Hey I'm back online after a prolonged health crisis (and housing and financial) , further mention of which has no place here but suffice it to say it was terrible. What's good is I had time to sit and think a lot and I thought a lot about aquariums, just waiting to be able to set one up.
Well, I've got six; four cycling and two unfortunately were cycle but I caused a massive algae die-off and they're still only partly through this second cycle. My poor fishies! Anyhow the water is clear, the plants are growing, not dying, and the fish have their color back and attack their fish food vigorously once again. The NH3/NH4 in ten gallon is 0.25ppm and the pH is 6.6 but the NO2 is 5ppm. In the five gallon (the one with the guppies) it's 0.25ppm and 0.25ppm.
For lighting I use clamp-on workshop lamps with 15w spiral, self ballasted CFL "bulbs" at 5500K. I use 15w/5gallon, approximately20 inches from the bottom of the tank. I have no idea what that means,but the plants grow well, the fish seem comfortable, and algae is not rampant. The massive algae die off happened when I realized the light was way too bright when I just clamped the lamps to the tank itself and I moved them way back and kept them off except for four hours a day. By the time I realized what I'd done, it was too late; the algae was dead and rotting.
Filtration in each is from a 58gpm powerhead with adjustable flow down to something ridiculously low, with custom mechanical filters I made from scrub pads and an open cell sponge I bought at the dollar store. I wring them out once a day 'cause they filter out almost all the gunk that tries to pass through it seems.
I have a third large tank, around 7 gallons I'd guess unless my five is really less than five. I plan to raise shrimps in it, endlers in the guppy tank (with the guppies somewhere else by then), and Celestial Pearl Danios in the 10 gal. Perhaps with another breed of shrimp in the 10 with the CPDs.
The cylindrical tank,well, it was photographed with water from the guppy tank in it, baby guppies, and a little bit of plant life but it was all removed right after and it's still cycling. I stir it twice a day.
Well, I've got six; four cycling and two unfortunately were cycle but I caused a massive algae die-off and they're still only partly through this second cycle. My poor fishies! Anyhow the water is clear, the plants are growing, not dying, and the fish have their color back and attack their fish food vigorously once again. The NH3/NH4 in ten gallon is 0.25ppm and the pH is 6.6 but the NO2 is 5ppm. In the five gallon (the one with the guppies) it's 0.25ppm and 0.25ppm.
For lighting I use clamp-on workshop lamps with 15w spiral, self ballasted CFL "bulbs" at 5500K. I use 15w/5gallon, approximately20 inches from the bottom of the tank. I have no idea what that means,but the plants grow well, the fish seem comfortable, and algae is not rampant. The massive algae die off happened when I realized the light was way too bright when I just clamped the lamps to the tank itself and I moved them way back and kept them off except for four hours a day. By the time I realized what I'd done, it was too late; the algae was dead and rotting.
Filtration in each is from a 58gpm powerhead with adjustable flow down to something ridiculously low, with custom mechanical filters I made from scrub pads and an open cell sponge I bought at the dollar store. I wring them out once a day 'cause they filter out almost all the gunk that tries to pass through it seems.
I have a third large tank, around 7 gallons I'd guess unless my five is really less than five. I plan to raise shrimps in it, endlers in the guppy tank (with the guppies somewhere else by then), and Celestial Pearl Danios in the 10 gal. Perhaps with another breed of shrimp in the 10 with the CPDs.
The cylindrical tank,well, it was photographed with water from the guppy tank in it, baby guppies, and a little bit of plant life but it was all removed right after and it's still cycling. I stir it twice a day.
Hope it's getting better!
