29 gallons of hot mess reset

[Odd Duck]

I’ve had a 29 gallon tank that I first bought for a grow out tank for Jack Dempsey cichlid babies.  Then when they finally moved out, it became a plant holding tank, then got a temporary crew of bronze cories, then plant holding, and now it is evolving into a pea puffer tank.  My shoal of puffers seems a bit crowded in my 20 long, so they will get an upgrade to 29 gallons.  It’s the same footprint as the 20 gallon long but is 50% taller and of course, almost 50% more volume/territory.

It’s got plenty of growing out to do and after the substrate settles, I’ll be adding some tall Anubias hastifolia, some big A. barteris, and a couple good sized A. nanas.  I’ve also got an assortment of Java fern varieties that may go in either long, or short term.  The Anubias and Java ferns are all on either wood or rocks so they can be rearranged if needed because, well, pea puffers are jerks.

I’ve got some snails stocked in there already since the filter is well seasoned - a mix of bladder snails and red ramshorns.  I’ll be adding some Amano shrimp, likely in about 1-2 weeks with the timing depending on the parameters settling so they can get settled in well before I add the puffers (the puffers are used to having Amanos in their current tank).  Here’s to hoping for a slightly more peaceful puffer tank overall with more room for them to spread out.

First pics (1 & 2) are the worst of the hot mess stage, next is partly cleaned up but with cories (3), next is completely bare and clean - woo hoo! (4), then with the first layer of substrate with pool filter sand margins and a center of heavy clay dirt with some Osmocote sprinkled on top (5), next with a very thin layer of sand over the dirt (6), then driftwood in place and more sand (7), plants in (8), finally with water in right after restarting the filter (9).

Nothing quite like getting 3 or so hours into the reset and realizing you don’t have enough black window film to cover the back. 🙄  I still want to put moss on some branches, too, so I’ll need to drain it again for that so I’ll be able to slide it forward on the desk to make it easier to add the window film.  I’ve also ordered a different filter (one that will restart without any fiddling with it after water changes or any power outages) and the sponge prefilter will be smaller.  I’ve also ordered a better light.

I anticipate some Crypt and Val melt, but I’m hoping for some good growth from the swords.  The ‘Aflame’ swords have some BBA, but I’ve just treated it with peroxide and will repeat that treatment as necessary until it’s clear.  I’ve got loads of red root floaters or frogbit that I can float if needed and the new light will have a controller so I can adjust intensity and timing.  Once the Val gets tall, I probably won’t need any floaters, but we’ll see how things evolve.  I’ll be adding an ACO sponge, too.

Open to any thoughts or suggestions.  I wants to get a big “mother” Amazon sword like I put in my 75 gallon, but couldn’t find one.  Depending on how the Val does, I may entertain putting one there.

Current plant list:

Vallisneria americana (Jungle Val) back right, trimmed since I just got it yesterday.

Echinodorus cordifolia (Radican Sword) back left that got a little dry in transit yesterday, some small E. ‘Aflame’ swords center right in front of the wood, plus a single baby sword just in front of the left side of the wood, that should be a ‘Red Flame’ but I can’t remember for sure.  😆 

Helanthium tenellum (Pigmy Chain Sword) center front

Cryptocoryne axelrodii right front and Crypt. balansae just left of the ‘Aflame’ sword

Epipremnum aureus (Pothos) top left

I’m still debating adding some Echinodorus vesuvius between the sponge filter and the wood.  I’ve got loads of that but the leaves are so skinny and crisp they don’t really create much hiding effect and the peas don’t seem to like going into them.  I’m just thinking it will soften the effect of that giant prefilter sponge!

 

[Tihshho]

Definitely a big change! Good job! 

[Patrick_G]

Looks good! 

[Odd Duck]

On 8/29/2021 at 10:15 PM, Tihshho said:

Definitely a big change! Good job! 

Thank you!  It was way overdue and had been rather neglected, obviously.  But I wanted to show that it can be done.  I used a lot of the plants that were already in the tank along with some new ones.  The rest of the plants that were in there will go into smaller plant holding tanks until they are de-algaefied.

[Odd Duck]

On 8/29/2021 at 10:46 PM, Patrick_G said:

Looks good! 

Thank you!  It was a very overdue update.

[Patrick_G]

I think the layered substrate approach makes a lot of sense. It’s not to complicated and it seems to work great. 
It’s too bad you couldn’t find the big mother sword, that would be a great centerpiece in a tank this high. A giant Bolbitis would look good too. 

 

Edited August 30, 2021 by Patrick_G

[Odd Duck]

On 8/30/2021 at 9:45 AM, Patrick_G said:

I think the layered substrate approach makes a lot of sense. It’s not to complicated and it seems to work great. 
It’s too bad you couldn’t find the big mother sword, that would be a great centerpiece in a tank this high. A giant Bolbitis would look good too. 

 

Thank you, it’s been working for me pretty well as long as I don’t get too heavy handed with the Osmocote granules.

I really did hope to find another pot of tall swords and was tempted to pull just one from the 75 G that’s in the same room, but the Jacks are finally starting to leave the swords and Vals sort of alone, so I didn’t dare disturb them.

I'm hoping to still find one soon enough to squish the Vals together and forward so the sword can go in the back right side.  It’ll become quite a crowd, but that’s exactly what I want for the pea puffers.

I also want a single tall sword for the 46 G that I’ll be putting together for angels.

Edited August 30, 2021 by Odd Duck

[Odd Duck]

Adding pics with the tall Amazonsword I was looking for along with the wood that now has moss on it.  Hooker’s moss on the left piece, tied where I could and small bits glued where I couldn’t tie.  Right piece has both Mini Weeping up top and some Jade Lotus on the lower right area.

Updated plant list is Aponogeton crispus (might still be alive?), Crypt axelrodii, C. balansae, C. undulata, C. usteriana, C. wendtii ‘Red’, Echinodorus ‘Aflame’, Amazon sword (E. bleherii), E. cordifolia (AKA Radicans), E. barthii x E. schlueteri ‘Red Flame’, Jade Lotus moss (Jungermannia truncata), Mini Weeping moss AKA Java Springs moss (no binomial found), Hooker’s moss (Physcomitrium hookeri), and finally Jungle Val (Vallisneria americana).  Up top at the left corner there’s Golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum).

It should be nicely crowded when it all grows in, just what I need for the pea puffers.

[Odd Duck]

Way overdue for updating!  No cleaning, down and dirty, it is what it is!  Cleaning didn’t happen this week (or last) but next week it will.  I’ve got some staghorn algae that’s needs treated with peroxide (tomorrow).  I still don’t have Anubias and Java ferns in here since I don’t want them in until I get this tank past the “new tank algae” stage.

I have the whole tank pic where you can see quite a bit of staghorn on the big sword on the right.  You can see that the radicans swords on the left melted badly (I knew they got very heat stressed during shipping).  The crypts are doing well, almost no melt (shocking, I know).  The tiny Aflame swords in the center melted but are just starting to bounce back.  These guys seem a bit delicate for me.

I did also take some zoomed in pics on how the moss is doing.  I posted the moss pics in another topic but figured I should post them here, too.  I think the tank is growing in pretty well, overall.  I expect the radicans swords to come booming back soon since they appear to be done melting and are putting out new leaves now.

I’d really like those Aflames to impress me a bit more with their effort.  They just don’t seem to try really hard.  😝  It’s seems kind of like when people are too pretty and don’t try hard enough to live up to their full potential?

I’ve added a bunch of MTS’s for more snail population for peas to pick at, as needed.

1. Whole tank

2. The moss that had all the threads cut by snails.  Thread is now just gone.

3. A different kind of moss (mini weeping moss) that was partially tied on with the older thread that was slightly thicker, and part tied on with the thinner thread (which is all gone).

4. Spots where I glued little bits of moss since tying on these short, sharply tapered points would have been useless (same type moss as the first moss pic, the Hookeracea moss).

What I’ve learned:  1. Moss attaches much quicker than I expected when chopped and tied on snug.

2. It’s OK to use very fine thread but I don’t think I’d want to start moss this way with fish in the tank.  I wouldn’t want a fish to get a linear foreign body.

3. I still hate staghorn algae.

4. Waiting for the E. ‘Aflame’ to DO SOMETHING is getting frustrating.  You can’t even see it nestled in front of the wood on the right side of the Crypt. balansea which is the tall stuff on the left of center.  The Helanthium tennelum (Pigmy Chain Sword) is in front of it and already bigger than the Aflame. 

Edited October 20, 2021 by Odd Duck

[Odd Duck]

Finally have my shoal of pea puffers moved in to this tank.  I added some big Anubias attached to wood and rocks.  I may eventually remove these pending other plant growth and puffer behavior.  Or I may shuffle these intermittently to keep the puffers from getting too territorial.

First pic has the 2 Anubias barteri added, the second also has the Anubias hastifolia added.

[Guppysnail]

Looks fantastic. I hope there is no drama with the peas. They will definitely enjoy that paradise. 

[PineSong]

Nice makeover. I like those mosses. 

[eatyourpeas]

Should make for happy puffers! 😍

[Odd Duck]

On 11/10/2021 at 3:51 AM, Guppysnail said:

Looks fantastic. I hope there is no drama with the peas. They will definitely enjoy that paradise. 

Thank you!  They are settling in nicely and ate later that same day.  They seem to be doing very well and most important, nobody is off color anymore.  They are still in the “hanging out together, actually shoaling stage” for the girls, and the boys seem to have each picked their favorite end of the tank.

They barely came out for breakfast today but everybody has nice round tummies.  They’re hitting the snails and scuds, I’m sure!  😆 

On 11/12/2021 at 7:11 PM, PineSong said:

Nice makeover. I like those mosses. 

I’m stupidly fond of funky mosses!  I’m not quite sure how it started.  I’ve never been that excited by Java moss or most of the more common mosses since they can look pretty messy if not groomed regularly (and who has time for that?).

I was seeing some unusual mosses on Band and started reading (Hello, Rabbit) and here I am with 6 or 7 different mosses now.  🤷🏻‍♀️

On 11/12/2021 at 7:18 PM, eatyourpeas said:

Should make for happy puffers! 😍

Yes, the off color ones seem soooooo much happier now!  This is exactly what I wanted when I planned their upgrade.

Edited November 13, 2021 by Odd Duck

[Patrick_G]

The mosses look great, actually it all looks great, but I’m ready to move beyond regular Java Moss and want to try some of the varieties you have.  I’m taking notes! How are the puffers getting along so far? 

[Odd Duck]

On 11/13/2021 at 4:27 PM, Patrick_G said:

The mosses look great, actually it all looks great, but I’m ready to move beyond regular Java Moss and want to try some of the varieties you have.  I’m taking notes! How are the puffers getting along so far? 

Everybody seems to be doing very well.  Everybody’s color is good, nobody showing that subdued, off color.

They’re barely coming out to eat, but they all have nice fat tummies from the scud and snail smorgasbord!  I’m only giving them about 1 whiteworm apiece when usually it’s 2-4 each.  Doesn’t seem to bother them the slightest to not get as many worms right now since they’ve bellied up to the buffet.

[Atitagain]

I see it’s been a long time since you’ve updated this thread, does this tank still have the puffers? I’d be interested in a long term update, the plants looked really good and I don’t think you’ve shown any pics of the P/P’s. Also wanna see how the moss has grown in, Java and Christmas moss are the only ones I’ve tried and like you were saying unless you keep trimed they can look very messy. 

[Odd Duck]

On 9/3/2022 at 4:50 AM, Atitagain said:

I see it’s been a long time since you’ve updated this thread, does this tank still have the puffers? I’d be interested in a long term update, the plants looked really good and I don’t think you’ve shown any pics of the P/P’s. Also wanna see how the moss has grown in, Java and Christmas moss are the only ones I’ve tried and like you were saying unless you keep trimed they can look very messy. 

There are only 4 puffers in there now, they seem to have thinned themselves.  I only ever found 1 dead.  The mosses have done very poorly, I think because I let them get too overshadowed with tall plants.  I’ve been very behind in my maintenance overall.  The mosses started out great, but then just faded away despite thinning the overgrowth and I got discouraged with the tank so haven’t fiddled with it much.  I’ve decided that I just don’t like the pea puffers well enough to keep the colony going.  They’re just so mean to each other.

I spotted some planaria recently (just before I left for a vet conference) and did a No Planaria treatment and found out when I got back that MTS apparently are one of the species of snail that doesn’t do well with the treatment.  So now I need to clean out a bunch of shells.  Shockingly, the peas seem unaffected by the massive snail die off!  I guess I’ve got plenty of plants and biofiltration.  🤷🏻‍♀️ 

It’s one of the tanks that I need to go into attack mode and get sorted out.  I’ve been a bit discouraged overall with some of my big tanks and lack of progress toward getting small tanks consolidated into an Offish/fish room, so my current motivation has been low.  I’m managing basic maintenance, but not much more right now.  Making small steps towards the Offish, so I’ll get there eventually.

[eatyourpeas]

I have always been reticent to go the shoal way with pea puffers for that reason. I keep reading they “like” to be in groups, then later find out they did not do well together after all.

Take a deep breath. When the time is right, you’ll find the enthusiasm again to make the Offish that very special place. 😍

[Odd Duck]

On 9/3/2022 at 10:17 AM, eatyourpeas said:

I have always been reticent to go the shoal way with pea puffers for that reason. I keep reading they “like” to be in groups, then later find out they did not do well together after all.

Take a deep breath. When the time is right, you’ll find the enthusiasm again to make the Offish that very special place. 😍

The longest term success I personally know of for a shoal was my friend’s group he had in a 100 gallon community tank.  There were all slightly, to much larger, but peaceful fish in there, and his shoal was well behaved.  Loads of plants and a large Java moss ball.  But he sold the inhabitants and tank a couple months ago when he downsized his fish room.

I will get the Offish done and maintenance will get much easier with semi-auto water changes on most of my tanks after that.  The plan is for everything but my pair of 100’s to be on autosiphon so I can pump water through a top off system with mixed dechlor tap and RO.  It won’t be full auto and I’m still trying to work through how best to make that happen.