Autumnsky's Conversations in water keeping

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Had a whole bunch keyed in and accidently closed the page!:facepalm:

Did pwc on all the smaller sized tanks pretty much ran out of Prime again. Small bottle said good for 1000G which with chloramines I double dose and then 500G But I use extra and then the pond 100+G. All gone. I have a small emergency amount plus other average water treatments.

In the 72G the 2 big angels are chasing the 2 smallers and causing huge amount of stress for them. Driving me crazy.

Why can I see pics of peoples DT with 10 -15 Angels swimming in a shoal looking happy and peaceful - How!!!???

A disappointing moment the other day when the hubby said maybe we need to get a new tank for you, something nicer and that matches. Not hodge podge. The sad part about it was that it might be cool looking inside the tanks but as an overall visual it isn't like a nice display. I have been meaning to get the matching tank. Tank love blindness... Soon will be working towards the beauty overall :/ sad though true.

So probably first the 12G Edge twin to my other one, new. As I look for a used really large tank.
 
Autumnsky's Conversations in water keeping incl/ the mysterious corner in the yard

Well yeah maybe, but the offer of a new tank!! So thinking get a new tank, and then get some matching tanks/furniture for that?

I do know what you mean. Some tanks I've had in the garage have been pretty ugly while for the indoor tank I miss that the plant lights mean I can't have the hood on it anymore. We were going to throw that out but decided to keep in case I do a different tank.

If I remember correctly CB has a very nice display tank. I like the wood better than metal.
 
yeah 8 tanks and although 2 are 6.6 and a 12G Edge none of those have the same bottoms/stands.

There are 2 bowfronts, the 72G and 46G and all are black, but not the same bottom, different shelves and one with a glass door and the other a black door. Antique tables as stands.

One white modern clean line stand for the 12G cycling SW and the Mr Aqua rimless tank.

Iron stand and 29G rectangle traditional style tank.

Thats' one major mis matched mess right there. It kinda crept up on me.

Originally there was a 6 feet long dresser/sideboard for the 3 Edge tanks on one wall pretty neat and tidy,
2 bowfronts were next to each other on one wall
but someone needed the 6' cabinet for the TV, after that last year it all went spirling out of order, lol!
 
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I keep my tanks small and spread out in the house so they don't have to match. Lol

I can't do big tanks as we do not have a single parameter wall without a window. The house was built in the 40's and the joists are way far apart on piers. I could never go big unless we increased the supports. And I really have all I can handle now.

Or I would be sooooo tempted.

You better take your sweetie up on that new tanks offer before he changes his mind!
 
Yes planning now. Will likely order the 12G Edge, but also open to checking out
other options.

Went to the lfs with the Grandson and found a lovely medium blue Dragonscale Betta with yellowish in the fins and dark blue picotee, hoping for him to really brighten in the Spec V. After being in there a couple hours, it seems not really brightening to a pretty yellow more of a dusky yellow still

Got him a Banana plant and picked up some nice looking Ludwigia Repens to float on the top of a tank of 2. Still trying to find a stem plant that wants to be in my stanks, lol. I usually kill it when trying to plant them. Better luck with floating. Also wanted a few kinds for the pond.

Pond is kind of ugly right now. :(

Did another 50% pwc on the now cycled SW nano - 12G Mr Aqua Rimless, added a Turbo Snail to clean up some Diatoms and 3 Astrea snails,

Added 3 little Nassarius snails to the 6.6G SW nano. The store still just had only the 3OZ bottle of Prime, I feel like that will give me just a week. I think I will order the 2 liter online, I am tired of running low.

Added about 15 Green Lantern Platy from the 46G to the 100+G pond.

Then added my little pump and it sputtered & then didn't work, went and grabbed a different one I have for a fountain and it didn't start at all, weht back to the closet and grabbed a pump which lost a top piece and tried that and it did work but I had to use a piece of Holey Rock with the hole to sit the pump part into because it is incomplete.

Haven't gotten to the storage to find the old pond pump yet. I was sweating bullets there for a few minutes.

Bought the Discus some frozen Beef heart and still she wasn't reall interested, and I noticed that she is getting some fin rot on her fins. Upon further inspection the way the filter was gathering the left over food it was getting stopped under the decoration I didn't see and was mucking up the water. I did a 75% pwc and deciding on which med. I was moving her to the big tank today, but not now.

There were still about 15 tiny Angel fry in the Crypt, but since it is nearly melted there isn't much for them to hang on to. The Parents have ignored the big Anubias leaves right behind them, which was my last pairs go-to wide open space for laying eggs and watching babies. They are swimming around and are so darn small. Found a few more Platy fry in the moss and plants at the bottom corner of the 46G.

Man o man, is it more peaceful in that tank now with almost all the Platy out!!!

~~~~~
Really am so frustrated with the awful Discus experience, so heartbroken. I see people with them in their tanks wrong stocking and smaller mostly and still alive though. It was a huge mistake for me to take those big older fish. I feel terrible -crushed would be a good word for it. Even with working so very hard on making it right for them, now her. Even after reading that they are sensitive fish, I never imagined physically as well as phycologically how sensitive they could be. Stress really just isn't something they deal with. Just a sad heart wrenching experience I wish would have never happened.

Live and learn I guess but with a life like that, it is so hard.

I will try and find a medium pump and buy some appropriately sized tubing to be long enough to water the garden with it, so I can do the water changes more easily/quickly for the Discus QT and maybe get that trashcan on wheels for the treated heated water to and pump in. More waiting around for empty and fill time but less lifting buckets. Which is good.

I can probably use the set up on the 72G tank too, maybe getting towards the auto/semi-auto water changing system idea.

Happy Easter all!
 
LOL :[ hubby noticed the pond because it was making water bubbling noises and gave me the "are you gonna need to go to therapy" concerned look.
 
Therapy = fish shop??

I've seen large discus come up here for sale and thought that could be a good way to go? Maybe not? Missed what stressed them.

If I went discus I was thinking I'd have maybe a half inch of gravel just for looks but mainly easy to gravel vac, then 3ft pieces of driftwood to grow low-tech plants on. CO2 injected still but medium light, decent water flow. Could that work? Mainly I was thinking very simple for water changes / gravel vacs and very low ferts dosing (if any).
 
LOLOL...

Fish store is cheaper than a therapist, and I can schedule to go every week! Let's say $150. Per week towards fish supplies... Bargain!

Well the Discus looks better now, and swimming a little again and I fed another frozen beef heart defrosted of course.

The stress was that these fish lived in a very quiet environment in a basement fishroom off on a side area out of the actual walkway. 5 years not being moved. A sponge filter and only a couple BN or Cories can't recall atm. No water rushing in from a hob filter, no irrtitating Angelfish trying to spawn and chasing away the other fish.

Ths fish is tough, this is the 2nd finrot in 3 weeks but she isn't really eating like I would expect. She is swimming though tonight so I am hopeful and the fins where they were whitish at the edges, maybe from the yuck water now they are still a little pale but not white rimmed looking like fin rot waiting to happen.

The brighter Discus, I guess it was the male, was always more scared and wouldn't come out as much. He passed away. This one was always peeking out at me watching me, sizing me up it seemed.

Wishing so much she will eat more. I can't think of anything else to try. I am now allergic to not only Blood Worms but also Tubifex. There is a chance she will need a new home. I will see how it seems to be going this couple days and look for an alternative if possible somewhere.

Your plan sounds reasonable. I would select ~4 inch fish, as younger or smaller require many more pwc and extra feedings, etc. Tank raised.
 
Following along. Interesting thread Autumn. Definitely agree that fish stores and our own tanks are a great source of therapy and you dont have to make an appointment. Lol
 
:)

Finalized my registration and payment for the Aquatic Gardeners Assoc. 2017 convention. I had listed all the info and registration and didn't hit the send button. Maybe 3+ weeks ago and when I went to check the site for the agenda, I realized it hadn't processed!!! And recalled I was thinking of registering for 1 or both of the workshops, Fluval Nano Scaping with a complimentary Flora tank and then the Wabi-Kusa with a Cobalt microvue 10 tank kit. Well ended up in both classes as it was set in the registration, though they are now closed. So I will be having 2 new little tanks if all goes correctly.

This is good and bad. One will be a little garden like a terrarium with the Wabi-Kusa and the other maybe a new home for the Betta. The bad is not exactly down sizing, and getting 2 more tanks that do not match... Small problem to have so much fun.

Planning on volunteering for the registration time on Friday. My big excitement will be to see Rachel O'leary on Saturday AM. And see and buy plants I guess!!!

Somehow in the midst of a full work week and friends dinner for her Masters graduation, and DD's house fixing I need to figure out how to move the tanks I already have around to make room, do pwc - and get a new power strip or 2 !!:/

And it is 3am. Always so little time in a day.
 
PM'd Rachel O'leary about if she can bring some fish and shrimp to the convention for me...waiting to hear back. Looking for a few Tangerine Tigers for new blood, and a couple others, perhaps. She might not want to bring live critters if flying, but if driving maybe?? Don't know. She has brought critters preordered to events before.

Disappointed that I didn't squeeze into the classes for Nano Scaping and Wabi-Kusa making and keeping :'( So I get to watch for free if there is enough room to stand for 2 and unknown hours. Oopsy should have been more careful with the scheduling. All my fault. Sad, no new fun tanks, the Fluval has a little C02, package. Fingers crossed maybe get in??? Though I imagine if you spent around ~$200+ you wouldn't be missing the event.

Been feeding at least every other day frozen defrosted beef heart to the fish in the 72G - really the Discus. Also the liquid dumped into the Platy fry breeder box which I hate (the breeder box not the fry) but not sure what else to do with the little ones. After losing the bunch in the pond I have only the big 3 - 2 females and one probably male in the 46G.

The Angels just stare and nip at the netting in the tank now, less cover than before and they see the little guys darting around and want to eat them even more, like fish in a barrel???!

Who would have known , the Betta likes beef heart, rinsed the cup out for him and he was darting around eating up bits.

I think the Discus must be eating or else I would imagine would be dead by now with all the other stresses. I feed her behind everything so she gets a shot at it, sprinkle a little in front to get the Angels attention and then plunk it in back. Already the other fish seem to have caught on, especially the bottom feeders are becoming pretty happy.

Been trying to feed 2x per day lightly in the AM and more in the PM, since there are more bottom feeders which like to eat at night.

Pond cleared up a few days back.
 
So busy! I've had my angels do that as well as soon as they see a fish in the netting. I've started double netting now to stop them carrying on but they still try. Hoping your discus picks up.
 
Thank you! It seems okay atm. Which I don't mean I feel that it is good yet. I keeps staring at me! But I already fed her, and when I start to take a pic it sees the camera and swims backward into the hiding place!
 
Too true.

Well it seems the Platy are ill and talked with the manager via his employee at a good store, which he said to try Melafix for a few days. I am not too sure about that. I plan to talk with a member of the aquarium club tomorrow if I can find him. We were thinking gill flukes or bacterial infection. I wonder maybe both, who says they can have just one issue.

Well it will be a 3 day whirlwind of plant and tank activity viewing and discussion for the Aquatic Gardeners Convention Denver 2017!!! Hoping to do some helping tomorrow and free up time for the other things I will be there to see and do! It is nearly like a trip to Disneyland as a kid. Or TMaier as an adult ;) <3.

Hahaha, plan to grill Fluval on their new 3 years in the waiting planted Edge 3. Maybe will pic up a new tank at the end of the Conv. If I can find a good deal and pick it up for a really good price.

I found the lfs tank for the 12G white Fluval Edge is 189. About the same as online, maybe $20. more at the lfs. I believe I will get a 10% off discount for traveling from "out of town". So if that is the case I would for sure get it at the nearly an hour away lfs.

Fingers crossed for a really nice sweet little tank end of convention day score! Or win something amazing in a raffle :brows:

I already have Iwagumi /Seiryu stones, so I am looking for the Ohko Dragon stone. So I can maybe get inspired for a new design.
 
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Bdonaldson said:
Following along. Interesting thread Autumn. Definitely agree that fish stores and our own tanks are a great source of therapy and you dont have to make an appointment. Lol
Click to expand...

Got some therapy the last couple days!!! Tomorrow will be fun! Planted tank auction, BIG couple thousand things I think I heard. Though one truck delivery was mis-directed, maybe not quite as many??? Not sure.

Today was my super fun tank stuff and inspiration day.

They sold out of Rachel O'leary's book co-authored with Mark Denaro The 101 Best Freshwater Nano Species. And also Karen A. Randall's book.

They can be purchased on their websites sunkengarden dot net, over heard her mentioning to someone that Amazon sales, she doesn't get money from, but she will sign the book to whomever you note in the pay comments from her site. I don't know how that stuff works just an FYI. And Rachels on msjinkzd dot com email to let her know you want one.

Moved the above over here.

~~~~

Will post some pics and things in the next couple days.

Nirbhao the Mycorrhizal has been used for so many years I learned about it in Master Gardener training in 2001 and it was routinely used in nursery applications and agriculture.

More than what you might have ever wanted to know for everyone else
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycorrhiza

The info says 1885 - longer than I was thinking though I probably was told that by the experts back then.

Caliban has a thread about deficiencies and toxicity
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f24/deficiencies-and-toxicities-of-plant-nutrients-354878.html

I think it was briefly discussed there a few months ago.

~~~~

The plants for aquatics are frequently grown in an emmersed form, in planting soil and it seems like a given you would want these to help you grow plants faster and larger.

~~~~
The display Wabi-Kusa on the registration table. Toee what they wll look like after a couple months.
60074-albums13946-picture71140.jpg



So I missed out on the workshops - nano scaping and Wabi-Kusa - for the AGA convention, but I got to collect up a bunch of materials for a modest fee, they let people make some Wabi-Kusa after the actual class demo/workshop. I was busy so I asked if I could grab some stuff, I "bought" materials for 4 balls. Got extra plants as they had been out for about 3 hours, and also they were misted but not quite as fresh as they should have been. I suspect die off will come.

Got the substrate, soil and mineral powder with netting and a couple skewers for poking them, lol, and some cotton string.


Tanks on display from the fluval nano scaping workshop. 2 participants were paired with an expert including the speakers like Karen Randall, and Luca Galarraga.

60074-albums13946-picture71139.jpg

60074-albums13946-picture71138.jpg
 
What an awesome event to attend.
I met Rachel O'Leary at a local fish club meeting some time back. Very personable.
 
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