Aquascaping

So, as I stated in a post recently I have plants in The Vintage Tank. I forgot to mention them in my excited update. So far all of the plants are from South America except one which is from Asia.

This is the list of plants:

• Amazon Sword (Echinodorus bleheri)
• Melon Sword (Echinodorus osiris)
• Crypt Wendtii, Green (Cryptocoryne wendtii) Asian!
  
• Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum)
• Aponogetons unknown varieties (bulb packages)
• ChainSword - Narrow Leaf (Echinodorus tenellus)
• Micro Sword (Lilaeopsis novae-zelandiae)

And an accidental sprig of Wisteria (Hygrophila difformis) broke off in the bag when the guy at PetSmart didn’t know the difference between Wisteria and Melon Sword. Crazy, right? (need to find better plant provider...FS in Greensboro is good but 30 mins away)

I plan to get some type of floating plant to shade the tank eventually. I can't seem to find any at the Pet stores around here! I need to check my fave LFS that isn't really that L as its 15 minutes away...I am getting spoiled, I remember thinking that shopping was close by when it was 40 minutes away!

My brother had some type of floating plant in his tanks when we were younger...I remember it taking over and being annoying but the fish liked the shadow it cast and I know my CTs will appreciate it and will color up better.

I will try to take some pictures of the tank as it is now, and post the ones that are still on the camera ASAP.

In other decor/aquascaping news I found the perfect piece of driftwood, or Mendal did. We found it at an Antique Mall believe it or not. For only $2.50 we got an old narley piece of driftwood that will be the star of The Vintage Tank.

However in order to use real drift wood I will probably have to add some Limestone to the tank to keep the pH from falling too low. We have acidic water here and while the fish I've chosen do well in slightly acidic water I think anything below 5 would be a bad thing!

pH levels in my tanks now:

The Vintage Tank 6.8
Harem Hex 6.5
Lenore's Hex 5.5

Lenore's has always been low, which is wierd because the Harem Hex has exactly the same everything (plants, substrate, filtration, light, water, and they were set up on the same day).

Next up Limstone search (Friday) and Pictures of The Vintage Tank!

Permanent Resident

Dwarf Pencilfish



Scientific Name: Nannostomus marginatus

Size: 1.4 in

pH: 5.5 - 7

Temperature 75°- 82° F

Origin/Habitat: South America: Peru, Columbia, Guyana, Suriname and Brazil

Tank Region: Middle levels: all over

Apparently this fish makes a great Dither Fish which it seems my CTs need. A Dither Fish is typically used with Cichlids. Its purpose is to calm the nerves of nervous fish, to make the tank seem more comfortable. Dither fish are typically always schoolers and are movers and shakers not hiders and darters!

You can read more about Dither Fish here: http://www.theaquarians.net/ArticlesandWallpapers/dither_fish.htm

Last Resident Decided!

I have been trying to get Mendal more interested in helping develop The Vintage Tank. She appreciates the coolness of a 1970s Metalframe, and she likes to look at a pretty tank with pretty fish but she is not very active in...well any of it!

So last week we were doing a fun shopping day in Kernersville (a town 20 minutes from us) and we went to my favorite LFS and Petco. I told her the last resident was going to be her choice and that she should let me know what fish she liked.

At both stores she pointed out Pencil Fish, I believe that the LFS and Petco had different types but they looked simular. I told her that they were a great fish and there was a Dwarf Pencilfish that would fit perfectly in The Vintage Tank.

So I ordered 15 of the little guys, planning for a few causulties during transit. I also ordered 4 more Three Line Cory Cats.

The part I love is that The Vintage Tank is a true Biotope with only South American: Columbian Fish and Plants with the exception of one plant that is from Asia.

Next post is info and a picture of the Dwarf Pencilfish!

Vintage Tank Resident Update

Eek! I just realized how long it has been since I've updated...

I have been really busy with work and Life!

So in The Vintage Tank News I have added 2 more Colombian Tetras on March 15th. They were 25% off at my LFS and I couldn't resist. About a week later I had a mysterious casualty, one of the Walmart CTs died, I believe it was from stress.

The CTs continued to act incredibly jittery/nervous until I added my two Three Line Cory Cats this weekend, March 28th. An hour after the Cories: Haim and Feldmen (yes I know we're dorks) were added the CTs started swimming around more and their colors were showing more.

They have since even started to come to the top of the tank to eat instead of waiting for it to drift down.

I also added my 2 mystery snails from the Hex tanks to The Vintage Tank becuase of treating the other tanks with medcine that would hurt them. I will leave them there.

I called my LPS and ordered the newest tank mate and some more Three Lines. I should be able to pick them up on Friday of this week.

More on them in the next post!

Introducing the Colombian Tetras

March 9, 2008

How I added the Colombian Tetras (CT) to The Vintage Tank.

When we got the jittery fishies into the house I made sure the light was out in the hall were the tank was. The hood wasn’t wired yet so that light wasn’t on to stress them further either. Actually at this point the hood hadn’t been wired yet, more on that later.
I unknotted the bag the CTs were in and held it in the water. I decided to do the floating/adding water thing to acclimate them.

Also, the bag water was filly, there was dead fish scales (Mollies one of them was housed with) and tons of poop and old food. It was a mess.

1. I floated them for 4 minutes, then added ½ cup of tank water.

2. Every 4 minutes for 24 minutes I added more water upping the amount every time.
3. I filled my “clean” bucket with tank water and put my large net over my “dirty” bucket.

(I have two buckets, blue for clean water and red for dirty water used for water changes.)








4. I cut a corner off the bag next the net over the red bucket.










I did this so the majority of nastiness would flow out first. As soon as I cut it the water started rushing out and I moved the whole over the net which caught all of the fish.

5. I then immediately placed them in the blue bucket. I let them swim for 5 minutes, keeping a close watch for hungry kittens and jumping fish.









7. After this I took my smaller net and caught them one at a time and added them to The Vintage Tank.








We went to bed soon after and 7 hours later the CTs got their first feeding of Flake Food. Which they loved and gobbled right up!

They have been swimming happily in the bubbles and playing in the filter flow for over 24 hours now. I’ve fed them 3 times, small amounts. They eat everything in about 30 seconds. I will only feed them once for the next few days so I don’t overfeed and cause a Nitrate spike!

This morning they all showed iridescent blue on their spines so I know they are feeling more relaxed in their new home. I cannot wait to get the hood wired so we can see them in light! Oh, and have some nice plants added so they can have some place to play and hid…

Sorry about all the pictures, Mendal likes her camera and I asked for everything to be documented!

Light update next!

Day 31:

March 9, 2009

NO3 <20ppm style="font-weight: bold;">DON’T BUY DYED FISH ITS CRUEL!

Ok rant done.

So yes, they were mislabeled at $3.78 and as I said previously, the cheapest I had seen was $5. I called my LPS and found out they sell them for $2.99 when they are in stock, but they were out and they are small/young when they get them in.

When I got to Wal-Mart this morning I had some idiot who didn’t know the first thing about fish net them out and torture the poor things with his “skills”. I’ve never seen someone net and move a fish the way he did!

After he caught all they had, 8 total. I asked “how much are the Colombian Tetras anyway?” knowing full well he would have no idea what I was saying, and that they were not listed on their price list.

The only other fish listed above their tank was Flame Tetras, of which they did not have in stock. He said “they are Mixed Fruit.” I said “no they aren’t,” and ranted about what a Mixed Fruit was and showed him the Black Skirts they had. Even he could see the resemblance between the pictures of the Mixed Fruites and the Black Skirts.

Looking at the bag of 8 terrified fish, he said, “They do have red fins.” And marked them at the Flame Tetra Price. Which was only $1.67!!!

Do I feel guilty you ask? Not at all.

This is Wal-Mart and I will rip them off in order to save some innocent fish. So I find Mendal and we check out. We bought some milk, fabric softener and a 12 pack of paper towels and the total was $17 something…how is this possible you may ask? (Those of you without math skills the fish alone should have been over $14!)

While walking to the car I looked at the receipt and the clerk only charged us…

For 1 fish!!!! Did I turn around you ask? NO F-ING WAY!

HEHEHEHEHAHAHAHA

So we now have 8 jittery Colombian Tetras in The Vintage Tank that we only paid $1.67 for!!!

Next post will be how they were introduced

Day 27-30:

March 5-8, 2009

NO3 <20ppm
NO2 0
NH3/NH4+ 0 assumed

For the last 3 days the test results have remained the same. I have also been adding 3/4 teaspoon of Ammonia everyday expect the 8th I only added ½ teaspoon.

Reason: I found Colombian Tetras at Walmart. Yes I know Walmart=bad, Walmart Fish=death. But they were selling them for only $3.78 and the cheapest I had seen was $5. So I figured why not try it? There are no other fish in the tank to get sick and I’ll just quarantine them for a few weeks.

Next post will talk about Purchase!

Day 26:

March 4, 2009

NO3 <20ppm
NO2 0.5
NH3/NH4+ 0 assumed

So Nitrites are a little elevated but Nitrates are back to safe. We shall see what happens next. There has been a lot of evaporation due to the high temperature of 86 degree F. I had cleaned my Hex tanks and had a gallon left over. I decided to dump it into the tank.

The water had 1/8 teaspoon Baking Soda, ¼ teaspoon Salt and ½ teaspoon Epsom Salt. This is the buffering I use for my Hex’s because of the Mystery Snails. I should never have bought them without researching first. My water is so naturally acidic it makes it hard to buffer a higher Ph. The tank seem to always be at 5.5 (Lenore) and 6.5 (Harem Tank). I don’t know why they are different they have the exact same substrate and plants and light time. Different bioload though…

Added 1/2 teaspoon Ammonia.

Day 25:

March 3, 2009

NO3 between 20 and 40ppm
NO2 0
NH3/NH4+ 0 assumed

Got home Monday dead tired and just added 1 teaspoon of Ammonia after reading results and freaking out. Then slept and took Mendal back to the airport so she could fly to IL to be with her family. Saddness. Her Opa died. He was nice.

Today I tested and was happy to see Nitrates going up and Nitrites at 0. I still don’t have a way to measure Ammonia.

Added 1 teaspoon Ammonia.

Day 23:

March 1, 2009

NO3 <20ppm
NO2 0!!!!
NH3/NH4+ 0 assumed

Friend tested and had no idea this is what I’ve been waiting for! Nitrites are at 0!!!!
Tank is officially cycled!!! Yippee…and I was still in San Francisco…and could do nothing about it…didn’t even know it…

She added 1/2 teaspoon Ammonia.

Day 21:

February 27, 2009

NO3 <20ppm
NO2 3
NH3/NH4+ 0

So I ran out of Ammonia testing right? And I bought some testing strips in an emergency because I really need to test before I left for San Francisco. It has Nitrate but not Ammonia! What the heck? Well anyway. I already know that the bacteria are gobbling up the Ammonia so I’m not too worried.

Looky I have Nitrate reading! It is a shade that would land it right about 10ppm I would guess.

Added 1/2 teaspoon Ammonia.

Also we are leaving this afternoon and I won’t be back until Monday. I will have a friend come buy and add Ammonia everyday and test the tank on Sunday.

Day 18:

Day 18:
February 24, 2009

NO2 3.3-33ppm (perfect match to chart!)
NH3/NH4+ 0

I ran out of Ammonia test solution. I knew I would but was hoping my new test kit would be here. I was able to finish this test, but won’t have another for a few days. Everything seems to be going smoothly anyway.

Added 1 teaspoon Ammonia.

Day 17:

February 23, 2009

Too busy to test today. Mendal and I are planning a trip to San Francisco this weekend and I’ve been running errands all day and need sleep before work!

Added ½ teaspoon Ammonia.

According to the websites I am using testing everyday is not necessary anyway. I’ve only been doing so for documentation and precedence. That way the next time I cycle a tank I won’t have to test everyday and will have some idea as to where the cycle is.

Will test tomorrow!

Day 16:

February 22, 2009

Tested Ammonia at 4pm today it was at 1.5ppm.

Tested again at 11pm

NO2 33ppm + off chart again…
NH3/NH4+ 0

So the Ammonia is gone in less than 24 hours (about 20). I’ll be adding the 1 teaspoon again today.

Day 15:

February 21, 2009

NO2 33ppm nearly on the chart again…
NH3/NH4+ 0

So the Ammonia I added is gone in 24 hours. I’ll be adding more this time. 1 teaspoon added with a test result of 1.5ppm after 1 hour. Still don’t have Nitrate test…I can’t seem to find them for under $15 so it makes it cheaper to just buy another kit. Maybe API Freshwater Test Kit? It’s only $21.99.

Product Mentioned:
Test Kit can be purchased here: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4454

Day 14:

February 20, 2009

NO2 33ppm ++ way off the charts, still…
NH3/NH4+ 0

I’m adding more Ammonia to keep feeding the bacteria. I’ll be adding ½ teaspoon today and we shall see how long it takes to get to 0 again!

Day 13:

February 19, 2009

NO2 33ppm ++ way off the charts!
NH3/NH4+ 0

Ammonia has reached 0! And Nitrites are going crazier than before. I really need that freaking Nitrate test!

It can’t be much longer now. Maybe 2 more weeks?

Day 12:

Day 12:
February 18, 2009

NO2 33ppm + no doubt way off the chart, Literally!
NH3/NH4+ .25

The Spike continues in a big way! The test stops at 33ppm and this is a good 5 shades darker/brighter than the little color code key matchy thing.

Still don’t have a Nitrate test kit. I would love to know if any have shown up yet!

Cycling Update

March 1, 2009

I am BEHIND with updating!

I have days of info to type up and post, which I will do ASAP!

In other news The Vintage Tank has FINISHED CYCLING!!!!

The tank finished cycling, with Ammonia and Nitrite levels at 0 and Nitrate levels at <40ppm. I've been adding 3/4 teaspoon of ammonia a day this week and the levels are always back to 0 within a 24 hour period. After only 12 hours the Nitrites read at .5ppm

I will not be adding fish for a while yet. I have to get the hood lighting rigged. I have the retrofit but haven't had the time to install it, or more like Mendal has not been home to install it! I have a few things to work out such as a cover for the light so condensation cannot reach the bulb and also ventilation. We have a plan for a cover including Plexiglas and magnets, but we don't have a clue how to keep the hood from being hot to the touch. It is Stainless Steel and there are no wholes or slats for air flow to reach the bulb. I really do not want to cut the hood as it would decrease the value of the setup. However, I am not planning to ever sell the tank and I do need everything to be workable and safe! So, I have no idea what I'll be doing...

I'll post the cycling history soon!

Possible Future Resident

It seems as though the Lemon Tetra may be winning the third fish type in The Vintage Tank! I just fall for them a little more each time I read another sites info. The best are comments by those who have had them. Here’s some info about them:

Scientific Name: Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis

Size: 1.6 - 2.0 in

pH: 6.0 - 7.5

Temperature 71.6 - 82.4 F

Origin/Habitat: South America

Tank Region: Middle levels

Day 11:

February 17, 2009

NO₂ 3.3-33ppm (how it is listed on test exactly, seems to be a wide range)

NH₃/NH₄⁺ between .25 and 1.5ppm (closer to 1.5ppm)

The Spike continues! Another day of rising Nitrites. I still have no idea how long it will take for things to reach 0. If I wasn’t so curious I would consider testing every other day, but I don’t think I could wait to see where the cycle is at!

So I still need to order the retrofit for the hood. I truly wish I knew more about electrical things so I would know what I needed or didn’t need! Buying a retrofit with all accessories including the bulb seems to be the best bet at this point. Or I could wait until Mendal’s mom Gina comes to visit at the end of March and have her do something. The woman can figure anything out and knows a ton about a ton of things! We shall see what I decide to do about lighting in the next few weeks I guess.

The Vintage Tank Future Residents

The Colombian Tetra

Size : Up to 2 inches (5 cm)

pH : 6 - 7

Temperature : 75°F - 80°F (24°C - 27°C)

Water Hardness : 6° to 15° dH

Lifespan : 3 - 5 years

Origin / Habitat : Colombia, South America

Tank Region : Mostly middle and bottom.

Three Line Cory

Scientific name: Corydoras trilineatus

Size:2" (5cm)

pH: 6-7.2

Temperature:22-26^oC (72-79^oF)

Lifespan: 3- 10+ years

Origin/Habitat: South America: Peru, Brazil, and Colombia.

Tank Region : Mostly bottom.

********

I will be adding one more type of fish but I don't know what yet. I do want to stick with a fish from the Columbia region since that seems to be a running theme here. Or at the very least South America. Some of the other fish I am interested in are White Skirt Tetras, Lemon Tetra and Rummy Nose Tetras. I also have looked at adding albino Tiger Barbs or albino Cherry Barbs, but both of these are from Asia areas which is keeping those firmly in the not sure/don't think so category.

Wish I could think of a good solo fish from South America. I would love to a single largish 3-5 inch fish as a "centerpiece". I was thinking of an Angel but turns out they aren't very solitary and the Colombians would probably munch on their fins.

More fish to come as the search continues!

Day 10:

February 16, 2009

And the SPIKE continues!

NO₂ 1.6ppm

NH₃/NH₄⁺ 1.5

I don’t know how much more time it will take for the ammonia to reach 0 and the nitrites to start going down, but I have plenty of time! I have yet to get the tanks hood retrofit ordered so I obviously am not ready for fish. The whole tank setup is a “hurry up and wait” situation. It’s a good thing I don’t mind the wait…it gives me more time to research things…everything!

Next post will feature fish profiles I am thinking of getting for The Vintage Tank.

Day 9:

February 15, 2009

And we have a SPIKE!

NO₂ 0.5-8ppm (closer to 8)

NH₃/NH₄⁺ 1.5-3.0 (closer to 1.5)

This is what I’ve been waiting for! Now if the Ammonia keeps going down and the nitrites level off and then decline we have a cycling tank people!

Or at least the beginnings of a cycled tank. I will have to keep feeding the tank ammonia until I get fish for the tank so the bacterium doesn’t starve. Today’s results are a good sign that the ammonia cycling is working.

Will update again very soon…as in a soon as it takes to type up today’s readings!

Day 8:

February 14, 2009

pH 7.5

NO₂ 0.3ppm

NH₃/NH₄⁺ 1.5

Today I tested again before adding ¾ teaspoon of Ammonia. I decided not to test for water hardness everyday because I don’t want to run out of testing solution and also because it is not necessary to cycle.

After adding the ammonia I waited more than an hour and tested again.

NO₂ 0.3ppm

NH₃/NH₄⁺ 5ppm

We shall see what happens next! I am hoping that when I check tomorrow the Ammonia levels will have dropped and the Nitrite will have spiked.

I have turned up the heater as I mentioned on Day 5 however due to the coldness of my house and the fact that I still didn’t have a hood the temperature had been holding steady at 74 degrees F. So I got Mendal to cover it with tin foil while I was at work yesterday and it is now at 79 degrees F. I hope that the poor little heater will eventually get the temperature higher, it’s currently set on 88 degrees. To help I added a second heater, a Tetra Whisper submersible heater for 2-15 gallon tank. It did power on for a few minutes today but I doubt it will be very much help since it is not adjustable and is set at 78 degrees F. This is the heater I have in both Hex tanks, I have an extra from a quarantine tank I used to use.

I will be testing again tomorrow night. I will also be placing the order for the lighting retrofit for the hood. It is a 65 Watt straight pin Power Compact Lamp with Ballast, endcap and reflector for $74.99. I’ve checked all over the web and cannot find a conclusive price, basically because I can’t find the same thing the guy at my LFS found! I need a single bulb because if the size of the hood and the only things I can find are two bulb retrofits. Plus I get the added bonus of help from one of the guys at my LFS, Aquarium Center of North Carolina!

Product Mentioned:

For more about heater go here: http://www.tetra-fish.com/sites/tetrafish/catalog/productdetail.aspx?id=1276&cid=63

Purchase heater here: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3743+16756&pcatid=16756

Day 7:

February 13, 2009

pH 7.5

NO₂ 0.3ppm

NH₃/NH₄⁺ 1.5-3.0ppm closer to 1.5 and lighter than yesterday

GH 5

KH 4

CO2 4

The bubble wand is still off and the CO2 levels have improved nicely in two days. However, I turned the bubble wand back on right after the test for fear of starving the bacteria I have managed to grow. I really need an O test!

I decided to add more ammonia to the water. Only enough to get closer to 5ppm since I never made it that far yet. That will be the next update!

Day 6:

Day 6:

February 12, 2009

pH 7.5

NO₂ <0.3-0.3ppm

NH₃/NH₄⁺ 1.5-3.0ppm

GH 5

KH 2

CO2 2

I turned off the bubble wand to see if CO2 levels would improve and they have as much if not more than expected in less than 24 hours. However, oxygen is needed for the good bacteria growth so I will be turning it back on, but want to wait another day to see how big a difference it makes to the CO2 levels. For now I don’t have plants to worry about in regards to CO2.

This is when having an Oxygen test kit would come in handy. So I would know how much the bubble wand is actually adding. I do know that the actual bubbles are adding little to no oxygen to the water. It’s the surface agitation that causes/allows the water to dissolve and absorb oxygen. This same agitation/movement is what allows CO2 to escape the water, so bubble aeration is a double edge sword for plant keepers.

I may be adding more ammonia soon. Some articles say to add more ammonia to keep the level up at 5ppm until the nitrites appear and others say not to add more until it drops to 0. I already have nitrites, so I’m not sure what to do. We shall see what I decide to do on the next post!

Harem Hex

Harem Hex Tank

This is my Harem Hex, or tank full of Female Bettas:

Below you will see pictures of my Female Bettas. They are in a 5 gallon Eclipse Hex with live and artificial plants and driftwood and terracotta pots. I have four girls named Shirley, Roxy, Francis (or Francis Dreamsicle as Mendal insists on calling her!), and Eden.

My dream is to one day move these girls to a 10 or 12 gallon and increase the numbers to 6 or 9. Keeping Female Bettas together is possible if in enough numbers and is sometimes called a Sorority. You would not want to keep only 2 or 3 together because there would be constant fighting with no pecking order being found. With a minimum of 4 a pecking order can be established and the hierarchy will keep order with in the tank. The order will changed on occasion, but this is the natural way Females are in the wild.

Learn more about keeping Female Bettas together here: http://www.petfish.net/kb/entry/333/ and here: http://www.healthybetta.com/keeping-female-bettas-together and here: http://www.petfish.net/kb/entry/316/

Now on to my beauties!

Shirley: the first girl, she’s our baby! Mendal picked her out and we kept her in a old coffee pot in the kitchen during the summer last year. With the winter she needed heat and more water so we moved her to our 5 gallon Hex.

Roxy: our second girl bought before I realized the need for multiple numbers. She was kept with Shirley in the Hex, with Shirley in a glass tube to keep them separate for about 2 days.

We then bought,

Francis:

And Eden:

At the same time.

I took Shirley and Roxy out and put them in my fish cups that have lids. Did a water change and rearranged the entire aquarium aquascape. Added new plants, moved old ones, added some fake drift wood and two small terracotta pots. I added water from the tank to the cups and then reduced the amount of water in each cup to keep the splash down and make the “dump” easier. Then Mendal and I held two each and we dumped them into the tank together. The “fighting” didn’t start immediately but when it did it looked viscous. About an hour later it was down to Shirley and Francis. By the next day it was clear Francis had won.

Shirley and Eden had the most damaged fins, but have begun healing well. Eden looks good as new but Shirley is still looking ragged. Eden is the smallest and was picked on pretty badly and Shirley is the largest and thought she should be the Queen!

The girl’s are loving the tank and play in the plants and the pots. It is quite fun to watch them and I’ve been thinking of adding a 5^th. I believe the biological filter in the tank can handle it. I hope the tank size gives enough space for each girl’s territory.

Here are more pictures of the girls together:

I get a little camera happy sometimes!

Day 5 Update:

February 11, 2009

Added Ammonia to the tank tonight as follows:

• 7:45pm added 1 teaspoon of Pure Ammonia.
• 8:45pm tested NH₃/NH₄⁺ and it showed 1.5ppm
• I decided to check my NO₂ levels again and they still showed between <0.3>
• 9:00pm added ½ teaspoon of Pure Ammonia.
• 9:45pm I rinsed my established Hex tank’s filter in the cycling water in hopes of adding some bacteria. I rinsed the filter in declorinated water before replacing in Hex tank and also did a partial water change to ensure that the ammonia didn't effect the tank.
• 9:50pm tested NH₃/NH₄⁺ again and it showed 3.0 ppm.

I decided not to add any more because of not wanting to add too much. My research says to get the Ammonia levels between 3 and 5ppm. I may add more tomorrow, but am not sure as of yet.

*Note: The ammonia must be clear and nonfoaming and unscented.

Day 5:

February 11, 2009

Testing begins!

pH 8

NO₂ <0.3-0.3ppm

NH₃/NH₄⁺ 0

GH 5

KH 4

CO2 1,3

I test using the Tetratest Laborett Kit which is made by Tetra. The kit tests: pH, Nitrite (NO₂₎, Ammonia (NH₃/NH₄⁺ ), General Hardness (GH), Carbonate Hardness (KH), and Carbon Dioxide (CO2). I do need to buy a few supplemental kits for Nitrates and Phosphates and possibly one to test Oxygen levels.

Test kits can be expensive but they are imperative to good water conditions. There are test strips available that test the main concerns that are more cost effective but not necessarily as reliable. The Tetratest kit was very affordable only $15!

I need to find Ammonia source!

I’ve been doing research on cycling for weeks but have researched the whole Nitrogen Cycle before last year when I set up the Hex tanks. For those of you unfamiliar with the Cycle go here to read more: http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/biologicalcycle/a/nitrogencycle.htm and here: http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm and here: http://www.fishlore.com/Articles/TheNitrogenCycle.htm

There are two ways to cycle a tank, with Fish and without. The more humane method is without fish as the process typically kills them. The fishless method can either be slower or faster than using fish depending on what you do.

There are options when it comes to fishless cycling: Using plants, adding bacteria, or adding pure ammonia. After lots of research (surprise, surprise) I wanted to go with the planted method. However, because the hood has not been rewired yet I had to think of something else. So I will be using the Ammonia method.

Here are links to how to Cycle using Ammonia: http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_fishless.php and here: http://www.csupomona.edu/~jskoga/Aquariums/Ammonia.html and here: http://www.bluecrayfish.com/cycle.htm

Here are links to how to Cycle using Plants: http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_silent_cycling.php

*Note: Both of these can be done with using purchased bottled bacteria.

I decided to raise my water temperature to 86 Degrees F to help the bacteria grow this combined with my bubble wand, which helps add oxygen, should increase the bacteria growth and decrease the cycling time!

My next post will be about the addition of Ammonia and the test results there after!

Products Mentioned:

For more about the test kit go here: http://www.tetra-fish.com/sites/tetrafish/catalog/productdetail.aspx?id=1276&cid=242

Purchase test kit here: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4345+4371&pcatid=4371

Day 1:

Saturday, February 7, 2009

I rinsed out The Vintage Tank to remove any errant silicone and put in substrate and water.

I decided after hours (too many to be sane) of research on different types of substrate and fertilizers to use Caribsea Eco-Complete Planted Aquarium (Black).

I filled the tank with water and used API Stress Coat to condition the water. I stopped the water level at about 2/3 of the tank and then added the filter, a Tetra Whisper In-Tank Filter i40, the heater, a 100 watt Marineland Visi-Therm Stealth Heater, and a Marineland Flexible Bubble Wand, weighted 36 inch. Than I topped off the water!

I decided to go internal route with the filter because of where we put the aquarium. The small hallway would have been too crowded and we would have pumped into the tank constantly if we had a regular power filter that hangs on the back. I have no idea how the internal filter will perform it pumps 170 gallons per hour so it should be sufficient.

As for the heater it is sleek, black, and was on sale! No, I also researched the heck out Marineland heater before I decided to purchase it. I love that it is completely submersible and that there is no shine on the plastic encasing. I also love the plastic encasing itself, because it means that even if it does break if it were dropped (even though it says it wont) the broken bit should stay inside and not scatter all over the floor.

With concern to the wattage I have read at many website that a 28 gallon should have a 100 watt heater and a few others said to use a 150 watt. I decided to go with the lower wattage because I know that with the amount of substrate and the size of any decorations the gallons will be lower than 28 total.

The bubble wand is powered by a Tetra Whisper Air Pump 40. It is amazing the design is such that there is very little noise. There is none of that annoying vibrating or constant humming. The bubbles themselves make more noise!

The last item I added is a ceramic retro TV in a similar color as the stand. The TV will add a touch of whimsy to the tank once the aquascape is complete! Hopefully, though if it ends up just looking silly I will probably remove it.

Products Mentioned:

For more about the substrate go here: http://www.caribsea.com/pages/products/planted_aquar.html

Purchase substrate go here: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3746+3753+9087&pcatid=9087

For more about the declorinator go here: http://aquariumpharm.com/Products/Product.aspx?ProductID=43

Purchase declorinator go here: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3974+4025&pcatid=4025

For more about the filter go here: http://www.tetra-fish.com/sites/tetrafish/catalog/productdetail.aspx?id=1276&cid=282

Purchase the filter here: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3579+3584+12085&pcatid=12085

For more about the heater go here: http://www.marineland.com/sites/Marineland/products/productdetail.aspx?id=2054&cid=1223&mid=3226

Purchase the heater here: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3743+12060&pcatid=12060

For more about the bubble wand go here: http://www.marineland.com/sites/Marineland/products/productdetail.aspx?id=2054&cid=1934&mid=3226

Purchase the bubble wand here: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3669+12084&pcatid=12084

For more about the air pump go here: http://www.tetra-fish.com/sites/tetrafish/catalog/productcategory.aspx?id=1276&cid=3122

Purchase the air pump here: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3669+12911+12738&pcatid=12738

*Note: most of the items I mention by name will have links to the manufacture’s website and a link to drsfostersmith.com since this is the online store I use.

Posted by vintagetankgirl at 02:42:58 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

In the Beginning...

I found The Vintage Tank January 24, 2009 at my local pet store Let’s Pet in Winston Salem. They had one 2 gallon, one 10 gallon, four 15 gallon and one 28 gallon 1970s Stainless Steel tanks. One of the items Let’s Pet always carries is used aquariums and accessories, but this time I couldn’t leave without taking advantage of the amazing deal! The 28 gallon was only $25 and was the only one with a matching hood which was $15.

We tested the light at the pet store, but new when we saw it that it would be replaced (have yet to do so!). We also left with the 2 gallon tank because Mendal fell in love with how “adorable” and “cool” it is. The 2 gallon was only $5.99. Once she decides what to put in the little tank I will post about it on this blog as well.

Over the next few days everything just hung out on our unused dinning room table. During a trip to the $ Tree we stumbled upon a retro ceramic TV and decided to try and work it into the aquarium aquascape.

However, we still needed to find a stand, and that is when craigslist came into play. After many days of searching and emailing and calling we found a local guy selling a real wood stand with 20 gallon and mouse keeping accessories. He did not want to sell the stand separately and was only asking $50, so we took it all.

The day we bought the stand I re-caulked the 28 gallon tank and let it cure for the entire 7 days mostly because the stand wasn’t ready and also because of work.

The next evening I sanded the stand and then Mendal and I primed and painted the black stand whose paint was chipping anyway. We decided on a bright blue-greenish color that would make the hallway feel less crowded and fit in with the retro theme. Mendal reinforced the construction of the stand by adding more cross support. We went to Lowes for the wood expecting to get it cut there and ended up buying a jigsaw!

We also decided that the blank space above the tank will be filled with black and white pictures of all the cats Mendal has had over the years, including our present babies Eve, Edwin, Gus, Lilith and Gertie. The frames are all painted retro-inspired colors orange, green and the same blue-green as the stand with the accent color being black to match the substrate!

Update: I sold the 20 gallon and mouse keeping accessories to Let’s Pet for $35.00 in store credit! Meaning my fish are paid for, and that the stand only cost us $15 plus the cost of paint and primer about $17 both of which will be and have been used in other projects.

That is how The Adventures of Vintage Tank Girl began!

~Deese

*Note: All “we’s” will be talking about me and Mendal unless otherwise stated.

Why This Blog Exists

Thursday, February 12, 2009

For my first post I will recap as to what this Blog is about.

First and foremost this Blog will contain the written and pictorial adventures of the setup and establishment of my 28 gallon 1970s Stainless Steal Aquarium.

Any other posting will be about my other two aquariums, which are 5 gallon Eclipse Hex tanks. Also from time to time, I may post little tidbits about my 5 lovely Kittens (Eve, Edwin, Gus, Lilith and Gertie).

I do plan to keep this blog 99.9% animal/pet/hobby related. There may be a mention or two about my (wonderfully, amazingly understanding and loving) girlfriend Mendal on occasion, but they will most likely be in relation to the aquariums or the kitties!

After all, this blog’s purpose is to chronicle The Adventures of Vintage Tank Girl!

This concludes my introduction. Next up the first status report of The Vintage Tank!

~Deese AkA vintagetankgirl

I'm Moved Here!

So I am moving my original blog from blog.com to here! I'm going to copy all of my other postings here and then only update this blog. This is where I had intended to be to begin with and a simple miss type had me at the wrong site when I started blogging.

Next post will be the copy!