate enough.

ColinB · « **Reply #134 on:** May 26, 2016, 10:35:11 AM »

Quote from: Cora on May 26, 2016, 10:24:00 AM

I always planned to go with live plants in this tank - but because of the number of planets and the layout I need to re-scape.

Indeed - having planets in your tank does take up a lot of room.

Littlefish · « **Reply #135 on:** May 26, 2016, 10:55:55 AM »

Cora · « **Reply #136 on:** May 26, 2016, 06:26:31 PM »

Update:

The water was drained to almost nothing.

Some old gravel removed. Most remained to form a new bottom later.

Tetra Live Substrate (not Complete) added as new top layer. In total this brings my substrate to a good 8-10cm. (I must say, this is a lovely rich brown colour that feels very natural and goes well with wood and plants. It does require extensive rinsing though!)

Bogwood drastically re-arranged to form a much more interesting aquascape - and giving much needed height to the tank.

The big Anubias has been "replanted" into the tall bogwood (apparently it doesn't grow well in substrate). Dead plants removed. Dying shoots cut back. Carpet grass replanted. Amazon sword planted in opposite back corners. I am going to get even more (yes, you heard me) Amazon sword for the back corners to occlude the filter intake in one corner, and create a "hill" for emergent Amazons in the other.

Tomorrow I am visiting The Green Machine (check out their videos on YouTube) to look at their display tanks and purchase more plants.

External filter activated and running well. Inline heater activated and set to 30 degrees.

Several generous pieces of calcium carbonate rock added to filter cannister, as well as Evolution Aqua Pure balls. This is to boost the KH of my pathetically low KH very soft water.

Also, I'm testing an idea: a Fluval Mini (it really is tiny) installed at the bottom back of the tank (you won't be able to see it eventually and you can't hear it) containing two small pieces of wool to keep the contents from rattling around. The contents? Another collection of Aqua Pure balls and half a dozen carbon dioxide tablets. This is my make-shift CO2 dosing until fish arrive; the tablets decompose slowly and the filter mechanism should provide a good constant flow of water across the tablets and balls. It might be a stupid idea but I thought it was worth a try.

Water test. Nitrites: zero. (That's to be expected after a complete water change.) Ammonia: 0.25ppm. A little surprising to get a non-zero reading but it's not a bad thing. I should have a good colony of bacteria in my filter now, so there's no chance that I've reset the cycle.*

Next steps:

>Tetra Initial Sticks to be added to the substrate. I will do this tomorrow as the dechlorinator used today can kill the minerals in fertiliser (and remains active for up to 24 hours in water).

>Buy more plants.

>Post pics.

>*However, they will have not much to feed on so I will dose with ammonia tomorrow, but this time only a tiny amount.

ColinB · « **Reply #137 on:** May 26, 2016, 06:31:27 PM »

Wow - you have been a busy girl. I'm looking forward to the piccies.

Littlefish · « **Reply #138 on:** May 26, 2016, 06:46:00 PM »

Yeah, piccies.

Cora · « **Reply #139 on:** May 26, 2016, 07:38:17 PM »

A reminder that you can see the album here: https://goo.gl/photos/ZLx8Za9jsMGSnhJ78

But I will post directly into the chat later tonight when the sun goes down and the tank shows up better.

Right now it's in that phase where everything is giving off bubbles - the plants especially. Temp is already 25 degrees. Looking much better than it did.

Cheers

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Intro And My Fishy Project - Cora

Intro And My Fishy Project - Cora

Author Topic: Intro and my fishy project - Cora (Read 52128 times) 306 replies

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