Chick-In-Of-TheSea
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Posts posted by Chick-In-Of-TheSea
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Do you guys remember the Tom & Jerry cartoons where Tom would have the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other? My angel was saying “add 3 fish to the new tank” and the devil was saying “ADD ALL THE FISHES!” (14). Glad I went with the angel, because today I read ammonia at 0.25, despite seeded media. Gives me an appreciation of how important seeded substrate and decor are (I went with new this time). Fish felt no effects though, as there was still Prime in the water. I redosed Prime along with another 4 oz of Fritz Zyme 7, so now I’m at the new tank dosage (vs the established tank dosage I was at previously). Added a new seeded sponge filter as well, the extra I always keep running in the main tank, until the cycle completes. This is now a fish-in cycle with plants.
PM update: added pothos and polyfilter to HOB and did water change.
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All the Walstad plants I added to the ember tank melted and made a huge mess! Clear shedded leaves were just everywhere. I did a water change. Water going in was a bit cooler. It was aged at room temp. The fish started mating dances! It was fun to see.
The trio in the 20 took some time getting used to the Hob. It’s not horribly strong, rated for up to 30gal, but they have been living in a tank with a sponge filter. After adding them and seeing their behavior, I turned the Hob on and off intermittently, about every 15 minutes or so to help them out. Today, it seems they are really enjoying it.. playing in the flow!
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Today I got the inkbird configured and programmed the Kasa for the light. Added air and tested parameters to verify the cycle since all the media was seeded. Parameters are 0/0/30. Excellent. Did a gentle siphoning and water change; in went Prime and Fritz Zyme 7 (just for that extra boost to coat all the things - couldn’t hurt eh?).
I drip acclimated 3 head-and-taillight tetras and added them in. I will test daily this week and hope to add the other 4 next week, wait, then the embers, wait, then the guppies. The guppies will be a hot minute though. I do want to quarantine them for awhile.
I expect the driftwood is going to output its slime in the coming days. Also- how did I luck out on this one? It didn’t float! I (boiled 1/3, flipped it over and boiled the other 1/3) x2, then filled a bucket with hot water. Held the driftwood over the bucket and dumped a bottle of peroxide on it. Lowered it into the bucket and let it soak overnight in that hot water/peroxide solution. Weird it didn’t float though! Last piece of driftwood I purchased floated for like 2 weeks in a tote! But hey, not complaining. 🙂
In other news, I just had my first hummingbird of the year. I’m sure it noticed all of the firebushes are in full bloom right now, then it must have noticed the feeder. (I’ve been putting this feeder out and cleaning it daily since March! Glad it finally paid off. Seeing a hummingbird warms my heart and makes me smile. Such precious, beautiful little creatures.)
Last night the bear brute forced its way into, or out of, my yard.. again.. so now we have multiple fence repairs to do. 🙄 It wants the suet that I put out for the woodpeckers. I don’t bring it in every night because the last few nights it was raining, and I didn’t want to get drenched. I suppose I will have to change the routine and go retrieve the suet regardless of weather.
I also completed a diamond painting; just a small one: 8x10. First time! Relaxing to work on. I’ve been working on it for about an hour a day since the 4th of July. I will give it to mom on her birthday. Her home decor is safari themed.
Next day update: my cat totally noticed the diamond painting and has been staring at it 🧡.
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On 7/13/2024 at 1:59 AM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:
@Chick-In-Of-TheSeaa big vote yes here for those fireballs. Cory recently mentioned fish he wished he kept and that’s one of mine.
I’m just calling them fireball guppies because of their red/orange/yellow tails. I’m sure they aren’t marketed that way. I just make things up as I go. 😅 I think the tails have black spots on them too.
A scape has come together today in the 20L. The driftwood I found has 2 swim-throughs which is cool. The tank was drained and now it’s all tank water in there from water changes on the other tanks. Used media and prefilter sponge went in as well. This is the ACO light. I really like it! I noticed my Hyggers have cool glow and this light has warm glow. Very pleasant.
Just need to get some air, heat, and the inkbird going and I think it will be fully equipped. I’m going to do another water change as well, since I did add a bunch of detritus in there today with the old water. It’s a good way to add bacteria, but I want to get that gunk siphoned up before adding livestock.
Also this plant (hygrophila) I thought would die just surprised me with nearby sprouts. Here’s the photo from 7/6 and the photo from today.
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On 7/12/2024 at 9:37 PM, Brett said:
I'm heading out of town for a week starting Sunday, so of course my male apisto borelli got popeye. He's already in a solo tank, so it's no biggie to ask the house sitter to dose a packet of Maracyn each day. My question is, I'll be home two days after the full course is finished. Is that delay for the water change ok?
Also, should I have her feed like normal?
Thanks all!
The house sitter should dose Prime daily with the Maracyn, because Maracyn almost always kills the beneficial bacteria on the filter, resulting in ammonia spike: highly toxic to fish. Prime will detoxify that ammonia but the effect lasts only 1 day. You should do a water change ASAP after the course is completed because medications stress fish but if you can’t, house sitter should continue the Prime. Also run extra air because medications deplete oxygen level in the water. Make sure there is no carbon in the filter or the tank because it removes meds. (Can house sitter add a pouch of rinsed carbon after the treatment?)
Feeding is ok but do so sparingly. Small quantity, twice a week. Remove uneaten food after 3-5 minutes with a turkey baster so it does not foul the water.
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The tank looks nice. How are the parameters: ammonia, nitrite, nitrate? Tagging @Colu to see if they know of a treatment for the eye.
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On 7/12/2024 at 8:25 PM, Josh Giro said:
I got this Japanese Trapdoor snail yesterday, and it was moving around normally last night and this morning, but seems to not be moving at all. Just wondering if he’s just sleeping or if I should worry. My water parameters are good, I tested and it’s at the right temperature.
Snails do sleep! It could be just having a rest. I’d give it some time. If it doesn’t move in a day, take it out and sniff it. If it smells the same as the aquarium, return it to the tank. If it stinks, it has passed.
What parameters did you test? Ammonia is most toxic, and nitrite is the next toxic one. Both should be zero.
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On 7/12/2024 at 10:24 PM, nabokovfan87 said:
Just a jar with a lotus plant in it!
LOL. I guess I was overthinking it and thought you were talking about some type of technique for making jars.
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Cool you were able to scavenge and save some money on your setup. Also it’s fun that you got some fry as well!
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Very cool. Nicely done!
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I’m in no rush to clear it. This is leak test #2, just a day, and just in case. Then all that tank water can go in. Need to go shopping for a cool piece or two of driftwood, and some plants.
The male “fireball” guppies are still on reserve for me at my friend’s house.
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Alrighty, I am working in phases on the setup of the 20L. New stand came in, got that set up, background applied, power strips wall mounted, and I’m trying out @Guppysnail’s favorite, the CaribSea Jungle River sand. It is so nice! I think it is a worthwhile investment and will be much easier to maintain than the pool filter sand. I love all of the colors in this, and it will be a fine choice for plant roots.
The sand came with a clarifier, and it states to wait several hours for clarity, 24 hours for complete clarity. The media and this tap water are getting tossed afterwards anyway; it’s just in there as a dust collector. I have some used media and water change water from last week that I’ve been aerating. I will use this week’s water change water and gunk as well, and I will clean my filters in the new tank.
The Aqueon quiet flow- I love it! It is quiet! I couldn’t tell it was on until I saw the water flowing. Also the outflow is a nicely designed horizontal baffle, and there is an output ammonia removing sponge which can be replaced with these other types of sponges.
I’d probably cut my own media for it, but I love these options! Also I have a nasty prefilter sponge to put on the filter as well.
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On 7/11/2024 at 11:30 PM, nabokovfan87 said:
I've tried 2-3 different methods for assembling the food recipe
I used a micro pellet when I made mine. Worked well and the fish loved it, but the pellets would stick together in clumps and I’d have to keep stirring them around to attempt to get some singles to feed.
On 7/11/2024 at 11:30 PM, nabokovfan87 said:I need a lotus jar
What is a lotus jar?
On 7/11/2024 at 11:30 PM, nabokovfan87 said:I tried looking for the bulbs again, they are running around the tank and hiding from me
They can go dormant. If they are squishy, they are dead.
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On 7/11/2024 at 6:54 PM, nabokovfan87 said:
They shoot out these little spikes, similar exactly to how they do flowers but they are a lot stronger structures. That ends up going to the surface and splays out. At first I thought it was a flower and then you have these plants that formed. It would grow a little more, new plant.
Initially I had a rosette sword in the Walstad jar. I thought it would work well because it is a small, compact plant. It ended up making those shoots and produced other sword plants right there in the jar. I relocated those swords to the shrimp tank where they make great hiding places for shrimplets and for adults needing to molt.
On 7/11/2024 at 6:54 PM, nabokovfan87 said:I have a method in mind similar to what is used in baking
What did you have in mind? Is it different than the garlic guard+food+med+focus?
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On 7/8/2024 at 4:14 AM, Odd Duck said:
I’ve had trouble with the metal tab inside rusting around the tanks
I don’t think mine contain metal at all. They look like this:
On 7/8/2024 at 4:14 AM, Odd Duck said:Yellow for lights, blue for air pumps, red for heaters, green for filters
I love the color coding idea! I’m using bread bag tags and I label them with a sharpie.
On 7/8/2024 at 2:56 PM, Guppysnail said:I upgraded from a dirty water bucket to a tub and I need I pump water up to a utility sink
Do you pump to the tub first just in case you suck up a fish/shrimp/snail?
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🖤 Flint 🖤
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Assembly of the stand has begun, and 4 fish tanks (2 stands) have been moved in the fishroom to clear a spot.
I had help…
Unfortunately I got a defective one where these welded bits were welded on crooked, so I was unable to assemble because the notches on the shelf didn’t line up. This is a fluke because I have 2 other stands like this one, and they went together just fine and are very durable.
Hence I repackaged it and sent it back to Amazon along with however much cat fur 😅
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by the way, reusable zip ties are a game changer for cords. You can press the tab and get them off when you want to.
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What type of adhesive or hardware are you using to attach your power strip to the wall?
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Some of the hygrophila show promise.
Others do not.
Flint was nibbling at those earlier so I think he knows they are on the way out. And here’s Button just sunning herself.
I did some “dumpster diving” this morning on my way home from the gym. Noticed a 29 gal on someone’s curb and I looted it for the lid, light, and filter.
Was a small cheap Nicrew. I found a power cord for it, but it didn’t work. I tried 3 different power cords, actually. Ah well. The HOB is a Fluval, suitable for a 10-15 gallon tank, I’d say. It made a loud buzzing noise when I tested it, so I cleaned the pump and impeller and had to monkey around with reseating everything. It works. I just need to sanitize it, just in case.
I used peroxide on the lid, and when it got wet it smelled like dust. I guess the hobbyist retired the tank awhile ago. The tank itself looked pretty new! But I don’t do preowned tanks if I can help it. I don’t know why it was at the curb. Could be hobbyist quit, or could be tank failed. So I left it there. Besides, no room for another tank right now.
Now I have 2 lid options for the 20L though: the hood or the glass lid. I will start with the hood because I really despise this brand glass lid. Lately what I’ve been using on most tanks are the lifewithpets lids. I like them. The only thing is they don’t accommodate HOBs but for the tanks I’m using them on, I just run sponge filters.
When I woke up this morning, I looked up at the window and saw this little guy. A baby anole. Anoles are everywhere down here.
I budgeted for my new tank project and ordered my ACO light. I’m curious about it! Looking forward to trying it out. I’ve seen nothing but good things about it so far.
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Snoopy going about her daily business
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Look at that pout! ORD!
On 7/4/2024 at 6:29 PM, Guppysnail said:Cord management
Have fun with that. Ew. I did some earlier and was hating life.
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This is the Walstad jar after the massive haircut. The cuttings went to the ember tank. The emerged stems in the jar already have new leaves forming.
I also did a few water changes and removed a lot of mulm. The water looks so much nicer/clearer now.
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Hey hey Fish Folk! DM is not working. Had a question to run by you if you could maybe DM me first, then I can reply? If that’s ok.
The Alabama brooders are absolutely stunning!