GreenCircleGirl

I wanted to add an update with this pond. Note to self - do NOT choose galvanized water troughs. First, it leaked. Second, most of the fish and snails died. Third, the floating water plants developed a sickly green color and failed to thrive. Though it is intended to be used for animals to drink out of, it must leach out something toxic into the water. It also rusted in spots within a few months. The bigger Rubbermaid stock tank is much better. The plants and fish are thriving.

I have a 20 long multifasciotus tank. The little guys are multiplying. I have an established 38 gallon tank planted with crypts and Val with a pH of 7.4 with a coarse sand substrate. Can this be converted to a multifasciotus tank using wondershell? Other suggestions?

@Friller what do you do with your danios in the winter? And your other fish?

I find it on my aquarium coop app then search for Ted Coletti on July 28, 2021. It’s an aquarists podcast.

I have a few shubunkins, some rosy minnows and mosquito fish in there.

Since listening to the podcast with Ted Coletti, I purchased the book and set up two patio ponds. I just love them!! Thanks so much.

Thanks for all of the answers. I’ve decided to use the Aquarium Coop strips and go by those readings and to just stop stressing about the incongruities.

I find testing nitrates really frustrating. For the API master kit, my nitrate reading is always red….which means it is 40 or more…..???? I can’t tell the difference between 40 and 100 with the master kit. With other test strips, I have the same problem. I can’t differentiate the pinks to tell what the reading actually is. I CAN actually differentiate the pinks on the Aquarium Coop strips which is so helpful. BUT….the Aquarium Coop strips read 25 ish but testing the same water with API master kit shows dark red which means over 40. I want to shoot for changing the water when the nitrates are 50 ish. I’m trying to feel comfortable about doing fewer water changes and allowing the nitrates to be a bit higher for the plants, but I’m frustrated because I don’t know what to trust. How can things be so incongruent?

Does anyone use tank water on their roses? I just started this year, and my roses have a terrible fungus/black spot problem. Could this be due to the tank water from water changes? I live in Oregon and we have also had an unusually cold and wet spring, so I don’t know which to blame. Has anyone else had this problem?

I actually have tried search bars, etc, but I can’t figure out how to navigate the membership benefits. I want to watch past expert talks and I am a member, paid the $5 fee. I have looked on the ap downloaded to my phone, on YouTube under Aquarium Coop, on the Google website for Aquarium Coop. Is there one place where I can access all information instead of going from site to site? I believe that I’ve linked properly…I know that I’m not super savvy since I was born too long ago…..:🤣. Plus I can’t figure out how to actually join a stream instead of watching it later. How do I know when it will happen? Once again, sorry for the ignorance.

How many times per day should I feed?

I purchased 6 multifasciotus (shellies) about 5 months ago. I see 2 smaller (females?) and 3 larger ones regularly. There might still be 6, since they are shy and quick to dart into the shells. PH is 8.0. I would like to start a colony. Can I get them to breed with frozen and prepared foods? Or must I hatch out baby brine? I’ve never done this and am dragging my feet. It’s a 20 long and I don’t turn the light on much to keep the algae down.

It is a 40 gallon breeder with aquaclear 70 HOB and 2 sponge filters. How can I increase circulation across the bottom?

The smuts or gunk on the substrate, is it good or bad? I hate the gunk that flies around when the substrate is stirred, so I over filtrate and vacuum. Is there any benefit for planted tanks? Should I be working so hard to get rid of it in planted tanks?

This is the second week that I’ve had my mbuna. They are about 2” and look very healthy with great appetites. At least half of them have dark, long, strings of poop. I’m feeding either Sera veggie flakes or Bug Bites spirulina flakes in the morning and Solient Green by Rapashy or spectrum algae discs in the evening with fresh cucumbers a couple times per week. Is the poops a positive thing like their GI tract is cleaning out or negative? Am I feeding too much?

This is my second year in the hobby, and I’ve always done well with the fish, but I am a plant killer…all plants. I can keep a few alive now that I’ve started using the tabs and easy Green, but now my nitrates are over 50 or maybe 100 (I can’t tell difference on chart) where they were under 40 always. I have to do something. I just added root tabs around the swords and crypts and just 1 tab. I am going to stop the easy green until I’m back to nitrates at 40 with my usual 20% weekly water change, then I will start dosing 1/2 pump per 10 gallons and see how plants respond. I will also put root tabs every other month. Does this sound like a plan?

Since starting a regime of easy Green and root tabs, my nitrates have climbed past 40. I’m thinking of using root tabs only and adding them once monthly. Besides Java ferns and Anubis and ferns which aren’t rooted, will my crypts, swords, Val, and crinum even need easy Green?

I currently have my tanks in my living room and bedroom and are run using individual tetra air pumps. These seem to last about 10-12 months before wearing out and I have a crazy mess of cords and power strips. Would it make economic sense to centralize the air supply and run lines in this situation for about 10 tanks? Is this air pump the correct choice?

I am thinking about putting in a centralized air pump to run my home aquariums. I have 10 tanks ranging from 125 gallon to 20 gallons - 450 gallons total. Would the $220 aquarium coop pump be too much or too little for this job?

This is REALLY helpful. I pushed the tabs all the way down, but it sounds like I used way too many. My 75 gallon planted tank has a Fluval Plant, my 125 gallon Oscar tank has jungle Val and Crinum and a Fluval Plant light but only root tabs. My 40 breeder planted has an off brand light for planted tanks from Amazon. The lights are on a timer for 6 hours per day.

Since starting Easy Green and root tabs, I can finally keep a few plants alive: swords and crypts doing very well, Java ferns not so much and Anubis caked with black algae that is flat and invades the leaves. Before, I could keep my nitrates to 30-40 with weekly 25% water changes. Since adding root tabs and dosing Easy Green once weekly after water changes, my nitrates are climbing to 100. What should I do?

How do I know when I need to trim Amazon puffer teeth? I am feeding mostly snails with a mixture of Hikari Carnivore Bites, Bug Bites, Vita Bites, and some crickets. I can see the little teeth, but they are having no problems eating. In fact the guy with the most obvious teeth is a fatty.

I’m an avowed plant killer for the past year…I mean all plants, even the easy ones. The tank has been running for about 4 months. I did a major rescape. And replanted 2 months ago. I had been battling brown algae but that is gone. There is a little bit of BBA but I’m quarantining some Siamese algae eaters. My nitrates are running 30 with weekly water changes. It going pretty well. I know about the balance concept but being new, I need a starting point. and I can’t figure out how to add a picture 😞

My Amazon Puffer tank is planted and I insert root tabs once monthly. I’ve also been dosing Easy Green. Am I doing too much?

My chocolate cichlid was intended to go into my 125 gallon Oscar tank but was ravaged….by my Tbar cichlid. I guess he needs his own tank. Currently he is in my 55 gallon with the electric blue acaras. I am getting a 75 gallon and wanted to add geophagus topajos. How many can go with the chocolate?