starting my 30

[agwats]

I know I said I was gonna do the 10 first but decided to go back to the 30 will have pics as it progresses. Im going w/ PFS as substrate and live plants. Stock will be a few schools of tetras, a school of panda corys and a bristle nose pleco. I've got drift wood soaking now (hooray for living next to a river fee drift wood!) I've got some rock to anchor it to and I usually use rust resistant screws but I was wondering if anyone has a different method of attaching it as I don't really want to use the metal screws.

 

[rich311k]

You can glue it on with aquarium safe silicon, it would have to be dry though.

 

[dskidmore]

Good driftwood will sink on it's own. If you have a pot big enough to boil it, this will help drive air out of the wood cells and help it sink. I've gotten a bunch of driftwood off ebay before, and about 50% of it sank on it's own.

 

[somethingsfishy]

Agreed. Just boil it a couple of times and let it soak for a couple weeks. Then it should sink and be free of the acid that turns the water brown. Good luck.

 

[jetajockey]

You can use marine epoxy resin also. You could also use zip ties if you think it will eventually waterlog and stay sunken on its own.

 

[agwats]

Definitely don't have a pot big enough to boil it. Im soaking it in very hot water, changing half the water daily and replacing it with boiling water to sterilize it. Didn't think about the aquarium silicone that should work. Or I could just go get a HUGE pot.

 

[somethingsfishy]

No need for a big pot. Boiling them just speeds up the process. Let them to soak in tank water before putting them in the tank.

 

[agwats]

ok was thinking of using API First Layer under the PFS to help the plants out, I used it in my 20 and the plants grew quick and are still growing well. Just looking to see who else has used this product and what there thoughts were on it. Since it will only be in the bottom inch or so of sand will it effect the look much? Also with the bristle nose is the sand even a good idea or should i go with pea gravel?

 

[jetajockey]

Laterite can get really messy, honestly if I was going that route I'd just use mineralized soil.

Bristlenoses are fine with snad.

 

[agwats]

yeah I was thinking it would be a little messy w/ the sand and mess up the color. Im just gonna stick w/ the PFS

 

[agwats]

Ok so driftwood is boiled and been soaking... just got some pieces of creek rock given to me that are perfect size for the drift wood. Going to boil them to sterilize should I do anything else to make sure that are safe for the aquarium?

 

[agwats]

Hoping to get filter and PFS for fathers day then will start fishless cycle with a chunk of the filter material from my 20. Will post water parameters as we go, hopefully the seed material will keep the cycle short

 

[dskidmore]

just got some pieces of creek rock given to me that are perfect size for the drift wood. Going to boil them to sterilize should I do anything else to make sure that are safe for the aquarium?

It can't hurt to do an acid test. Pour on a little vinegar or pool acid and make sure there is no fizzy reaction. There will be a reaction if there is limestone in it, which can disolve in your water. Rinse the rocks really well after doing this test. Most rock is just fine.

 

[agwats]

Starting fishless cycle today! Can't decide which piece of driftwood to use though...
They are both about the same size and I thought I might use both but it looks too crowded

 

[dskidmore]

Do they both sink equally well?

I like the left piece more, but the thin bits might suffer damage over time, and you'll be glad you have the second one handy.

 

[agwats]

With attached rock they both sink and I got 9 pieces of driftwood last time I went to the river those are just the two I narrowed it down to for this tank. My fav 2 are way too big for a thirty and I got a little one for the ten i'm going to set up next but Idk when. The other pieces Idk what i'll do with, keep them, sell them, give them away. Here are the two big pieces

 

[Bud]

Those are both really cool! The one on the left that's all knotted up is unique. Is it one piece or a bunch of pieces all locked up?

 

[dskidmore]

Those are nice pieces. If you need any equiptment you could offer them up on the buy/trade forum here. If you can regularly pull that quantity out of the creek you can probably support your aquarium habits with it...

 

[Bud]

Agreed. If you can consistently pull that quality out, you could quit your job and sell that stuff full time!

 

[agwats]

Yeah we found about a dozen pieces in a little over an hour at the Falls of the Ohio, a fossil bed in the Ohio River that creates long stretch of shallows, you cannot take rock because its illegal but you can get all the drift wood you can carry! My nephew went with me and helped carry so I gave him a few pieces and still had 9 left. Just another plus to living on a river.