Aquarium General: Puffer Edition
Old Thread: >>2108792
Discuss anything aquarium related here, including inhabitants, decor and issues.
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Feel free to ask questions but know that there are a lot of resources out there that could answer your question a lot faster and accurately than /an/.
Make sure to include these things in your post before asking because we can't help you if we don't have the full picture:
-tank size
-parameters
-any and all inhabitants + how long you've had them
Links:
>How to cycle your tank: http://pastebin.com/x4WnB0Ah (embed) (embed)
>General aquarium care sheets - http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/
>Livestock and plants for sale - http://www.petsolutions.com/ http://www.aquabid.com
>FUCKING GOOGLE-
I have a 20g tall I want to put a congo puffer into
I know they can do fine in 20g, but would I be better off with a long?
Ahh I love someone kept my puffer edition going XD, Nice congo puffer too :)
>>2111598
Puffers are the freshwater master race
>>2111597
They spend most of their time buried, so I guess a large surface area would be better for them? More real estate, y'know? I've never owned one though..
>>2111599
Puffer are just the fish master race, freshwater or saltwater. I've never kept an aquatic animal with more personality and cuteness then a puffer. (maybe a clownfish snugglin his anemone can be cuter, but that's about all)
Hate how I can't get another cuz he'd probably eat a lot of valuable stuff in my tank :(
>>2111597
>>2111600
Yes they would need a minium 20 long with a 2 inch sand bed.
>>2111617
No filter here. The light along with the tannins it turned out greenish blue for some reason. They're very cool. Very unique. I am going after a hairy puffer next.
>>2111617
Look at that cute lil fucker...
>>2111617
>>2111620
His simple set up. No plants unless they're already rooted pretty good. I can answer any question about these guys.
>>2111625
I got mine from my lfs. He gets lots of rare things.
https://youtu.be/9faKp2ko9Ak Video of eating with iPhone slomo. Turn down sound. YouTube fucked my audio.
>>2111594
I have an old 10 gallon fish tank that hasn't been used in about 3 years and I was wondering how one would go about cleaning it. Is a light soap and water okay? Should I replace the filter as well? I was thinking about making it a planted tank with an American Flagfish and dwarf corydoras.
>>2111620
That is the most frumpy looking fish.
Is it true the bigger puffer breeds are dog-like in behavior.
>>2111669
They are. They are the greatest fish.
I have a 5 gallon freshwater plant that is pretty heavily planted and with shimp/live plant substrate.
I'm looking into starting the tank with a few red cherry shrimp and wanted to know if there was a solitary fish that could live along with the shrimp and sort of be a center piece to the tank.
A betta was the first thing to come to mind due to being able to be alone and also in a relatively small tank, but I assume that they are too aggressive and would hunt the shrimp.
Do you guys have any recs for a good fish?
TLDR
>A fish that's alright being alone and would stay in the middle/top range of the tank
>A fish that can live in a 5 gallon, planted freshwater tank
>A fish that will live peacefully with a few red cherry shrimp
Thanks guys
>>2111694
Dwarf puffer
>>2111695
this. Mine doesn't harm my RCS at all
Okay so what's the minimum I could keep a fantail in? It's about 1.5-2 inches now. It's a panda goldfish that we got in at the pet store I work at and I love it. I have a spare 10g tank sitting around, and I plan on building an outdoor pond this summer anyway, so he wouldn't be in there long, hopefully. Should I call and have them hold it for me so I can get the 10g set up?
>>2111564
>pic
What is it?
>>2111699
Yea, just set up the 10g and get it cycled and buy it.. You should have a larger tank than that (like 55g) to allow him to really put on some girth and size, but if he's going into a pond I guess it doesn't matter much, but he'll be tiny in a huge pond. You will need like a 40 or so to overwinter him in though probably, depending on your climate.
>>2111702
Some species of Farlowella catfish I think. Not sure what one. It's not one of the commonly found ones, like whiptails
>>2111704
I was planning on making just like a 100-150g pond out of a cattle trough-type thing and planting foliage around it, make it kind of look like a rustic well kinda deal. I wanted to put like 5-6 or so fantails in there. I just saw this panda and absolutely fell in love with it.
And I thought fantail/double-tail goldfish only needed like 10-20 gallons, and single tails needed 55-75? Plus, like I said, the panda is just a baby, no more than 2 inches if that. I just know that the store rarely gets pandas and they sell fast, so I wanted to secure at least this one if he'd be okay in a 10g for some time.
>>2111699
You can keep him in a 10 for a little while. Maybe grab some cheap plants like elodea, but I'd keep the bottom bare and get a really good filter. You will definitely need a pond or bigger tank.
Yo, first time ever on this board I think.
I'm not an aquarium guy but I think I would like to have one. Something simple. Got any tips? How much does an "okay" aquarium cost? What are some cool fishes that won't be too expansive?
>>2111709
an aquarium costs as much as you want, but to put it in to perspective i just set up a new 60 litre tank (small) and its cost me over £250 ($365 usd).
But i have also set up tanks with 120L at £40 ($58 usd)
>>2111706
I'm not expert no goldfish by any means. That said, I have seen doubletails larger than my fist, so I think they can get up to a fairly large size. From my experience, fish that get large, get large even faster in oversized tank. Maybe it's just that there's more room. Maybe it's because you might feed more food because of the volume difference in water. Probably both. I'm to high to think of that now.
That said, your lil panda will be fine in a 10g for quite some time, especially if he's just by himself (bioload issues with goldfish).
I still would get a 55g if I were you. The 4 feet of swimming space they provide is awesome for the muscle growth.
And if your going to use a cow trough thing outside, just make sure that it is completely submerged in the ground. If you have it raised the temperature will probably fluctuate like crazy, and won't be good.
Depending on your climate, ofcourse.
>>2111709
I usually buy tanks on Craigslist. I'd say you're looking at 50-200 depending on what you want. Petco and Petsmart do $1 a gallon sales so that's a good time to pick one up if you go for new.
As far as fish, cheap community fish are regularly $1 on sale. You might find a fish you really want and find out what fish go well with that one.
Here's a tiny tank of mine. I got a cracked aquarium free and put some shit in it. It's got snails, driftwood, plants and a fry in it.
>>2111664
No soap, ever. Bleach, white vinegar, hot water, Barkeeper's Friend, razor blades, melamine foam (Magic Erasers) are all okay, just rinse it really well afterward and let it dry completely.
>American Flatfish
Really underappreciated. I wish I had a tank I could put them in. Most people would recommend a larger tank, but with good food and maintenance it shouldn't be an issue.
They can be pretty aggressive, so tank mates might be an issue.
>>2111715
Seconding melamine. Takes off algae like nobody's business.
>>2111709
I have tanks that have cost me $2.50. I also have tanks that cost me $1,000+. If you want some thing bone simple, go to a thrift shop, find a nice looking, large clear vase (the bigger the better), fill it up with dechlorinated (treated) water and let it sit for a week or so, then toss some red cherry shrimp in there. To be good, and make it even easier (no feeding), you should also add a light of some sort (even a 120w flourescent desk lamp can work) and throw a bunch of java moss in there (from your LFS).
You'll have pretty little shrimps in a system you don't have to feed, and don't have to do water changes on. Only maintenance is to add more dechlorinated water whenever a large portion of the vases water evaporates.
>>2111717
Depends on what you have. The tank in the picture I just top off every once in a while. I have three tanks and I usually spend an hour or two on maintenance a week. They have automatic feeders if you think you'll forget.
>>2111719
You don't need to treat water sitting in an open container. Chlorine evaporates.
>>2111722
Cloramine does not though. Check with your city to see what they use.
>>2111719
pretty sure the shrimps starve if the java moss doesn't supply enough food
>>2111694
You could go with the option of a small school white cloud mountain minnows, or even the gold variety of that breed. Instead of one large fish. The best part about cloud mountain minnows are that they are social creatures so as long as the school is large enough you can leave them alone for hours on end as long as you feed them on a regular basis.
>>2111712
>>2111707
Thanks guys. I plan on getting a lot more fish when I make the pond, but like I said, the pandas are rare and I would love to save him for when I build the pond in a few months. I plan to get him like 5-6 buddies, but he'll be the best boy.
that being said, what is the quickest way for me to cycle the tank? I've never cycled a tank before, but I know the basics of it having browsed here for info for a while now and from working at the pet store. I have an african clawed frog and a painted turtle as well, so would a little water from one of those tanks aid in boosting the process and getting that good bacteria set up?
He looks like this guy but only about an inch and a half or so, he's the last one left
>have wisteria, water sprite, cabomba and rotala indica
>"they're fast growers! mine grew over 2 feet in one week!"
>cabomba melted a little bit and their stems are completely naked
>rotala barely grows, maybe a green sprout, the rest is pink
>water sprite is actually dying
>wisteria doesn't ever grow
what the fuck is going on
0/0/0 ammonia/nitrites/nitrates
on a side note, my java moss is lush green and took over the front part of my substrate
>>2111694
Clown killifish
Scarlet badish
Dwarf puffer (pretty aggressive though)
Some Betta are very peaceful. Trial and error with those guys.
>>2111729
>take the sponge out of the filter you bought for your tank at home
>Bring it to work
>take sponge out of filter in tank at work that is disease free
>squeeze goop onto your new filter sponge
>submerge filter in bag of water like you would fish you are selling
>do all of this just before you leave for home so bag doesn't run out of oxygen
>get home
>place goopy sponge in new tank
>drop in dead shrimp or whatnot to keep ammonia up to feed bacteria in goop
>wait a few days testing water periodically
>enjoy freshly cycled tank
>>2111731
Are they getting too much/not enough light? Does your substrate support plant growth? Are you dosing too many ferts/not enough?
>>2111729
Turtles are nasty, would not advise using the water. The bacteria is in the substrate and in the filter media, if you have any of that. I would fill the tank up right now and get a filter going. Youre going to want one rated for way more than 10 gallons.
>>2111727
I've kept 15 RCS in a half gallon vase completely full with java moss for 3 months so far. They are smaller then their brother and sisters from the same hatch in another tank, but still alive. You can drop an algae wafer in occasionally. I don't though. The thought behind this for me was to see if I could get a sustained shrimp population using only light as an input of energy.
>>2111731
when did you plant them?
some plants melt and then grow in stronger
>>2111709
>Got any tips?
Read a lot. Read about the nitrogen cycle. get good food. Don't put a bunch of fish in a small tank. If you want a community with a few different kinds of fish, you should really start out with a 20-30 gallon tank. For a betta or shrimp/invert tank, 5-10 gallons is good.
>How much does an "okay" aquarium cost?
Smaller starter kits (5-30 gal) go for $30-150. Buying everything new separately puts you more in the $50-350 range. Buying used can cost anything. People drop out ofthe hobby sometimes and practically give away their tanks.
>What are some cool fishes that won't be too expansive?
Go to the store and see what you like. Write down names and look up care on those fish. It's not going to do you too much good if we list a bunch of cool stuff that you can't find locally. I mean, we can, but you might have to ask the shop to special order stuff for you or buy it online.
>>2111714
>Petco and Petsmart do $1 a gallon sales
$1 per gallon sales are only good if you already have equipment, or you have specific brands/models you want. By the time you get a hood, lights, filter, heater, etc. it costs more than a kit.
>>2111717
If you cycle the tank beforehand, stock properly, and feed appropriately, it can be really low maintenance. Live plants can be kind of tricky to get started up, but they also help make it lower maintenance.
>>2111736
Too much/Not enough light? Not entirely sure
Does my substrate promote plant growth? Unsure again, I had a banana plant that dug its roots in the sand, everything else now doesn't lock itself into the substrate nor produces roots.
Dosing too many/not enough? I have a couple of substrate root tabs, but I believe the water column has no ferts.
>>2111746
I diy a lot of it or buy it on eBay. The aquarium kits are pretty crappy, okay for a beginner tho.
>>2111740
>half gallon
>RCS
>don't feed
>light as only input
Sounds a lot like what I've got, but I only have 2 females in there. I was debating adding a male.
You should post pics.
>>2111731
Why are your nitrates so low? Is this a stocked tank?
>>2111756
>Not
*note
>>2111752
>The aquarium kits are pretty crappy, okay for a beginner tho.
Yeah, I agree. If you just want a basic tank with a couple fish, though, it's not a bad way to start off.
>>2111755
20 RCS, 5 Amanos, 1 Betta, and 5 Otocinclus.
>>2111765
Plants need nitrates so that's likely the problem. You might put more fish in your tank if you have room, or use a more complete fert.
>>2111695
>>2111697
>>2111703
>>2111733
Alright, thanks for the input guys. I guess I'll introduce the shrimp first and let them grow a bit and learn the hiding places before testing out either a betta or dwarf puffer if I choose to go that way.
>>2111728
I actually was looking into cloud minnows since they are very hardy, but I was worried that 5 gallons with be too small for a school of 5 or so + the shrimp.
>>2111794
Just don't even try a betta. Can almost guarentee it won't work, unless you happen to pick up and old one that's lost it's testosterone and is lazy as fuck.
>>2111794
>cloud minnows
Personally I wouldn't. That's a fair bit of bioload you're putting in the tank and now you have five potential predators instead of one. Also, minnows are pretty active and would enjoy more room.
>>2111794
If you plant it a small school is fine. Endler guppies would be good too- males only tho. Ignore the Betta guy BTW. Some are just fine with tank mates. Just don't expect the babies to survive.
>>2111709
Fish and plants are usually cheap what's expensive is the setup
if you're just starting out get a 20 gallon. smaller tanks are more difficult to maintain equilibrium or whatever in and you can't put many fish in them
If I were you I'd cycle with ghost shrimp because they're cool as fuck and only 30 cents
I have a black neon tetra swimming around like this. He uses his front fins to propel himself normally. He also has a tendency to swim in circles. He's the only one doing this, what's his deal?
>>2111839
Maybe swim bladder issues or bloat. Try feeding a frozen/thawed/shelled pea.
>>2111848
Alright, thank you
Also, I have this snail in my tank. My mystery snails have had clutches hatch like crazy but I've never seen one like this. Its shell is transparent and it has hella long antennae.
>>2111794
Establishing a successful colony before adding fish is the good way 2 go, as shrimps can't escape predation for a long time.
>>2111702
i think it was sold to me as a red whitetail or something like that, this was taken probably about 4 or 5 years ago.
Hello /an/, I want to stock a 55gal aquarium with these fish (120x35x50 cm), it's going to be similar to an Iwagumi style but with a log and java moss, simulating a tree. Inside, the fish are going to be:
2 Chinese high fin banded shark
3-5 Dwarf Gouramis
6-8 Blue ram cichlid
3-4 Angelfish
20-40 Neon tetras
2 eels (maybe?)
Red cherry shrimp (maybe?)
I am mainly concerned about the swimming space for the fish, specially the sharks. Would I have to add hiding spots? are their water conditions different for everyone? Do I have to worry about some of these fish not getting along? What about the eels? am I overstocking the tank?
Thay are all going to be small when I buy them, but I know what sizes these fish grow and how I'd need to change them in the future, any other information regarding my questions would be appreciated.
>>2111854
That's a really blurry picture, but it looks kind of like an anemic ramshorn snail.
>>2111911
>2 Chinese high fin banded shark
Just don't. They're coldwater, they get fuckhuge, they'll knock all your shit over, and they don't even look like that as adults (not that they'd live that long in a tank anyway).
>3-5 Dwarf Gouramis
Get some females in there. Males would fight for territory and that would be too many if they were all male.
>6-8 Blue ram cichlid
Should be okay. Might do 4 to start so they can each have their own space. Or you can get 6-8 young ones, let them form one or two pairs, then return the others.
>3-4 Angelfish
If they pair off they might become too aggressive to be with the other fish, so you might want to set up a separate breeding tank just in case. They also might eat the neons once they're full grown.
>20-40 Neon tetras
Boring, but you do you.
>2 eels (maybe?)
They'd probably eat the tetras and hide a lot. Tbh I don't actually know that much about eels.
>Red cherry shrimp (maybe?)
They'll get eaten. If you establish a colony of several hundred and plant it crazy heavy you might be okay, but in general it's not likely to go well.
>I am mainly concerned about the swimming space for the fish, specially the sharks.
I know they're cool, but those "sharks" will never belong in tanks. Sorry, anon.
>Would I have to add hiding spots?
Yes. At least broken lines of sight and some areas of dense vegetation.
>are their water conditions different for everyone?
Some will say neons do better at slightly lower temperatures, but they're typically fine in tropical tanks.
>Do I have to worry about some of these fish not getting along?
See above.
>What about the eels?
Depends on what kind of eel you're talking about.
>am I overstocking the tank?
Maybe a bit, even without the sharks, but assuming you can make it work without aggression issues, that would just be a matter of slightly higher maintenance.
>>2111911
>red cherry shrimp
>in that bloodshed
Shrimp Hitler is that you?
also
>>>>>>>>two eels
>>2111920
Sorry, my camera has a hard time zooming in on my smaller snails.
That actually looks like them though. Suggestions, if I wanted to hold onto them?
>>2111938
Cuttlebone or dead coral to supplement calcium, and occasional veggies like broccoli or zucchini.
>>2111911
I'm trying to visualize the tank and it doesn't seem like this is just a random assortment that wouldn't look good at all, but that's just my personal preference.
Neons and rams would look cool together though, and yea rams usually like caves
Probably a dumb question, but why doesn't drift wood rot and cause issues in the tank?
Also, would it be a bad idea to buy one of those wood cave things petco sells and glue rocks to it for a rock cave, that way there's no possibility of the rocks all collapsing onto the fish inside
>>2111968
1) Good question, i have no clue, I know wood in forests gets broken down by fungus,insects, and smaller crawlies as well. Idk why wood in water does not rot like land wood, but at one point there was alot of money in reclaimed timber from the bottom of rivers and lakes and whatnot. Really neat stuff.
>>2111974
it does just at a slower rate, that's why we always use hardwood in aquariums because it takes them much longer to break down.
Found a Fluval edge tank without base or pump.
Trying to decide on what to do with it other then just another aquarium. Maybe a Walstad or some other interesting project.
Any ideas?
>>2111979
Oh ok, I think I have some kind on lizard wood( i wanna say zoomed) in my lil tank and its been fine for the 2 years ive had it, but now i gotta bite the bullet on this creek driftwood ive had soaking for a week. I think it was a root from a locust bush or something, ill post pics once i get a day off and finish it, but im gonna have to glue the bitch to a slate rock or w/e rock i can find. Its a sweet piece tho, and i wanna keep it.
>>2112010
pure sand and gravel cap with root tabs and cram as many different amazon swords species as you can in that bitch, get a decent LED light and heater and you can have forest full of leaves and some kind of small flashy fish like CPD or WC minnows.
>>2111956
I supplement the water with liquid calcium already for my mystery snails.
As far as food goes, I also have a gelatin I make for my snails with different vitamins and nutrients as well as even more calcium.
Bearing that in mind, is there anything I should know/do if I want to keep ramshorn snails as well as the mystery snails?
>>2111968
Wood only rots of it cycles between wet and dry. If wood stays completely dry (like furniture and houses) then it stays good. Or, alternatively, if it is fully submerged and stays completely wet, then it is stays good.
Wood rots when it's in places like forests because it is constantly exposed to rain/snow/and things that retain moisture like leaf litter/mulch.
>>2111694
Every single fish will eat RCS babies the only shrimp safe fish are otos who simply have no interest in eating anything that isn't algae.
If you have a decent sized shrimp tank (mine is 100l) you can have a school of otos which will schoal véry close to each other.
You could also try a large bamboo shrimp as a centre piece
Guy who is preparing for the panda oranda here. Question about the outdoor pond: if I get a large trough set up as a pond in the summer, would it be okay to keep above ground if I move it indoors when fall rolls around? Or would even just burying it half in the ground be okay?
I was reading up on the fish breeds and apparently orandas are slightly less keen on low temps than other goldfish breeds, so I think bringing the pond indoors for when it gets cold would be a good idea
>>2111594
Are there any videos on youtube you guys would recommend?
>>2111794
As a further addition, if betta or dwarf puffer dont work out, try a dario dario - you can have a pair of them. Many say they only accept life food but i feed mine frozen food and never had a problem. Otherwise, you can try a dwarf gourami
>>2112101
King of DIY if you wanna know how to get many things for ypur tank cheap
The green machine - youtube channel from an aquascaping store in england. James Findley is basically the bob ross of thr aquascaping world and you can learn a lot there about how to male a planted tank look good. Its just so calming to listen to him explaining live how to set up a tank and marvelous to look at.
>>2112113
>dwarf gourami
>dario dario
>implying they won't be active predators for red cherry shrimp
>>2112140
Depends on the character of the fish, my darios never bothered the shrimp, not even small shrimplets
>>2112116
I discovered The green machine about two weeks ago and spent several hour watching all the videos back to back.
I started this planted tank about a month ago and I just stuck them in to get them established but it's probably time to break up the plants and glue in sections? Also any time I put shrimp in they die, idk what that's about. I'm thinking about getting some fish this afternoon as well but I'm pretty uninspired.
I was hoping that I could chop up the cabomba and plant it across the back with the intent of growing a curtain but I might just need to buy more. Not sure what to do with the grass.
I did add water after the pics, flourite clouds up like crazy.
>>2112205
I'm guessing I should split this stuff up and glue to rocks?
The first pic wasn't set up for aesthetics, I just wanted to get them in the water while I figured out a plan. I think ultimately I need more plants, right?
>>2112206
not sure what to do with this stuff either
>>2112205
> Fill more water
> Get better light
> Get plant gravel
> Get more hiding places before buying fish
> Try pet rocks, they're easier.
>>2112213
thanks, it's seachem red but I think the light makes it look purple.
I'm going to buy a couple bunches of cabomba to fill in the back this afternoon and put in some river rocks. Hopefully the foreground will fill in when I split up the smaller plants. I will probably do cut up some cabomba and have smaller in the front and taper it back, then put some amazon sword or something in the corners.
Other tank is a turtle tank so I'd like to get some fish that I couldn't put in the main.
The color scheme with that light is pretty nauseating.
>>2111968
Aquarium wood is hard enough that it decomposes incredibly slowly, or it's so old it's partly petrified. Putting random wood in your tank can foul the water quickly, cause fungus to grow, or poison the the animals inside with things like sap.
>wood cave things petco sells
The half-cylinder things with bark on it? It'll rot too quickly.
Or is it a fake wood cave?
>glue rocks to it for a rock cave
Use superglue or 100% silicone (you can be paranoid and get stuff that's labeled "aquarium safe," but lots of people just use window sealant without any apparent issues). Let the glue cure completely before submerging it.
>>2112012
Zoomed sells Mopani wood, which is completely safe for aquariums.
>>2112010
Half water, half land with some Geosesarma crabs. Grow ferns and shit.
>>2112016
Not many swords are going to fit in a 6 gallon tank.
>>2112018
Should be fine, then.
>is there anything I should know/do if I want to keep ramshorn snails
Not really. People who don't want them literally can't kill them, so there's not much to it if you want to keep them.
You can end up with a few different color variants (red, blue, leopard), so if you want to breed them you could set up some small tanks to separate different colors into.
>>2112205
Besides the colour, which is subjective to taste, you will give some plants a hard time with that gravel - if you wanna go planted for real, try manado, its a neitral substrate which has very small grains - you can plant almost anything there and its cheap as fuck, like 10 € for 10kg over here.
The light, i'd rather replace - you can have some great chinese LEDs without the need to spend 100+ on a eheim, kessil etc LED bar.
In terms of shrimps, have you checked your water parameters? Do other inverts like snails also die? Put any chemistry in the water that might affect inverts? Which kind of shrimp species was it? Was the tank subjected to higher/lower temperatures than usual?
Attached my 60l planted tank which I run on LEDs, manado substrate and self made bio co2
>>2112058
What temps does it get where you live?
>>2112113
Dario dario are micro predators. Maybe you got lucky, but I wouldn't trust one with shrimp. Same to dwarf gourami. I've had sparkling gourami tear shrimp into pieces that were nearly half their size.
>>2112205
You desperately need some hardscape.
Can you carpet plants like hairgrass or baby tears without Co2 if you use dry start?
Or will the plants die as soon as you flood the tank?
>>2112255
Ohio fag, so good temps from late spring to early fall, which is when I'd move it into the basement.
Ohio is like as general as weather gets with added unpredictability
>>2112258
Its very hard - maybe you can carpet with marsilea hirsuta without co2 the rest is questionable - you can make your own co2 with sugar and yeast so its not hard to come by. Also could use liquid co2.
>>2112245
>manado
I will look into it. It's seachem flourite, not even red, just brown, I thought that was pretty standard for planted tanks. The light gives off a purple tint, I will replace the bulb today and post the difference.
I have an extra air pump, would that help if I run air at night to add atmospheric CO2?
>>2112294
I got the impression that thegravel was pink due to the bulb, like you said, but what worried me was more how it could be a problem with detritus and leftover food with big gravel like that. When I still had such gravel I had to wash it every 1-2 months due to the insane buildup of anaerobic conditions and bacteria.
As others pointed out already, put some rocks or wood in there to give it more structure. There's also the trick of banking your substrate towards the back. Gives your tank much more depth.
Co2 from airpumps is very minimal - of course co2 depends on which plants you want to keep - if you only had ferns, moss and anubias, it wouldn't make a difference - but if you want plants that show some reds or carpet co2 combined with good light is a must almost.
What I recommend is bio co2, you can use a complete set like jbl proflora 80 - 160 (depending on your tank size) which has a canister, tubing and a diffusor, as well as an instant co2 solution in dry form. It's fool proof. I payed 25 € for it. A month supply of co2 solution costs 7 € here but you can just make it yourself with yeast, sugar, water and cake frosting - there are many tutorials online about this method. You can cook up a month supply for 1 € that way and also can increase or decrease co2 output by taking more or less yeast.
Airstone co2 is neglible and doesnt dissolve so good.
What's a good heater for under 20 dollars for a 20 gallon fresh water tank?
For the life of me I can't find something that isn't a split review.
>>2112340
Aqueon Heaters can't be toggled and it's set to 76-78F, most basic you can get.
>>2112240
Neat, alright.
I already have a few red ones by the look of it.
What's /aq/'s perspective on using aquarium salt for freshwater? Such as using it for medication or relief for fishes.
>>2112472
it's fine.
>>2112472
Aquarium salt is a joke. Look into it.
>>2112258
>Can you carpet plants like hairgrass or baby tears without Co2 if you use dry start?
Yes.
>Or will the plants die as soon as you flood the tank?
They'll grow taller and "bushier". They might die back or melt a bit.
>>2112340
I bought a cheap-ass heater on eBay for $7 and it works so well it's almost annoying.
>>2112340
I know you said dollars but this seems ok if you get it where you live
bought mine yesterday and should arrive today.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hidom-Submersible-Blastproof-Aquarium-THERMOMETER/dp/B015SRP234?ie=UTF8&qid=1459072301&ref_=sr_1_1&s=pet-supplies&sr=1-1#Ask
>>2112519
it probably wouldn't work in his country.
>>2112262
Why would you use messy yeast when you can do superior citric acid mix?
How versatile of pleco's? Are they immortal,?
>>2112567
*are
>>2112567
>How versatile of pleco's?
Not very.
>Are they immortal,?
No.
>>2112236
>it's so fucking angry
why
Is fishkeeping a dying hobby?
>>2112659
No. Its bigger than it's ever been. Especially when dick measuring salt water elitist coming in more and more.
>>2112666
>666
Idk numbers contradict
>>2112666
GTFO Satan, everyone knows you're a liar.
>>2112666
>666
I'm all yours
I have a biocube 29g, live in a warm climate and the temperature of the water is already spiking to mid 80s especially with the metal halides
do any of you guys that live in hot places seriously run a chiller? or do you just run a fan on top or something?
>>2112681
I have to keep a cold water tank, and I use fans, but I live in WI, so it doesn't get hotter than 100 F
>>2112692
How many gallons per week do you lose to evaporation?
>>2112696
One every two or three days
>>2112699
Damn..thanks for the info.
I was thinking of ripping the canopy off my biocube to help with the heat, but it's helping me not lose so much water
everytime i brush up against my driftwood it breaks a little. is this okay?
>>2112710
It's normal for older wood, if that's what you mean. What kind of wood?
>>2112711
i dont even know. i got it at petco
I have a few questions about a used salt water setup I may buy
first, what lighting system is this? the guy says it has 4 bulbs and 4 leds and its on top of a 55g tank
>>2112723
Looks like a coralife
second, which skimmer is this? guy said it is the $200 coralife one but I want to be sure
>>2112724
haha thank you, I mostly meant is it the $300 one I think it is or a different one
>>2112728
How much for the entire setup?
>>2112723
http://m.marinedepot.com/products/es08607/coralife-lunar-aqualight-t5-lamp-high-output-fixture?group=false Maybe?
>>2112734
Either way a coralife that fits a 55 are not cheap. Minimum $300 for that.
So this was cute.
>>2112759
i love it when inverts catch a ride on each others backs. the other day, i saw a snail riding a snail riding a snail. shit was excellent.
Is ADA equipment a meme?
>>2112761
One time I had a nursery of mystery snails and one rode the backs of another pair to the surface.
Newfag and wasn't sure where to post.
I recently got two small feeder comet goldfish for an adult female Red Eared Slider turtle as an experiment to see what she would do with them. Turns out she doesn't give two shits about them and now coexist with them.
Currently they're housed in a recently acquired 90 gallon tank with roughly 55 gallons of water (planning to raise the water level about another 20-30 gallons or so after extending the basking platform)
Would this be good enough space for the turtle and fish to coexist if the fish can live long enough? (I've heard they can grow huge and one's about 1 1/2" and the other's 1 " right now)
>>2112818
Sounds okay but be aware that your turtle might get sexond thouvhts and decides to munch those when they are still small.
I figure since its a turtle tank you have good filtration anyways? Goldfish are very messy when they grown so you need a filter that can handle it and change water frequently.
>>2112838
I'm hoping if she does get a second thought, the fish can avoid her. So far they do a good job of steering clear and out pace herwhen they were introduced and I've provided at least some cover for them.
I think I might be alright with filter power, got one rated for up 175 gal and is backed up by my old 100 gal filter. I change about 25%-50% of the water every two weeks when it was just the turtle alone, would I need to up the ante/frequency with the fish?
>>2112839
Sounds good. Atm your water maintenance seems fine. If your goldfish get bigger, see how nitrates go.
>>2112843
much obliged
on a different note, I caught the two fish going to town and eating the turtle's shit the other day. Is there any adverse effects on them if doing it long term? (I tend to scoop out some leftovers she doesn't eat out anyway)
The turt has a diet of pellets, various greens such as lettuce and radish greens, some dried shrimps, and the occasional odd treats such as watermelon and cantaloupe, if that means anything.
>>2112857
Its normal for goldfish to eat other waste, many fish to that.
I don't know very much about adverse effects of turtle excrements or what's special about them. I think it's not a problem but you might consult other sources for such special circumstance.
>>2112857
fish normally eat shit.
it's fine.
>>2112886
>>2112889
I don't think it's so much "special" but more of that they're big and messy. Just wanted to make sure.
Ironically getting attached to these little fuckers more than I should be when the point of them was to see if they were eaten or not. (And an added benefit to see if the water ain't fucked up)
Do guppies generally stay at the top of the tank? I got 8 yesterday and i cant see them because of the cover
>>2112947
If they're at the very surface of the tank, I would test nitrate, otherwise they could be bothered/interested by something
>>2112947
Yes
>>2112765
Do mystery snails from Petsmart leave plants alone?
Why don't more people keep tubifex in their tank?
They could aerate the soil for a dirt tank and be a live food source
Will dwarf crayfish kill and eat Ramshorn Snails?
Anyone else here keep Oscars? I've been feeding mine an alternate diet of pellets, tube worms, and the occasional piece of raw salmon but I feel like I should be feeding it more greens...
Also anyone have any recommendations for some high quality flakes for tropicals?
Do fish have personalities?
I have angelfish and one is super skittish, one is aggressive, one eats all the food, one is just chill
>>2113220
>Do fish have personalities
of course, bettas are an example, i have one that destroys anything in it's tank, and another that is completely fine with it's inhabitants.
>>2112857
For what it's worth, the turtle poop is probably more nutritious for your fish than the average flake/pellet food you can buy for them. Especially with all those fruits and veggies you feed your turtle.
Hell, those two goldfish probably have a more healthy diet off of that turtle poop than most americans.
>>2112947
Are they getting enough oxygen in the water column?
im slightly overstocked but my plants are still sucking up every nitrate they have
send help
What are some good bottomfeeders/schooling fish that won't eat Red Cherry Shrimp? I'm thinking of Pygmy cories
>>2113252
Feed more.
>>2113255
RCS are bottom feeders. Do you just want fish in the tank for the sake of it?
Pygmy cories won't bother the adults, but they might eat babies. Otos are pretty universally considered safe. Threadfin rainbowfish have a generally good rep for being with shrimp on account of their tiny, tiny mouths.
>>2113295
Loaches, and cories.
>>2113255
Well my otos never go near mine and my kuhlis are only a problem if they show signs of weakness.
Dont know how to explain this but ill try my best.
setting up a planted nano tank, its 50L so the filter takes up a bit of space so i was wondering if i could do this to save space.
Brown is the tank soil, black is the filter and the little gray things would be the rock to stop the plants spreading right next to the filters lower intake.
so would this work ok without effecting something i dont know about?
FUCK
>>2111594
>/AQ/
>>2111753
How do you deal with algae?
>>2113220
puffers, nigga
puffers
>>2111594
Is it alright if I put ramshorn snails in my HOB filter? So much hair algae builds up in such a short time.
>>2113455
That depends entirely, would they be able to survive for any length in time?
Alright, I have questions about something that's not really an aquarium. I'm not a fish guy and haven't ever really kept a real aquarium before.
The following is entirely theoretical at the moment, I'm trying to decide on a plan of action before I start spending money.
I want to get an Exo Terra 24x18x24" terrarium and turn it into a vivarium for a juvenile Amazon tree boa, with live plants and a water section.
The water section would take up 30-50% of the floor area of the tank, so it would be 144-216 sq in of swimming space, and about 6-7" deep, making the water volume roughly 5 gallons.
What aquatic life could I keep in here? I'm not looking for anything too fancy, as the snake would be the main focus of the vivarium, but I think it would be nice to have some extra life in there.
I'd like to have some live aquatic plants in there, and a couple shrimp and/or snails at least.
What filtration would be required, and would would be the sleekest way to accomplish that?
I like Bolivian Rams a lot, how skeptical would you be of one or a pair surviving in this environment with some inverts and maybe another one or two little fish?
TL;DR what are some small low-swimming fish that could survive in a shallow 5 gallon aquatic area of a paludarium?
>>2113255
Kuhlis! It's adorable seeing a pile of RCS and Kuhli loaches dogpiling a wafer
Still have this black neon swimming around like this. I tried isolating him and feeding him a pea but when I got him on his own he just sank to the bottom of the cup on his side and gasped. He's swimming "normally" again now that he's back in the community.
>>2113537
I feel it's also worth mentioning he eats like any of my other fish. His appetite hasn't decreased at all.
>>2113490
don't put rams in there, mights not only be a space issue, but a temperature issue with them.
Not very familiar with this kind of snake and how the appetite for fish or shrimp is.
What is the expected temperature of the water?
You could try african dwarf frogs, neocaridina shrimp like snowball, yellow, cherry etc and snails or maybe endler guppies or dwarf corys like corydoras habrosus or pygmaeus.
But as stated, you should make sure they dont end up as a meal for your snake, that the filtration is ok and that temperarture fits their needs.
Does anyone here use rainwater? I was thinking of using it as a cheap alternative to R/O but I live in the city and I'm wondering if it will contain pollution.
>RCS were breeding every month for several months
>Have now completly stopped
Any idea what causes this?
>>2113617
nitrates? copper in water? temperature swings?
So I seem to have this issue with my water being too soft.
This is supposed to be for remineralising RO water. But would anything bad happened if I just used tap water and a smaller dose?
>>2113621
if your tank allows it, you could use one piece of this - according to tank size.
>>2113622
>>2113621
forgot pic
R8 my fairly new planted 40g and 5g?
40g
>>2113625
5g
>>2113625
the hardscape could be higher in the 40, so it falls kind of flat and is swallowed by the plants, nonetheless a beautiful tank.
the 5 looks promising, waiting for more plant growth there. maybe put some moss on the wood.
>>2113628
Are you thinking larger driftwood and what not? That's exactly why I bought plants that float and the tall ones that will break the surface. But I don't know if it's enough. Thanks for the nice words tho!
>>2113635
yeah, larger driftwood, rocks. it breaks up the plants and gives it more structure. You can also drill holes into wood and grow java fern there or even baby tears if you put a bit of soil in them and lighting/co2 is good.
>>2113650
Nah senpai. Don't want to suck up vital nutrients, also I have RCS to move the substrate around and discourage nitrate buildup
>>2113490
You're site the snake won't eat them?
>fish
For such a small body of water my first recommendation would be a betta or 2-5 Endlers. Other fish that would do okay in there (microrasboras, microdevario, sparkling gourami, Dario dario) tend to be either more difficult to care for or hard to find. African dwarf frogs would be another option.
I wouldn't suggest dwarf cories unless you gave them the full 200 sq in.
Keep in mind you'll need a small water heater for almost all of those. Endlers will do okay down to ~60F, though.
>shrimp
Ghost shrimp are cheap, easy to find, and fairly easy to care for most of the time. Amano shrimp are fun as hell and practically indestructible. Cherry shrimp are colorful and might breed, but are more likely to be eaten.
>snails
Nerite are master race. No other snail comes close. Ramshorns and trumpet snails would also be okay, but their reproduction rates can get out of hand for some people.
>plants
Unless you have a CFL or special plant light, you might be kind of limited. Anubias, java fern, Cryptocoryne, and mosses will do well in just about any conditions. Floating plants like water lettuce, frogbit, or Salvinia help keep the water clean, as do emersed plants like lucky bamboo or Spathiphyllum.
>filter
If you search "Aquarium Filter 80GPH" on eBay, you'll find an internal filter that'll work fine for about $8.
You could also do a sponge filter, but you'll also need to buy an air pump, tubing, and a check valve.
If you really want a "sleek" filtration system you can look at canister filters, but they're usually made for tanks much larger than that.
>>2113537
If it's swim bladder damage it could be permanent, but it otherwise wouldn't affect his quality of life. If it's some unknown infection, keeping the water as clean as possible is the best thing you can do.
Panda fish faggot here
They have this guy labeled as an oranda, but I think he looks more like a telescope. What do you guys think? Regardless, he's beautiful imo
Also, does alkalinity mess with goldfish too much? I got my water tested and it looks okay, save for fairly high alkalinity, I assume due to my use of well water, which is what my house uses.
>>2113861
Slightly-less-awful-than-typical telescope eyed goldfish.
>does alkalinity mess with goldfish too much?
Kind of impossible to say. Goldfish live way too damn long to tell if something small like that affects them much. That said, one of the longest lived goldfish recorded was from Japan, where they have soft water, whereas another was from an area in the UK with hard water, so it probably doesn't matter much one way or the other. Just acclimate him slowly.
Keep in mind that telescope goldfish have far less tolerance for temperature swings, are more prone to infection, and have a life expectancy of 5-7 years (versus 10-12 for fantails or 20-ish for commons).
>>2113874
>Slightly-less-awful-than-typical telescope eyed goldfish.
Actually, I didn't look that closely at the picture and I'll take that back. He looks mostly fine. The more streamlined body would be better suited for keeping outdoors, as would the short fins, but the genes for those eyes are usually combines with a host of other issues that can be difficult to identify. I say go for it, but bring it inside when the water temperature in the pond starts dipping below 50F.
Just dropping by to say damn you /an/, I should've never come here. Now I want to collect tanks and get larger and larger ones every time. This is what I bought today for $20. My fiance might be mad when he sees I spent more money on something aquarium related. Was it worth it? Idk if it even holds water although the seal looks fine. Didn't come with a stand, filter, or hood... Should've thought about the hood before I got it.
What size does /an/ think this even is?
What do I do for a stand and a hood?
Pretty sure it was used for a reptile, but I really wanted a corner tank and this one is perfect.
The 1.5 I got as a quarantine or shrimp tank for $3 at goodwill.
>>2113879
Here's another pic before I bought it and brought it home
>>2113879
God, that 1.5 is fucking awful, I misguidedly bought it thinking it would be good for a single beta and boy was I wrong. The filter is absolute trash, it doesn't even work and the airpump is a piece of shit that is incredibly loud. Not to mention it's small size makes it a fucking pain to clean without dumping out the whole thing. Decorations do not stay in place, the light is shit. And once you put in the filter and microheater it's space is reduced by half. My beta unfortunately died of dropsy before I could rehome it to my juvenile Oscars empty tank. Probably died because of how shitty the tank is. I should have never doubted /aq/ when they said anything under 10 gallons is fucking shit. Do NOT put fish in that piece of shit.
Pink light guy here, got a new bulb and rebuilding the fixture. What's everyone's opinion on self made light fixtures? It seems like the $300+ bulb light fixtures are expensive because of programming, but if you wired a 4xT5 fixture to have separate plugs, it would be relatively cheap to time each bulb and stagger times accordingly (for example 3 daylight bulbs during the day, 1 daylight and 1 dusk bulb afternoon, and a dusk bulb to finish off the night)
Anyone else try out custom lights?
>>2113901
I didn't plan to permanently put anything in it other than a few shrimp.
Bumping for any advice or input on the other, larger tank though. :|
Has anyone kept giant isopods in an aquarium?
>>2113995
You can find out how much water it holds by just filling it up one full measuring cup pitcher at a time. Count each cup as you pour the pitcher in. For instance, our pitcher can hold up to four measuring cups when completely full. Although most I see only hold two or three measuring cups when full.
This is also a great way to test it and see if it leaks or not. Just fill it up outside via a hose. Add up the measuring cups and see how many gallons it is, then leave it for a couple hours.
If everything is dry when you come back, empty it out, clean it very thoroughly, then enjoy your new tank!
>>2114006
Do those things even survive for any length of time outside of the ocean floor?
I know blob fish, for instance, change drastically and die horrendous deaths when brought up to the surface.
>>2113879
that actually looks like a good by for $20. it could be worse, i spend over $200 on a paintball CO2 regulator last week.
So I've been working at a small, family-owned local pet store for a while now
>tonight
>getting ready to close, this young couple shows up like 5 minutes til closing
>the want some fish
>like, a lot of fish
>they don't even know what kinds, though
>they just kind of eyeball it and choose the pretty ones
>keep asking me and coworker about how big they get, etc, obviously haven't done a lick of research
>they're asking if they have to do anything special with the water and what they should put in it
>they have us get 2 angelfish, a rubbernose pleco, 4 black tetras, and 2 dalmatian mollies
>I'm trying to scoop 2 dwarf gouramis that they wanted when my manager shows up and asks to make sure everything is going okay, it was like 15 minutes past closing
>she gets right to the point and asks if they even have a tank set up for them
>"no, me and her were going to go home and set up a 10 gallon tank tonight"
>mfw
>I've gotten so used to the herd of responsible fish owners that frequent the store that I forgot to ask
>I was also pretty tired and wanted to leave
>my manager makes them return all the fish and explains to them that all of them would have died and they need to ave a bigger, cycled tank, or to get smaller fish after cycling
>"lol dude I didn't know dat"
>they left
I feel like an idiot, it was so obvious that they didn't know what the fuck was going on
>>2113874
>>2113877
>He looks mostly fine. The more streamlined body would be better suited for keeping outdoors, as would the short fins
That's great to hear. He's definitely a telescope/moor, there's no way he's an oranda. I guess it doesn't really matter since he's the last one and we almost never get pandas because of how uncommon that type is.
I did notice that he was longer and had less bulgy eyes than the black moors we have there. I'm super happy to know that his less-defined features make him more able to handle the outdoors
>I say go for it, but bring it inside when the water temperature in the pond starts dipping below 50F.
I plan to take the whole setup inside in early-mid fall, depending on how quickly the weather gets cold.
Also, it turns out that the alkalinity of the water at the store is almost exactly the same as the water from my house. Other than that, though, the tank got pretty good readings, and I think I'm gonna take him home Wednesday. My coworker in the fish department told me that since the alkalinity in both places are the same that I should try and lower it once I take him home, so that the switch doesn't cause any kind of shock if I were to lower it before adding him.
I also would like to add a few floating plants, just to make the tank look a little nicer, and to improve the water quality while also giving the fishy some cover. Would water hyacinths be okay? How do you keep those healthy?
Sorry for potato pictures, he was pretty swimmy when I went to take these
>>2111620
>Why did you disturb me idiot?!?!
>You could have just asked for a photo...baka...
>>2114119
>getting ready to close
>young couple shows up 5 minutes til closing
who the fuck has the audacity to go into a store that's about to close
>>2114149
assholes
>>2114149
Well given their appearance and how they got like 30 fish without a tank even set up, I don't think they were the smartest people in the world
>>2114119
How dare you disrupt a customer's purchase, you have no idea what their intention is. Perhaps they have a super aquarium you have no thought about, American? These are things Stupid Americans Give ZERO thought to. Will this be of economic interest....
>>2114156
Did... did you read it? CAN you read?
>>2114156
>>2113879
Damn good deal for $20.
Cut a piece of cardstock that'll fit the top of the tank and take it to a glass cutter (the kind that do car glass or Windows and shit). For the stand, either DIY it or get old solid wood furniture.
If you post all the dimensions I'll tell you the gallonage
>>>2113520 here
I actually found some nematodes, and possibly flatworms and hydras as well as some other worms in the tank
Should I get rid of them? Is there a natural predator for these cucks or a chemical or something?
>>2113981
If you do it right you can save a lot of money, sadly I'm not the least bit gifted in building such things
>>2114036
The fuck? Are you retarded? Have you tried searching Amazon? There's this place called China, they'll make anything you want for less than $20 WITH shipping.
The most expensive component in any of my co2 setups is the co2 cartridge.
>>2114149
It's not closed yet. Don't be a nigger and do your job.
>>2114286
Some people like to invest a bit more for warranty and an established brand name, see apple. It all depends on the consumer.
While I never paid 200 for Co2, I did spend 140€ for an Eheim Led with a PSU included, because it has like 12 years warranty and is more energy efficient than most China Leds.
>>2114119
Your manager did the right thing. Besides the ethical questions, the customer would not have been satisfied. Of course it was shit for you to have to service them for nothing, but at least no fish ended up with a retard.
Help a newfag unravel a clown loach clusterfuck carnival? I'm not sure it's ich.
5 clown loaches, 3 rosy barbs, one blue gourami on a shitty 55-gallon. pH 7.4, everything at zero except nitrates at 10-20ppm (could this be enough to stress out the loaches?) Also had an aggressive redtail that was transferred to a 20-gallon about a month ago and will stay there until I can add him back to the bigger tank I'm getting for the clowns.
Only 3 of the 5 loaches are affected. All three use the same piece of decor as their hideout. They're also eating well, nothing odd in their behavior so far that can be observed.
It manifested about two weeks ago on the runtiest loach as two whitish/grayish oval patches on the brow right above both eyes, kinda symmetrical, about the same size as an eye. I thought it was an injury from bullying during wafer day/getting his head stuck in a crevice.
A few days passed and his two other bunkmates began displaying similar symptoms. By the end of that week, the patches had spread to cover their entire foreheads. The black head stripes were completely grayed out. At the time I was weighing the odds of all three getting injured the same way, on the same areas (possibly from the sharp interiors of their hiding hole), versus something that was possibly contagious and spreading.
Took a trip to the LFS a couple days later and the guy there successfully sold me bottles of mela/pimafix, which were supposed to be safe herbal shit that is okay for scaleless fish. I didn't learn that I could totally fuck over the blue gourami until I got home to google for myself... and after mildly dosing the tank with both products at about 7.5ml each.
>>2114297
The point here is that I'm a moron and I kept dosing the tank daily at those amounts for 7 days before a water change. The gray head patches DID show signs of receding at first... but now all three loaches developed patchy lesions on their bodies near the dorsal fin and tail. Possible irritation/chemical burns? Now 2 of the three are looking really pale with a kind of film coating their bodies. Is this excess slime coat production?
I still haven't ruled out the mechanical-injury-made-worse-by-me-fucking-around angle so I'm taking out their hiding spot and possibly replacing it with PVC water pipes.
Last water change was the emergency water change two days ago, about 40%. Should I increase frequency/add carbon? Corollary crap: the nitrates don't seem to be going down.
I am not putting any more meds on this tank until I get opinions from people who unlike me aren't idiots.
Also, all the pics I took where crap, I'll see if I can get some better ones later.
>>2114299
those new symptoms sound a lot like columnaris, which can also happen, when they stressed out - are they loaches breathing heavy? What I'd advise is very very frequent water changes, like once a day. I had a yoyo with the same symptoms. medication didnt help much so I put him in a containment tank with high oxygen and kept the water pristine. He got better after a week.
>>2114286
no the most expensive/important part of a CO2 rig is the needle or metering valve, fallowed by the regulator then the the CO2 cylinder. most of the regulators you see for sale online for cheap are and not that great. Specifically they are know to have issues such as end of tank dumps (most are low quality single stage regulator) and wondering needle valves (again low quality) or just have bad solenoids.
unfortunately right now if you're looking for good quality prebuilt regulator in the US you are limited in what you can find under $200. you can build it your self, which I am doing too for another regulator, but that takes time and I got my tax return and was feeling lazy. besides the regulator i got was one of the new paintball system that Green Leaf Aquariums builds and I have always like them even when it was just the owner helping out people on the planted tank forum "back in the day".
>give girlfriends sister a 20 gallon entire setup
>explain nitrogen cycle
>she listens
>she goes home and washes sand with soap and adds fish anyway
>everything dies
>>2114358
>tfw no beautiful soul to give me free setups
>>2114299
Pic related is best i could manage right now.
>>2114306
They seem to be breathing normally. I'll try doing daily water changes next and limit feedings for the rest of the week. Crossing my fingers that I'm not on the verge of a die-off here.
quick querstion, about to set up a planted tank and most plants require 20C+ temp but when im filling up the tank for the first time after planting the water will be like 5C should i have a heater in the bucket and just slowly add the water once it reaches the right temp?
>>2114363
that saddle like sore looks indeed like columnaris, besides trying medication for exactly that purpose, try indeed having the best water as possible, anything that relieves stress. how is the loches appetite? do they seem lethargic? maybe try offering frozen food like bloodworms or veggies if you don't do already.
>>2114379
Depends on the plants, if it heats up quickly it shouldnt be a problem. What kind of plants you got?
>>2114386
dwarf hairgrass and Staurogyne repens
75W heater in a 10 gallon
>>2114398
doesnt sound too critical when you use 5°C water for a very short time, since it should heat up rather fast. You could also just use warm water from the tap if possible, think would be easiest.
>>2114036
Thanks. I should've talked the guy down $5 more, he started out with $50.
>>2114190
The three front plates are 13inches each.
Across at the top is 22inches wide.
From top to bottom it is 24 inches in depth.
I was hoping to find some place that had a plastic/glass hood for it? Or do you think I'd be better off bringing in the measurements to someone who can cut glass? Would a full glass top be ok? SO MANY QUESTIONS, but only 10% regret. I like the tank. Stand-wise, that was the plan. DIYing it I'll possibly split the tool cost with my fiance and my brother, I've been going to thrift stores and goodwills looking for furniture that I can sit on, but I only weigh 110lbs, and a full tank that size must weigh at least 3-5 times my size. :| So how will I know that shit will hold up?
>>2114494
>>2114190
Found something with my same dimensions, so maybe it's a 44gal? Pic related for $275. I kind of wanted something bigger anyway....
http://www.bonanza.com/listings/O-dell-Pentagon-Corner-Pine-Cabinet-Aquarium-Stand-Dark-Walnut-Stain-New/273964268?goog_pla=1&gpid=68416460701&gpkwd=&goog_pla=1&gclid=Cj0KEQjwmKG5BRDv4YaE5t6oqf0BEiQAwqDNfGQSS29xwHLtUZw2i5XA6O_Y-IB4FSkTKUnNZlxilacaAu4y8P8HAQ
>>2114494
>The three front plates are 13inches each.
>Across at the top is 22inches wide.
>From top to bottom it is 24 inches in depth.
((22×22×24)−(9×9×0.5×24))÷231=46.08 gallons.
Gives you only about three square feet of footprint, though. A little more than a standard 29 gallon tank.
>>2114494
>>2114518
If I'm reading that right....
How did aquarium fish survive in the wild before being domesticated? Corydoras and Tetras for instance.
>>2114559
The fuck are you even asking? Why wouldn't they?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWIVCdLOImw&t=25
>>2114006
They did bring some isopods up but the specimens never ate a thing until it died 6 months later. That´s some crazy shit.
>>2111597
>>2111598
>>2111599
>>2111602
>>2111629
Protip: Get a Mbu
