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Betsy

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Everything posted by Betsy

  1. Betsy
    @Jimycle and @OceanTruth - those were the two I was leaning toward!! Water lettuce and Red root floaters are both so pretty and have such fun roots systems! I will definitely update you on what I find and grab! @Anita - that is an AWESOME explanation! I am kind of obsessed with the diffuse lighting effect via the water sprite! I also really like your selective lighting technique with the ring! I will definitely end up having to do something similar for the scarlet temple!! Your tanks are so glorious!!! Thank you for sharing them with me! 😆
  2. Betsy
    @OceanTruth - I am ALWAYS down to shop plants! 😆👍👍 Do you have any favorite floaters? I recently joined a few local Facebook groups to see if I could find some floating plant options...and I've got a few local stores I might call, too!! @Jimycle - Oh man! I really want to try this...thank you so much for the explanation and advice!!! I have my little quarantine tank that I could use to experiment with...I am delighted with the idea of having something to do with clippings that I don't love the looks of! I think I definitely want to cut the infested java fronds...I know just what I'll do with them! Thank you!!! @Anita - thank you for the kind words!!! I am really blessed to work in an excellent district! Of course, I would never turn down a raise! 😜 Also... Thank you for the recommendation, James!!! Spritz LOVES the Hikari bio gold...and he is still such a glutton for the Hikari Freeze-Dried Bloodworms...haha! Hope Hugo is doing well!!! He looks so great in your photos!
  3. Betsy
    @Jimycle - so far, I have no real plans to expand into more tanks...this is my one and only! What do you mean by use clippings to fertilize? Just...trim and let the trimmings float? I am intrigued!!!
  4. Betsy
    Happy Friday, friends!!! A few small updates on the tank this week: Added another oz. of crushed coral to my HOB filter on Thursday because the pH keeps creeping downward...I'm closer to 6.8 now and the kH increased by a little bit. Big time goal is a pH of 7.0 and a consistently noticeable kH. I think my choice of substrate (Fluval Stratum) and driftwood didn't do me any favors...and the tap water is already at a pH of 6.8 and soooo soft. Still battling the algae - Part 1! I taped over the 2 of the 6 LEDs this week to see if I could reduce the lighting intensity. If I get another brown cloud of algae on the Windelov over the weekend, I will reduce the lighting from 7 hours to 6 hours. Still battling the algae - Part 2! The golden anubias started to develop some brown spots...so I restarted Easy Green. Had to! Didn't think anubias would be a good canary...but it's how I've been monitoring nutrients and algae growth so far! Still battling the algae - Part 3! Heavily considered cutting some of the older most infested long fronds off of the Windelov Java fern. I have so much new growth...I think I could get away with it, and that might be a good way to reduce the amount of algae in the aquarium! Spritz is both afraid of the camera and an excellent photo-bomber. How DOES he do it?? 😂 Had a moment of anxiety when I couldn't find Figgy...my deepest, irrational fish tank fear is that one day I'll come in and he'll be turned over...but I won't be able to see it because he's fallen behind a driftwood...and then a week later, the ammonia in my tank will spike and take out Spritz and Sig as well! 😵 Pulled out all of the driftwood from the tank...because I am cray. Figgy was fine. He was under the cave-looking driftwood piece tucked away in a hole. The jerk. 😑 Found out there was poop EVERYWHERE under the driftwood 💩💩💩💩💩, so I gravel vacuumed the 💩 away and then felt like I should not have done that because 💩 is natural fertilizer...right? 🤷‍♀️ Figgy is the wild snail...for sure. He climbed all the way to the top of the java fern today! I thought he was either going to fall off or the plant was going to fall over! This is why I worry about him. 🤪 Here he is on his way down: Aaaaand, I tried out an air stone in the tank this week. I didn't have a regulator...so it was going full tilt, and Spritz was NOT a fan! 🙅‍♀️ He was probably mad because it wrecked his bubble nest...poor guy! Turned off the air stone and ordered some regulators from the Amazon.com...I'll give it another go next week. Now I understand why black airline tubing is such a big deal! 😅 I think that's all I have to say about that! Hope everyone had an excellent week!!!
  5. Betsy
    I can't wait to see pics of the new rasboras when you get them! I am envious of the person that ends up with your tetras! You don't live in North Carolina, do you? 😜
  6. Betsy
    Now I know who changes all the thumbnails to fun things...I am delighted!! 😆👍👍 I feel confident that the crypts will recover - lovely tank!!! Your tetras are so bright and fun!
  7. Betsy
    I love it!!! Your plants look suuuuper happy! Welcome to the forum! 🥳
  8. Betsy
    @James Black - maybe one day I'll be as knowledgeable and experienced as y'all!! 🐠😆🐟
  9. Betsy
    Pea puffers are reallyyyy cool!! It's hard to resist those helicopter bodies! 🚁 I've only ever had bettas...but I would definitely expand into pea puffer territory in a heartbeat if given the chance (aka the next dollar per gallon tank sale 😜...don't tell my husband).
  10. Betsy
    😱🥳😱 This is super exciting and unexpected! THANK YOU!! And, to be in the company of @Maggie and @James Black...I can't even!!! They are the best! I am thankful on the daily for the forum - it's a great resource with really great people! 🎉🎉🎉
  11. Betsy
    I love to mess!!! I actually bought an air pump/stone, too (kind of unrelated?). I really can't leave well enough alone! I am pretty sure I am THAT person that just keeps pressing buttons until I figure out what works...and I'm having a blast! 🤣👍👍 I will keep you all updated!!! I appreciate all the valuable advice and camaraderie! 🐌😄🐠
  12. Betsy
    I think they are definitely a player!! Overhead fluorescents...but I don't think they really hit that portion of the Wendelov (mainly because the lid lets zero light through). I'm sure the overheads play a factor, but I'm not sure what that is! (Also, I love talking about my classroom, so totally not bored, haha!). @James Black - I'm currently running at 7 hours of LED time. I will definitely do a larger than usual water change tomorrow and try to manually remove more algae (I got after it today! Haha!). I'm interested to know if my electrical tape method has any effect...so, I may wait another week before I make another lighting change. I've got a few new growth leaves to watch! Thank you for the awesome advice!!! I am determined to continue to fiddle until I find the balance for my little tank! 😄
  13. Betsy
    They are pretty big (thankfully, haha!)...it used to be a kindergarten room before it was renovated. I don't get any direct light through the windows until about 30 minutes before the sun goes down - there's a pretty big overhang!
  14. Betsy
    Walked in this morning to a glorious amount of brown/green/black hair algae (I have this feeling it's BBA) in the tippy top of my Wendelov. I haven't be fertilizing for almost two weeks...so I am feeling like it must be a lighting issue. I put black electrical tape over 2 of the 6 LEDs in my tank to try to reduce the intensity...cross your fingers for me! I may be considering a hydrogen peroxide treatment...but I feel like that's too hardcore too soon...🧐
  15. Betsy
    I've really been enjoying my lesser creeping rush...it's very grassy!
  16. Betsy
    So pretty!!! I wish I could have more nerites...they are wonderful! I'd love to hear your plant line-up as well!!
  17. Betsy
    I feel like he is such a teenager!!! He should feel totally at home in my classroom! 😂 Thank you for the kind words!!!
  18. Betsy
    @OceanTruth - it's taking a looooot of will power to keep it to just one tank! 😂 I decided to chill on the ferts for a week to see if that would cut back on the algae...my nitrates went from ~15 to 0 in 2 days!! I love my plants, so I'm a little worried about them! I know ideally the nitrates would be closer to 20 to make the plants happy...but that algae is 😑. I may flip the script and cut the lights by another hour if I lose my resolve. The spot on the koi boy's eye seems to have been an abrasion or an injury. I think it's healing up, and what once looked like an off-white scale on his eye now looks like a small black spot. I never got a before picture, but I do have a little after picture and video...he looks so cranky building that bubble nest! 😂 Maybe it's because I'm watching. 🤗 What else to tell you...I switched out the carbon cartridge in my HOB for Purigen (finally). I rinsed it out, but I still have little white specks on parts of my tank (oops!!). I hope the specks will go away on their own! 🤞 My HOB has AquaClear BioMax and 1 oz of crushed coral in the first bay, Purigen in the second bay, and a half coarse sponge in the bay under the pump. Surely, it's a hot rod by now! 🚙😜🚙 I do think I will end up adding another oz. of crushed coral...my pH is still pretty low and my kH is still non-existent...and I really don't want to add any more chemicals to my line-up...and I really like my nerites. Gotta keep those shells strong! 💪 ALSO! WE HAVE A NAME! The interested kiddos voted... And, the answer is....SPRITZ! (I broke out the Silhouette as promised! 😜) I think that's all I have to say about that...happy Thursday, friends!!
  19. Betsy
    It sounds to me like it's the guppies...and not you...especially since the corydoras are thriving! Your water stats are ideal for guppies based on my quick Google...super jealous of your kH! My water is softer than a cloud! What are you medicating with in your hospital tank? I know lighter colored 💩 tends to be a sign of a parasite or illness...so, it's very possible that your new guppies were ill to begin with. I can't confirm if that poo in your photo is a worm (maybe someone more experienced than me can!)...but it looks sus to me. I'm a fan of the Fluval Biological Enhancer...which probably does the same thing as your Zyme. Fluval recommends adding extra bacteria whenever you add new stock to your tank to balance out the added bio-load of the new resident(s). I'm not sure you need to add bacteria with every water change...what kind of filter are you working with? A sponge component is always great for giving the culture lots of room to grow! As long as you've got an ammonia source (poop! or, ghost feeding!) and a place for them to hang out (the sponge) then your bacteria buddies should be happy happy happy! Please keep us updated!!!
  20. Betsy
    I wish there was a love reaction! I'm adoring your GIFs...Cosmo is WAY cute!!!
  21. Betsy
    Word!!! I am glad you figured out what was triggering all those symptoms...that sounds miserable!! ☹️ But also...dry arms sound kind of divine...I didn't know aquarium gloves were a thing!!
  22. Betsy
    I am allll about plants, too! Welcome to the forum!!!
  23. Betsy
    Those dwarf baby tears are very cool!! Thanks for sharing your tanks and welcome to the forum! 😄👍
  24. Betsy
    We had no school today...I thought about not going in to feed the koi boy...but my anxiety/paranoia got the better of me, and I went in to see how he was doing. I am pretty confident that the tank is fully cycled - either that, or the plants have my back big-time! No ammonia, no nitrites, and less than 5 ppm nitrates (even though I did a full pump of Easy Green on Wednesday and the snail 💩 is reallll!). I do think I'll add more crushed coral to the HOB on Monday...the pH rose about 0.4 (from 6.4 to 6.8) but the kH has not budged. 😐 Also...I am starting an algae farm and every single plant has new growth. I can't decide if I want to put electrical tape over a few of the LEDs to try to reduce the lighting intensity or if I'm going to hold off on the fertilizer next week or if it's just one of those things I have to wait out. Any suggestions are welcome! Whatever it is is brown/black, fuzzy...and not very cute. We are voting on names this week for our betta! It looks like the front-runner right now is Spritz (I make the kids "spritz" their desks before and after class as a Covid precaution). He's kind of a picky eater...he won't eat the Xtreme Betta pellets...maybe they're too big? But he will eat the Hikari Freeze-dried Bloodworms very happily. I'll see if I can get some smaller betta pellets this week. I'm trying to get a good picture of one of his eyes - he moves really fast, so it's tough! The eye looks like its got a scale over it...or a cataract...or something. When I get a good shot, I may post about it in the disease topic...just to see if anyone has any experience with that. He doesn't act like anything is wrong...he's a very active little dude! I've got the med trio...so I could potentially medicate him immediately.
  25. Betsy
    @James Black - My search terms must have been super lame! I was searching for that exact post! I will edit my above suggestion post to include Valued Contributor and Board Veteran! Thank you!! 10K posts...has or will anyone ever reached that status?? I'm with @Brandy - if you had made that many posts...bored veteran might be most accurate! 🤣 @Daniel and @Maggie - I will update my original suggestion post to say Elite Puffer! 🐡🐡🐡 Fun titles are so fun!!!
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