Long-winded update
OK, so here's a new FTS... explanation and more pics below:
Wednesday evening I decided that I couldn't put the Phoenix Rasboras I'd be getting the next day into my tank with the constantly over-buffering Onyx sand. Fortunately, the next day I was off work to report for jury duty, from which I was promptly excused after pleading my case as a teacher who was responsible the education of 170 kids. With the whole day ahead of me, I grabbed a shovel and a bucket, and took the the kid and wife on a little field-trip to the Guy West bridge on the American River, just across from CSUS. I took a few scoops of the local sand/silt from the shore of the river, and headed home.
I took the sand home, unplanted the tank, and emptied it of all the Onyx, as well as the peat/mulm under-layer. I then mixed some newly vacuumed mulm from the 37 gallon with some fresh peat, laid that down, and piled on the river sand. I scaped and planted in a similar layout as before, adding the Blyxa I had received the day before between the rocks.
I had to fill/empty/fill a few times to get the water to an acceptable level of murkiness, but it was never as bad as with Onyx or Fluorite. I also took out the peat from the filter - I don't think I'll need the acidification any more - and added some micron felt . No sooner had I finished than the mail came with my new fish... what timing!
Anyway, The new fish are doing well (except the one that jumped and didn't make it - RIP). I hope this crazy switch-out works out for the long haul.
Oh, I also added 7 MTS to keep the fine sand aerated and loose - don't want packed-down anaerobic muck.
Here's a few more pics...
Here's the new sand (the plant is HC, to give you some idea of scale):
Looks good, easy to plant in, rich in nutrients and minerals (in fact it has quite a bit of iron pyrite and magnetite in it), and all it cost was a little drive and getting my feet wet.. let's just hope it works out in the long run.
A pic of one of the Phoenix Rasbora on Thursday when they first went in (they've colored up quite a bit, but I've only been able to get one other halfway-decent shot since):
Phoenix Rasboras among the leaves of the Ludwigia senegalensis (both of which are coloring up, as you can see):
-Jared
OK, so here's a new FTS... explanation and more pics below:
Wednesday evening I decided that I couldn't put the Phoenix Rasboras I'd be getting the next day into my tank with the constantly over-buffering Onyx sand. Fortunately, the next day I was off work to report for jury duty, from which I was promptly excused after pleading my case as a teacher who was responsible the education of 170 kids. With the whole day ahead of me, I grabbed a shovel and a bucket, and took the the kid and wife on a little field-trip to the Guy West bridge on the American River, just across from CSUS. I took a few scoops of the local sand/silt from the shore of the river, and headed home.
I took the sand home, unplanted the tank, and emptied it of all the Onyx, as well as the peat/mulm under-layer. I then mixed some newly vacuumed mulm from the 37 gallon with some fresh peat, laid that down, and piled on the river sand. I scaped and planted in a similar layout as before, adding the Blyxa I had received the day before between the rocks.
I had to fill/empty/fill a few times to get the water to an acceptable level of murkiness, but it was never as bad as with Onyx or Fluorite. I also took out the peat from the filter - I don't think I'll need the acidification any more - and added some micron felt . No sooner had I finished than the mail came with my new fish... what timing!
Anyway, The new fish are doing well (except the one that jumped and didn't make it - RIP). I hope this crazy switch-out works out for the long haul.
Oh, I also added 7 MTS to keep the fine sand aerated and loose - don't want packed-down anaerobic muck.
Here's a few more pics...
Here's the new sand (the plant is HC, to give you some idea of scale):
Looks good, easy to plant in, rich in nutrients and minerals (in fact it has quite a bit of iron pyrite and magnetite in it), and all it cost was a little drive and getting my feet wet.. let's just hope it works out in the long run.
A pic of one of the Phoenix Rasbora on Thursday when they first went in (they've colored up quite a bit, but I've only been able to get one other halfway-decent shot since):
Phoenix Rasboras among the leaves of the Ludwigia senegalensis (both of which are coloring up, as you can see):
-Jared
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