Khuli Loach one of my favs.

[Meesh]

They get along swimmingly! (Sorry, lol). I have the school of seven Zebra Danios and the Betta. I read after the fact that Danios might harass a Betta, but my shop assured me all would be well, and it is. Tank still young, need to get more fish, so it might change, but so far all is well.

 

[Barliman]

They get along swimmingly! (Sorry, lol). I have the school of seven Zebra Danios and the Betta. I read after the fact that Danios might harass a Betta, but my shop assured me all would be well, and it is. Tank still young, need to get more fish, so it might change, but so far all is well.

Numbers help with danios: the more you have, the more likely they are to chase each other, rather than harass other fish.

 

[Meesh]

That's what was thinking. They seem to be enjoying chasing each other around

 

[TMaier]

So far Blue has been grand. We got him in April or May. The Khuli's and neons were already in the tank when we introduced him.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[TMaier]

Since my last post I added 6 neons that all died. They took Blue and 2 Khuli's too. Did some major cleaning and UV to kill suspected bacteria.



Does this pic make my butt look fat?

 

[Caliban07]

Since my last post I added 6 neons that all died. They took Blue and 2 Khuli's too. Did some major cleaning and UV to kill suspected bacteria. View attachment 291136
View attachment 291137
View attachment 291138

Does this pic make my butt look fat?View attachment 291139

Wow that's really harsh. I know how much you and some of the others adored blue. Must have been some serious bacteria. Did you see any symptoms?

 

[TMaier]

None at all. Work up last Friday morning and turned on the lights 7:30am and he looked like this.

Went to my local fish geeks first thing in the morning and was told it was untreatable. They were right, I got home at 11am and he was gone.

 

[TMaier]

On another note, I am wondering if I need to feed my plants? There are enough in here now where I don't expect to add any more ( ya right ) but want to make sure these stay healthy.

 

[Autumnsky]

Not lately but I love Ferka Rosetta and Ferka Stemma. Actually can be difficult to find but turns things into amazing plants. Used it mostly in sand substrate and it was incredible. I last ordered mine from Thailand and it took a couple weeks / ~3 to arrive.

Used Aqueon Plant food alternating every other dosing day with Flourish. Missed days too and everything stayed nice. I am heading back to ferts again. I feel like there are things missing from the plants nutrients that just the poop and fish foods aren't able to supply. It was worth a try.

All looked lovely when I used them now that I am not looks like a mess. The Ferka stuff is like a miracle plant tonic in a capsule! If you can't find it for a reasonable price and shipping, I was looking at buying a case of each from Thailand next month. PM me if you want to. Still checking into if the Thai company can ship it here and the costs I never checked either but the ebay guys shipping is high same amount for each bottle.

At this point I also have been considering all the custom mix stuff but I don't have time for all the testing of which ones to increase and decrease. So it wouldn't end up being a fun time for me to deal with it. The other stuff was simple - add caps to substrate, then repeat in 3-4 months.

 

[Caliban07]

On another note, I am wondering if I need to feed my plants? There are enough in here now where I don't expect to add any more ( ya right ) but want to make sure these stay healthy.

You don't feed your plants! And yet it looks great. Nice going. First come ferts then comes EXCEL [emoji1]

 

[TMaier]

Rebuilding after the fall. Majority of the plants melted from the UV and are off to another tank to perhaps recover if the rhizomes are ok. These are newbies.

I have asked Santa for the Finnex 24/7 lights for Christmas. And will look into plant food. I am concerned about it being a recipe for algae. But just maybe the plants will love it and thrive!

 

[Autumnsky]

Take it a slow start on the ferts and edge it up to see how it goes. Same goes with the light if Santa brings it!

 

[TMaier]

Take it a slow start on the ferts and edge it up to see how it goes. Same goes with the light if Santa brings it!

Thanks! I have a question. Perhaps I have been feeding? I used to have more buried plants but most weren't doing as well as they should so I removed them. But I had sponges with osmocoat plus in them sitting at the surface near my intake. They have slowly dissolved. Is this the same stuff as the liquid frets.

 

[Autumnsky]

Ferts is ferts

So all the Macro and Micro nutrients are the same, plants of any type need certain things to thrive (light, water and nutrients), whether it is grass in the front yard, potted houseplants, pond plants or aquatic plants.

Basically it really boils down to how much they need of any of the nutrients and how they are delivered; caplets, capsules, liquid (incl. dry form rehydrated), sponges, charged substrate, etc. (Not using toxic things for your aquatic friends.) Over dosing ferts can poison your aquatic friends.

As we know, one must be careful what one puts in ones tank.

Ferts are something I am learning about more and more. Even people who have been using CO2 are still learning how to use and balance ferts in the aquarium.

It is much harder taking proper care of a tank than just adding some weed and feed to your yard!!! (Don't use weed and feed in the tank!!!!!)

This is a good basic article
Introduction to Fertilizing the Planted Tank - Aquarium Advice

 

[TMaier]

So all the Macro and Micro nutrients are the same, plants of any type need certain things to thrive (light, water and nutrients), whether it is grass in the front yard, potted houseplants, pond plants or aquatic plants.



Basically it really boils down to how much they need of any of the nutrients and how they are delivered; caplets, capsules, liquid (incl. dry form rehydrated), sponges, charged substrate, etc. (Not using toxic things for your aquatic friends.) Over dosing ferts can poison your aquatic friends.



As we know, one must be careful what one puts in ones tank.



Ferts are something I am learning about more and more. Even people who have been using CO2 are still learning how to use and balance ferts in the aquarium.



It is much harder taking proper care of a tank than just adding some weed and feed to your yard!!! (Don't use weed and feed in the tank!!!!!)



This is a good basic article

Introduction to Fertilizing the Planted Tank - Aquarium Advice

Thanks for the read! This does mention root tabs for root feeders. I made the homemade version with Osmocoat Plus. They are time release grains and have dissolved very slowly. I have 1/2 teaspoon in the sponge so they don't get free into the tank. I think it took the last ones 3 months to dissolve.

 

[TMaier]

It has been a month and no additional casualties. I suspect I will be getting new lights and a bigger canister for Christmas. I have 6 tiny little Khuli's in the quarantine tank to prepare them for the main tank after New Years. But I'm still sort of bruised from November events and contemplating a major change up. Ya know that awesome rock....

I am thinking about removing all the glass from my tank, adding this chuck but I need suggestions on substrate. I think the Khuli's would love sand but white pool sand really wouldn't go well with this rock.

Any sand suggestions and grain size? I found some garnet sand online. But it says it is sharp and I do not know if it would be suitable for a tank?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/111825700394

Of course all of the awesome plants from Junglefowl and Fresh2o would be the icing on the cake and the fish the proverbial cherry on top.

Sand suggestions please!

 

[Barliman]

Any sand suggestions and grain size? I found some garnet sand online. But it says it is sharp and I do not know if it would be suitable for a tank?

I think a fine gravel would be nice. CaribSea's "Peace River" might go well with that rock: https://www.amazon.com/Carib-Sea-ACS00832-Aquarium-20-Pound/dp/B0002APMU6

 

[TMaier]

I think a fine gravel would be nice. CaribSea's "Peace River" might go well with that rock: https://www.amazon.com/Carib-Sea-ACS00832-Aquarium-20-Pound/dp/B0002APMU6

That does look nice. I wonder what it is composed of and how it will impact water chemistry?

I had to get rid of some gravel I had in the past I was way into the mid 8+ on the ph and no amount of wood was bringing it down.

 

[Barliman]

That does look nice. I wonder what it is composed of and how it will impact water chemistry?

I had to get rid of some gravel I had in the past I was way into the mid 8+ on the ph and no amount of wood was bringing it down.

I don't know what it's made of, but, per their website, it won't affect PH or hardness.

 

[Caliban07]

I am thinking about removing all the glass from my tank.

Are you sure you're feeling alright? [emoji23]

Good move. Sorry I don't really no many good substrates. I haven't used many different ones.