New 10G tank planted and running

[oscaremmy]

Argh. The filter is due for a cleaning next week. I'll play with it some more then. If not, maybe getting a replacement part is in order.

My apologies for the thread hijack.

:topic:

Hey, no problem...my filter is noisier than I would like, too, but only became so after sucking up some sand and then I had to take it apart and re-start it! So I appreciate the advice on repositioning the impeller. I think I maybe pushed it too far down into the pump.

 

[oscaremmy]

This is an interesting thread. We have very similar set-ups. I'd recommend getting rid of those pond snails: they breed fast and eat live plants. If you want snails, there are others that are much better with plants, such as Malaysian Trumpet Snails.

I agree - I can already see blobs of eggs here and there, with only 3 small snails in the tank! I read that they were pests, but I have difficulty killing anything...I was thinking of getting a dwarf gourami to do the dirty work for me...nah. I'll do it. I'm really not a big snail fan anyway. So far, they seem intent on grazing debris, and I have been watching for leaf damage where they pass, but maybe it takes time to show. I'll just pick them out and squash them, maybe feed them to the fish in the other tank - that way they won't die for nothing!

 

[oscaremmy]

Okay, have compromised...unable to kill the snails, I have rehoused them in a half-gallon jar and gave them some flake food When the jar has a snail population the size of China, I'll do something about it. Maybe. Geez - I hate to kill any living thing - I never spray for bugs and I never stomp spiders. My wife insists I set out mouse traps because we get field mice from the cornfields around us, but I feel bad for the little guys whenever one gets it. I am happy killing viruses and bad bacteria though, so maybe I am a hypocrite. Maybe I need fish-counselling sessions to deal with my non-aggression issues? LOL!

 

[oscaremmy]

Tying up the snail thread, having started it elsewhere...the little guys and gals got to keep their necks, (such necks as snails have, anyway). They can keep their ten gallon home too. Was advised to let them thrive as they only eat decaying plant matter, not healthy stuff. Cool beans.

 

[Dwarf Puffers]

It still looks nice (even with some cloudiness). What fish are in there?

Good job on keeping the snails. There are ways of removing them, like bait traps, if something does happen. Also, if you're worried about the mice, use live traps, and relocate them. I could never lay a non-live mouse trap.

 

[oscaremmy]

It still looks nice (even with some cloudiness). What fish are in there?

Good job on keeping the snails. There are ways of removing them, like bait traps, if something does happen. Also, if you're worried about the mice, use live traps, and relocate them. I could never lay a non-live mouse trap.

Thanks.
There are no fish in the tank yet, as it was only set up yesterday (21 March 2008). I plan on keeping small tetras and dwarf corys.

I'll look into using live traps - I do have one that catches multiple mice; we only catch maybe one or two a month at certain times of the year. Harvest time is worst. I just try to keep them out of the main part of the house, but they are okay living around the foundations. It's an old farmhouse surrounded by corn and soybean fields, so mice are pretty much part of the deal.:grinyes:

 

[oscaremmy]

New 10g tank has cleared a lot today. These pics were taken 12-16 hours after planting, after the sediments had settled and the filter had done some work. It should be completely clear in under a week. That's when I'll get a better idea of how the layout should look. I am thinking about adding a small piece of bogwood as a hidey place. I have just let the hornwort that was cut from my first tank float - it stays here where water current is weakest. There is some planted hornwort also. I have the filter on its slowest setting, as it is a 20g unit. There is only a gentle current so that should be okay when I later add CO2.

 

[oscaremmy]

Weekly update on planted tank (first one). Images taken 22 March 2008. Danios eat like pigs and get very fat if I give them frozen bloodworm. Corys bury their heads in the pile of worms and go into a feeding frenzy. Now eating a whole cube of worms a day between them. All of the species love that stuff, so there is no waste. I try to alternate feeds daily between frozen bloodworm and flake food. Fish are growing pretty fast. All still appear very healthy so far.

 

[oscaremmy]

On rbishop's advice, just ran my first detailed water tests for this tank (March 23, 2008). Used API's Master Freshwater Test Kit from PetSmart ($26.95 ouch - cheaper online). Tested everything except RO from source.

Tank established 1st March, so running for 22 full days so far.
Filled-refilled only using reverse osmosis water, plus weekly ferts and stress coat with each 50% water change. Moderately planted. Fish: 6 zebra danios 1-1.5 inches, 4 corydoras (2 peppered, 2 bronze, 1-1.5 inches). 2 Rio Tetras (1 inch), 2 bloodfin tetras (1.25 inches). Simple CO2 system. UGF with c. 3 inches medium gravel, plus Whisper 2000 hang-on-back filter containing ammo chips and standard filter sponge cut to size.

pH 7.4
NH3/NH4 0ppm
NO2 0ppm
NO3 <20 ppm (nearer to 10 really)

Due for its next water change tomorrow March 24 (7 days since previous change).

 

[oscaremmy]

I think the possible problem with relying on plants to process/convert ammonia/nitrates is if anything happens to the plants - if they die back quickly, or even stop growing, which could take a few days to become noticeable, toxin levels could increase sharply. That's just a passing thought...Having both UGF and HOB filters running may also be keeping my levels safe - the tank is getting quite a lot of biological filtration for its size, I suppose.