Coffee with Teejay

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

@TeeJay when you add sand:

1. Don’t use a bucket! Rinse in a bottle a few times. Dump cloudy water out until it’s fairly clear. Then proceed. (Yes, this takes longer than the bucket but the pay off is sooo worth it (see #2)

Ps don’t dump in a drain..
 

2. Put bottle underwater. Let the tank water fill up the bottle, then turn it over.  No cloudy water! 🙂

3. Leave your gravel where it is. Leave it dirty. Do a 2” sand cap on top. Plant plants. The plants will seek the dirty stuff as nutrients and will be happy. Also the gravel provides space for their roots. (of course, this depends on how you’d like the tank to look. If you dislike the look of gravel under sand this idea may not be for you, but it does prevent disruption of the gunk as well)

Edited September 5, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[TeeJay]

On 9/5/2022 at 9:50 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

@TeeJay when you add sand:

1. Don’t use a bucket! Rinse in a bottle a few times. Dump cloudy water out until it’s fairly clear. Then proceed. (Yes, this takes longer than the bucket but the pay off is sooo worth it (see #2)

Ps don’t dump in a drain..
 

2. Put bottle underwater. Let the tank water fill up the bottle, then turn it over.  No cloudy water! 🙂

3. Leave your gravel where it is. Leave it dirty. Do a 2” sand cap on top. Plant plants. The plants will seek the dirty stuff as nutrients and will be happy. Also the gravel provides space for their roots. (of course, this depends on how you’d like the tank to look. If you dislike the look of gravel under sand this idea may not be for you, but it does prevent disruption of the gunk as well)

All of the gravel will be coming out. It's just going to be a mix of the sand and crushed coral. I have 0kh out of the tap so I used the coral for a buffer.

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

They send out a pheromone signal that they’re ready to drop their berries and the males go in pursuit of the hormones.

@TeeJaywell done on this setup. Shrimpy paradise.

[TeeJay]

So I got a pot to put the flame sword in that I couldn't get to stay rooted in the tank. Added a root tabs to get it going better. That way when I make the changeover to sand I don't have to uproot it again. Does the pot look to big? The next size down would have been to small. They need half sizes lol

[Guppysnail]

It looks just the right size. When everything grows in it will look proportional. A big sword in a smaller pot would look too heavy when it grows in. 

[TeeJay]

On 9/5/2022 at 2:56 PM, Guppysnail said:

It looks just the right size. When everything grows in it will look proportional. A big sword in a smaller pot would look too heavy when it grows in. 

Ok good deal. I just want to be able to move it around when I do the substrate change. And I know the root system gets massive on those things

[TeeJay]

Looks like the guppy grass and water sprite have found out where they want to be in the tank. Kind of hides the wood a bit but good light is still getting to the sword and pogo so I'm happy with that. Just need to move the co ops sign. Forgot about it when I was doing water change yesterday.

[TeeJay]

Welcome to the co op. What can we help you with today?

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 9/5/2022 at 4:03 PM, TeeJay said:

Welcome to the co op. What can we help you with today?

I was not prepared for this cuteness overload.

[TeeJay]

On 9/5/2022 at 4:40 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

I was not prepared for this cuteness overload.

Yes it's not very often you can catch a picture  like that!

Edited September 6, 2022 by TeeJay

[TeeJay]

I have some exciting news! We have an new friend(s) that will be joining the Cory tank! Will be shipped out tomorrow and will arrive on Wednesday! So be sure to stay tuned for the reveal coming very very soon.

[nabokovfan87]

On 9/5/2022 at 6:50 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

1. Don’t use a bucket! Rinse in a bottle a few times. Dump cloudy water out until it’s fairly clear. Then proceed. (Yes, this takes longer than the bucket but the pay off is sooo worth it (see #2)

Are you familiar with the rice method? Or.... I should ask, how do you mean you clean it in a bucket vs. another container?

The sand he's getting is the one I just got, insanely nice stuff. Took me three rinses with the rice method and water was clear, then I always do one more for good measure.

On 9/5/2022 at 11:50 AM, TeeJay said:

So I got a pot to put the flame sword in that I couldn't get to stay rooted in the tank. Added a root tabs to get it going better. That way when I make the changeover to sand I don't have to uproot it again. Does the pot look to big? The next size down would have been to small. They need half sizes lol

Looks awesome

On 9/5/2022 at 6:50 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Put bottle underwater. Let the tank water fill up the bottle, then turn it over.  No cloudy water! 🙂

3. Leave your gravel where it is. Leave it dirty. Do a 2” sand cap on top. Plant plants. The plants will seek the dirty stuff as nutrients and will be happy. Also the gravel provides space for their roots. (of course, this depends on how you’d like the tank to look. If you dislike the look of gravel under sand this idea may not be for you, but it does prevent disruption of the gunk as well)

That video is awesome 🙂 I never had to do anything like that, I just use a 12-16oz cup that is small enough, or literally lift the bucket on the edge and scoop handfuls when I'm really impatient.

Yeah, I get what you're saying about the bottle and not having dust in the WC.

[nabokovfan87]

Rice method:

 

[TeeJay]

Welcome to today's edition of morning coffee with TeeJay. We have some great news. The new friend to go into the killi tank will be shipping out today. And will arrive tomorrow. Along with some other items that will help go along with the new killi fish and other tanks.

[Guppysnail]

Good morning.  It’s coffee time. ☕️ 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 9/6/2022 at 1:10 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

Are you familiar with the rice method? Or.... I should ask, how do you mean you clean it in a bucket vs. another container?

I don’t use a bucket at all, if it’s an established tank with livestock. I put sand in a bottle, add water to bottle, invert it a few times, pour cloudy water off. Repeat a few times. Submerge bottle in aquarium. Pour out. Clear water and plenty of control over where the sand lands. No disruptions.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

 

 

[nabokovfan87]

On 9/6/2022 at 6:29 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

I don’t use a bucket at all, if it’s an established tank with livestock. I put sand in a bottle, add water to bottle, invert it a few times, pour cloudy water off. Repeat a few times. Submerge bottle in aquarium. Pour out. Clear water and plenty of control over where the sand lands. No disruptions.

Right, the only different is that TeeJay has to remove the existing tank items to do it 😞  But yes, slowly adding it like that is 10000000% the way to go!  Getting it as low as possible is the best way to limit "dust" and fines.  I use my hands a lot to agitate the grains and to get all of those fines into the WC, dump them out.

I've seen a lot of videos / youtubers that literally just dump the sand in a bucket, run a hose into it, and run water "until clear" which doesn't really work for how sand is composed.  That's where I don't know how many people really use the agitation (i.e. rice) method to clean substrate.  Couldn't even tell you where I learned it from, probably Cory, but that's what I've always been directed to do when cleaning anything like that.

I'm so impatient and waiting for his tank to have some sand!!!!! 😂

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 9/6/2022 at 2:34 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Right, the only different is that TeeJay has to remove the existing tank items to do it 😞  But yes, slowly adding it like that is 10000000% the way to go!  Getting it as low as possible is the best way to limit "dust" and fines.  I use my hands a lot to agitate the grains and to get all of those fines into the WC, dump them out.

I've seen a lot of videos / youtubers that literally just dump the sand in a bucket, run a hose into it, and run water "until clear" which doesn't really work for how sand is composed.  That's where I don't know how many people really use the agitation (i.e. rice) method to clean substrate.  Couldn't even tell you where I learned it from, probably Cory, but that's what I've always been directed to do when cleaning anything like that.

I'm so impatient and waiting for his tank to have some sand!!!!! 😂

Is pool filter sand suitable for cories?  

[nabokovfan87]

On 9/6/2022 at 11:38 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Is pool filter sand suitable for cories?  

It's debatable, but yes. It's a type of sand that may or may not have a lot of algae potential because of the high silicates, which just means food for them.  I was actually looking it up for the tank and found out that it's designed to be very sharp, tumbles inside of the pool filter itself and that is what cuts in the debris. I found stuff like this for comparison when we had the whole zeolite vs. pool filter sand thread: http://sandgrains.com/Sand-Grains-Gallery.html

Play sand, I don't like.  Pool sand, I think you can get away with it.  Many people have used both and had no issues, but... that's just my view on it.

My only advice for PFS would just be to literally tumble it if you can, especially dry.  Something similar to lava rocks where they do that to break sharp, fine edges off. Especially when it's pebble size or smaller, that's just the norm.  PFS is likely not tumbled as much as the "expensive" aquarium products.  I have also seen some very small options for finer PFS, just make sure you get the largest size you can (typically #20)

https://www.riverpoolsandspas.com/blog/pool-sand-filter-cost-maintenance-benefits

[TeeJay]

On 9/6/2022 at 3:04 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

It's debatable, but yes. It's a type of sand that may or may not have a lot of algae potential because of the high silicates, which just means food for them.  I was actually looking it up for the tank and found out that it's designed to be very sharp, tumbles inside of the pool filter itself and that is what cuts in the debris. I found stuff like this for comparison when we had the whole zeolite vs. pool filter sand thread: http://sandgrains.com/Sand-Grains-Gallery.html

Play sand, I don't like.  Pool sand, I think you can get away with it.  Many people have used both and had no issues, but... that's just my view on it.

My only advice for PFS would just be to literally tumble it if you can, especially dry.  Something similar to lava rocks where they do that to break sharp, fine edges off. Especially when it's pebble size or smaller, that's just the norm.  PFS is likely not tumbled as much as the "expensive" aquarium products.  I have also seen some very small options for finer PFS, just make sure you get the largest size you can (typically #20)

https://www.riverpoolsandspas.com/blog/pool-sand-filter-cost-maintenance-benefits

Yes and I figure I'm only going to need 10lbs of sand for it. I'll go with the actual aquarium sand. It's only going to run me 25 bucks to do it. So yeah it's expensive but now bad for a ten gallon. And since it's my first time with sand I don't mind.

[TeeJay]

The new custom baffle has been shipped for the filter on the killifish tank. Should be here by the weekend if not sooner. Last piece of the tank setup!. As well the new suprise tank inhabitant"s"  will be here by 6 pm tomorrow 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 9/6/2022 at 4:36 PM, TeeJay said:

Yes and I figure I'm only going to need 10lbs of sand for it. I'll go with the actual aquarium sand. It's only going to run me 25 bucks to do it. So yeah it's expensive but now bad for a ten gallon. And since it's my first time with sand I don't mind.

Yeah @TeeJay, you’ve got options. In my case, I already have PFS in both tanks.

[TeeJay]

Attention Attention! The time has arrived for the big reveal!. It's been very hard to keep my lips closed for the past few days. Just wanted to make sure everything went smooth and safe before I said anything more. So here he is the brand new juvinile baby lemon blue eyed long fin pleco! Have decided to name him lemony snicket's. He made his journey safe and sound. Floated him for a bit and now he is munching in some alge on the glass. Thankyou to my partner in crime here on the forum @Guppysnail for hooking me up with such a beautiful fish!

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

ORD! Lemony Snickets is already washing the windows!