Ten Gallon Journal

[Stingray68]

Just posting pictures because I am on the phone

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

Ohh, I like that piece of wood! Nice RCS

 

[Stingray68]

Ok now I am back I just got back frome the midnight premier of the Hobbit. And it was AWESOME!!!!!

Anyway this is my ten gallon and it is stocked with only about 10 RCS but I plan on getting cardinal tetras and maybe a dwarf gourami. My plants include:

Crypt Lucens
Rotala rotundifolia
Willow moss
A moss ball
Lace java fern

I do not have co2 but I plan on getting exel and I also have no fertilizer but I think I will go with flourish because I have heard a lot of good things about it. So yeah I am just going to use this to mark my progress and to get any help for upcoming surprises/mistakes. If you have any recommendations I will gladly accept them. Thanks!

 

[molly100a]

looks awesome

 

[Stingray68]

Oh yeah I just noticed that I forgot to add a full tank pic so here it is

 

[Stingray68]

So I am going to paint the side of the tank because it is right next to a window and I am starting to have algae problems. But I was wondering does it matter what kind of paint I could use? I don't think it should right I mean it is not in the tank.

 

[Stingray68]

I just wanted to show the growth of the plants



My crypt has not changed. One leaf did turn yellow but so far other than that I have had no melting but no growth



My lace java fern doesn't look good. It will get a new leaf then one will die it is very frustrating





My tank is over run with these little bug that wont go away. Even when I stop feeding for a week they will still be there swimming around my tank. I know the picture is bad but if you can see all the tiny white dots, those are them. I think they are scuds.




My rotala has reached the top of my tank and I want to trim them but I don't know how to.



I found this in the back of my tank it was gust sitting there by itself so I got a rock and put it on it and added some Eco on top to hold it down. I was wondering if this was algae or if it was some kind of moss. I can't tell

 

[Stingray68]

I added some dwarf hair-grass. Here is what it looks like

 

[Rivercats]

On trimming the rotala, just cut it off at the height you want it and replant the cut off tops. This way you can increase the amount of plants in your tank.

Using Excel if fine but you also need to be using some type of liquid fertilizer or eventually your going to run into nutrient deficiencies in your plants.

 

[Stingray68]

On trimming the rotala, just cut it off at the height you want it and replant the cut off tops. This way you can increase the amount of plants in your tank.

Using Excel if fine but you also need to be using some type of liquid fertilizer or eventually your going to run into nutrient deficiencies in your plants.

Ok thanks for the tip. I am not dosing excel and I did get some flourish and I am dosing weekly.

 

[Rivercats]

Ok thanks for the tip. I am not dosing excel and I did get some flourish and I am dosing weekly.

Excel is a liquid carbon that help in photosynthesis and growth. It makes a big difference in your plant growth if you use it. Just something to think about.

 

[Stingray68]

Excel is a liquid carbon that help in photosynthesis and growth. It makes a big difference in your plant growth if you use it. Just something to think about.

I would if I could but I can never find it around and it is expensive (mainy because I am 13 and money is hard to get)

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

Have you considered making a DIY C02 system? I heard those are cheap and easy to make...for others at least...I can't do anything DIY lol.

 

[jefferzbooboo]

Metricide 14 is the same as Excel but more concentrated and cheaper.

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

You can also try gluteraldehyde which is what Rivercats uses. She can tell you more on that...

 

[Stingray68]

Have you considered making a DIY C02 system? I heard those are cheap and easy to make...for others at least...I can't do anything DIY lol.

I had one but I messed it all up and it was a big mess. So I don't really think I am going to try that again.
I think I might get glut blablablah (I can't spell that lol) because of the pictures I have seen from rivercats tank

I have just realized I have a HUGE algae problem. I was just moving around some stuff and I kicked up some dust and an hour later when I came back it had settled on these long thin lines of algae and they are everywhere on my driftwood, tank walls, plants, everywhere. I don't know how it got this bad and I never noticed.

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

The algae issue often happens in newly set up tanks- has it cycled yet? How long is your photoperiod? I recommend getting some nerite snails. Best. Algae. Eaters. Ever.

 

[Stingray68]

The algae issue often happens in newly set up tanks- has it cycled yet? I recommend getting some nerite snails. Best. Algae. Eaters. Ever.

No the tank has been set up since August and was cycled I have about 8 cherry shrimp and 2 very cute but very shy sparkling gourami. I will have to look for some nerites.

EDIT: lights are on from 12 to 8

 

[Rivercats]

That sounds like thread algae. Get a new cheap toothbrush and swirl it around the long algae strands and manually pull them out. Do a couple good WC's and then test to see that your nitrates are around 10ppm. Also reduce your photoperiod down to 6 hours until you get the algae under control. Also when doing WC's take your hand and gently wave it around the substrate and plants so that detris is raised into the water column and you can remove it with your WC's. You sound like you have alot of detris which can raise nitrate levels and dissoved organics which can contribute greatly to algae issues.

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

No the tank has been set up since August and was cycled I have about 8 cherry shrimp and 2 very cute but very shy sparkling gourami. I will have to look for some nerites.

EDIT: lights are on from 12 to 8

Do everything Rivercats says and I got 22 nerite snails off of AquaBid for $20-you want the "olive" kind, not the zebra, horned, etc. etc. types of them.