jessibell
Aquarium Advice Activist
I have a 1.5 gallon little desktop job that I thought would be perfect for raising guppy fry in - until they are big enough to swim with the big ones in the 10 gallon. It has been set up for about three months now, but I am aware I have not done verything properly after doing some research
When I first set up this aquarium I used water from my established tank that was already well cycled, so I figured I could just go ahead and put fish in it! My ten gallon filter as a chunk of biofulter media that remains in the system while the filter pads are changed monthly (the type that has carbon already in them) but the small filter that came with this little tank does not have a biofilter, only little cartidges. I suppose that was mistake number one. About a week ago I took out the cartidge (which is also changed monthly) and replaced it with a couple teaspoons of loose activated carbon pellets, folowed by a chuck of large-pore natural sponge, and topped off with a fine-pore artificial aquarium sponge. I rubbed the sponges on the biofilter of the established tank first, hoping bacteria would culture there. i also have a sponge on the end of the water intake so the fry don't get sucked up. The filter is one of those that used an air pump to lift the water thru a tube and into an in-tank reservoir, it came with a kit.
I have been replacing about three cups of water every day with water from the established aquarium, and testing the ammonia every day. Immediately after a small water change it goes down a little, but the next day it is back up to normal.
Of the original batch of fry I put in there about three months ago, about a third have survived, which figure is pretty good. When the ammonia levels get high, some clampt their fins and look sick. Some die, some recover but their fins are damaged Should I get a breeder net and move these fry back into the ten gallon? It would seem safer. I have a little plastic fry holder thing, but the fry fall through the slits in the bottom and its not big enough to hold them all. I was thinking of a larger nylon net thing.
Any suggestions about how to lower the ammonia? Or do i have to let this little tank cycle some more? Will it ever be stable enough to keep fry in or am I wasting my time with a tank so small? Would a five gallon be better? I don't have enough room in my small room for another ten gal at the moment (I am a student)
Thanks for any and all suggestions. I am eager to learn how to do this right!
When I first set up this aquarium I used water from my established tank that was already well cycled, so I figured I could just go ahead and put fish in it! My ten gallon filter as a chunk of biofulter media that remains in the system while the filter pads are changed monthly (the type that has carbon already in them) but the small filter that came with this little tank does not have a biofilter, only little cartidges. I suppose that was mistake number one. About a week ago I took out the cartidge (which is also changed monthly) and replaced it with a couple teaspoons of loose activated carbon pellets, folowed by a chuck of large-pore natural sponge, and topped off with a fine-pore artificial aquarium sponge. I rubbed the sponges on the biofilter of the established tank first, hoping bacteria would culture there. i also have a sponge on the end of the water intake so the fry don't get sucked up. The filter is one of those that used an air pump to lift the water thru a tube and into an in-tank reservoir, it came with a kit.
I have been replacing about three cups of water every day with water from the established aquarium, and testing the ammonia every day. Immediately after a small water change it goes down a little, but the next day it is back up to normal.
Of the original batch of fry I put in there about three months ago, about a third have survived, which figure is pretty good. When the ammonia levels get high, some clampt their fins and look sick. Some die, some recover but their fins are damaged Should I get a breeder net and move these fry back into the ten gallon? It would seem safer. I have a little plastic fry holder thing, but the fry fall through the slits in the bottom and its not big enough to hold them all. I was thinking of a larger nylon net thing.
Any suggestions about how to lower the ammonia? Or do i have to let this little tank cycle some more? Will it ever be stable enough to keep fry in or am I wasting my time with a tank so small? Would a five gallon be better? I don't have enough room in my small room for another ten gal at the moment (I am a student)
Thanks for any and all suggestions. I am eager to learn how to do this right!