AquaJoe
Aquarium Advice Freak
[center:f05958029f]My Aquarium[/center:f05958029f]
I suppose the first thing I should tell you about is the aquarium and it's decor/plants. The aquarium holds 20 Gallons of water, is made of glass, is rectangular in shape and appears to be sealed quite well. I bought it along with a heater and filter as a package deal from Walmart. For substrate I am using plain black gravel which the fish seem to be quite comfortable with. Most of the plants are synthetic however I feel they do their job. As of this point I have one plant successfully propagated in the aquarium though it's species has yet to be determined as I got it by "accident" when buying a fish from a LPS. By propagated I mean planted in rock wool house in a plastic net container, not planted directly into the substrate. The aquarium came with a very nice full spectrum fluorescent light which sits on top of the aquarium's hood -the hood act's (very effectively) as a splash guard. I don't like being electrocuted, ouch. Anyway. I have had the aquarium running for about 1.5 months now with a wide variety of community fish. I will get into how I cycled it and so on later. Now that I've given you an introduction to the aquarium I will list what gear I am using.
The Gear:
As for filtration you will not find anything fancy, per say, in my aquarium -as of yet. I am running a standard Aqua-tech 20-40 filter which encompasses both a biological filter (I'm not sure of the micron size, though I'm nearly positive Aqua-tech aren't either 8O ) and an activated filter cartridge. The AC filter has a nice sponge on it with a good micron size for catching smaller debris that comes through the filter. One other feature about Aqua-tech's AC filter that I like is the fact that due it's plastic ribbing the AC is evenly distributed throughout the filter allowing more surface area to be used at once. The AC filter cartridges I use are of course Aqua-tech 20-40 #3 AC filter replacements. I get 3 packs at WM for 5 bucks
OK. Heat. We need heat, fish need heat. Actually, my fish have it better then I do in terms of heat but we won't even get into that. Okiedokie, I am using a 100watt Aqua-tech standard heater. Frankly, I think it's a POS and hope to get a new one in the near future. Now I will explain why I feel this way. #1, it does not display the water temperature nore is it's "temperature guide" gauge of any use what-so-ever. #2, it is not water-proof. #3, it is constantly in the way, always.... I want to bash it and buy a new one
On the bright side of things it DOES keep my aquarium at a consistent heat level and gets the job done.... I guess it's good for a "package deal".
For lighting, as I mentioned above, I am using the light which was included with the aquarium which is a "full spectrum" florescent tube fixture mounted on the splash proof hood. It illuminates the aquarium adequately.
Water conditions:
Ph: 6.8
Salinity: Unknown (I do not have a test kit though I do use aquarium salt at the rate of roughly 1.25 TBS per GAL).
GH: Unknown (I do not have a test kit).
Ammonia: Barely over 0.1 the last time I checked.
Nitrite/Nitrate: Unknown (I do not have a test kit).
Temperature: 79 degrees fahrenheit when not be treated.
Cycle was used to begin the bacterial growth in the aquarium. I used it two weeks in a row at the rate of 1.5ml per GAL once per week to insure the bacteria could get well established in the aquarium and organic filter. Theron I use Cycle once per week at the rate of 0.75ml per GAL to insure the population of beneficial bacteria.
The water its self is treated with Aquatize terrarium water conditioner which removes chlorine, harmful metals and other elements from the water. The conditioner is manufactured by ExoTerra and has not done me wrong yet. I simply follow the directions on the bottle and treat the water in a huge jug. The jug is then left to sit for several days to allow the conditioner to 'do it's thing' as I like to say. This also allows time for any additional chlorine to evaporate from the water and make it fish friendly.
When the aquarium is not being treated for parasites or disease the water appears crystal clean/clear and smells as pure as it can get. It looks so oxygenated that I often must restrain myself from dunking my own head into the aquarium and trying to breath...... It just looks so damn refreshing! Oh yeah, the fish like it too! 8)
I have composed a list of all of the products currently being used to treat my aquarium water, it goes as follows:
-Cycle, manufactured by Nutrafin.
-Aquatize Terrarium Conditioner, manufactured by ExcoTerra.
-Aquatica Aquarium Salt, manufactured by Wardley.
-Bettafix, manufactured by BettaSplended. It is composed of Melaleuca which is an organic matter which aids fish (especially Bettas) in regrowing torn up fins. I really love this stuff. I typically use it in a QT tank as treating 20 GAL with it is not economical AT ALL.
-AquaSol, manufactured by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. It is composed to Copper Sulfate and is used as both a parasite/disease preventive and treatment. One specific thing I like about this product is that it is designed for sensitive species and it works VERY effectively against Protozoan parasites. However, there are a couple of bad things.... #1, too much copper can kill your fish! (so I read anyway, I'm no scientist). #2, it kills snails, invertebrates and amphibians -not to mention a few others. #3, treatment requires removing of the carbon filter which lots of problems can potentially stem from. I did look up AC's absorption rate for Copper Sulfate, though, and it is very low so most of the copper will make it through the carbon filter anyway. All in all, I love this product. It saved my Iridescent Shark Catfish's life! 8O
Food/Diet:
-Blood Worms (freeze dried), manufactured by Tetra. Fed as a treat 2-3 times weekly.
-Betta Premium Food (floating pellets), manufactured by Wardley. Fed twice daily, as many as fish will consume in several minutes.
-Tropical Premium Fish Flakes, manufactured by Wardley. Fed once daily, usually late in the evening as a snack.
-Brine Shrimp (freeze dried), manufacturer unknown. Fed one hardy helping monthly.
-Algae Discs, manufactured by Wardley. One disc per day. All of my fish love these things
Inhabitants:
Zoro:
-Bala Shark, AKA: Silver Shark.
-Scientific name: Balantiochellus Melanopterus.
-Omnivore.
-Currently 2.5" long. Can grow up to 13'
-Sex has yet to be determined.
-Extremely friendly shark. Very good community fish.
Bruce:
-Iridescent Shark Catfish, AKA: Pangasius Catfish.
-Omnivore.
-Currently 4.5" long. Can grow up to 3' long in captivity.
-I strongly believe Bruce is male due to his shape and colors.
-Very hardy and friendly shark however very sensitive. Very hard to accommodate as well as they get so huge
Heyzues, Lolita and Elvira:
-Betta Splendons, AKA: Siamese Fighting Fish.
-Carnivores.
-All are currently full grown; aprox 2.3".
-Heyzues is male, lolita and Elvira are female.
-All three of these fish can have temper tantrums sometimes but all in all they are really great community fish. I believe the fact these fish are commonly perceived as an aggressor is a myth and that their attitude depends on their surroundings, atmosphere and how they are treated.
Sean:
-Pleco, AKA: Sucker Mouth Catfish or Armor Plated Catfish.
-Scientific name: Hypostomus Plecostomus.
-Herbivore.
-Currently about 4" long. Can grow up to 2' in captivity.
-I love this little guy. He keeps my tank clean and he treats EVERYONE with respect
The Tetra Mafia:
-Neon Tetra
-Scientific Name: Paracheirodon Innesi.
-Omnivores.
-I own six of these guys and they are all various sizes the biggest being about 1.25". None of them have been sexed.
-These are great community fish who like to live in groups of SIX OR MORE. Otherwise they just kind of linger around and act all depressed
Mortimer:
-Snail who's species has yet to be determined.
-What can I say, he's a snail and he hates copper 8O
-By far, Mortimer has the best "personality". so to speak, that I have ever witnessed in a snail.
Well, that get's us off to a good start for now I think so I am going to call it quits for the time being and come back later to update with pictures and information on a recent Protozoan infestation.
Joe
I suppose the first thing I should tell you about is the aquarium and it's decor/plants. The aquarium holds 20 Gallons of water, is made of glass, is rectangular in shape and appears to be sealed quite well. I bought it along with a heater and filter as a package deal from Walmart. For substrate I am using plain black gravel which the fish seem to be quite comfortable with. Most of the plants are synthetic however I feel they do their job. As of this point I have one plant successfully propagated in the aquarium though it's species has yet to be determined as I got it by "accident" when buying a fish from a LPS. By propagated I mean planted in rock wool house in a plastic net container, not planted directly into the substrate. The aquarium came with a very nice full spectrum fluorescent light which sits on top of the aquarium's hood -the hood act's (very effectively) as a splash guard. I don't like being electrocuted, ouch. Anyway. I have had the aquarium running for about 1.5 months now with a wide variety of community fish. I will get into how I cycled it and so on later. Now that I've given you an introduction to the aquarium I will list what gear I am using.
The Gear:
As for filtration you will not find anything fancy, per say, in my aquarium -as of yet. I am running a standard Aqua-tech 20-40 filter which encompasses both a biological filter (I'm not sure of the micron size, though I'm nearly positive Aqua-tech aren't either 8O ) and an activated filter cartridge. The AC filter has a nice sponge on it with a good micron size for catching smaller debris that comes through the filter. One other feature about Aqua-tech's AC filter that I like is the fact that due it's plastic ribbing the AC is evenly distributed throughout the filter allowing more surface area to be used at once. The AC filter cartridges I use are of course Aqua-tech 20-40 #3 AC filter replacements. I get 3 packs at WM for 5 bucks
OK. Heat. We need heat, fish need heat. Actually, my fish have it better then I do in terms of heat but we won't even get into that. Okiedokie, I am using a 100watt Aqua-tech standard heater. Frankly, I think it's a POS and hope to get a new one in the near future. Now I will explain why I feel this way. #1, it does not display the water temperature nore is it's "temperature guide" gauge of any use what-so-ever. #2, it is not water-proof. #3, it is constantly in the way, always.... I want to bash it and buy a new one
On the bright side of things it DOES keep my aquarium at a consistent heat level and gets the job done.... I guess it's good for a "package deal". For lighting, as I mentioned above, I am using the light which was included with the aquarium which is a "full spectrum" florescent tube fixture mounted on the splash proof hood. It illuminates the aquarium adequately.
Water conditions:
Ph: 6.8
Salinity: Unknown (I do not have a test kit though I do use aquarium salt at the rate of roughly 1.25 TBS per GAL).
GH: Unknown (I do not have a test kit).
Ammonia: Barely over 0.1 the last time I checked.
Nitrite/Nitrate: Unknown (I do not have a test kit).
Temperature: 79 degrees fahrenheit when not be treated.
Cycle was used to begin the bacterial growth in the aquarium. I used it two weeks in a row at the rate of 1.5ml per GAL once per week to insure the bacteria could get well established in the aquarium and organic filter. Theron I use Cycle once per week at the rate of 0.75ml per GAL to insure the population of beneficial bacteria.
The water its self is treated with Aquatize terrarium water conditioner which removes chlorine, harmful metals and other elements from the water. The conditioner is manufactured by ExoTerra and has not done me wrong yet. I simply follow the directions on the bottle and treat the water in a huge jug. The jug is then left to sit for several days to allow the conditioner to 'do it's thing' as I like to say. This also allows time for any additional chlorine to evaporate from the water and make it fish friendly.
When the aquarium is not being treated for parasites or disease the water appears crystal clean/clear and smells as pure as it can get. It looks so oxygenated that I often must restrain myself from dunking my own head into the aquarium and trying to breath...... It just looks so damn refreshing!
Oh yeah, the fish like it too! 8) I have composed a list of all of the products currently being used to treat my aquarium water, it goes as follows:
-Cycle, manufactured by Nutrafin.
-Aquatize Terrarium Conditioner, manufactured by ExcoTerra.
-Aquatica Aquarium Salt, manufactured by Wardley.
-Bettafix, manufactured by BettaSplended. It is composed of Melaleuca which is an organic matter which aids fish (especially Bettas) in regrowing torn up fins. I really love this stuff. I typically use it in a QT tank as treating 20 GAL with it is not economical AT ALL.
-AquaSol, manufactured by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. It is composed to Copper Sulfate and is used as both a parasite/disease preventive and treatment. One specific thing I like about this product is that it is designed for sensitive species and it works VERY effectively against Protozoan parasites. However, there are a couple of bad things.... #1, too much copper can kill your fish! (so I read anyway, I'm no scientist). #2, it kills snails, invertebrates and amphibians -not to mention a few others. #3, treatment requires removing of the carbon filter which lots of problems can potentially stem from. I did look up AC's absorption rate for Copper Sulfate, though, and it is very low so most of the copper will make it through the carbon filter anyway. All in all, I love this product. It saved my Iridescent Shark Catfish's life! 8O
Food/Diet:
-Blood Worms (freeze dried), manufactured by Tetra. Fed as a treat 2-3 times weekly.
-Betta Premium Food (floating pellets), manufactured by Wardley. Fed twice daily, as many as fish will consume in several minutes.
-Tropical Premium Fish Flakes, manufactured by Wardley. Fed once daily, usually late in the evening as a snack.
-Brine Shrimp (freeze dried), manufacturer unknown. Fed one hardy helping monthly.
-Algae Discs, manufactured by Wardley. One disc per day. All of my fish love these things
Inhabitants:
Zoro:
-Bala Shark, AKA: Silver Shark.
-Scientific name: Balantiochellus Melanopterus.
-Omnivore.
-Currently 2.5" long. Can grow up to 13'
-Sex has yet to be determined.
-Extremely friendly shark. Very good community fish.
Bruce:
-Iridescent Shark Catfish, AKA: Pangasius Catfish.
-Omnivore.
-Currently 4.5" long. Can grow up to 3' long in captivity.
-I strongly believe Bruce is male due to his shape and colors.
-Very hardy and friendly shark however very sensitive. Very hard to accommodate as well as they get so huge
Heyzues, Lolita and Elvira:
-Betta Splendons, AKA: Siamese Fighting Fish.
-Carnivores.
-All are currently full grown; aprox 2.3".
-Heyzues is male, lolita and Elvira are female.
-All three of these fish can have temper tantrums sometimes but all in all they are really great community fish. I believe the fact these fish are commonly perceived as an aggressor is a myth and that their attitude depends on their surroundings, atmosphere and how they are treated.
Sean:
-Pleco, AKA: Sucker Mouth Catfish or Armor Plated Catfish.
-Scientific name: Hypostomus Plecostomus.
-Herbivore.
-Currently about 4" long. Can grow up to 2' in captivity.
-I love this little guy. He keeps my tank clean and he treats EVERYONE with respect
The Tetra Mafia:
-Neon Tetra
-Scientific Name: Paracheirodon Innesi.
-Omnivores.
-I own six of these guys and they are all various sizes the biggest being about 1.25". None of them have been sexed.
-These are great community fish who like to live in groups of SIX OR MORE. Otherwise they just kind of linger around and act all depressed
Mortimer:
-Snail who's species has yet to be determined.
-What can I say, he's a snail and he hates copper 8O
-By far, Mortimer has the best "personality". so to speak, that I have ever witnessed in a snail.
Well, that get's us off to a good start for now I think so I am going to call it quits for the time being and come back later to update with pictures and information on a recent Protozoan infestation.
Joe
