Theplatymaster's NEW journal: A treacherous 20.

[Theplatymaster]

@PineSong

here is the strain my platies made on their own, that i probably will work with.

the male isnt the best for this project, but close enough:

though ill admit that chances are these females are tuxedos and i just havent realized it yet, but right now they are not, so right now they are unique.

and besides, this will be a longer project, not just i get rid of the entire first generation of fry.

part of my head was like "rehome all other platies"

but ill probably change my mind on this subject more years then ive actually had my mind, so yeah...

i think this is my 4th idea on this project so far, i need to choose something and stick with it, but there are SO MANY OPTIONS, and i cant do all of them, because tank limit. 😞.

though... 🤔, i can setup a pair in the 5, move the males out, move the female to a breeder box, move the next pair in...that plan is far too complicated but it might work.

actually best plan yet:

clear you the 2gallon (all the fish ARE healthy), setup a pair in there, after a week or two, move the male out and the female into the 5gallon (setup with lots of hidng spots for fry), then repeat this a few times... i may be on to something here.

Ive raised the lighting in my tank, from a level 3 to a level 4.

now if your question is

"Are you trying to outbreak hair algae again!?"

the answer is "yes".

why? I want to outbreak it, then remove it and add it to my breeding tank.

though in my opinion, anything higher then a 3on the ACO light is VERY bright, so i may undo this, for my eyes' sake

Edited March 19, 2023 by Theplatymaster

[Theplatymaster]

My moss experiments are working!

already (its been like 3days) i have some converted, if i can find some super glue, ill add it to my tank, otherwise i will have to see...

ive been discussing this topic with @rockfisherand @Expectorating_Aubergine(anyone want to join our study group?).

The converted moss i had so far, has had HIGH light, and high nutrients, it will take longer in lower light and lower nutrients. I have not done exact testing on this yet, but when doing to previously it was slow in low light.

here is a few clumps of the converted moss (it is being moved out to allow more light for the rest of the moss).

converted moss in my 2gallon with medium light, and medium/low nutrients:

the moss is the bright green stuff.

ill see how it grows from there, and also in the converting jar.

Edited March 19, 2023 by Theplatymaster

[Theplatymaster]

A snaily snack: (cucumber).

though Garra Guy is interested.

wow... Garra Guy looks AWESOME in that picture.

ill keep it in mind that zuccini is better for the snails., as the fish like cucumber.

I hope i dont come on in an hour to find someone like

"TAKE THAT OUT OF YOUR TANK, ITS POISON!"

 

though apparently cucumber isnt really that nutritious, but i couldnt find zucchini, and I was eating cucumber anyway, and besides, Garra Guy likes it.

@Chick-In-Of-TheSeais this okay for my snails?

the platies and Garra Guy are fans, but both of them are omnivores, so its no surprise.

 

Edited March 19, 2023 by Theplatymaster

[Cinnebuns]

On 3/19/2023 at 3:22 AM, Theplatymaster said:

whats the best way to do this without harming the rest?

Give it 24-48 hours to harden. At that time it's easy to snap in half. 

[Theplatymaster]

On 3/19/2023 at 4:32 PM, Cinnebuns said:

Give it 24-48 hours to harden. At that time it's easy to snap in half. 

ill keep that in mind, no eggs yet.

I finally got both my mystery snails out at the same time!

i find it funny that the dull one is outgoing, and the colorful one is shy, but it may just be a time thing.

i think they are reminding me to go prepare some zucchini for them.(i removed the cucumber).

 

also no more breeder box, the inhabitants were moved out, and i didnt like the look.

planted display+breeder box=UGLY. so i took it out.

[Theplatymaster]

i added some blanched zuccini, and it looks like the snails like it. (the mystery snails were breeding again).

it is not well documented in the picture, but there are 2bite marks indicated by the circles:

turns out, Garra Guy likes the zucchini,so the bite marks might be his, and as omnivores, the platies are eating it too.

I have a problem with my tank.

After moving out the breeder box, im not pleased with it. ive realized how bare one side is. I want to leave the left side, (with the wood covered in anubias) but rescape the right side (which at the moment is rather bare), any ideas?

Edited March 19, 2023 by Theplatymaster

[Theplatymaster]

Good Morning!

The fish are very active this morning, so its interesting to watch.

Then again the lights JUST turned on, so...

the water is pretty clear this morning.

it doesnt look like anyone is eating the zucchini, ill leave it in for the snails though.

i may do some rescaping later when i get home, so stay tuned for that.

Im still accepting some ideas though.

Batmobile saw me on the computer and wanted to be a camera star:

Smaug is not as outgoing, though i really wish she would be.

no eggs this morning. which is good because i was busy yesterday, so by the time i got home, the LFS was closed, so i didnt have a chance to call them and ask them about taking mystery snails from me,

John is investigating the Zucchini ( @Chick-In-Of-TheSeakind of like Snoopy)

[Theplatymaster]

i fixed one of the biggest flaws plant wise in my tank, and made it look horrible.

to explain, it is suggested to have lots of gravel for plants, and a slope.

I had a reverse slop in my tank.

Meaning the java moss and 2-3inches of gravel in the front, and the amazon sword had 1 in the back.

this was a big issue, as it meant root tabs (and the sword) kept getting uprooted when i tried to add root tabs to this plant.

So i took some gravel from teh front, and moved it to the back, in the process sitrred out a bunch of debris,

and the corydoras love it.

But it looks horrible in the frong with the missing areas, but as time goes on, with WCs and corydoras, it should correct itself naturally.

all the fish are busy feasting on root tab gel caps from uprooted root tabs.

but now the amazon sword has like 2in of gravel, and i can safely put in root tabs, without uprooting everything.

my filter will have to work hard to pull all this stuff out of the water though, its a mess.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 3/19/2023 at 12:20 PM, Theplatymaster said:

@Chick-In-Of-TheSeais this okay for my snails?

Yep! 👍

[Theplatymaster]

On 3/20/2023 at 6:07 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Yep! 👍

i ended up replacing it with zucchini.

I also saw Smaug eating some zucchini earlier.

Oh, i made some scaping things, that i think makes the tank look slightly better, its baby steps.

ill post about that in a few minutes...

[Theplatymaster]

first of all, am i the only one the ACO blog hasnt updated yet for, ive seen no new articles all day?

 

i think its because ive finished FINALLY breeding my cories, so ive been working on some aesthetics now. 

after moving around some gravel this morning, 2 things bothered me. The obvious pile of gravel added for the sword, and obvious locations of removed gravel.

Now im not sure yet about what to do to make the removed spots look good, that still bothers me, but for the back area, i covered it in river rocks, so it apears like a sword growing out of a pile of rocks, and the obvious slope up is hidden.

this is a small step to getting this tank to where I think it looks good, but its a baby step.

what do you guys think of the rock pile?

my other goal for this tank is effective colony platy breeding, which i dont have right now at the rate i want. (like 1 or 2 survive per month, but im not sure). so these rocks should also provide more hiding spots more platy fry.

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea unfortunately at the moment both mystery snails are in locations I can see, but not catch on camera, so ill see if i can post pictures later.

 

Edited March 21, 2023 by Theplatymaster

[BeeGryphon]

On 3/20/2023 at 3:26 PM, Theplatymaster said:

first of all, am i the only one the ACO blog hasnt updated yet for, ive seen no new articles all day?

I've also been poking the blog all day and no new article. How am I supposed to get through a Monday in these conditions 😩

[Theplatymaster]

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea

Batmobile found the zucchini:

and Smaug is here too!

@nabokovfan87

im working on my old design, with a wider hole, and a shorter uplift tube. These were my flaws last time.

Im unsure if ill actually print and use this, but i felt better fixing the design.

I hate it how complex the basket is on the tidals, otherwise id just 3D print my own, with many flaws fixed.

 

Edited March 20, 2023 by Theplatymaster

[Theplatymaster]

as @Lennie pointed out, you can see the different in old VS new shell growth here in color. (its not just the lighting)

its not as dramatic as the change Algaecide has with her shell, i just cant get her on camera, because she is noctunal

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 3/20/2023 at 6:26 PM, Theplatymaster said:

am i the only one the ACO blog hasnt updated yet for, ive seen no new articles all day?

I didn’t post much today. I was too busy “adulting” 👎

[Theplatymaster]

On 3/20/2023 at 8:24 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

I didn’t post much today. I was too busy “adulting” 👎

i am rather confused by this comment.

i mean this blog:

[Theplatymaster]

Good Morning!
I need to remember to dose easy green this morning (I always forget), and thats whats new.

the water is clear,

and im really liking the affect of the rock pile in the corner, thats a keep for me for sure.

Smaug is out

 

 

 

[Cmike15]

On 3/21/2023 at 6:24 AM, Theplatymaster said:

Good Morning!
I need to remember to dose easy green this morning (I always forget), and thats whats new.

the water is clear,

and im really liking the affect of the rock pile in the corner, thats a keep for me for sure.

 

The rocks do like nice, I added some to my tank and the stones look natural. 

I can connect with the plants needing more gravel, one of my tanks didn't have enough gravel so my plants would pop out of the ground sometimes if I disturbed the gravel. 

[Theplatymaster]

On 3/21/2023 at 8:08 AM, Cmike15 said:

I can connect with the plants needing more gravel, one of my tanks didn't have enough gravel so my plants would pop out of the ground sometimes if I disturbed the gravel. 

my issue was root tabs wouldn't stay down.

the rocks were hiding the hill of gravel, but now i like their appearance

[Cmike15]

On 3/21/2023 at 9:04 AM, Theplatymaster said:

my issue was root tabs wouldn't stay down.

 

Hmm, I see. My substrate was from a smaller tank when I upsized my tank so it wasn’t enough. Weirdly enough I had bought more but I forgot about it, so now I’ve ‘found’ it. I look forward to your tanks progress.
 
your fish seem happy!

My cories in the past did not appreciate my move so I lost them. I probably stalled my cycle or something. 
 

[Theplatymaster]

On 3/21/2023 at 4:40 PM, Cmike15 said:

Hmm, I see. My substrate was from a smaller tank when I upsized my tank so it wasn’t enough. Weirdly enough I had bought more but I forgot about it, so now I’ve ‘found’ it. I look forward to your tanks progress.
 
your fish seem happy!

My cories in the past did not appreciate my move so I lost them. I probably stalled my cycle or something. 
 

i probably have around 35pounds of gravel in here, but the sloping is setup wrong.

My fish and cories are doing well, ive recently finished a corydora breeding project so i have a bunch of little cories in my tank (very fun).

[Theplatymaster]

Is there some shrimpkeeping secret i dont know about?

The last of the shrimp in the 2.5gallon has died.

IDK what has been happening, there is nothing off in parameters.

Im just having trouble with shrimp, all my fish in my bedroom are fine.

I may need to drain the tank, and try again with a different unfiltered water source, that has my fish and snails doing well.

The small snails (bladder,mini ramshorn) are doing fine in the shrimp tank, so im stumped here.

@Chick-In-Of-TheSeawhat ended up happening with your shrimp?

ive heard acclimation can be an issue, but its been a while since i added any water, and it was a few weeks in when the death chain started...

Edited March 21, 2023 by Theplatymaster

[Cmike15]

On 3/21/2023 at 5:28 PM, Theplatymaster said:

Is there some shrimpkeeping secret i dont know about?

Im just having trouble with shrimp, all my fish in my bedroom are fine.

The small snails (bladder,mini ramshorn) are doing fine in the shrimp tank, so im stumped here.

 

ive heard acclimation can be an issue, but its been a while since i added any water, and it was a few weeks in when the death chain started...

To add my guess while asking for more information maybe they are missing calcium in enough quantity.

Do you have crushed coral or add something to mineralize the water? Years ago i had great success with shrimp when i had well water. They loved the extra calcium and minerals and then i moved to the city nearby with very soft water losing many of them. i now have some crushed coral in my hang on backs HOB's. I know it's possible in smaller tanks since i've seen many examples, the one thing is they need an established tank to have things to munch on and thrive. 

[Theplatymaster]

On 3/21/2023 at 6:25 PM, Cmike15 said:

To add my guess while asking for more information maybe they are missing calcium in enough quantity.

Do you have crushed coral or add something to mineralize the water? Years ago i had great success with shrimp when i had well water. They loved the extra calcium and minerals and then i moved to the city nearby with very soft water losing many of them. i now have some crushed coral in my hang on backs HOB's. I know it's possible in smaller tanks since i've seen many examples, the one thing is they need an established tank to have things to munch on and thrive. 

i feed some crab cuisine, use seachem equilibirium, and do have CC in teh tank, but due to it being such a small tank, i run a sponge filter, not a HOB, though i could put the CC in a box filter instead, but i dislike the appearance of a box filter.

[Cmike15]

On 3/21/2023 at 6:27 PM, Theplatymaster said:

i dislike the appearance of a box filter.

seems you are doing things right. maybe it needs to season more?  Completely understandable with shrimp, they are safer with a sponge and that's what i'd prefer too for that size tank!