DSM Fish Gal

Adding to the 28g Tank

Today I picked up a small piece of slate and a new plant to help spruce up the 28-gallon tank.  A few plants were rearranged and the algae was scrubbed off the front and side panels of the tank.

And a close-up on the new calico piece of slate:

The new, yet unidentified, background plant:

This tank looks so bare.  Hopefully once the lighting situation is under control, the plants will grow a little faster than the algae.  There's a generic bulb in one of the strips that casts an unattractive yellow hue on the whole tank, so eventually I hope to replace it with a Flora-Sun bulb.

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. 

May 2008 Tank Updates

Earlier today, I pruned many of the plants, collecting cuttings to be given to a couple who are in the process of cycling their tank.  The tanks look so much better now!  Here's what they look like now (click on photo for larger image):

The 28g Tank (minus much of the Hornwort that had taken over)

The 10g Tank (still wooly, but not as bad as it was)

I haven't taken the time to clear out the 5g Hex tank yet, but soon some its anacharis will be looking for a new home too.  The Betta keeps getting tangled in it.

As of this past month, I have lost 3 fish in the 28g tank (2 Rainbowfish and 1 Whiptail Catfish).  What a bummer.  But the remaining fish all appear healthy so hopefully there will no more losses.  Oh, and in the 10g tank, I lost one shrimp, but after not experiencing a loss in that tank for months, we'll chalk it up to old age.  The other shrimp seem to be doing just fine.

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! 

April Tanks Update

The 28g tank is finally becoming fully-established after being set up for about 3.5 months.  While it looks unkempt and no true aquascaping has taken place yet, the plants are growing in nicely and the fish are all doing well. 

Most of the original stock has survived.  This tank is currently stocked with the following:

• 8 Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish (M. Praecox)
• 3 Harlequin Rasboras
• 1 young Gold Gourami
• 3 black kuhli loaches
• 1 Loricaria catfish
• 1 Spotted Raphael catfish
• 1 unidentified catfish (sold to me as an upside down catfish though it I'm not so sure)
• 3 or more Black Mystery snails
• 1 Bamboo shrimp

Here is a photo of the unidentified cat (in case anyone has any ideas on what it may be):

Some of the plants survived, though plenty didn't make it.  I've found that plants tend to do better in my 10g tank where the water is more shallow and the lighting is in the 5600k spectrum.

The 10-gallon tank is doing very well after being set up for over 8 months, though I continue to lose an oto catfish every couple of months.  It's a wooly jungle in there, but the fish seem happy and the plants grow like weeds with supplements only rarely added.

In the 10g, the follow species remain:

• 4 Mollies
• 2-3 Bumblebee gobies
• 1 Bumblebee catfish
• 2-3 Black Mystery snails
• 3 or more Amano shrimp
• 1 otocinclus catfish (down from 3)

The molly fry didn't make it unfortunately.

The experiment of using a mixture of inert gravel and eco-complete soil in the 28g tank and inert gravel with a bottom layer of laterite in the 10g tank has proven interesting.  Both tanks have two light fixtures though only one is usually ran since it tends to be overkill when both are ran for too long at a time.  The 10g has one 5600k lamp and a 10000k lamp that is turned on rarely.  The 28g has a Current 10000k lamp with dual bulbs and a second lamp with a generic bulb that is rarely used due to excessive algae growth.  Most variables, aside from tank depth and soils used, were kept very similar, so I would have assumed plants would grow just as well in either tank.  But no.  They grow much more vigorously and with improved color in the 10g tank.  Hmmm... Perhaps good, old-fashioned laterite isn't given enough credit?

The 28g tank is powered by two HOB filters, one a Penguin 150 bio-wheel and the other a small Whisper.  The 10g is powered by one Penguin 100 bio-wheel HOB filter.  Both tanks usually have at least an inch or more of space between the water's surface and the top rim of the tank, allowing for greater surface agitation.  The 10g also has a small air stone and air filter since it's water temperature tended to be higher during the winter months (not near the glass patio door as the other tank is).  Maybe adding an air stone will benefit the 28g tank as well?  I'm sure it couldn't hurt, though I doubt it will have a dramatic effect on plant growth.

Bob prefers his cat perch beside the larger aquarium where he can sit and watch the critters swim around.  We consider it kitty TV.