Pattie

Hi Gator, Yes! No snails 🐌. My grandmother was the canner in the family. I guess that I picked up some of her wisdom, years ago. It is amazing how our grandparents survived the Depression, WWI and WWII My grandmother told me stories that made me appreciate everything that I had, as a kid. She grew up in Ohio on a farm. The family moved and settled in California bringing their farming knowledge with them. I picked up, keeping plants alive in the ground and in pots. So, I am not afraid of plants. I want to get the best ones for the tank. There is a lot to learn. I am enjoying everything about this hobby. May I ask, what kind of tank/tanks do you have? Okay, what is the use for CO2? I am going with the easy plants that will require Root Tabs and Cory’s All-in-One liquid fertilizer, for now. Thoughts? Thank you, Pattie

Hi Theresa, Thank you for your suggestions and sharing your experiences. Buddy seems to be doing better. I have replaced some silk plants that he explored, before I started changing things around. I am sure that he is appreciates my efforts.😁. In a few weeks, I will start to switch over to live plants. It’s going to be awesome. You have a 15 gallon? May I ask, what roommates are with your betta? I want to make a nice community tank but, I don’t want to over stock. I was thinking: Buddy/4 Black Neon/4 Harlequin Rasbora/3 or 4 Panda Cory Doras … thoughts? Too much? I have a few ideas that I want to do. It’s that money thing that always gets in the way. 😏 Thanks again 🙏

Gator - Thanks for sharing the tip on Alum. Since your recommendation, I have been doing some reading and watching videos to get an understanding about Alum. (I am not much of a canner)🤷‍♀️ However, Alum is the best way to keep plants clean without stress or killing them. There are a lot of variations and opinions about taking care of plants. Whew 😅 Plants will be ordered and delivered in a few weeks. I am really looking forward to a plant garden in the aquarium. It’s basically, the same concept of the garden on my patio … right? 😂 Thank you …

I wanted to give an update about my tank and Buddy. I, also, want to thank everyone for your suggestions and help. THE TANK HAS CLEAR, BEAUTIFUL WATER!!😊. Buddy is swimming better. He hangs out with the HOB most of the time. He is swimming more, although, as a betta, he keeps to the top. He is eating very well. I made some positive changes, thanks to all of you, to the tank … Temp - 82 Slowed the water flow to almost nothing. Added peat gravel to the HOB - Ph - 6.2 Lighting with a timer and dimmer. It has blue/red/white and four settings. It’s pretty cool 😊 I also added API Stress ZYME+ within two days … clear water 😀 l have more to do with getting plants and getting setup with proper medicines and miscellaneous supplies, before getting Buddy some roommates. I am sure that he is bored. I don’t want to be unprepared, as I was when I lost my little tetras. Again … I can’t thank everyone enough. I know that I will have more questions in the next stage when I get plants. I wish everyone the best 😊

I just ordered one last night. If it helps, Buddy will be getting a few. It’s a cute idea for the betta world.

Hi Gator, Thank you for the reply … I hope, one day, I will be able to see Pearling. Okay, so the Alum bath is for new plants … anything else? I turned the flow of water, from both filters, to almost nothing. I am ordering an intake sponge, from Cory, for the HOB and I put an extra sponge in the output area to slow the flow. It’s seems to be working. My order for the lighting and the peat pellets should be delivered in the couple of days. In the meantime, I did a little water change, nothing came up from the gravel. I put in a few silk plants, to make Buddy feel secure, again, hopefully, and until I can get my live plants ordered and delivered. Everyone has been so helpful and I appreciate all the advice. Breeding? Feeding live? Whew … oh yeah! 😉. Future projects … loving it! I have a bunch of awesome teachers to help me get there 😉

Thank you … very helpful … I will keep you posted, as I change things around …

Hi Hobbit, Good news on the water. I got a Fluvel heater about a month ago. It’s sits in the right back corner of the tank. I have an HOB filter to the far left and a sponge filter in the center. A basic new setup. Originally, I had an air stone tucked under the rock substrate with a small kit heater, temp was factory set at 75, in the left back corner. I had a bunch of silk plants throughout the tank with Mermaid decorations (stop laughing 😆). It was an “under the sea” idea. Anyway, I have the HOB that came with the kit. Buddy would hang around the filter and heater most of the time but, would come down to explore or chase a tetra and scavenge the bottom. Then one day, Buddy was acting and swimming differently. I went to YouTube … over feeding? Possibly, but, he didn’t look blotted … the tetras seemed to be hiding more. It was like the tank exploded and I didn’t know what to do… I tried different remedies on Buddy … the pea and Epsom Salt … he laughed at the pea … tetras gobbled them up and I sadly started to lose my little guys. So, I started changing the tank, eliminating plants, decorations, lowered the gravel to about an inch and upgraded the heater, so that I can adjust the temp. Put Buddy in an tiny emergency tank ( he did okay, I hated it) and totally emptied the tank and started all over. This adventure happened within the last two weeks of July. Once the water parameters were good, Buddy went back to the tank and he now sits with his new heater in the back right. I added the sponge filter to help the HOB filter. (I thought that more filtration would help) yes/no? When he swims to the front, he favors the right side. I have adjusted the bubbles on the sponge filter. I am unable to adjust water flow from the HOB. Another upgrade? 🤷‍♀️ So be it, if so. He might swim to the left to the HOB and then back to the heater. He doesn’t explore, at all. I’m going to put back the tall silk plants to see that helps, until I get the real plants in. The Catappa leaves he seemed to enjoyed, while they were on top. So that is the basic story … I realize that good bacteria hasn’t had a chance to grow and is one of the problems. Plants and other changes are on the way. I just hope that Buddy is patient and can survive 🙏 Thank you for all your help.

Hi Gator, The water change you described makes perfect sense. That being said, I have a few questions … Alum … there many varieties, sizes and makers 🤦‍♀️ What are you using? The Alum bucket’s use? Besides, giving new plants a bath. Am I making up this bucket and then, setting it aside? The second bucket is marked, based on the Alum bucket’s water measurements. The second bucket is my water changing bucket, as I am emptying tank water into it and to the measured markings. I have my gallon jugs set up with dechlorinated water, pouring each gallon through the HOB. Good so far?🤞 Am I eliminating the mesh carbon filter in the HOB and replacing it with the peat pellets? How long do the peat granules last? How often is the change? I have the Aqueon Kit HOB 10 filter … I watched a Cory video about upgrading filters, last night. He used the filter that I have and he eliminated the mesh filter, replacing with bio rings. Any suggestions will really great. One more - what is Pearling? ☺️ Look forward to hearing from you 🙂

Hello 👋 I have a cheep siphon that I use in my water changes. I want to an upgrade but, for now it’s fine, it’s doing the job. Funny … first time that I saw Cory on YouTube 😊 He was illustrating and giving instructions on how to siphon a tank. I’ve been hooked on his videos ever since. My water temp. was at 81 degrees. It is now about 84 … I lowered the bubbles in the sponge filter, the HOB does not have a control switch to control water flow but, it’s not too bad (I think, Buddy may not). QUESTION: I know bettas like a calm environment. If I lower the water flow too much, won’t that cause problems? How much of a bubble flow should there be to assure oxygen is not an issue and that the sponge filter is doing it’s job? I vamped up the sponge filter and put in an air stone. Water flow, is it different for the different species of fish? I want to make this tank a Gourami tank, eventually and put Buddy in a 5 gal with a few roommates. Anyway … water flow is the question 🙋🏻‍♀️ Would the water flow be different for a betta vs a Gourami? Gator, I have to re-read your instructions and will give it a try. It sounds fun and definitely different from what I have read and what I have been doing, so far. Thank you to you all … 🙏

Hi Gator, Thank you for all your information and sharing your knowledge. Buddy and I greatly appreciate all your help. Today, I ordered Fluvel Peat Granular and bags. There are so many companies out there … Fluvel is a familiar brand, so I went with it. I am really looking forward to see how the condition of the water changes. I ordered a better light (LED) with a timer and adjustable lighting. Right now, I have a T8 florescent (old school) … 🙂 Next month, I will get a couple of plants and a better testing kit. I am using the strips for now but, I don’t trust them to be really accurate and the testing is limited. I want to test for ammonia and other things. There is so much that I want to do and so much that I have to learn. Patients, is big with this “little” hobby. 🙂 More tanks and more fish … You have much knowledge … Thank you

Thank you 😊

Wow … thank you so much ☺️ I have a lot to learn and do … I feel my tank and Buddy will survive, because I joined a great group. Everyone has been so helpful and I am really grateful. This forum is the best… THANK YOU EVERYONE 🙏👍 I put a couple of Catappa leaves in the tank last night. I think they might of helped a little with Buddy. (or wishful thinking). Buddy swam to me to be fed … but, back to his corner. So … hopefully 🤞

Good to know … I will clean when the sponge is gunkie and only in aquarium water … right? I put a Catappa leaf in the tank tonight. Hopefully, it will make Buddy feel better. The leaves are good for bettas, antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Will it take about a month or so for the water to clear? The Catappa leaves will turn the water a brownish color but, the water should be clear … right?

City water … I use Prime water conditioner to eliminate the chlorine and chloramine ….at each water change.

Yes, Bettas are a bit on the lazy side … they like it a little dark, so I use natural, as much as possible. I put in a Catappa leave to get tannins in the water. Which turns the water brownish, so I stopped using them. Maybe I will go back to the leaf and see if that perks him up. They have antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Even though bettas are top feeders, they do explore. When I go to feed, he would come to a corner that I would feed him. Now, he hangs at the heater and I drop food there for him. Frustrating …

Correct … I am using Prime with every water change. Water parameters: nitrate - 0 nitrite - 0 hardness-300 chlorine-0 alkalinity-40 ph-6.8 I am using strips for now. I will get the API Master Test Kit next month. atrip do not show ammonia parameters … It’s a head scratcher, for sure …

I use Prime water conditioner.

Yes. I use test strips - both ammonia and nitrites are zero. I am getting the API MASTER TESTING KIT next month. (I have to space out the tank spending). I don’t really trust the strips, but that’s what I have for now.

I don’t know what to use. After the Tetra loss, I broke down the tank and wiped everything down …

Awesome … I have watched Cory on YouTube. He has a “few” videos on plants. I enjoy listening to him and I have learned a lot. I’m a little hesitant, but I’m going to make the plunge 😊

With this setup, about two weeks with one water change. I do weekly water changes. I purchased the tank and went through the water cycle for about a month in May. Buddy and his roommates were delivered in June. Everything was really good, I did a water change, made a few adjustments with the decor, everyone was happy. In July, I noticed Buddy was acting different and becoming unhinged to lethargic … I went to YouTube and got some suggestions, possibly over feeding to Epsom Salt/ pea feeding treatments - didn’t help. Within a few days, lost my Tetras. I put Buddy in a small emergency tank for a few days and broke down the 10 gal. Put a sponge filter in with a hanging filter and cycled for about a week. When water numbers were good, Buddy went back in the tank. I changed his food to more variety: Daphnia, Fluval Bug Bites, Pellets, FD bloodworms or frozen bloodworms. I feed him small amounts of something once a day. Buddy hasn’t regained his energy that he had a month ago. He looks so pretty when does swim, but usually at the top, quick and sharp jolts and then he sits in the corner. So sad 😞 Pretty long winded, I know, sorry. But this is Buddy’s story and the tank that is driving me insane. I think that this is a bacteria bloom, possibly … for how long? I hope you can help … I feel helpless in making Buddy happy again.

I will and thank you … I have to get the easiest ones … hopefully, nothing will die 🤞

I wanted to get the water crystal clear, before adding any plants… yes/no? I have a few on a waiting list, ready to be ordered. My plan is to make my 10 gallon into a community with a Gourami/Rosboras/Panda doras/Dwarf Frogs with a few live plants. Then, make Buddy a nice 5 gallon with a Java fern and a few Neon Tetra/frogs/Doras. For now, the 10 gal is driving me insane! I have a sponge filter and a back hanging filter. Any suggestions or do I just wait out the cloudy water? The water testing is all good … a little hard water though … I use YouTube and someone suggested API STRESS ZYME + … I have that coming in the mail in a few days … HELP??

And you, as well