need advice

[MREAGLEWO1]

I have a aproximately 47.4 gallon tank. Freshwater.

fluval 403 canister filter

light: radionic (flourescent tubes, 2 12'' 20 watts


I have a UGF, a heater, gravel.

Also 6 goldfish(feeders)

I want to do something with the tank, it is boring to look at. Help needed.

Thanks in advance!

 

[ezy33]

Please describe your tank! How did you cycle it? Ect.

 

[MREAGLEWO1]

well it has been running constantly for years...i mean like atleast 4 years straight....only stopped when power was interruptted. I tested the water a while ago, i know i need to again. but it was good ... fish been in there since beginning of november nothing has died. no algae form atleast visibly.

Umm it is all glass, freshwater. not sure what else for description

 

[MREAGLEWO1]

well it has been running constantly for years...i mean like atleast 4 years straight....only stopped when power was interruptted. I tested the water a while ago, i know i need to again. but it was good ... fish been in there since beginning of november nothing has died. no algae form atleast visibly.

Umm it is all glass, freshwater. not sure what else for description

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Since you have a fluval cannister, I'd get rid of the UGF. They are a thing of the past, and if the fluval is cycled, you won't re-cycle.

 

[MREAGLEWO1]

okay, so if i take out the ugf, wat else should i do.....it is pretty boring lookin tank...lol


Dont have alot to spend but will spend some.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

A piece of driftwood and attach some java moss with black cotton thread until the java moss attaches itself to the driftwood.

 

[MREAGLEWO1]

okay, two things.

1. do you have pic to see what it would look like.

2. Will this need constant care. Only because i do go on vacations that last a full week here and there...

thanks

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Here's a site with java moss...

http://www.floridadriftwood.com/aquarium_plant_java_moss.htm

Also, the java moss is low light, and low maintenance. It's slow growing as well. When you attach it, do so thinly, not in clumps, as the lower level java moss will turn brown and die. Once it takes hold on the driftwood, it will spread on it's own. And the more it spreads, the better it will look. Then, when it get's real bushy, might need a little trimming. That's about the only maintenance. No fertalizers needed, and no CO2 injuction. Grows under just about any light. You can even add rock to your aquarium and attach java moss. Up to you. Then you can get rid of some of the plastic plants.

Once you get that going, and want to add something more, you can also attach java fern, which is more plant-like, rather than moss-like. Just do a little at a time. It's also low-light, and low maintenance. Just when it looks like it's getting too bushy, you can thin it out a little. That's about it for maintenance. No fertalizers or CO2 needed.

 

[MREAGLEWO1]

okay, that sounds pretty good. but now the question, where do i get the moss from?

also, should i stick with gravel or switch to sand. How much should i have?

Will goldfish stay with the plant(s)?

and the water should be tested regularly, right, unlike i do now...lol

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Your lfs might have some. You don't need much. If not, then places like ebay, aquabid.com, and other stores online will have it.

You can use either gravel or pool filter sand. I like the pool filter sand because it looks more natural, and is easy maintenance. Just occasionally need to stir it up a little, or get some MTS to do it for you.

I don't think goldies will eat it, but I've never had them. So I'm not 100% sure. Someone else might know in here and give their opinions.

Should be testing the water regularly anyways. And adding the java moss and maybe java ferns or other low light plants will remove some of the nitrates as well, helping the water conditions. And because you have the low light plants, maintenance schedule wouldn't be affected, as you should be testing the water regularly anyways.

 

[MREAGLEWO1]

okay, that sounds easy enough. umm, how much of the pool filter sand should i get?,

Will the sand end up in the filter through the out-take?

Also a biggie, when i get rid of the old gravel, should i do it all or half and half? at a time.

Ohyeah, will the lfs have driftwood, or should i look at a nearby lake?
You been a great help

 

[Lonewolfblue]

hi again....

Here's my tank with pool filter sand....

Here's my other tank with java moss starting to grow on my driftwood...

I can't wait til it's covered with the java moss. It will also be a good place for my cherry barbs if they mate and have a place for their fry to hide.

 

[MREAGLEWO1]

in your first pic of the tank, what is the white looking things in the sand?

and in the second pic, on the left side you have two green plants growing, what are they,

 

[Lonewolfblue]

At the local pool store, a 50lb bag is usually about $6-$15, depending where you are. It's about $9.95 here. I'd do about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in the bottom. And if your filter is cycled, should be no problem replacing all at once.

Make sure the input for the filter is at least 4 inches above the sand to be sure it doesn't get sucked up in the filter.

Get the driftwood from the lfs. Pick the size and shape you think would be good for you. Before adding it to the tank, you can either boil it or let it soak in a bucket for 3-4 weeks to leech out tannins. Then when you add it to the tank, your wateer might become a little discolored, AC in the filter will help with that. Tannins won't hurt the fish at all, it's harmless. After a few months, the release of tannins will dwindle down to nothing, and water will be clear.

Also, do you have another tank to put the fish while you add the sand? Just like the gravel, you need to rinse the sand to remove dust. And even after a good rinse, the water will still get a little cloudy, but will clear up pretty quickly. And to speed up the clearity, can add the sand with just a few inches of water in the bottom of the tank, then add new water as to not stir up the sand alot. Once you are full, and the water is clear, it's awsome. And the occasional stirring of the sand for maintenance won't cloud the water either.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

In the first pic, the white objects are pieces of white quartz rocks.

In the second pic, the only live pland is java moss on the driftwood. All the rest is plastic plants I got from bigalsonline.com.

 

[MREAGLEWO1]

okay, so i definitely need to buy more carbon for the filter.

wat are tannins actually?

so my new shopping list for tomorrow is the minimum...
pool filter sand
carbon
master test kit
yes i have a small tank that i can put the goldies in for a while, however it does not have a filter/pump or anything.

also. should i buy any aeration stones since i am tanking the ugf out?

 

[Lonewolfblue]

The carbon is just to help remove tannins. When the driftwood tapers to almost none released, then you can remove the carbon, as it's really not needed. The only 2 real uses for carbon is removing tannins and removing meds if you had to medicate the tank. Other than that, doesn't do much anything else.

Tannins are tannin acids, which wood releases. Not harmful at all to fish. Just might temporarily discolor the water, but will eventually go away over time.

Is the other tank big enough to put the filter from the main tank or too small? Could just use your current filter if the tank isn't too small. And also use some of the current gravel in the bottom, which will help preventing a new cycle and will keep your filter cycled.

Air stones, IMO, is just up to the individual. Some like the look, and others don't. I don't use them myself.

One last thing, once you begin the change, should be able to do it in a couple hours. Took me just over 2 hours to get the sand rinsed, added, and tank filled, then a 75% pwc to help get rid of cloudyness. Then 2 hours later, I added my filter, as the water was crystal clear. Then it was just adding the ornaments, etc, and I was done. Then I did a fishless cycle before adding fish. But since you already have a cycled filter, that won't be necessary. So the running of the filter on the other tank will be to just keep it cycled and the bacteria alive, along with the goldies.

Also, if you have an empty spare filter bag, you can put some of the current gravel in it and leave it sit on the bottom of the new tank setup to help bacteria spread in the sand as well.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

You will only need to house the goldies in the other tank for no more than 5-6 hours, and once the water has cleared in the new setup and the filter installed, add the fish immediately to keep the bacteria in the cycled filter alive and well. Once this is all done, then you can take all the time you want to set up the ornaments, driftwood, etc.

 

[MREAGLEWO1]

ok,i think the other tank may only be a 5 or 10 gal.

i dont have anyfilter bags but i might have something that i can pu tthe old rocks in ....something meshy lol

if i turn off the filter for the hour or two....will anything happen?

also, u said that to do pwc. should i remove water before i add the sand and put some in after?