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sweetpoison

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    And so it begins….

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    Posted · Edited by sweetpoison

    On 6/26/2022 at 9:22 PM, Minanora said:

    I . Those coasters don't look like true stone, I'd be worried about what they may be made of and leach into the water. Just because I'm paranoid.

    Well that’s just great.  Thanks for spreading the paranoia. I really appreciate it though♥️😂👏

     I saw the ones that said “true stone” but it was suggested here that ceramic tile would be okay.

    True stone, or ceramic.  Can’t put one more penny into this tank. I’m gonna have to learn to stop buying when people tell me a suggestion I buy this l buy that…

    The source here they told me ceramic tile I trust they’ve been really helping me so, if everybody can just tell me ceramic tile or stone because if it’s stone tile I have to wait to buy that.  Now I’ve got ceramic tile with this sticky crap on the back when I pulled the cork off. I need to know if THATS gonna be OK as well😞

    And so it begins….

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    Posted

    On 6/26/2022 at 9:22 PM, Minanora said:

    I got slate coasters from Michaels craft store. Walmart has some too, same with Target for marble. Those coasters don't look like true stone, I'd be worried about what they may be made of and leach into the water. Just because I'm paranoid.

    Wonderful 

    And so it begins….

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    Posted

    I’m glad they do well ungravel because it is what it is😂

     

    So Patrick look at me a picture I got my tiles that I’m gonna glue my trip with two. But I have to take out that cork on the back. Comes out relatively easy but it’s gonna be sticky the back will be sticky after the court comes out.

    Please tell me this not gonna be a problem

    Water parameters

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    On 6/26/2022 at 9:17 AM, Pepere said:

    well, there are many ways to cycle a tank, but this is what I like to do.

     

    I test every day. When Ammonia and Nitrites read zero, or at least below 0.5 ppm, I re dose.  
     
    take a note of how many days it takes to get to that level and write it down.  
     

    If nitrates are above 40 ppm, do a 50% water change before redosing.

    again test daily and make note when ammonia and nitrite are below 0.5.

     

    I repeat this cycle until I can get a dosing that would initially raise ammonia level to 2 ppm that completely metabolizes to 0 ammonia and 0nitrites in 24 hours.

     

    At this point you have a robust colony of nitrifying bacteria that should easily take care of a reasonable fish bioload.

     

    my attraction to this method is you know how much ammonia is dosed and how long it takes to metabolize to be ammonia and nitrite free.

    Other people like just adding the amount of food daily they would normally feed intended fishload.  An experienced fish keeper might very well be able to pull this off easily, but in my mind it was easier dosing to a known ammonia level.

     

    I will test every day.  I’ve only hit it with ammonia once…started today. When do I hit it again with ammonia or do I just keep testing until my nitrites read zero?

     

    Water parameters

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    On 6/17/2022 at 10:38 AM, Pepere said:

    I would not dose the tank with ammonia every day.

     

    I would test the tank for Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates daily.  

    once ammonia and Nitrites are below 0.25 ppm, I would then do a water change if nitrates are above 20 ppm and then dose tank with ammonia again.

     

    I would repeat that action until you test water 24 hours after a dosing and get a reading of 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites.

    @PepereOK thanks up and running and I just tested for the first time everything and then I’m going to follow the directions above from you. I have not hit this tank with ammonia yet I am going to right now and every other day correct?

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    And so it begins….

    in Photos, Videos & Journals

    Posted

    On 6/26/2022 at 8:07 AM, Odd Duck said:

    Because you will hate yourself later for doing that. Gluing to slate let’s you shift things around to adjust the look. Let’s you completely change the look of you get tired of what you have. It also let’s you remove the hardscape to catch fish if you ever need to do so.

    Fish like to hang out in branches/roots so they are harder to catch and get eaten. Branches make it much harder for us to catch them, too. That’s why my “roots” in my angelfish tank are held in place by magnets outside the tank and magnets inside glued to the slate base that is screwed to the wood.

    You are welcome to glue them to the bottom of the tank if you’re certain you will never want to change them or need to catch fish out of the tank.  Just sayin’.  😉 😆 

    No I will not do that if you think it’s not a good idea. And you’re right I am so fickle sometimes I could change my mind often!

    • Like 1

    And so it begins….

    in Photos, Videos & Journals

    Posted · Edited by sweetpoison

    You’re so funny thank you!  Speaking of Coreys I want to get some for my tank, but I just read that they prefer sand they should not have gravel and I just switch to gravel😡😂 and the funny thing is the guy writing  the article shows a picture of Coreys with gravel🙄

    And so it begins….

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    Posted

    On 6/25/2022 at 7:45 PM, Brandon p said:

     

    I have a piece of driftwood that has been soaking since I started in the forum. Some will know. It’s a old piece of cypress wood it’s over a year. 

    I have no words.  And someone would say that’s impossible🤪

    And so it begins….

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    Posted

    On 6/25/2022 at 8:12 PM, Torrey said:

    I put together the T4' tank for my spouse May of last year. Wood had been soaking since January. One piece still hasn't sunk all the way (most of the way, one end hangs out just below the water line).

    Josh Sims has done similar vertical wood forest tanks for ADA competitions (fun nerm fact: he was the first aquascaper to use vertical wood in his scapes), He zipties to rocks, you can watch one of his videos on the Green Aqua if you need functional, proven to work, different solutions and want to watch them done. He's got a great sense of humor, and reminds folx to play and have fun.

    I took the "I'm going to work with what I have" approach, and let the fish push the wood around for the past year. In the end, they are the ones who have to live in the tank, so I figured I should let them have some creative license.

    I hope the coasters work for you! And yes, this hobby provides plenty of opportunities to learn patience. And then some more... and then a few hundred more for good measure.🤣

    Hey Torrey ~ I love reading your posts!  I can’t imagine soaking this wood for a year!  HELL No🥴 I do wish I had listen to the owner after forever trying to find as you call it vertical wood sticks. He asked if I wanted slates on the bottom  “Oh no I’ll just stick it in the sand”🤦‍♀️

    I think I saw that video with the guy and his drill and Ziploc ties. That was on my list next!

    I always try to do my due diligence and research whatever it is I want or want to do. Never ever thought I would have A problem with this wood. It worked fine on the tank I just took down. But apparently it was out of water too long and now I have to start over.  Ugh.

    So my tank is still cloudy not that bad though, I have no driftwood and the background was a bust😞

    i’m gluing those puppies as soon as those coasters get here today and that wood is going back in. And I’m going to paint my background I’ve decided because whatever background you get and stick on there ….I’m gonna get water in between that and the tank and it’s gonna look like shit and then I’m gonna pull it off again😂

    If all this doesn’t work you know me I’ll just come back here and whine more….🤭

    But I am not giving up Torrey ~ I’m setting up this tank if it’s the last thing I do!😂

    I’m getting some coffee try not to think this is the last day of my vacation, and then I’m going to do the parameters on this tank and I’ll be back,  I’m sure you’re just tickled pink🤭

    On 6/25/2022 at 1:20 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

    Eh just leave the rocks as they are.  The driftwood is not gonna float forever; it's just like this temporarily. Remember @sweetpoison, things don't have to be perfect!  Allow yourself some room for error.  Look at how great the other stuff looks.  Work on some other stuff in the meantime, like the ammonia. While you're doing that, the driftwood is absorbing water.  You're doing awesome!

    I can’t leave the rocks on top of that wood it drives me nuts!  I am going to work on other stuff right now. I’m getting coffee and I’m gonna do the parameters. And then I have to look at my notes to see how much ammonia to add because I have forgotten😂😂😂

    • Haha 1

    And so it begins….

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    Posted

    On 6/25/2022 at 6:52 PM, Odd Duck said:

    😆 😂 🤣  

    If I ever make an assumption about skill or experience levels, just call me out.  I’ll work on another idea that does work.  The coasters should be good, but I would pry off the cork because you want sinking and any floatation is against the goal.  Plus the adhesive may not be fish tank friendly.

    Superglue is fine but epoxy might get into texture better (thinking of the wood part of the glue up).

    Odd ~ I already ordered superglue. On my other form I was also told I could use gorilla sticks and a glue gun. Also no worries about making assumptions about skill.  This time around I’m going simple🤗 thank you for answering me about the cork I hope it comes off easy. There was some coasters that came with the cork and you just peel back and put it on but I don’t need 25 coasters. Only six😂

    Thank you I appreciate it more than you know♥️

    And so it begins….

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    Posted

    On 6/25/2022 at 2:20 PM, Odd Duck said:

    I bought charcuterie boards that I found by searching for “black slate”.  The specific ones I bought showed they were no longer available last I checked but there were plenty others that were similar.  You might be able to use coasters for your skinny wood pieces.  The ones I got are thin, much longer than I need but I break them to suit the size and shape I need using a cold chisel and hammer to rough size, then I carefully hammer the edges until I get the shape I want.  I wanted black slate for everything I’ve done so far but you could likely find other colors of slate, too, to match your gravel better.  You could also search for a local rock yard and likely find slate in several color options.  They might even cut a piece for you or would likely let you look through for pieces the size you want since they would likely not really want small pieces anyway so they would probably be happy to sell you small pieces if you did the digging through yourself, were gentle with the pieces you don’t want, and restack for them afterwards.

    Since you have white gravel, you might look for ceramic tile in white or other light color to blend in better once covered with gravel.  I saw the other day on a Facebook forum where someone used hexagon tiles for a similar sunken forest grouping and epoxied the wood to the tiles.


    Break, chisel and hammer??  Deep down you’re really hate me don’t you😂

    I did check into coasters like you mentioned!

    On 6/25/2022 at 2:26 PM, Patrick_G said:

    Any piece of ceramic or slate tile would work. Big box home center stores like Home Depot have them for a few $$ each. Amazon has a huge selection but they want you to buy a multi pack so they cost more.  You might even try a ceramic coaster. That might be a better size for your tank. 

    Ceramic coasters!  I just found these on Amazon what do you think? I only need six. But they have that cork backing can I just peel that off or does that matter?

    D7A76CE7-D4AF-4025-BC80-DD997B620561.png

    • Like 1

    And so it begins….

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    Posted

    I had to take off my background because water got into it and it looked bad now I have no background and I have no driftwood.  I put it back in the container let it soak in the tub like I started. I was going to boil it but I don’t have have a pot big enough.

     I’m waiting for my ammonia strips to be here should be soon today and then I’m gonna do my test of all the perimeters and then meantime should I go ahead and hit it with the three drops of ammonia?

    Might as start cycling this tank!

     

    Thank you for your inspiration I appreciate it more than you know♥️

    And so it begins….

    in Photos, Videos & Journals

    Posted

    I was just watching a video on that and I have a drill and I could drill holes and then this one guy had black ties and he just put it all together via the holes as you could imagine.  And then like you said somebody attached it to Slate or tile.

    In this one video he drilled the driftwood and he had the rubber suction cups that we attached to the side for things and he attached to the wood on the bottom and stuck it to the glass!

    I just can’t believe I have to soak this wood all over again😢

    Patience is not one of my virtues😂

    I remember thinking you have to have patience in this hobby….I guess I had forgotten hello

    Thank Odd ~  I appreciate it♥️

    • Like 1

    What does your background look like on your tank and what did you use?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    On 6/24/2022 at 12:57 PM, sweetpoison said:

    Well here’s my new background and I love it!

    for now ~

    F004CA80-51AA-4655-839A-789B51355976.jpeg

    Well this is a mess ~ I just had to rip it all out because water behind it!   I will check out the stuff you’re talking about.   When I did use the black privacy film I maybe it got water but you can’t really tell but I don’t want to use black anymore too gloomy for me🙄

    On 6/24/2022 at 1:47 PM, procyg said:

    I use black rabbitgoo Window Privacy Film off amazon.  cheap and works well.  I do have a couple of bubbles on my 75 but it was my first time using the film so i wasnt unhappy with it.  

    I am going to check this out!

    And so it begins….

    in Photos, Videos & Journals

    Posted

    Well this is a unmitigated disaster once I had it water 😢 The Driftwood which I soaked for a week or two and it NEVER floated in the tank I just took down, floated everywhere!

    I want my mom!🥺

    So you can see I put rocks on top of them all. They never floated when I buried them in sand maybe I just need more gravel? What do you think?  Do you think the Driftwood was out of water too long before I put it back in??  I wish I’d gotten the plates on the bottom because the owner of the company asked me and I said no don’t bother🤦‍♀️😩

    And if you look closely you see the background I must’ve gotten water in there and I’m gonna take that off every time I mess with water and dry it?

    I keep telling myself   “I’m having fun I’m having fun”😂😂

    On a nice pleasant note the tanks’ clear👏👏

    A3DC0DE1-56E3-4D04-A6D0-CA3BE15A395C.jpeg

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