Updated my fish tank.

[Violence]

So I've been super busy updating my fish tank. I also put wood underneath it, on some picture syou can see "foam" sticking out in the bottom, it's foam between the piece of wood and the trink, bu tyou can;t see the wood.

I went from this:


To this:


And now finally this:


Different angles:






(Direct links to the pictures and more pictures: http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t17/ ... /aqua2.jpg

And http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t17/ ... qua212.jpg

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t17/ ... jyhgg1.jpg ... Feel free to browse though the whole Album, more pictures are there...)

I added some Snails and Cichlids also:






The snails:








What do you think?

I know it's cheap compared to most of the other tanks form people on this site. but it's pretty good (I find). The desert background did NOT fit. So I changed everything to blue and neutral blues. I added a bunch of wood and rocks and plants. My other bubbler exploded (the little ball you put in your tank) so I bought a Whisper air pump with bubble walls and other smaller bubbling air stones. My fish all love it!

I have this water test kit, it's a Nutrafin master test kit..

Everything is fine, although I lost some booklets (result booklet) behind the aquarium. I got the high range PH,low range PH, ammonia and nitrite booklets. I'm missing the water hardness one (GH and KH, same booklet). Could someone scan theirs for me? (How many drops of what I need and the color charts.)

I really, REALLY can't get it. It's a 55 gallon tank and there's no way I can get behind it, it's only 1.5cm from my wall.

Sorry I have NO clue how to resize pictures, but here are the direct links if they load to slow:
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t17/ ... 060001.jpg
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t17/ ... 060003.jpg

[Martin S]

I added some Snails and c*****ds also:

You've added some rift lake cichlids (Labidochromis?) not at all ideal for a tropical community tank. Looking at your stock in the first few pics, i'd have to suggest you return the cichlids and try and swap them for more suitable community fish, ie tetras, danios etc.
Cichlids like these need hard water and lots of rockwork to feel at home - they will not do well in a setup like yours, but they will probably kill or injure your other fish.
Martin

[MatsP]

I'm with Martin on this. If you have a look at the (crap) photo in my aquaria labeled "Malawi tank", you can see some of the rock-work I have in my (inherited) rift-lake (Lake Malawi) tank - nearly half the volume of the tank is taken up by rocks.

--
Mats

[Violence]

Yup that I know, I'll add more rocks in the rock part of the tank, basically half will be rocks. They were kept in horrible conditions. They had 10 cichlids , three Mollies and 5 (half grown) angelfish in a 10 or 15 gallon tank at a Wal-Mart (the one closest to my place has their fish in really good conditions for some reason) but has less equipment for sale so I went to the other one and I saw them and my heart melted, AGAIN. They had them for like two months in that tank, probably more, I remember them whe I first went to look at the tanks. I asked them why don't they put them in the big tank which didn't have nothing in it, the guy told me it was too much trouble.

I got the rocks from outside. I checked them with vinegar is they bubbled, the ones that didn't bubble I put them in the tank after a good scrubbing and boiling in water. So that take sa hell lot of time to do, I will be adding more rocks this week-end, bigger ones. I don't think they mind right now, they have a lot of space to hide and rock labirynthes to go through. But they prefer to chill in the bubble in the plant or in the bubble wall. They love it. Their colors brightenned, like a LOT, the yellow ones where skin colored and the the red ones were almost white/transparent. They love racing through the wood then the rocks and then back again. When I first got them, they were hidden and really affraid, I barely saw them.

I looked at Mats pictures, that's what I want to do through an least half of the tank, but because I have to process rock by rock it will take a while. Do you know if I could glue the rock with pute silicon aquarium glue? It would be easier to create that way.

Oh and also, ciment pieces are bad right?

They don't mind the other fish at all, except the Cory's that chase them around, which is really funny.

[MatsP]

Actually, the rock that "bubbles with vinegar" is fine with Malawi cichlids. They live in fairly high pH water with lots of dissolved minerals, so adding calciferous rock is not a problem. I'm sure ALL of the rock I have in my tank is calciferous [it's "Texas Holy rock" - which I'm pretty sure is a dissolvable mineral].

Also, buying fish out of compassion is a really bad idea for two reasons:
1. It doesn't promote good quality stocking in shops - shops may even exploit it and purposely put fish in tanks that are horrible for the fish.
2. You end up buying fish that are substandard/unhealthy/bad condition and end up with poor quality fish that may die or require treatment.
[And yes, we have ALL done that at some point or another].

--
Mats

[Richard B]

I agree with the points Mats makes.

I would never put corys with Mbuna c*****ds as they need totally different set-ups for optimum health. I also wouldn't keep Mbuna with mollies or bettas (if that's what is shown in some photos)

I know it is difficult when we see fish in bad conditions & we ALL have made impulse buys at one time or another but i really think this is a bad mix & the c*****ds need to be somewhere else.

[Violence]

Nope, the Betta's are in the 10 gallon tank right now.

I guess I'll just get a 30 Gallon and keep the Mollies and Cory's in it.

[MatsP]

Nope, the Betta's are in the 10 gallon tank right now.

I guess I'll just get a 30 Gallon and keep the Mollies and Cory's in it.

This is the beginning of something called Multiple Tank Syndrom. Soon you will be attending the same meetings as Barbie (and me), where we stand up and say "Hi, My name is ... and I'm an Aquaholic"...

Edit: And that is followed by "This week I've been managing my dependency, and I haven't bought any new fish or tanks ...", etc.

--
Mats

[Violence]

I know *cries* I have a problem. Hahaha!

Well, I'll get the 30 gallon as soon as the car will come back from repair. So that would be tomorrow.

I think they will be happy in the 30 gallon tank. And in the 55 gallon I'll add a bunch of Mollies and *maybe* gouramis. They're adorable, not to mention the 6 new Cory Panda's I'm getting!

[racoll]

Also, buying fish out of compassion is a really bad idea for two reasons:
1. It doesn't promote good quality stocking in shops - shops may even exploit it and purposely put fish in tanks that are horrible for the fish.
2. You end up buying fish that are substandard/unhealthy/bad condition and end up with poor quality fish that may die or require treatment.
[And yes, we have ALL done that at some point or another].

Indeed. If people keep buying them, the shop will keep ordering them!

I guess I'll just get a 30 Gallon and keep the Mollies and Cory's in it.

I would definitely provide sand for the cories rather than the gravel. Gravel can wear their whiskers down and lead to a very short life.

[Violence]

One of my Betta's just passed, she had a mouth fungus that started an hour ago she just died... Her name was Bublette.

None of the rock "bubbles" in the tank, I soaked each one of them in vinegar. The ones that bubbled I took them back outside. Some of them you don't even see it, but you ehar it, It took me like 5-6 hours to get through all the rocks.

Even "high polished" gravel is bad?

[Violence]

Good news, I just found a home for the Cichlids!!! I can't believe it!!! WWWO!!!

[MatsP]

Re finding a home for the cichlids: That's good.
Re gravel vs. sand: Corys do not want too large substrate. They will be fine with the smallest form of gravel, as long as it's rounded, but prefer sand. There are many types of sand available in a well-stocked LFS, as well as the option of using play-sand from your local supermarket/DIY shope (e.g Home Depot etc)/garden centre. I beleive "pool filter sand" is another option that may suit your needs.

--
Mats

[Violence]

I have the "high polish" gravel there, shiny with a really smooth surface. I don't think I'll be able to change to sand, but I'll look into it!!

By the way, why does Cichlids have "****" in it? I only thought it was for Pleco's.

[MatsP]

I have the "high polish" gravel there, shiny with a really smooth surface. I don't think I'll be able to change to sand, but I'll look into it!!

The problem with polished gravel (if it's the stuff that is about a quarter inch/6mm diameter) is that it's a bit to tough for the corys to stick their heads into - they can't shift it. Sand, on the other hand is quite easy "shift". And sticking their nose into the substrate is what cories love most.

By the way, why does c*****ds have "****" in it? I only thought it was for pl*co's.

See the FAQ section (under help).

--
Mats

[racoll]

Gravel, as well as not letting the cories do their primary purpose in life (digging in sand), can also harbour harmful levels of bacteria.

Minute particles of uneaten food fall between the gaps and go bad.

This doesn't happen with sand, as these particles rest on top of the sand and are carried into the filter or eaten by the cories.

[Violence]

Anyone knwo how to change the gravel for sand? In a clean way?

I just bought 6 additional Cory Panda's, and some Mollies and Guppies. Is it possible they fed them with steroids? They're HUGE. Except the guppies, which are normal. But the Mollies and Cory's are just WOW.

*I'll post pics in a few*

[Bas Pels]

in case the gravel is not too large, you could try and siphon it out of the tank, to replace it with very well stirred sand

However, most likely this will not work, and than the only solution would be to empty the tank completely

as you like colours, be carefull with the kind of sand you get: In Europe coroured sand is available, but not all kinds are safe for use. This might be the samen in North America

[andywoolloo]

I have had no problem with the Carib Sea Tahitiian moon sand, black en colour. All my fish love it. Sometimes I mix the tahitiian moon black with the Moonlight white, but the moonlight white alone is too fine. Wayy too fine.

[Violence]

If I get sand, I want it black and white, black and light brown. Something like that. I'll do it in a month or so.

[Violence]

New stuff!!
















The folder's link is: http://s156.photobucket.com/albums/t17/kKreuz/Site/

[Carp37]

that looks a lot less psychedelic than it did!