Just getting started need advice

[Venomous_Duck]

Thanks! I was having problems with neon tetra before I got gouramis.

 

[Venomous_Duck]

If you think those are good looking you should see the 2 Gouramis not in the picture! They are beautiful! A lot more blue in them and their color shimmers in the light when they move. That's why I love them! Cool fish!

 

[Valina]

I loved them too....til they killed all my other fishies

I had a full cichlid tank with 2 gouramis - they systematically killed each fish til they were all that were left. But that was only my experience. Every fish is different...

Still looking forward to the final setup pics....or you could just post the step-by-step pics to appease my curiousity!

 

[Valina]

The "to appease my curiousity" should actually read:

I am trying really hard not to start another tank, so I am gonna live vicariously through yours!

So pictures are key!!!!!!

 

[Venomous_Duck]

LOL! I will take a picture in the morning when I get home. I have 125 pounds of sand and 36 gallons of water in my tank right now. I also have the piece of driftwood and a carved rain rock in there. I will finish putting the water in and start the filter tomorrow. I'm only going to run 1 filter while I'm cycling. I want to keep the other 1 in my small tank for now. I am going to put new filter media in my small tank and put the older stuff in my new tank. I hope that speeds up the cycling of that tank.

 

[Valina]

I am going to put new filter media in my small tank and put the older stuff in my new tank. I hope that speeds up the cycling of that tank.

Good call, that will help speed it up alot!

 

[Venomous_Duck]

I think I might put some of the decorations from my small tank in the big one.

 

[Venomous_Duck]

Almost full! What do you think?

 

[Valina]

You are getting there!!!!

I agree with you - using an ornament from the old tank will help cycle it also.

Cannot wait to see the end!!

 

[Venomous_Duck]

Full with lights, heaters, and 1 filter. I tried as hard as I could to clean that sand before I put it in but it still made the water cloudy.

 

[Valina]

Looking good!!!

The sand "cloud" is expected - imo, there is no way to rinse sand enough to get a clear tank at set-up.



Looking forward to more! lol

 

[Valina]

Just looked at the pic again - wth are you complaining about???

That is pretty clear - you did a great job rinsing the sand!

 

[Venomous_Duck]

Just looked at the pic again - wth are you complaining about???

That is pretty clear - you did a great job rinsing the sand!

Haha! I did 20 pounds of sand at a time in a plastic bin. I filled it up with water, stirred the sand vigorously, then poured out the cloudy water. I did that 3 times for every 20 pounds of sand. MY HANDS ARE EXTREMELY EXFOLIATED! HAHA!

 

[Venomous_Duck]

How it sits now.

I can't wait to get more decorations for the right hand side of the tank. It looks so bare!

 

[Venomous_Duck]

This is what it looks like from the side.
You can tell it's cloudy a lot better from this angle.

 

[Valina]

Clearing up nicely!

I think another piece of driftwood may be needed....bigger and more branchier...

BUT! It is your wallet and YOUR aquascape! So disregard any comments you don't agree with!

 

[Venomous_Duck]

I think another piece of driftwood may be needed....bigger and more branchier...

I'm thinking about getting another piece but I don't like the ones that look like they're coming straight up out of the ground. I want it to look like it broke off of a tree fell in the water and landed there.


The water is almost clear. I have an interesting dilemma. There is a snail in my new tank! I have no idea where it came from. I never bought a snail and I never saw it in my small tank. Could it have come on 1 of the plants I bought for my smaller tank? Should I get it out of that tank? Should I leave it in? Its a tiny thing. He is all over the tank. Going as fast as he can. That's is pretty slow though. LOL

 

[BillD]

there is no reason you can't remove all the water and the cloudiness with it, and refill. Sand can be cleaned so there is no cloudiness. It needs to be done in small quantities. Swirling the sand stirs up fine particles which then get mixed back into the sand by the stirring. The smaller the quantity the easier to remove it. I would also add the extension piece for the filter to get the intake closer to the bottom. It should still be high enough to not suck up sand which can damage the filter's pump.

 

[Venomous_Duck]

I don't think I'm going to go to all that trouble again. I filled that big tank 1 5 gallon bucket a time! I rinsed it a lot more than I did for my other tank. I don't want the pipe any closer to the sand. I had too many problems with that in my other tank. It was stopping the pump every 15-30 minutes!

 

[Valina]

I have an interesting dilemma. There is a snail in my new tank! I have no idea where it came from. I never bought a snail and I never saw it in my small tank. Could it have come on 1 of the plants I bought for my smaller tank? Should I get it out of that tank? Should I leave it in? Its a tiny thing. He is all over the tank. Going as fast as he can. That's is pretty slow though. LOL

Yeah, he is probably from a plant. Unless you like snail explosions, I would get rid of it - they multiply like crazy! And they don't need a mate to have babies!