10 Gallon Planted Tank: The Journal

[Dyjital]

I forgot to mention that I'm having a nasty algae bloom in the 10g right now.

I yanked the purigen out this morning because I feared that it was absorbing the algae killa stuff (Algafix by API) and I didn't want to do that quite yet.

So... my tank is milky in color from that and mixed with the tannins in the water it's looking.. well like crap again.

[Dyjital]

The other day I moved my Otocinclus' from the large tank to the 10g one. I decided to let them eat the algae. It's working well.

Since I have the SAE's in the large tank no need for the Otos in there.

I woke up this morning to feed the fish and flipped the light on and found it rather beautiful. Water was clear (thanks to the purigen) no algae, (thanks Otos) and everybody was swimming so peacefully I wanted to cry. (well not really) So I snapped a few photos.

Without flash (looks so clear today when I look at it with a dark room and just tank lights on)



With flash:


I keep trimming back the egeria. I take it to my grandmothers (wife's g'ma) and we give it to their goldfish. They are like 6" long and started out as feeders years ago. They love my plants.

[Alan]

tanks looking good

[JohnL]

Agree lookin" good

[Dyjital]

Thanks all.

The Purigin is worth it's weight in GOLD man I tell ya. Came home tonight after a long day being gone and tank is still as clear as when I left it yesterday morning.

All tannins are being absorbed. I'm beginning to wonder as I sit at the table is there is any glass on either side of the tank it's so clear.

[Dyjital]

With my issues with nitrates in the larger tank I decided it would be beneficial to check out the nitrate levels in this tank as well.


Nitrates= 0

Imagine that..

[Dyjital]

Wait till you see the update.
Your going to go:

2 weeks of Excel can do wonders.

[Dyjital]

Water is cloudy due to the API Algafix in it right now. I'll be dropping in the Purigen tomorrow to clear it up.

[Ryan34]

i like your planted tank idea. looks good so far. I wish my Oscars were a little more plant friendly, I would love to see my 140 gallon with large beautiful live plants and driftwood...

I look forward to future progress.

[Dyjital]

Removed the tetras and put two neons from the other tank in here. I went to the local fish store and grabbed 6 guppies. One male and five females along with one neon tetra and .......... one. African dwarf frog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



I will have to update my stats on the tank when I am not on my iPhone4 and have a full keyboard and screen



I really want to have this tank as a stable colorful tank. I hope the guppies will help with that.

[Dyjital]

I finally let the baby sunset platys out of the breeder and into the big 'world' of the 10g tank.

They are in there with 3 Neon Tetras and 5 Female Guppies, 3 otocinclus' and 1 African Dwarf Frog.

I had to empty the breeder out as the female sunset in the 22g tank is starting to square up and I want her to kick her babies out in the breeder not the main tank.


Starting to look like I have a very fertile female. She's kickin' them out almost every month now. (stocking up on babies for a friend who's going to start his planted tank soon... I hope..... or I'm going to be overstocked like crazy in a month)!!!!


I still need to update the pictures of the tank. The plants are going WILD again with growth and it looks a LOT different than my last photo.

[Dyjital]

After a check this am ammonia nitrites and nitrates all at ZERO!!!!!!!!!




No nitrates! Wohooooooo

[Dyjital]

Something happened and my nitrates spiked!!!!

Was blood red in the test tube... Had 4 guppies die and plants were starting to melt.

50% water change done tonight. Will do another 50% in the morning.

Will not raise the stocking level on the tank again. Staying with: 3 neon tetras, 2 guppies and 2 sunset platys then I have the 3 otocinclus and one ADF. All fish are juvies except the neons.


My ADF decided to eat my cherry shrimp. It was an expensive two meals for that little fart!

[Gerry]

bugger. that some spike

[JohnL]

That's not good. I'm surprised the ottos survived.