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TropicalFliss's Tank Diary
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tropicalfliss Offline
#1 Posted : 03 July 2009 19:30:41(UTC)
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<p><strong>Yo,</strong></p> <p>I'd been looking on this site to see if there was a section for blogs or the like, so I was pleased when I saw this subsection on the forums.</p> <p>So - last&nbsp;Tuesday (23rd&nbsp;June 2009)&nbsp;I bought my tank, the Aqua One AquaStart 320 28-litre.&nbsp; It's at the moment in the early stages of it's cycle.&nbsp; I plan on buying the fish on Monday 13th July 2009 - 5 White Cloud Mountain Minnows and 2 Bronze Corydoras.&nbsp; I asked the staff at Pets at Home to advise me on how many fish to keep in my tank, and I've done loads of research on the fish I plan to buy over the past 2 months.</p> <p>I've placed 7 plants in the tank, most of them at the back with a couple nearer the front to create depth and interest.&nbsp; My main purpose is to create hiding places for the fish so that they feel comfortable and more like they're in their natural habitat and not a tank.&nbsp; The last time I kept fish I only had one plant, no filter, no air pump and brightly coloured gravel.&nbsp; Granted, I was only small and keeping common goldfish, but this time I was determined to have a tank that <u>felt</u> natural and not like a prison for the fish.</p> <p>There are also some rocks in the tank, 2 medium and 3 small.&nbsp; They used to be in our back garden, but I gave them a good scrubbing and soaking in clean water before adding them.&nbsp; They're also rounded and smooth&nbsp;so that my Corys won't scrape their barbels on them and damage them.</p> <p>I've bought two types of food for the fish, Supa Tropical Flakes, mainly&nbsp;for the Minnows, and Sera Vipa Chips, mainly for the Corys.</p> <p>Pictures of my tank can be found in my Flickr account, the link is here:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fizzlovesphotography/sets/72157620483778112/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/fizzlovesphotography/sets/72157620483778112/</a></p> <p>I'll update you soon on how my tank is progressing!</p> <p>TropicalFliss</p>
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soulassassin76 Offline
#2 Posted : 03 July 2009 20:29:53(UTC)
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looks great,have you got a testing kit to see when your tank has fully cycled???hope you keep the blog up and keep adding photo's as you add fish,oh and welcome to fish crazy,ask anything you want on here,no question is silly even if you think it might be,we are all here to help each other[wave]
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tropicalfliss Offline
#3 Posted : 03 July 2009 20:45:41(UTC)
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Thanks!  I haven't actually got a testing kit, nearly bankrupt myself buying all the other equipment (tank, filter, heater, air pump, gravel, plants, thermometer, cleaners, conditioners, background, plus all the accessories needed for the air pump, etc), and I owe my parents too!  I wish I could have afforded a much bigger tank, and also had the room to keep it.

I know it's important to get a testing kit, though, so I am keeping an eye out on like eBay and different pet shops.  Can you recommend a good but relatively cheap one?

Thanks!
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soulassassin76 Offline
#4 Posted : 03 July 2009 20:57:55(UTC)
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i bought mine from ebay,i got a nutrafin mini master test kit,think it cost me around 20 pounds.it tests everything needed in your tank,u can buy cheeper kits though,another way of testing is to take a bit of your tank water to your local fish shop and they will do a test for a small charge
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stingrays4 Offline
#5 Posted : 03 July 2009 21:05:35(UTC)
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Hi great looking set up  TropicaFliss[Y]

Where abouts are you? As i have a test kit i never use{ i prefer to trust me instincts - not recomeneded though[crazy2]}

Ps send me your Adress via a P/M[Grin]

Latest update 29/4/10 well only got four fish now - 2 syds and 2 B/Ns. All fish are equal.
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soulassassin76 Offline
#6 Posted : 03 July 2009 21:12:56(UTC)
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stingray i'm glad you said that cause i rarely use my test kit,i only use it if i think something is wrong with the tank,and (touch wood) that has been rare
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tropicalfliss Offline
#7 Posted : 03 July 2009 21:14:14(UTC)
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Thanks soulassassin76, I'll probably get one off eBay. Smile
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tropicalfliss Offline
#8 Posted : 03 July 2009 21:16:00(UTC)
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Thanks stingrays4!

I really appreciate your offer to give me your testing kit, but I'd really rather not give out my address to anyone I don't personally know.  No offence intended though!  And thanks for offering!  And for saying my set-up looks great too! Smile
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stingrays4 Offline
#9 Posted : 03 July 2009 21:17:50(UTC)
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Hi did you not read my reply TropicalFliss? Its a new kit and tests for all the usual - Amonia,Nitrite,Nitrate and P/H.

Yep i agree Soulassassin, i only test if somethings wrong or if i feel i need too-which is rare {he says touching a large peice of wood[giggles]}

Latest update 29/4/10 well only got four fish now - 2 syds and 2 B/Ns. All fish are equal.
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stingrays4 Offline
#10 Posted : 03 July 2009 21:20:27(UTC)
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Hi oops our answers crossed over here - i could send it to a friends house or mates house if you wish? {i understand fully, very sensible[Y]}

Latest update 29/4/10 well only got four fish now - 2 syds and 2 B/Ns. All fish are equal.
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tropicalfliss Offline
#11 Posted : 03 July 2009 21:26:57(UTC)
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Well no, it's ok, thanks though!

I'll get one off eBay.

Smile
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stingrays4 Offline
#12 Posted : 03 July 2009 21:31:03(UTC)
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Hi ok know probs[Y] If you change your mind just send me a P/M[Grin]

 

Latest update 29/4/10 well only got four fish now - 2 syds and 2 B/Ns. All fish are equal.
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tropicalfliss Offline
#13 Posted : 03 July 2009 21:37:31(UTC)
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Thanks [H]
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Bluedave Offline
#14 Posted : 04 July 2009 07:44:16(UTC)
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Hi and Welcome to FC,

Thats a great little set up, will look really good with the fish you want in there.

If you can't get a test kit then try to take your water down to you LFS for them to test.

Very sensible not giving out your address - I wouldn't give mine out to Stingrays eitherTounge[2funny] (only Joking James).
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sawnee Offline
#15 Posted : 04 July 2009 08:29:48(UTC)
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His nickname is "Norman Bates"  [2funny]

And Saint Attila raised the hand grenade up on high,saying "Oh Lord, bless this thine hand grenade, that with it thou mayst blow thine enemys to tiny bits,in thy mercy" and the Lord did grin.And the people did feast upon the lambs and sloths,and carp and anchovies,and oranutans and breakfast cereals, and fruit bats and large chu......
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DG Offline
#16 Posted : 04 July 2009 09:59:43(UTC)
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hi and welcome
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stingrays4 Offline
#17 Posted : 04 July 2009 20:24:37(UTC)
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AAArgh the secrets out[crazy2] THANKS BLUEDAVE!!!![8o|]  [2funny] {yep i know your only joking???????????????}

Oh and sorry TropicalFliss,for 'hijaking' your thread[:#]

Funny thing is i found yet another 'spare' test kit today - [crazy2]

Latest update 29/4/10 well only got four fish now - 2 syds and 2 B/Ns. All fish are equal.
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tropicalfliss Offline
#18 Posted : 11 July 2009 20:59:11(UTC)
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To update everyone...

 

I now have an air pump fitted for my tank, complete with check valve being as I haven't enough room to place the pump above the water line.  I have a 15cm air stone going along the back of the tank.  I hope to get a splitter valve so that I'll be able to put more air stones in, creating more turbulence in the water which my fish will love.  The water's now really clear, it did go very cloudy yesterday when I fitted the air stone, but once the water had settled again it went crystal clear once more.  I'm getting my fish on Monday, and I'm getting really excited!

Updated photos of my aquarium can be found at the link given at the beginning of this diary.

You'll probably notice the air stone, which unfortunately is blue, not green, but sometime in the future I'll be purchasing more plants to create a little forest for my fish at the back of the tank, so it will disguise it much better.

More updates on Monday when I get my fish!
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tropicalfliss Offline
#19 Posted : 13 July 2009 22:02:40(UTC)
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This afternoon, about 5pm, I went to my local aquatic store to buy my fish.  We went straight home with them so as they wouldn't be in the bag for longer than necessary.

The lights were turned off right from when I was about to put the bag in the tank.

I left the bag sealed and floating in the tank for ten minutes, then opened the bag at the top.  Over the course of 30 minutes I added small amounts of my own tank water to the bag, at the end of the 30 minutes my sister put the fish into the tank using the net before I discarded the old water in the bag.

While I was waiting during the 30 minutes, one of the Corys was lying on its side in the bag.  It's mouth was moving but that was about it.  I was worried about it, but when it came to adding it to the tank properly it cheered up.  My sister joked that it was tired of waiting and was having a nap!

I left them for a while, then when I came to check on them a couple of hours later I could just about see one of my Minnows lying on the bottom of the tank and not moving.  My sister took a look too and confirmed that it's dead.  I'm going to remove it in the morning so that the others aren't stressed again and that I'll be able to see properly once the tank light can come back on again.

Hopefully there won't be any more deaths.  The Corys are quite happy now, one of them loves the bubbles at the back of the tank and keeps swimming along the back.
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ferox Offline
#20 Posted : 14 July 2009 00:50:35(UTC)
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[quote=stingrays4"]

...i have a test kit i never use{ i prefer to trust me instincts - not recomeneded though

[/quote]

[quote=Soulassassin76"]

stingray i'm glad you said that cause i rarely use my test kit,i only use it if i think something is wrong with the tank,and (touch wood) that has been rare

[/quote]

Just spotted these posts and hope you aren't letting these reprobates lead you astray! [bash] Tounge

Seriously....

.....just thought I'd mention it in case you are getting the message that it's OK to skimp on water testing because really it isn't. To be honest I'm the same as them (and many others) and rarely test my water unless I've reason to suspect there's a problem which is almost never, usually I just Feel The Force. None of us are fooling ourselves that there's any virtue in our negligence, but with experience you get a feel for what you can get away with, and that's our excuse. So don't do as we do, do as we say! Particularly since you're at a crucial stage at the mo, having added fish whilst the tank is still cycling. It's vital that you keep a very watchful eye on your water parameters over the next few weeks and be prepared to act quickly if you see any sign of ammonia or nitrite building up in the water. I can't stress that highly enough.

Very good practise in the way you introduced the fish to the tank [Y]. The corys would have been stressing a bit due to the fact that they're bottom dwellers and are very insecure when forced to remain midwater with nowhere visible to hide, this is unavoidable under the circumstances but good to hear they're happy now. Minnows on the other hand are happy midwater and would stress less in the bag particularly since they had the security of being in a group. It's very mysterious that one of them died after being released, I hope the rest are OK in the morning. 

What you have written suggests that all the fish were in one bag? If so did they all come from the same tank in the shop? As a rule in shops WCMMs are kept in cold water with goldfish etc,  and corys at tropical temperatures. Usually you will take fish home in water that came from the tank they were in - so if you buy 2 species from different tanks, you take 2 bags home. Just wanted to clarify that point because if the fish came from different tanks and went into the same bag the chances are that one or the other may have been temperature-shocked. It's a long shot but could explain the untimely demise of the minnow.

Anyway, this morning you will be bounding down the stairs like a kid on xmas morning and I hope that what you find is to your liking! Let us know...

Garden shed full of tanks (tropicals) and a pond.

Without understanding, knowledge is worthless
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