My 75 Gallon Community Journal - Mitch

[Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics]

On 8/12/2021 at 7:45 PM, heidigirl99 said:

So… what happened to your mollies? Did the levamisole do the trick?

Yes, and no. I’m still figuring it out. The Levamisole did help, but every now and then I see another person me begin to slim and eventually die. I’ve been trying to keep the water quality as pristine as possible and feed more spirulina. Unfortunately, we had a lot of sickness and the holidays kept me from really keeping things up. I’ve been working on it, but the whole tank became a bit unkept. 
 

I’ve been hard at it the past few weeks, and I’m seeing improvement. I found another dead Molly last week. Honestly considering getting out of mollies, but I don’t know what to do with a colony of fish that keep getting sick. 

[Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics]

Since I stopped by, maybe it is time for an update. The post above got into the Molly situation. We have been dealing with some sickness in the family that kept me from anything more than regular feedings and tank maintenance. The duckweed and algae has been a little out of control, but the last couple of weeks I’ve been cleaning out the tank.
 

I just received  a shipment from the Co-Op. I picked up the python sink attachment to make winter water changes more easily. Water is expensive in my area, but I can’t really use the water while it is below freezing outside. I have another coarse sponge to add to my canister filter. I have two in there now and this will make three. It’s all sponge, but Ive been switching to coarse. 
 

I also grabbed some root tabs. I’ve been out. My Swords and crypts have not been happy. I had to cut out leaves last week. So tonight, they feast!

Another thing that has happened recently is that I was part of a group in my area last month to form a fish club. Our area has been sorely lacking a club. We worked through the holidays to build the club. We selected a board to run it, and the club met for the first time the first week of January. Twenty people were there for the first meeting. We had a speaker who did a workshop on how to take pictures of your aquariums, and everyone left with door prizes. Members brought in plants and fish to give out. Our next meeting is February 5th, and our speaker is Kinny Parrot Aquatics, Aquatic Marine, and Aquaticon! if you are in the East Tennessee area shoot me a message and I’ll tell you more. It’s been great meeting other hobbyists in my area. 

Edited January 21, 2022 by Mitch Norton

[Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics]

Spent a couple more hours on the 75 today. I had to cut out some more leaves, I added the root tabs, I treated some BBA on my Anubias (ugh… Injust realized I didn’t move the Anubias off the glass), and I “replanted” the Java Fern. 
 

This was my first water change with the python system. I like to use a 32 gallon garbage can during the summer to water our shrubs with the good stuff, but it’s too cold for that right now. It was nice, but it took a long time to drain. I slipped a AC-O media bag over the end so I didn’t suck up fry, and I changed the water in my QT. 

A couple of the Mollies are thinning and swimming funny. I cleared the last fry out of the QT, removed the pond snails (Love my snails), and salted the Mollies. I’ll try to get some video of the sick mollies. Maybe I can get some help on those. 
 

40 Seconds with my 75 Gallon Community Tank
https://youtu.be/vv-Dp4n6p7k

[Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics]

Update Time!

 

[Patrick_G]

It looks spectacular! I love the black and gold Mollies (platies?) 

[Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics]

On 2/13/2022 at 8:25 PM, Patrick_G said:

It looks spectacular! I love the black and gold Mollies (platies?) 

Thanks! They are mixed Mollies. We tried breeding our high fin golden mollies with gold dust mollies.

Oh… and this is happening. 
 

 

[Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics]

I added DIY CO2 to the 75 gallon last night. I figured I would record the parameters here Din the journal. 
 

Nitrates looked below 50 in person, but they may be 50+ judging by the picture. Gh is 300 and KH 180. Ph appeared 7.6 in person, but looks like it could be 8 here. 
 

The NICREW light is currently at 75% intensity. 
 

The CO2 is about one bubble per minute. It might be because my airline is too long, but it’s been difficult to get that right. I’ve used a metronome on my phone that allows me to tap a beat. I’m above 65 and below 72 average. I think that is seconds between bests/bubbles. I will not adjust the lights or ferts… which I normally would have dosed Easy Green today and didn’t. I may test…

[Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics]

Comparison: 

Nitrates may be a little lighter. KH is definitely down to 120 and pH is definitely 8. 

[PineSong]

Tank looks great! What a luxury for your fish to have so much space and such great plants. I have the same situation with all of my regular java fern, but my wendelov variety does really well--none of those brown spots and has quadrupled or more in size since I added it. I just out in some needle leaf java fern last month, I'm waiting to see which way it goes. 

[Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics]

On 2/14/2022 at 10:21 PM, PineSong said:

Tank looks great! What a luxury for your fish to have so much space and such great plants. I have the same situation with all of my regular java fern, but my wendelov variety does really well--none of those brown spots and has quadrupled or more in size since I added it. I just out in some needle leaf java fern last month, I'm waiting to see which way it goes. 

I may try some windelov. I’ve always wanted to have a thick Java fern, but I’ve never been able to get it past where it is. I have also looked at needle leaf. I hope to hear/see how it goes. 

[PineSong]

I feel like it is one of those plants that does better when there are a lot of plants, but whether it is the shade provided by the other plants or something else that makes it happy, I do not know. All a big fun experiment!

[Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics]

Woke up to some problems this morning. First, the water:

Nitrates: <50

Gh: 300

kh: 120

ph: 7.6

 

I am continuing to see issues with my Mollies. I have several with a white film around their eyes. Some are thinning, and begin to have issues swimming. I’ve pulled all of the ones that appear to have this problem and they have been in a 1 tbs per 3 gallon salt QT. Last night I came across a Molly that was pine coning. I moved that fish and a couple more to the QT last night and brought the salt to 1 tbs per 2 gallon. This morning most are looking better… But

I had to pull more from the 75 this morning for QT, and then I noticed one of the Corydora Paleatus that I’ve had for some time has white patches and even some red marks on him. So I did a 50% water change from the QT to lower the salt and added 1/2 tbs of salt to bring it back to 1 per 3g. This is the first time I’ve seen this on a Cory in quite some time. I would have to look through my journal, but it may be a couple of years. Could the new cories and the CO2 be stressing it to the point of becoming I’ll?

Thanks for any help you may have to offer. 

[Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics]

Some real highs and lows this past week. The Paleatus Corydora didn’t make it. I also lost two of the green corydoras. I did not see any spikes or swings in my parameters, but I’ve done an extra water change just in case. 
 

Everyone else seems to be doing well. I’ve enjoyed watching the four remaining greens explore the tank. They mostly stay in the crypts until evening when they are coming to the front of the tank. I am making sure I feed blood worms in the evenings. 

I am planning on purchasing some black worms this week. One of my local stores sells them. I am currently learning about them. I am hoping to put them in the substrate so the cories can hunt them. Has anyone here done this?

Any who. Here is a video update. 

 

[AndEEss]

I think you'll get better results with the CO2 if you get a powerhead to generate some current and move it around the tank. Otherwise it's going straight up and out of the water column. 

 

 

[Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics]

On 2/25/2022 at 11:46 AM, AndEEss said:

I think you'll get better results with the CO2 if you get a powerhead to generate some current and move it around the tank. Otherwise it's going straight up and out of the water column. 

 

 

This is a great point, and something I have been trying to research. My diffuser currently resides below my spray bar. My thought was the current would move it around. I do have a drop checker that shows the CO2 is being diffused into the water, at least it is lowering my pH for the drop checker to register adequate CO2… right?

I had recently read that it is better to place the diffuser on the opposite end from the flow. The flow should be strong enough to push the bubbles down and around the tank. My spray bar is pointed slightly up, but I am thinking about positioning it across and slightly down. Then moving the diffuser to the opposite end of my aquarium. If the flow is strong enough to push the bubbles down and around. 
 

At the same time I have considered a power head on my sponge filters…

[AndEEss]

Ah. I didn't see that you are running a cannister in addition to sponges.

In that case, here's some light reading for you, re: reactors. Reactors are far, far more efficient than diffusers in terms of dissolving CO2 and using less of it to achieve more.

https://www.plantedtank.net/threads/critique-my-cerges-please.1316811/

[Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics]

New video journal entry!

The tank is doing really well. I am still working at getting the DIY CO2 dialed in  I am seeing less algae and more plant growth (but not what I expected). Hope you enjoy  

 

[Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics]

New video journal entry, but let me warn you; I got carried away. We had our new club’s first “fish swap”. I worked the front door, but I got some deals as everyone was boxing up. The video is LONG. 
 

I am in the process of getting rid of the mollies. I have determined my problem is genetics. It comes and goes as the fry reach a certain age, and then I’m clear again for a while. Right now I have no sick fish and no recent losses. I have someone who wants four of my prettiest ladies, my kids want to keep some of the ladies, and the rest are going to new homes. 

So what is replacing them? Superior HTD Red Albino Guppies. That’s right, we are getting into guppies!

The video is also a lot of new plants added to the tank. I’m loving how the tank is looking right now, and hoping I can grow these new plants  

 

 

[Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics]

Not technically an update on the 75 gallon, BUT it will be. I found someone to take most of the mollies, and I finally picked up my sterbai cories! I’m stoked to get these guys and gals into the 75. I also picked up three more green Cories  

The Sterbai look a little thin and I haven’t seen them eat yet. I really want to see these do well, any tips? At what point would you treat for parasites since they are so thin. The store received them middle of the week. Hopefully they eat this evening, I may pick up some live black worms to try to entice them. 
 

 

[Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics]

Another update on the new Cories. 
 

Some of the Sterbai were looking thin, and I never saw them eat those first couple of days. I treated them Sunday morning with Paracleanse. I have seen them eat this week and they are looking better. So far I still have all nine alive in the tank!

Another April Update On The New Corydora
https://youtu.be/Horaf7wYNME

 

 

Edited April 20, 2022 by Mitch Norton

[Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics]

Update Time!

Well, I am horrible with Sterbaii Corydora. I can’t help but wonder if I brought it on, but I lost all but one. The one survivor moved to the 75 gallon this past weekend and appears to be thriving. 
 

I also added three Emerald Green Corydora. I got these from the same store, they were QT’d in the same tank, and they all three are thriving. They took to my other four greens immediately, and the next day my oldest female laid eggs. I collected 60+, and most of them appear to be fertile. I have them in a container with an airstone, some alder cones, and a red Cherry shrimp. We are on day 3 and 4 (they were laid across two days) and I have not seen any white fungus. Fingers crossed for a large hatch in a day or two. My container is staying around 70 degrees so I hope to see them hatch by Monday. 
 

I removed the Ludwigia and Rotala because my light just isn’t strong enough. They were leggy. I have filled the space with some crypts. The stems were planted in terracotta planters and they are in my new patio micro-pond. We are really enjoying the micro-pond. 
 

I recently found ramshorn snails in the micro-pond and then 75 gallon. I’m really excited about them and enjoy watching them. 
 

After a presentation at our local club (East Tennessee Aquatic Association) I’ve started keeping a number of live foods. I’m feeding banana worms almost daily (I believe that was a factor on the Corydora eggs). I’m trying to get a healthy culture of Grindall worms, and I just put daphnia out on Tuesday. 
 

That’s it for the update. I don’t have a video because I’ve moved my YT efforts to a new channel covering the hobby. I won’t self promote it here, but my name change might interest you if that sounds interesting. I’ll try to do a video journal update some time soon and put on my older channel. 
 

Hope you are enjoying your tanks, stay Scruffy. 🤣🤣🤣

[Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics]

It’s been a few months again I have been very busy lately. I’ve done a couple of updates on the 75 gallon. 
 

75 Gallon Plant Clean Out
https://youtu.be/rT-OaDyrXUs

Update On The 75 Gallon Planted Tank

I hope it is ok that I share these updates here. Im not really posting to the old account much. I only really use it to communicate with the Co-op because my membership is through it.

 

[Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics]

I did a September tour of my tanks. The 75 is doing pretty good. The Molly population is on the rise. Time to get rid of some/all of them. I’m close to adding the new Cories to the 75 gallon. That will be fun. 

The biggest news is that I am about to add some hardscape additions to the 75 gallon! I have a bunch of large river rock, and I think it’s going into the 75. 
 

A September Tank Tour

https://youtu.be/bRNs97hxYTU

Edited September 30, 2022 by Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics