Update on our first tank

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

2BeachGirls

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Apr 15, 2006
Messages
13
I have been remiss in reporting in on the status of my first tank. I truly appreciate ALL the help I received in getting it started.

Here is a brief summary of things that went well (and some that didn't):
(1) Purchased 23 Fish from local Petsmart
(2) Dumped in BioSpria and the fish all at one time. I hate to admit it but I didn't really "acclimate" the fish very well as they had all been in their bags so long I was getting worried about them. I turned off the light that night and hoped for the best.
(3) Everything was fine for a few days. Then we saw one red Platy with some serious missing fins and it died a few hours later. The next morning a zebra danio was gone as well. Since then though, no fish casualties for 2 months!
(4) Had a bout with serious green algae on everything and green cloudy water. Took the advice from the forum and did a black out for four days - water turned out BEAUTIFUL but this did seem to finish off my anacharis plants.
(5) Added my driftwood piece to the aquarium last weekend
(6) Plants are "alive" but not doing great. The Java Fern has brown spots. The Coffee Anubias will start news leaves unrolling but has brown spots and some yellowing leaves. The dwarf onions have done the best and grown well at the back of the aquarium. I can't remember the other type of plant I have but it is supposed to be green and has turned a dark purple but hasn't bit the dust and has little shoots of new growth so I haven't ripped it out yet.

Things that I like about the tank:
- I painted the back of the tank with an iridescent glass paint in blue and aqua and kind of texturized the look
- Had the "golden pine" stand painted white and distressed. It looks very nice in our family room (I will try to post a picture that shows the stand better)
- Love the Rena filstar canister and inline heater!

Things I wish I had done different:
- All the decoration should have been spaced out exactly the width of the Python cylinder or bigger. I will need to rearrange the plants and rocks so that I can clean the gravel around everything
- I wish I had put in a UV sterilizer when I set the tank up. I am going to add one and it would have been easier at the beginning.
-Listened to the light fixture in the store - it is really TOO LOUD but I am stuck with it now

I am going to focus on getting the plants healthy and adding some more fish in a few weeks so I may need some more help!

Pictures of my aquarium and fish:
2BeachGirl_Aquarium.jpg


2BeachGirl_Fish.jpg
[/url] :)
 
That really looks great, i like the look of the blue background and it really goes well with the white gravel.
Great tank, good job.
 
Back
Top Bottom