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ADA 60-P planted tank 'Prairie' (month 5)

Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 2 photos)

Hi Rob. priming should not be a problem. Though I dont think the Rena has a priming button does it ? Thats one of those filters where the inlet hose has a funny attachment if I remember, that you pour water into. You could get a quick connector tap set (Eheim) and put that inline in the return pipe. Then you just disconnect it and suck on the end of it to start the syphon then reconnect :)
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 2 photos)

Actually now you say that it might work with what I have. It's got it's own style of quick connector tap but it controls in and out flow at the same time. Might be tricky!
I'll give it a go tomorrow and see if I flood the house or not!
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 2 photos)

pariahrob said:
Actually now you say that it might work with what I have. It's got it's own style of quick connector tap but it controls in and out flow at the same time. Might be tricky!
I'll give it a go tomorrow and see if I flood the house or not!
Click to expand...

Hmm where is the quick connector ? Is it at the hose adaptor ? Dont forget you will get backflow from the return pipe if it is full of water !!
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 2 photos)

It's this bad boy:
7114038729_62dd5e25bf.jpg

The bit right in the middle of the lid/connector tips back to shut off the hoses. I guess I could fill the inlet hose, reconnect the lily pipe then turn push the connector back down. That starts the priming process and syphons in water till the can fills.
The only issue I can see there is that there would be a lily pipe sized amount of air sucked down. Or would it. My physics isn't good enough to know off the top of my head.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 2 photos)

It will be a case of "suck it and see" :lol: Excuse the pun !!! What you have showed me there is called a hose adaptor usually. Most externals have them now. But having to remove it can be a pain, and a bit wet sometimes. I still personally think for a tenner you would be better off getting the eheim quick connector tap set and putting them inline in the return pipe where they would be out of site. If you dont get what I am saying, flick me a PM and i will try and explain more clearly ;) Cheers.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 2 photos)

Well, my first three weeks are over and I'm very pleased with progress. Water quality seems good, plant growth appears strong and fast. The glosso I planted to start with, which completely melted, has come back looking very healthy.

I imagine this is all f=down to reading up on other journals and seeing what works best, so thank you all for the head start! :thumbup:

My cuba carpet is coming along nicely and I've started on the odd trim plus back of hand tip I read via twitter earlier today (thanks George). The Valis was partially munched on by a snail I missed but I think it will be ok. Pogo, hair grass and Pavula are all looking great and after some initial melting the blyxa looks good too. Still a few areas that need to come back though.

Tank is starting to look great too but some plant growth was getting to the point of needing a trim, so I did that today. Just a tidy up and I still have to net out the odd bit of floating hair grass I missed (it's always the photos that help me spot things).

Here are before and after photos. I think I've definitely decided on a black background now. I just have to sort it out. Still debating fish for top level and maybe another shoal for the middle. Phantom tetras are a possible choice and my mrs still wants hatchets!

Thanks again!

7115593955_e3f4f0581c_z.jpg

7115594059_729e964c3e_z.jpg
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 2 photos)

Filling in nicely.
Beware, Hatchets will jump from open topped tanks!
Cheerio,
Ady.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 2 photos)

I knew about the jumping. I'm not all that fond of them anyway. If you have a better idea for a top level fish then please let me know.

Thanks Sarah. Purely judging by the colour of my DC I'd say there is little difference. Maybe a tiny amount but then although there is more surface agitation than before I had the glasswork it isn't too violent. It's quite gentle. There is more flow below the surface than you might think.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 3 photos)

Today Marvin decided to start properly exploring the tank, so I managed to snap a few photos of his travels. Shame the photos show up the glass being a bit grubby! It doesn't look it to the naked eye. Off to go and give it a clean now!

Also a massive thanks to sarahtermite for the microworms. My culture is starting now!

Time to get up:
6973191340_f31136122c_z.jpg


Pretend to clean the glass but really just checking out the handsome reflection:
6973191476_833ec46b47_z.jpg


Get up close and personal for a photoshoot:
7119271885_9d87b71d6d_z.jpg

Slighty raised nitrite levels today too. No signs of any stress but did a partial WC and also added a sachet of API ammonia and nitrite removing media to the filter to help out. Hopefully that will do the job. My local expert thinks a few days with 10-20% WCs and no feeding will do the job.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 3 photos)

Nitrate levels are now falling but still going to hold off feeding. I'm going to stick to small water changes for a couple more days.

My shortlist for fish is now a straight battle between black phantom tetra and the blackskirt tetra. Both seem well suited to my tank from what I can read up. Anybody had any experience with them?
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 3 photos)

Nitrate levels are now falling but still going to hold off feeding. I'm going to stick to small water changes for a couple more days.

My shortlist for fish is now a straight battle between black phantom tetra and the blackskirt tetra. Both seem well suited to my tank from what I can read up. Anybody had any experience with them?
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 3 photos)

why are you bothered about NitrAte levels? They are one of the best things in a planted tank.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 3 photos)

Hi, just browsed through this. A few thoughts on a couple of things I read throughout the journal.

1. Nice though he is, sack the Pleco and go for Ottocinclus instead.
2. I used two dwarf puffers to get rid of my snail problem. I have still got the puffers and haven't seen a snail in over twelve months. The puffers don't bother my cardinals or my Amano shrimp.
3. If you are still looking for shoaling fish and want to add a bit of colour check out Ruby Tetras, they stay small, brighten up the tank and shoal well. They also breed themselves fairly easily.
4. Any algae problems Flourish Excel did the job for me, but be very careful and not overdose, I nuked my plants and algae at the same time.

Interesting tank, I'll keep my eye on this and watch developments.

Good luck,

Steve
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 3 photos)

Sorry ianho, I meant nitrite!

Thanks Steve. I can't sack the plec. My mrs would go with him!
I had wondered about dwarf puffers in the past but was persuade against them, due to their aggressive nature with other fish. They are quite enticing though.
I'd not looked at Ruby tetras. I'll check them out.

Thanks.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 3 photos)

Hi all,
Pretend to clean the glass but really just checking out the handsome reflection:
Click to expand...
"Marvin" looks a bit thin. If you look at his reflection you can see that his belly is slightly concave. They should be quite tubby really.

I'd carry on feeding him, probably with something like a Prawn or Mussel, that is high in protein. You can put it in the evening at lights out, and then take it out after a few hours if you are worried about it effecting water quality.

cheers Darrel
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 3 photos)

He does seem a little thin. I've not seen him eat yet. Ive put a couple of wafers in and some peas at lights out but I don't think he's had any yet.
I've been removing them in the morning.

I was hoping its due to him adjusting to my tank but I am a little worried.
Is there anything I can do?
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 3 photos)

Hi all,
If he was wild caught, or from SE Asia, he may be suffering from internal parasites. But L201 is quite frequently bred in the UK by hobbiests, so he is most likely tank bred.

The problem with even the "easier" Loricariids is that they have quite narrow tolerances, and if they are stressed at all they don't tend to eat, another problem is that he may not recognise either the wafers or peas (you need to take the shell off) as food.

Have a look a these articles on food:
<http://www.planetcatfish.com/shanes...icle_id=294&title=Feeding+PlecosTypes+of+food> &
<http://www.planetcatfish.com/shanes...cle_id=426&title=Feeding+PlecosWho+eats+what?>

and habitat:
<http://www.planetcatfish.com/shanes...atural+Catfish+AquariumUnderstanding+habitats> & <http://www.planetcatfish.com/shanes...ural+Catfish+AquariumMaterials+and+Techniques>

He really needs some high protein food that he recognises as food as soon as possible, which is why I suggested a shell-off Prawn or Mussel. Another possibility would be blood-worms (although I don't really like frozen blood-worms) or earthworms, either small live worms or sections of larger ones. I culture Lumbricus rubellus, you are more than welcome to some. White worms would be another possibility, or Grindal Worms, although Grindal worms aren't as suitable if you have a lot of flow as they tend to remain in suspension, again you are more than welcome to some Grindals.

If you have a source of Ramshorn, Tadpole or Pond Snails, you could try a couple of these crushed and put in at night.

In the longer term you may find some frozen food like Mysis shrimp may be suitable.

Finally have a look a this post: <http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/...4&p=215719&hilit=feeding+Hypancistrus#p215719> the food details are relevant for all Hypancistrus, not just H. zebra.

cheers Darrel
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 3 photos)

As Darrel states it is about acclimating them and getting them used to the prepared foods. Keep offering a mix of foods and hopefully he will soon eat. My plecs also like the hikari carnivore tabs.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 3 photos)

Thanks guys. Really good links and encouraging too.
Last night I put in half a wafer (the ones my lfs suggested, hikari) and that has all gone. A couple of cherries had had a sniff but no way they could've eaten it so my hope is he got it.

This brings me on to something else. Wood. One of the links and a few other people have mentioned putting wood in the tank for him to chew on. This seems species related though and vtheir is some debate over what he is, somi wonder what to do. How much of what kind of wood is right?

I have noticed this morning that he didn't shoot off and hide when the light came on. Maybe he is acclimating after all?

Any other tips are more than appreciated.

Darren, I have some pond snails in my tank. I fish them out now and then but they seem to just materialise. I'll try your idea but if that doesn't work or he doesn't like them I may take you up on your offer. Thank you for that. This is such a good community!
 
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