Tank Overhaul Log - 29 Gallon

[Purrbox]

Here's the thread that I started when researching how to make spraybars for my aquariums. A Dremel really makes drilling the holes a LOT easier.

[spilzer]

Thanks Purr!

I just looked over your thread and that's exactly what I want to make. I'm didn't even think of looking in the sprinkler/irrigation section. I went straight for plumping and couldn't find anything like what I wanted. But now I know better. And it's about to be summer so the hardware stores should be gearing up with lots of sprinkler equipment.

[spilzer]

I got the following plants from the LFS and they were labeled as "assorted plants" does anyone know what they might be?





And because I know you all love pics, here are some of the latest:

[Purrbox]

The first appears to be a Sword and the second a Ludwigia. Not sure on the specific varieties.

[neilanh]

I think that's L. repens in need of some good lighting.

Tank looks good, I'm so glad you changed the background, the first one hurt my eyes. lol

[happygirl65]

It's looking good.

I agree with the ID's.

[JustOneMore20]

The first looks more like a Crypt to me. Walkeri maybe? I could be wrong, but the leaf shape and compactness of the plant makes me think Crypt.

2nd is definitely L. repens.

[spilzer]

Cool, thanks for the IDs guys.

Originally Posted by neilanh

I think that's L. repens in need of some good lighting.

Tank looks good, I'm so glad you changed the background, the first one hurt my eyes. lol

Neilanh, when you say in need of some good lighting does that mean you think it's not getting enough now. I'm at 1.65 now which barely counts as medium. Do you think the L. repens will make it? It's kind of in a darkish corner right now so maybe I should try putting it somewhere that gets more light. Also, I totally agree with the background. I am so much happier with the blue.

As for other updates, I did my first trimming last night. I am impatient for the Anacharis to fill in and it was getting pretty tall so I cut the tops and replanted to make a fuller bunch. I was excited to see some of the stems branching out into two stems rather than one. Here's a pic:



I've been worrying a little about my current stocking. Here's the list:
8 serpae tetra
1 pearl gourami
1 clown pleco
1 SAE
2 otos
1 glofish (juvenille)

My concern is that I've heard that serpaes can be fin nippers and I'm wondering if they're going to eventually go after the gourami or pleco. So far everything seems fine and any of the chasing I see is happening within the group, but I know that as time goes on more aggression can develop. Has anyone kept serpae with gouramis and plecos before? I bet a lot of it can be personality too so maybe if I end up with an aggressor I can replace the trouble-maker without getting rid of the whole school. I really love how the tetras all look together.

Also I'm not completely certain that the gourami is getting enough to eat. The tetras are little pigs when it comes to feeding time but the gourami is often right in there with them. What I can't tell though is if he actually gets any food. I thought he was but the other day when I was watching he was just at the surface and looked to be breathing rather than eating. I've tried target feeding by distracting the tetras on one side of the tank and then feeding the gourami on the other side but he doesn't really get it and swims away. Any further suggestions?

[marchmaxima]

I love your pearl gourami - It's such a beautiful fish.

I've had serpaes once. I don't know why but they caused a massacre in my tank and killed 7 glolights within 48 hours of me getting them. I've since read others who haven't had issues, and I will probably never know why it happened, so just keep an eye on them.

[spilzer]

Well, I've got some bad news.

I lost another Oto today. He'd been looking mighty thin for a few days now and so I thought maybe he wasn't getting enough to eat. I've got another Oto, an SAE and a pleco in there (though it's a clown pleco and he mostly just eats the driftwood not algae) and so I figured the little Oto was being out-competed for food. The tank is virtually spotless so I've been supplementing with algae wafers and fresh zucchini. I guess though that it was too little too late as I found the little oto dead today. The other Oto and the SAE were happily devouring the zucchini that I put in yesterday and my serpae were acting as greedy as ever.

I just did some water tests to check levels, here are the results:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10

Perfectly normal, so I'm going to assume that the Oto didn't die of water quality issues. Though I have been having some temperature problems due to it getting ridiculous warm yesterday in my apartment. My temp is usually at 77-79 F but yesterday it got up to 81 F, so I guess that might have done something.

Everything else, however, is going very well. I'm getting especially good growth on the Anacharis and Annubias. The microsword looks pretty good too. The plant that others have IDed as a crypt isn't faring as well and I think that the L. repens does need more light. I'll try to move it into a brighter spot next time I do tank maintenance.