The trails and tribulations of flumpweesel's tanks

[Flumpweesel]

So maybe this is a better place to put my tankhold updates rather than spamming general with random updates.

Since joining this group I have set up a shrimp tank and I'm currently cycling the grumpy fish isolation tank.

My main tank is due a big reset soon. So I'm sure I'll want to document that.

So here is the progression of what is currently named the isolation tank. 

Tank picked up second hand with light, heater, filter (not being used) and half a bag of fine gravel (being saved for main tank) for £35.

Stand is lower than I would like but will serve until I can source something better.  

The filter, gravel and hardscape was all from storage and the plants have come from my other tanks. 

[Gwallace]

Interesting.  I'll be following along.   That is a weird looking filter BTW...

[Flumpweesel]

On 7/19/2022 at 12:17 AM, Gwallace said:

weird looking filter BTW

Yes it is, best I could buy a long time ago it's a Hagen Elite Stingray. It just take sponge and there are some tiny baskets for using other media (I have gravel in them) 

I'm going to try adding some extra foam which might reduce the follow which is quite intense in this tank.

For now I'm trying to reuse my existing equipment for this tank.

[Flumpweesel]

Krib was added to isolation tank a couple of days ago and be she is mainly sulking but already seeing a change in behaviour in the community tank although I believe they are still looking for her when they swim in the open. 

I might look at getting some sort of dither fish to help her relax.

[Flumpweesel]

Right back from 6 days on a London theatre binge. So before I unpack it's put the kettle on and do a tank head count and check parameters.🤞

[Patrick_G]

On 7/26/2022 at 5:46 AM, Flumpweesel said:

So before I unpack it's put the kettle on

Priorities! 😀

[Flumpweesel]

On 7/26/2022 at 3:42 PM, Patrick_G said:

Priorities! 😀

But first there is always tea (or coffee I'm bi-beverage)

[Flumpweesel]

So tea drunk, parameters checked.

Shrimp tank - water great 

Main tank and Isolation tank all good but nitrates above 50  (both as expected given their position before I left)

No obvious casualties across all tanks☺️

Water change completed on isolation tank main tank can wait till weekend as I have some changes to make in there.

Isolation tank is no longer tube lonely krib prison as I have plopped my rather tubby lady betta in there. I know this could be a mistake I'll keep a close eye. But the Betta needed to move out of the tiny shrimp tank and the last time I tried it in the community tank it did not cope well with the chaos.

 

Anyway so far so good

Edited July 26, 2022 by Flumpweesel
Missed a bit

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

My wife is from New Zealand and I know all about the kettle. Cheers and hope the ladies get along. 

[Flumpweesel]

Caught my Betta trying out a new napping spot.  She seems pretty relaxed in general so it seems life with the krib is ok so far . Toying with adding a school of something tiny just to help with dynamic but I will wait for the tank to mature bit first.

I have also stuffed some additional foam into the filter to try and baffle the flow as it was a bit excessive. It seems to have improved things  I have also added a feeding ring  as the flow was sinking the betta's food a bit to quickly for her. 

Short update on the other tanks 

Shrimp tank - from the 8 added  in June I regularly see at least  5 I have seen a  few nice clean moults so looking good so far for establishing themselves. Photo will be taken soon I need to clean the glass and move the tank next water change so it is in a better position if we get another hot spell

Main tank - Well this still needs a reset but I want to do some more foraging for hardscape first and then really take my time with it. But since removing the Krib there has definitely been an overall uplift on activity from everyone else in there. Even the SAE's had started to hide and not even come out at feeding time. Another happy surprise was last night when I counted 4 out of 5 Ottos I hadn't seen a single otto in weeks so I thought I'd lost them. Some cory's are still being very reclusive hopefully they will feel more confident when I move everything about  I get the impression everyone is still looking over their shoulders for a looming Krib except the rosy barbs they are oblivious to everything.;

 

 

[Flumpweesel]

Pebble haul to change the hardscape in the main tank

[Flumpweesel]

Just spotted some surprise fry in the main tank so deep clean and reset on hold (again) and brine shrimp hatchery on.

Terrible photo but it could be pygmy corys.  Thought I had to many mouths in this tank for things to actually get this far. Definitely a different tank since krib removal.

[Flumpweesel]

Started work on the main tank today and forgot to take a before photo so will figure that out later so far all I've done is a fry careful gravel vac and add some more gravel and pebbles in the third of the tank furthest away from the pygmy fry not happy with the look yet so throw some pics out shortly.

I did take a huge algae riddled chunk of anubias from the log and squeezed it into the shrimp tank let's see how long they take to tidy it up 

Hopefully the added cover and food will encourage breeding as no signs so far 

[Flumpweesel]

Just spotted this after lights out and thought it looked very cosy. Wish I'd got round to cleaning the outside of the glass today 

[nabokovfan87]

On 8/7/2022 at 3:49 PM, Flumpweesel said:

Wish I'd got round to cleaning the outside of the glass today 

That always seems to happen to me too.  😞

Cool stuff though.  And I always enjoy those moments sitting in front of the tank, seeing things only I get to.  Sometimes we get to share.... Sometimes the photo isn't blurry. LOL

[Flumpweesel]

So been shopping, this week's LFS is a converted commercial greenhouse so obviously August is a great time to drop in.

It specialises in ponds and camping. Also trip to DIY store to get something to make a tank background with

Before and after of today's work on the main tank.

Still a lot of unanchored plants but the fish have had enough of me for one day.

 

[Flumpweesel]

Shrimp and snails doing a stirling job of algae removal on the plants I swapped in. 

Still some traces but after only 9 days they are looking pretty good.

Will have a crazy snail population after this for awhile.

[Flumpweesel]

And main tank update the lone pygmy fry has made it to fish shape.

[Flumpweesel]

Things in thinking tankwise at the moment .

 

1) tank maintenance is little and often better than lots now and then. 

 

2) how many fish do I own, I know I'm up one pygmy and one peppered Cory. I spotted what looked like a tiny Otto the other week with the five I remember purchasing but I haven't seen a single Otto in two weeks. And where are my two male bronze/anus hiding.

 

3) what to do about the angry krib is anything going to safe in a tank with her 

 

4) will the Betta ever stop sulking in the community tank

 

5) are my shrimp breeding I have to much cover in that tank to tell what's going on 

 

Edited August 26, 2022 by Flumpweesel

[Flumpweesel]

Latest baby out and about being a big brave fish and joining in the feeding time kerfuffle 

[TheSwissAquarist]

Have any more new babies surfaced? 

[Flumpweesel]

On 4/2/2023 at 12:23 PM, TheSwissAquarist said:

Have any more new babies surfaced? 

Nothing that I've seen recently but my pygmy Corrie's seem to manage their numbers.  I have no idea how many fish I have in that community tank I made them far to many nice hiding places.

I'll start feeding more BBS soon so that might get them going again