Recent content by fambrough

What's up with my fish? Here's the info: 10 gallon tetra tank with three neons and three red phantom tetras. All peaceful, fat and happy. Some live plants (crypts). Eclipse system. Strong maintenance program with 20% water changes ever two weeks and filter changes every 30 days. Water paramaters...

In both of my 10 gallon tanks I put two medium to large pieces of driftwood collected from the wild. The tannin leaching is significant. The pH dropped from 8.0 to 7.6 in both tanks. I haven't tested in a couple weeks. If it's dropped more, I will let you know. Ben

And some people don't boil it at all! Me. Some of mine is starting to sink after one month, but none of it is on the bottom yet. Looks quite interesting and natural. And I like the tannins in the water. I think it's help keep the pH lower (good for my tetras), as well as making some of the...

Thanks for all the suggestions. I don't know about upping the bio load with a pleco, but I will look into it. This is my trouble for sticking with small tanks. That's OK. I don't want to go any bigger until I go salt water. Would three otos really be alright in a 10 gallon? Thanks again, Ben

I am looking for an algea eating or preferably omnivorous fish that will do well by itself (eliminates a lot of corys) in a 10 gallon tank that has a only three red phantom tetras as tank mates. I may not add anything at all, but am curious about the possibilities. Maybe ghost shrimp instead of...

The tank looks great. But I think it wood look better with driftwood. :) I have driftwood in all three of my tanks, so I guess I am a little biased, huh? My arrangement has been to let some float. Other pieces I have wedged and anchored, suspended with fishing line and wire from natural rocks on...

They are spider plants. I plan to pull them out from time to time (perhaps for a day at a time) to trim the decaying leaves and give them some air, so to speak. I don't think they will do well in the long run, but for now the add a lot of character. BTW, in the red phantom tank the flint is not...

Okay, looks like that worked just fine. There are some white streaks in the red phantom tank picture which are air bubbles moving through the water captured as a streak by the long exposure for the low light. And as usual, the pictures do not do justice. But thanks for looking. Ben

What the heck. I have a few minutes to kill now. Let's see if this works[/img]

Sure will. If the driftwood sinks, then so be it. I wanted it on the bottom at first anyway. If by then I am enamoured with the suspended look, I'll rig some supports. I like projects. It will give me something do to...in the spare time that I do not have. :) No problem with the pics. I just...

As Meredith said, reduce your feedings. You may see planaria on the glass as well. I had both of these after adding excess nutrients (food) to encourage cycling in a new tank. They will disappear. Some fish will eat them. My glow light tetras love the nematodes. Poor nematodes, none left now. Ben

I was so pleased with how good my new 10 gallon glow-light tetra tank looks that by comparison the four red phantom tetras and single blue tetra seemed cramped in my 5 gallon. I got a second 10 gallon and successfully transferred them over with all tank material and filter material...

I can not tell you why the low nitrate reading. However, test kits convert nitrites into nitrates when testing for nitrates only. Therefore, your readings of nitrates during the cycle (presence of nitrites) will not be accurate. Check again just to be sure of your reading. It does sound the tank...

apotocki, Since you are doing a fishless cycle, it is my understanding that you shouldn't change the water because it will slow down the process. You don't need to protect any macro life (fish) from the nitrites, removing it takes food away from the bacteria you are trying to encourage. I...

I've been filling the tubes with the flow from the an Eclipse system filter, so while the tube definitely could "contaminate" the water, at least I'm not dipping it right in the tank. I fall into the rinse-well-three-or-more-times group and then dry with a clean cloth. I am sure I will be using...