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Ken Burke

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Posts posted by Ken Burke

    Apistos and Platys

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Kyogadude said:

    Hey Ya'll I have a 36 gallon bow front planted tank with a Tiger Platy breeding project i have going currently i have less than 10 Platys. Has anyone ever tried Apistos with platys I feel like they would do ok together just wondering if anyone has tried it? Thank you

    I have platys and apistos in the same tank.  No problems from the combination, though it supposed to be an apisto breeding tank.  (Just needed a place to park platys.  And the apistos are still pretty small.

    What's the worst advice you received as a beginner?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    6 hours ago, ange said:

     

    In my experience aqadvisor is unreliable. I'm really glad that @Irene published her most recent blog as I feel beginner-friendly stocking resources are severely lacking. I know I had to learn through trial and error and have gone through the "how do I stock this" conundrum when learning how to use the space in my 50 hex (so tall! but so little space for most schooling fish)

    Yup, love @Irene!   Well, haven’t met her, but love the blogs and the videos.  

    • Like 1

    Auto feeder mishap

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    BEHOLD the power of a planted tank!  
     

    yesterday after a massive water change the water was cloudy,  ammonia was 1 PPM, nitrite was still 0.  Today the ammonia is .5, clear water and nitrite is elevated and without a water change.  I think I got lucky, but the tank is recovering pretty well.  
     

    BTW, I added a second Aquarium Co-Op sponge filter, but don’t used any other filters.  Can’t complain about the results.  @Cory I’m a definite convert to the coarse sponge filter.

    Fine Sponge Filter vs Coarse Sponge Filter

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Very energetic topic.  I have not used the fine sponge filter, but have used fine filter material in my HOB.  It fouled super fast, then was not even as effective as the course.  For my money, course is the better option unless you are addressing a specific problem.  Then there are other options that are more effective.  
     

     

    Auto feeder mishap

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    18 minutes ago, Nataku said:

    Seconding the testing for ammonia every 12 hours! 

    Having had children get in and 'feed the fish' to my tanks before by dumping in the entire container of food, you'd be amazed how much of that gunk get sucked into your filters and substrate, only to cause havoc a couple days later when it gets really rank and spikes the ammonia.

    Its not over after the first day. 

    The fish have jammed themselves full of food, they will poop for the next couple days more than normal. Plus, all the rotting food they don't manage to get to will also become ammonia. Keep up the water changes and monitor parameters closely for the next week. Stuff sometimes gets funky several days down the road from the spill.

    Thought I had seen this b4.  Suspect it will take several days. 

    Feeding fish red wigglers?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    On 10/11/2020 at 7:10 AM, Daniel said:

    I have had very good luck with red wigglers. Big fish love them. Discus love them. Angelfish love them.

    Even small fish love them. Just dice them up like an onion (but clean the cutting board before you spouse sees what you have been doing with the kitchen utensils).

    Sage advice.  But sounds like you might have learned a leasing the hard way.

    Auto feeder mishap

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    So, filled up the auto feeder last nite.  Headed out to enjoy some nature this morning.  When I got back the feeder was stuck in the “On” position and the tank looked like a snow globe. Ugh.  Did the emergency water change.  Added a second sponge filter to help suck up the rest of the food.  So, what are your thoughts, should I do a second 50% change tomorrow, or a 25%.  

    Should I bother trying to raise my pH?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    4 hours ago, Daniel said:

    My tank below is lit with sunlight and gets the normal day/night pH swings just like @Streetwise demonstrates.

    In a planted aquarium pH tends to drift down as organic acids build up over time. Water changes can bring the pH back up because this dilutes the organics acids.

    It doesn't sound like you are having any problem with your water chemistry. Your plants are growing and I assume your fish are healthy and you are otherwise happy with the tank.

    pH also varies over the course of the day, so it depends on when you measure it. As you can see from last week in one my aquariums the pH is lowest in the early morning everyday. This is because during nighttime photosynthesis runs in reverse and plants take in oxygen and give off carbon dioxide with the peak build up of CO2 being in the early morning thereby lowering the pH. Once the lights are on (or the sun is up in the case of the graph below) plants begin to photosynthesize and thus begin to consume carbon dioxide and release O2 again. As you can see below, my lowest pH occurs at 8 am in the morning and the highest pH occurs at 4 pm in the afternoon just like clockwork.

    18494_pHgraph.PNG.75af34c0919a64e1388765

    It sounds like your plants and fish are doing well, I would not be concerned about your pH.

    Thanks.  You and @Streetwise made my point much better than I could without feeling preachy.  If I understand, at nite the CO2 rises, resulting in more carbolic acid and lowering ph.  During the lighting period, CO2 falls ....  Even if the ph is raised, you still have the swing, and now some other issue.  

    • Like 1

    Seasoned Tank Time Saturday - Share Photos of Your Established Aquarium

    in Photos, Videos & Journals

    Posted

    9 hours ago, Daniel said:

    I just took this photo. Because of the foreshortening it looks like he is a little more than 2" measured by the ruler, but in reality it right at 3".

    I moved him in to this tank (with a female) a couple a days ago to see I there might be interest in spawning.

    2014927560_Nijssenimale.jpg.e8401b4000af762fde5544cd623eedfe.jpg

    That tank is the opposite of a seasoned aquarium. I take a 10 gallon aquarium and add hornwort, water from a seasoned tank and add a pair of breeders and whoosh, insta-tank. I think the hornwort deals with any nitrogen issues. Usually there is no filter or airstone. If I add a heater, I will add and airstone.

    Nice. Love his colors 

    First Spawn of apisto agassizii fire red

    in Photos, Videos & Journals

    Posted

    43 minutes ago, faydout said:

    Congrats, I just got my first Apistos almost 2 weeks ago, and had my first Apisto spawn yesterday. I'm not pulling them or anything, I don't have a tank to raise them in currently, although I did pick up some frozen bbs and cyclops last weekend when I saw the parents doing the dance.. I already got clearance from the boss to go pick up a 10 gallon if anyone's left tomorrow morning.

     

    More babies, because Babies!!!

     

    IMG_0793.jpg

    Lucky.  Got mine a couple weeks ago.  No joy yet, but they are still a little younger.  

    • Like 2
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