Recent content by odobenus

I have a sand substrate in one of my tanks. (It's pool filter sand, too, which I really like.) Gas pockets can build up in the sand, so when you do a pwc stir the sand around a bit to release the bubbles. Some people use a chopstick designated for sand stirring, but I just use my hand.

You could try this one! Have a look through the DIY forum. If you can't find what you are looking for there, those folks would be able to point you in the right direction. This might be a helpful thread.

According to this web site your heater is completely submersible, so you can put the temp control under the water.

Well, it has been a couple of days now. I left the cories in the 55 gal with the potentially murderous RTB shark. The cory with the missing tail died, but the remaining three seem just fine. I think you were right, lyquidphyre, that it was a combination of stress/newness/being picked on...

Devillishturtles is right on; take those BA tetras out of your planted tank right now! They are the sheep of the fish world. We have 6, and they have mowed down every single live plant that ever even looked at their tank. Even really hardy, usually untasty plants, like java fern, fell before...

Is this the same plant?

I second jibboo's suggestion for a hiding place, and would even recommend several hiding places. I had no problems with my RTB shark until I introduced more bottom feeders (a handful of cory cats) into the tank where he had definitely established his territory. (In all fairness, I am not...

I use a python to clean my tank, and the hose is long enough to reach outside. When I want to clean my filter I begin the syphon with the faucet in my sink, then (using a bucket to prevent drips) unscrew the hose and move the end outside. Then I can rinse the sponges of choice in running tank...

Phoey, phoey, phoey. If there is a chance the betta would be unhappy with them, too, along with the size-of-tank issues, maybe I should try to work something out in the 55 gal. I rearranged the rocks a bit. (It is a fairly large rock structure, and I couldn't move too much.) I also moved...

grrr. Silly shark. I know that my cory cats should be in at least a 30 gallon tank when full grown. How long will they be okay in the 10 gallon tank? Until they are about an inch long?

short version: Our 55 gallon tank houses 1 red tailed black shark, full grown, 1 gold severum, about 2.5 inches long, 6 Buenos Aires tetras, each about 1 inch long, and 2 ottos. On Thursday (5 days ago) we added 6 small (about 1/2 inch long) pseudo Julii cory cats. Today I found two of them...

Were you trying to ask how much water to change (not cycle) at a time? If so, I would recommend between 30 and 50%. If your ammonia and nitrite levels are high, change more water. (A 50% water change will reduce their concentration by half.)

Not having any otos myself, I can't give you any first-hand experience, but dropping in a zucchini or algae wafer when the algae levels get low sounds like a good idea. I think as long as your otos are fat you're doing great. If they start to slim down at all you need to feed more.

The fish that started with an 'o' was probably otocinclus. They are supposed to be very good at eating diatoms and the soft green algae. From what I understand, they have to be eating almost constantly, so once they eat up all of the aglae they need to be fed algae wafers and veggies. I've...