From a 10 gallon with a pitiful amount of gravel, some worn-away sea shells, and orange tank water...
Mr. Sunshine has been enjoying his new 55 gallon home for about two weeks.
I've adored the process...
I took a 55 gal tank with an old cracking plastic brace, and silicon-ed in the glass brace from a different, cracked 55 gallon tank (*AFTER* all the effort of getting the brace OUT of its original tank).
I obsessed for ages over rinsing his new sand, especially considering that this is California... no water wasting here: I walked every bucket of rinse-water out to water plants in the yard.
I spent forever soaking and preparing his drift wood, leaching tannins and making sure it was clean before use...
I got BioHome Ultimate for his Aquaclear 110 biomedia filter.
I ordered foam to go over then end of the intake.
At first I started with a bit of elodea and java moss from the LFS, but ended up ordering bulk quantities online to make him a little kelp-like forest to weave through!
I got a bunch of marimo moss balls for him to peck at and push around
I keep a little digital thermometer AND a floating traditional thermometer, and a heater set on low, to keep his temperature at a consistent 70F (after tons of endless research, not just of opinions but of scholarly journals too.)
I love seeing him active and happy
Mr. Sunshine has been enjoying his new 55 gallon home for about two weeks.
I've adored the process...
I took a 55 gal tank with an old cracking plastic brace, and silicon-ed in the glass brace from a different, cracked 55 gallon tank (*AFTER* all the effort of getting the brace OUT of its original tank).
I obsessed for ages over rinsing his new sand, especially considering that this is California... no water wasting here: I walked every bucket of rinse-water out to water plants in the yard.
I spent forever soaking and preparing his drift wood, leaching tannins and making sure it was clean before use...
I got BioHome Ultimate for his Aquaclear 110 biomedia filter.
I ordered foam to go over then end of the intake.
At first I started with a bit of elodea and java moss from the LFS, but ended up ordering bulk quantities online to make him a little kelp-like forest to weave through!
I got a bunch of marimo moss balls for him to peck at and push around
I keep a little digital thermometer AND a floating traditional thermometer, and a heater set on low, to keep his temperature at a consistent 70F (after tons of endless research, not just of opinions but of scholarly journals too.)
I love seeing him active and happy