DSM Fish Gal

An Alternative Way to Set Up a New Planted Tank

While skimming through the threads on Aquaria Central, I came across Tom Barr's alternative method for setting up a new planted tank.  What this method involves is growing in the foreground plants (which are usually the trickiest to grow and plant) in saturated substrate, without filling the tank with water.  In 4-8 weeks, once the smaller plants have had an opportunity to grow in and become more established, the tank is filled and fish can be added. 

The process does look quite easy and if I had a new tank to work with, I'd love to give it a try. 

The "Too Clean" Aquarium Syndrome

Hi folks!

I'm finally back after another lengthy hiatus.  Between classes, finding a new evening job to replace the pet store gig, and building my DSM Pets clientèle, free time has been in short supply.  Wooh.  Thank goodness that term is over so that I can look forward to starting the next one on Tuesday.   Oh boy!

So, anyway, the topic of the night is on aquarium maintenance, specifically how "cleaning overkill" can (and often does) wreak havoc on the tanks of many inexperienced freshwater hobbyists. 

What do I mean by "cleaning overkill"?  This refers to a range of actions, from scraping all algae from all interior surfaces to replacing filter cartridges on a weekly basis.  Getting your aquarium "too clean" can lead to a host of issues, namely a shortage in the beneficial bacteria that break down the ammonia and nitrite, which then drives these levels up, often resulting in fish deaths.  While working at the pet store, this was a common issue for many of the new aquarium-keepers I spoke with and you might be amazed how difficult it was to get through to some of them.  Other salespeople told them to do this or that, or they mistakenly believed the instructions on various product packaging were to be followed to a tee. 

It's easy to fall for the gimmicks and claims when you rely on the advice of salespeople, but we should keep in mind that it's their job to sell us stuff, plenty of which we probably don't even need.   Double goes for the manufacturers of aquarium supplies.  Many of those manufacturers encourage too frequent and thorough aquarium cleaning in an effort to sell more of their products (e.g. - pre-assembled filter cartridges).

For newbie fishkeepers, it's frustrating to learn that by following the directions posted, your tank isn't as healthy as it otherwise could be.  For these same people it can be difficult to come to terms with the idea that aquariums aren't supposed to be THAT clean.  Aquariums are essentially enclosed miniature ecosystems supported by an assortment of microscopic critters that break down waste products, creating a hospitable environment where fish can thrive.   The places fish come from aren't sparkling clean so why should their tanks be?  New fishkeepers would sometimes say they wanted to provide an optimal living space for their fishies, reasoning that fish would appreciate the same sanitary conditions most Americans can't get enough of (anti-bacterial soap, anyone?).  The problem is that an ultra-clean environment IS NOT optimal for fish (and I'd argue it isn't for people either, but that's another topic).

So, what can we do to improve the health of our aquariums?  Here are a few suggestions (with accompanying links for more information and ideas):

1. Do NOT replace filter cartridges, sponges, or pads very often.  By that I mean one should last for at least a month or longer.  Throw it out only when it's tattered and falling apart or so clogged that it seriously inhibits the flow of water through the filter.  If it becomes clogged with debris you can first try rinsing the cartridge in dechlorinated water (NOT tap water as the chlorine will kill off beneficial bacteria) and then stick it right back into place.  When the package says replace it every 2 weeks, know the manufacturer is buffaloing you into spending more money.  It isn't necessary and in fact does more harm than good to replace your filter cartridges or sponges too frequently.  If more filtration power is desired, add a second filter.  Here are some excellent filter maintenance and cleaning tips.


2. Allowing some (or even a lot) of algae growth is beneficial for your aquatic environment.  Besides  fish enjoying the freely-available snack, algae helps maintain proper water parameters by absorbing some of the excess nutrients and waste products (ammonium and nitrate mainly).  In my tanks, I scrape algae on the front and side walls and leave it to grow uninhibited on the ornaments, rocks, branches, and back glass panel.


3. Use unnecessary chemicals sparingly.  The chemicals necessary for your tank are: water conditioner/dechlorinator.  That's it.  And non-iodized salt.  You don't actually need much else. Water clarifiers rarely do any noticeable good.  Algae inhibitors and pH solutions tend to do more harm than good.  Keep in mind that every time a chemical is added, it increases the total amount of chemicals present, expressed in parts per million (ppm).  That's what the fish are living in and "breathing" everyday.


4. Never, ever use soap to clean out an empty tank or to clean ornaments.  No matter how well you rinse it, some residue is usually left behind.  If serious cleaning is needed, soak the items in chlorine bleach water, followed by an overnight soak in dechlorinated water before being left to dry.


5. Ornaments, fake plants, and rocks provide surface area for beneficial bacteria to colonize.  Bleach will kill these colonies, so it's best not to clean these items.  If you must, it's best kept to rare occasions.  The tank may look all neat and pretty with the ornaments scrubbed up, but it does nothing for the health of the tank.  Removing beneficial bacteria means there are less available to break down the toxic waste products, which can result in fish death.  If a couple of ornaments are kept cleaned off, I'd recommend cutting up pieces of filter foam or sponges and placing them in the filters to allow beneficial bacteria a new site to inhabit.  Just rinse it occasionally in dechlorinated water and replace when tattered.
   


6. The aesthetics new fishkeepers tend to prefer are man-made and look unnatural.  It's probably due to how aquarium supplies are marketed, but it's great to expand past that preference and learn to appreciate the way an established miniature ecosystem actually looks.  It may look overgrown and bushy, but fish dig it that way. 

On top of creating a more fish-friendly environment, these tips help keep the setup more affordable and truly low-maintenance.  I'm all about that! 

February Updates

Life is busy and bustling these days, not that I'm complaining.  Just doesn't give me as much time to blog as I'd like.  So here are this week's updates in a nutshell.

After losing Chance, Noby was left without a cagemate, so I brought home a new little guy named Burns.  He's solid black, slightly chubby, and relatively sociable.  From here on out, the mice will be on a more restricted diet, and I did furnish the cage with a new wheel in hopes that they will exercise at least occasionally.  Burns and Noby hit it off immediately and spend a good bit of time grooming one another and cuddling in their igloo.  A photo will be taken and posted once he has an opportunity to settle in a bit.

I also brought home a bamboo shrimp and a couple of tiny molly fry.  The bamboo shrimp found his way to the clump of hornwort floating on the surface in the 28g tank where he can sit directly in the current and feed on whatever comes his way.  The molly fry went into the 10g brackish tank and so far only one is active and comes to the surface to feed, but it's also the largest of the duo and is probably less afraid of the bigger fish. 

The 10g tank is doing amazingly well with all of the fish, shrimp, and plants flourishing!  The bumblebee gobies are even doing well and getting enough to eat.  I ensure this by feeding flakes on the surface to distract the larger fish and then dropping a variety of sinking foods (Aquadine, pieces of algae wafers, and shrimp pellets).  Occasionally the mollies are fed freeze-dried tubifex worms, which they make a mess with, allowing the gobies to chase the floating particles. 

The 28g tank is still not quite up to par and it looks like it may again have ich.  I could just scream...but...  eh.  C'est la vie, I suppose.  It may be time to bring in the malachite green, but that involves removing the filter media, which I'm not keen on doing.  Medications are a last resort in my tanks, but this issue just won't go away!  The corydoras are all gone (and won't be replaced) due to the increased salinity.  The rainbowfish appear quite healthy aside from the few white specks here and there.  I just don't get it.  All I can figure is that this is a result of fluctuating temperatures and another reason why this tank shouldn't have been placed so close to my sliding glass patio door.  But it's been maintaining a temperature between 78-80 degrees F for at least a week now, so...  

The plants weren't doing so well, which I attributed to the raised temperatures (back when it was kept up around 86 degrees F), and algae began to take over.  One of the fluorescent lights is now kept off with the remaining strip light kept on fewer hours (no more than 10) and 3 more black mystery snails were added.  The sunlight coming in from the patio door is likely the culprit causing the algae growth, though it's not excessive yet.  Since reducing the light exposure time, the hornwort is back to growing full-force and the red ludwigia is perking up some.

The rats are all doing better, though Jimmie continues to make odd noises and remains a bit shaky.  Keefer still isn't a fan of being handled though he will come out of the cage to run around the livingroom from time to time.  And Grizzle is just as playful and sweet as always. 

Bob is bored.  He's taken to pestering me constantly to toss his toy mouse, which he fetches better than most dogs I know AND brings it back.  The rats just don't hold his attention like they used to, though he absolutely adores watching his mice through the cage bars.  The night I brought home Burns, Bob purred and begged to be held up to look into the cage, leaning back every couple of minutes to lick my lips.  lol  He can be such a sweetheart when he wants to be.  I'm seriously considering adopting a second cat so that he'll have a playmate that is just as rough-and-tumble as he is.  He gets frustrated with the ratty boys because they squeal when he's too rough, resulting in him getting in trouble.  Poor Bob.  Maybe sometime soon I'll look into bringing home a neutered or spayed kitten so that they can tear through the apartment and keep one another company when I'm at work or school. 

(Can't help but shudder at the idea of another kitten though - that's another set of claws and teeth to destroy the furniture and my skin LOL)

Combating Algae Using Live Plants

Another useful purpose for keeping live plants: they can "out-compete" algae.  In other words, fast-growing plants can use up excess nutrients, making it more difficult for algae to become established. 

The biggest problem for most people when it comes to keeping live plants for the first time is that their current aquarium setup does not provide enough light.  Most aquarium kits include a dinky light fixture meant to simply illuminate the fish, not to actually grow anything.  One way around this issue is to place your tank in a location where it will receive indirect sunlight regularly.  If this isn't an issue, you may want to invest in a second light strip or replace your current one.

Once you have sufficient light to grow low-light plants, I would recommend starting out with Hornwort.  This plant grows very fast even in low-light conditions and is considered a nutrient sponge.  I've had great success growing this plant in all three of my tanks at various light levels.  Dosing with Flourish Excel definitely increases growth, in my experience. 

Best of all, you can find this plant almost anywhere. 

      

What a difference...

...a little time makes.  This is my tank now:

This is my tank a few weeks ago:

Dang algae infestation.     

My plants look sooo much healthier these days.  The changes I made were:

• Slightly increased water changes with more attention paid to gently stirring up the gravel (BUT I only do 1 water change a month usually, so it's up to 2).
• Reduced light exposure by running the 15w 6500k fluorescent during the day and the 18w compact fluorescent only occasionally for short periods of time. 
• Purchased two small omnivorous catfish and a few algae-eating shrimp to help combat the algae.
• Made sure to only dose fertilizers in very small quantities on rare occasion.

Somewhere in this combination of events, I triumphed.  My filtration was left alone for the most part throughout this with the cartridge rinsed only once and not replaced in at least a couple of months (important to maintain your nitrifying bacteria colonies).   

Progress in the Planted Tank

Just snapped a few new photos of my little 10-gallon project tank.  The algae problem was remedied by removing as much by hand as possible followed by reducing the light.  Previously I ran my bright compact fluorescent bulb (in conjunction with my 15w grow light) all day.  Now, I run the 15w grow light during the day and only occasionally turn on the brighter lamp, leaving it on for only 30-60 minutes at a time. 

Oh, and then bought some algae-eating shrimp, which are doing wonderfully. 

I should mention that I am down to only 2 Danios now (started with 8) and have also added 2 mollies (1 male, 1 female), 1 bumblebee catfish, and 1 spotted raphael catfish.  The two rainbowfish are doing just fine, like always.  Water tests show my parameters to be fairly decent (very low ammonia, zero nitrites, relatively low nitrates, hard water with a slightly acidic pH).  The water seems fine, the fish appear healthy, these shrimp are hardier than the last two batches of cherry reds, and the algae is completely gone.  As stated in another post, the Mopani wood has been removed as well since it would not quit leaching tannins into the water.  Plus it took up too much space. 

Here are a few pictures of the tank now:

I pointed out some of my plants above (click on photo to enlarge).  The older banana plant (nymphoides aquatica) is on the far right; the younger one is indicated on the left.  Notice how the roots look different for the one on the right.  The banana-looking base melts off to expose ordinary roots over time.

Java fern has got to be the easiest plant to grow.  I have a ton of this stuff.  If you look toward the top, on the very tip of the leaf a tiny new plant is growing, like a little parasite on a host.  This is occurring with all of my java ferns, so I'm betting it's time to set up a new, larger tank to accommodate the cuttings.

This is my mystery plant (the one behind and intertwined with the banana plant).  The underside of its leaves are red and it's grown beautifully since day one.

Along the bottom are small crypt wendtii plants and an amazon sword.  A sprig of hornwort is also sending down roots.

The tank seems to be doing quite well at this time.  You just can't beat going with live plants!   

Tank Update (Problems with Algae)

Over the past few weeks, this hair algae has been invading my tank for reasons I'm still trying to figure out.  Either the lighting is wrong, there are too many nutrients, or more CO2 is needed (or any combination thereof).  Having an imbalance in these three necessities is usually what allows algae to gain a foothold. 

This is what the hair algae looks like:

(Click on images for larger view)

Recently, this new green plasma-looking algae has been covering parts of my moss.  Not sure what it is exactly...

This is what the tank looks like overall:

A co-worker suggested that it may be due to high nitrates, so I did a larger water change though nothing seems to have changed since.  Another water change is in order soon.  Once I figure out the cause and find some sort of remedy, I'll post it on the blog.

On a happier note, my otos are doing just great.  Haven't lost one yet!  Must be doing something right.    The original eight Danios are thriving as well.  The Rainbowfish are doing wonderfully and have reached an understanding with the Danios (no more fin-nipping). 

And I'm loving the growth of my banana plant (Nymphoide Aquatica) and the unidentified plant right behind it:

 

Banana plants are a fantastic addition for most aquariums, but seeing them in the pet store before their leaves have come in, I can understand why most people overlook them.  Just rest assured, most aquatic plants will fill in and look better once in your aquarium assuming they're cared for properly.  Our plants at the store look pretty pathetic (then again, we don't provide much light or any fertilizers), but like this banana plant, the ones I brought home grew in well.

In the end, I can't complain too much.  The algae is mostly an aesthetic issue; the fish don't mind in the least and the plants continue to grow.