Tranquility - My low tech 186L journey

[Spartacus]

Thanks Wookii I will check them out 😊

Small update:

I have placed an order for the below fish collection at the start of November:

30x Celestial Pearl Danios
30x Chilli Rasboras

I’m away for a week at the end of October so figured I may as well wait a bit longer then I will be here for the fish.

I’m my own worse enemy and procrastinate which combined with limited options locally (I have to drive for 5 hours just to get Amano / Otocinclus over the counter!)

I have a small amount of brown algae appearing so have dialled back the light to 4 hours at 20% and haven’t fertilised for two days. Don’t know if I have dialled it back by to much - I’m cautious of this light!

I can’t wait for my clean up crew to arrive hopefully Tuesday for the shrimp and Wednesday for the snails.

But am contemplating going back to Livingston to get some Otos but unsure if the tank will be mature enough to feed them? Especially with a 1 week holiday coming up. I have algae wafers and a friendly neighbour if that helps.

Like I say I over think everything I’m a little bit concerned that my clean up crew is under staffed? I may just go back to Livingston and get those Otos if it’s a wise idea I don’t want to be cruel / careless with this project but indecision gets the better of me.

I have ordered a proper gravel vac as my syphon didn’t have the pulling power. I’m going to get some Corydoras so hopefully that will also keep the gravel “rotated”

Cleaned the outlet and inlet pipes and tubing. I love this hobby - It does stress me out though 🤣

The last tank I hardly thought anything about it - This one I’m over thinking at every step 😊 Guess it’s just important to me that it works out OK and I do not want to warm any living creature under my wings.

 

[Wookii]

dialled back the light to 4 hours

Seriously mate, don’t do that, all you’ll be doing there is restricting the plants ability to grow properly and giving algae the upper hand.

Brown diatoms are perfectly normal at startup and once you add your clean up crew, it’ll disappear in no time.

Dial the lights down to 20% by all means, but keep the lighting period to 8 hours minimum.

 

[Spartacus]

Seriously mate, don’t do that, all you’ll be doing there is restricting the plants ability to grow properly and giving algae the upper hand.

Brown diatoms are perfectly normal at startup and once you add your clean up crew, it’ll disappear in no time.

Dial the lights down to 20% by all means, but keep the lighting period to 8 hours minimum.

Thank you Wookii as always I really appreciate the help! - Sorry for the bit of a wobble!

I have put the lights back up to 8 hours with intensity at 20%. Sorry for being dramatic - Been a long week 😃

Will be cool to get the clean up crew sorted - Found one Ramshorn that must have come in with the plants 😊

 

[Spartacus]

Hello World,

Wanted to provide a small update on the tank which has some new inhabitants!

I have put in around 22 Ramshorn snails & 23 Bloody Mary shrimp. Drip acclimatised last night they are doing a fantastic job munching the algae (just like you said Wookii!) The amount of poop they produce though! 🤣

I’ve even got ramshorn snail eggs on the glass already and it seems a decent amount of the shrimps are in the early stages of being berried.

Sponge inlet covers are in - I like there function not sure if I will keep them long term but they will fix the problem of worrying about the little ones.

Just like to publicly thank everyone here t UKAPS for sharing there knowledge / kindness and willingness to help.

It’s a refuge in a world of questionable info - Priceless 😊

Now to wait and hoover up some poop at the weekend using the new Dennerle substrate vac 😊 Just need to buy a backup heater in case the built in one goes.

Stay awesome!

Thanks,

Murray

 

[Wookii]

But am contemplating going back to Livingston to get some Otos but unsure if the tank will be mature enough to feed them? Especially with a 1 week holiday coming up. I have algae wafers and a friendly neighbour if that helps.

Like I say I over think everything I’m a little bit concerned that my clean up crew is under staffed? I may just go back to Livingston and get those Otos if it’s a wise idea I don’t want to be cruel / careless with this project but indecision gets the better of me.

Sorry missed this is my previous rush to stop your 4 hour lighting period lol

Oto's are lovely little fish, but I don't think they should be considered part of a clean up crew as such. Sure they do a great job of helping to prevent algae on glass and plants and hardscape, but they have very specific requirements of their own and require direct care and feeding like any other fish we add to our tanks. They can't just be left to their own devices like shrimp and snails can for the most part.

If you are lucky they will eat algae wafers (I have found the Hikari wafers to be one of the better ones) , but many wont, so you have to find something they will eat. Mine love chunks of cucumber (as do the shrimp), and to a lesser degree chunks of courgette. I know other folks have fed them blanched spinach and other greens too. They also like algae based pastes such as Repashy Soilent Green, or you can make your own similar to my recipe here: Guide: DIY Shrimp/Snail/Oto Jelly Food . . .

but unsure if the tank will be mature enough to feed them?

I'd would say no, not really. If you are only just seeing diatoms - though Oto's seem to love chowing down on diatoms - it's a sign that you are only at an early stage of microbial maturation and the forming of the 'aufwuchs' that Oto's more naturally feed on.

Wait a month or so to give them a better start if you can - if you can't wait, then at least hold off until you get back from holiday and introduce them without the rush.

Also bear in mind that they are gregarious shoaling fish (in shoals of thousands in the wild), so plan for at least 6-8 fish, as they will hang around together. They are also quite sensitive fish that often arrive at the LFS in poor condition, so try and pick fish from the LFS that have been in the tanks a while, are a decent size with nice plump bellies.

It does stress me out though 🤣

The last tank I hardly thought anything about it - This one I’m over thinking at every step

Try not to let it - I know it can be stressful at times when you first start a tank up, but just try and relax and enjoy it. You've given it a text book ideal start up, so just sit on your hands for a bit and let it settle in and mature.

Consistency is key, so try to change as little as possible now - sit on your hands for a couple of months, and let things play out.

I’m going to get some Corydoras so hopefully that will also keep the gravel “rotated”

Good shout - they are super cute little fish. Any particular species in mind?

 

[Spartacus]

Sorry missed this is my previous rush to stop your 4 hour lighting period lol

No need to apologise Wookii it is I that should apologise to you for taking up so much of you’re time! Lights are on 8 hours a day at 30% 👍🏻

Oto's are lovely little fish, but I don't think they should be considered part of a clean up crew as such. Sure they do a great job of helping to prevent algae on glass and plants and hardscape, but they have very specific requirements of their own and require direct care and feeding like any other fish we add to our tanks. They can't just be left to their own devices like shrimp and snails can for the most part.

If you are lucky they will eat algae wafers (I have found the Hikari wafers to be one of the better ones) , but many wont, so you have to find something they will eat. Mine love chunks of cucumber (as do the shrimp), and to a lesser degree chunks of courgette. I know other folks have fed them blanched spinach and other greens too. They also like algae based pastes such as Repashy Soilent Green, or you can make your own similar to my recipe here: Guide: DIY Shrimp/Snail/Oto Jelly Food . . .



I'd would say no, not really. If you are only just seeing diatoms - though Oto's seem to love chowing down on diatoms - it's a sign that you are only at an early stage of microbial maturation and the forming of the 'aufwuchs' that Oto's more naturally feed on.

Wait a month or so to give them a better start if you can - if you can't wait, then at least hold off until you get back from holiday and introduce them without the rush.

Also bear in mind that they are gregarious shoaling fish (in shoals of thousands in the wild), so plan for at least 6-8 fish, as they will hang around together. They are also quite sensitive fish that often arrive at the LFS in poor condition, so try and pick fish from the LFS that have been in the tanks a while, are a decent size with nice plump bellies.

I have decided to scrub the thought of Otos for the mean time of not at all. As you said the Ramshorn / Cherry shrimp are making short work of the small amount of algae! It will be great when hopefully both colonies grow bigger. At the moment I’ve had one shrimp die but hope that the berries ones will help make up the numbers and the ramshorn snails have laid eggs so just waiting and watching 😊

Try not to let it - I know it can be stressful at times when you first start a tank up, but just try and relax and enjoy it. You've given it a text book ideal start up, so just sit on your hands for a bit and let it settle in and mature.

Consistency is key, so try to change as little as possible now - sit on your hands for a couple of months, and let things play out.

Thanks Wookii yes you are 100% right as always I do tend to get myself in a bit of a flap when something is going wrong. That is why I don’t want to go down the route of trying to fix a problem I don’t even truly know exists.

I like the idea of the duckweed index - Simple to identify and simple to resolve. Nice and simple! 😊

Good shout - they are super cute little fish. Any particular species in mind?

Probably some Pygmy and Sterbei - Not in massive numbers but I’m thinking the 30x chilli Rasboras and 30x celestial Pearl danios shouldn’t put to much of a bio load on my setup which the two filters also.

My small LFS had some rummy nose tetras which were very attractively shoaling. Just in a self imposed livestock lull for the upcoming holiday as you say gives it some quality time to mature.

My Anubias seems to not want to live - Rest of the plants are doing grand. Other half wants a Betta tank so it’s going in the living room but that’s a TBC project with regards to when 😊

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Stay awesome.

Thanks,

Murray

 

[Spartacus]

Popped into Pets @ Home in sheer curiosity as was next door. Wonder how this plant fairs on the duckweed index?

Going to Horizon Aquatics in around 1 week - Going to be so nice to be in a good store 😊

 

[FrozenShivers]

Popped into Pets @ Home in sheer curiosity as was next door. Wonder how this plant fairs on the duckweed index?

Going to Horizon Aquatics in around 1 week - Going to be so nice to be in a good store 😊

Probs the same one I visited…wasn’t impressed. HA is class and the staff are very helpful.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Popped into Pets @ Home in sheer curiosity as was next door.

That was always going to be the potential issue <"with these sorts of plants">. They may have a long shelf life, but it isn't infinite.

Wonder how this plant fairs on the duckweed index?

I'm going to say "not suitable", but <"who knows">?

Cheers Darrel

 

[ElleDee]

Popped into Pets @ Home in sheer curiosity as was next door. Wonder how this plant fairs on the duckweed index?

Going to Horizon Aquatics in around 1 week - Going to be so nice to be in a good store 😊

Yeesh, I feel like Tropica would not be happy to see their products in such a state. I'm American, so humor me here - is Pets @ Home a big box pet store where quality is often a bit questionable?