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

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

Rob if you are going to continue using RO all well and good, but the shrimp, I believe, prefer consistency rather than fluctuation in hardness (from something I was reading a couple of weeks back). You can syphon uneaten bloodworm out if necesary. The ham, I think you can safely leave in overnight. I cant see how it would deteriorate in that timeframe. It takes 24hours for cucumber to disintegrate so ham would take longer.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 3 photos)

After talking to Mike about our local water I think I might well go for 50 50 RO/Tap water, as we are on the harder end of hard. Apparently this is due to the proximity of salisbury plain which is made of chalk.

Another interesting nugget he had was that we barely have any chorine or chloramines added here. For smaller water changes he said I probably don't even need to treat the tap water. Saying that I probably will for peace of mind.

Thanks Chris. I'll leave the ham in then. Give him chance to have a good munch while it's dark. Fingers crossed for him please!
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 3 photos)

Morning all,

well it seems to me that things aren't so good. Marvin didn't touch the ham at all and I'm pretty sure he hasn't touched the blood worm either.
I've been boiling a piece of boxwood to put in. I know there are differing opinions on exactly what species he is but I feel like it's worth trying as many things as I can to make him comfortable.

I've been told by some that a bit of algae of the glass is all he might eat for a few weeks but that doesn't seem like enough to keep him healthy.

Am I being silly?

Mike from Amazon suggested that it could be a bacterial infection. I think this might be a possibility too but I really don't have the experience to know that.

I wonder if I should ask the guys I bought him from to take him back, as he looked healthy in their tank and was eating. Just to see if there is a factor I've not taken into account. Or will that stress him more?
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 3 photos)

I'm really sorry to hear that, Rob. I'm not an expert on catfish, but a couple of things spring to mind (and sorry if they're a bit on the obvious side). You say he was feeding at the place where you got him - what did they feed him? And secondly, I really would try earthworms - you should be able to find some small wrigglers quite easily in your own garden (presuming you don't use a lot of pesticides). I hope you manage to get him plump and healthy, he's such a lovely fish.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 3 photos)

Hi Rob how can you tell he hasn't eaten any bloodworm? my plec's tend to eat the individual worms and it must be tricky for you to tell if he has eaten a few worms if they are scattered about?.

I would not say you are being silly at all by trying to care and provide for your fish. I would say this is commendable!

In my tank I have plenty of wood and all 7 of my plecs like to hide or burrow around a piece of wood so your idea of adding some might help him to settle. When I read you were putting in ham I was a little skeptical about it but anything is worth trying. I have not tried worms as Sarah suggests but they would be a cheap, fresh and available food source so I may have to try this myself. I have always used frozen mussel as a meatier food for them.

Another way of looking at this would be to look for poop evidence. If you have no other fish of the same size could you tell if he had pooped and then this would indicate he was eating maybe? This is a weird idea but I am trying to look at it outside of the box!

Unless he has physical signs of infection it is going to be virtually impossible to diagnose and treat any type of illness.

Keep trying!

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

Hi all,
Rob, I live in Corsham, so I'm not far away and I've always used rain-water without any problem. To check the water I use the Daphnia bio-assay from this thread <http://www.ukaps.org/forum/viewtopi...09411&hilit=darrel+rain+water+daphnia#p209411> .
Another interesting nugget he had was that we barely have any chorine or chloramines added here
Certainly true of our water, it has very little in the way of nitrates either (about 10mg/l), suggesting it is from a very deep aquifer. All the water is very hard here, as all the aquifers are either limestone or chalk, and you will find even the rain-water is relatively well buffered (probably from atmospheric dust). I use 100% rain-water in the summer, and in the winter I just cut it with a small amount of tap. See this thread <http://www.ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=21309&start=10> for a bit more explanation.

You should be able to get water parameters for your tap supply from Wessex Water (assuming they're your supplier).
from <http://www.wessexwater.co.uk/customers/threecol.aspx?id=1352&linkidentifier=id&itemid=1352>
You need to put your post-code in the box. Our water supply (SN13 9AR) is described as "Zone 41 Fiveways water supply zone".

Marvin didn't touch the ham at all and I'm pretty sure he hasn't touched the blood worm either.........I've been told by some that a bit of algae of the glass is all he might eat for a few weeks but that doesn't seem like enough to keep him healthy.
Just keep giving him the crushed snails and try an earthworm like Sarah suggests, I'd try either prawn or mussel as well. Whoever keeps on telling you about them eating bog-wood or algae just ignore them, they don't know what they are talking about.
Mike from Amazon suggested that it could be a bacterial infection.
It could be that or internal parasites, but we have no reason to treat for either at present. Just try and keep the water quality high and offer a range of foods, my suspicion would be that he will start eating normally and then things will be fine.

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

First off. Thank you everybody.

Today has been a mixed bag. I pootled off to pick up a little nano tank for shrimp. I have some in the 60-P that are berried and I think I need a home for them. So all good until I got home.

Marvin had died. I took him to Amazon for Mike's opinion and he felt that the fish hadn't eaten for a long time but couldn't be sure of the reason. SO, I took him back to Acres where I bought him and was faced with a mix of attitudes from various staff there. I took a vial of tank water along with me and they had a look at that. All fine. One guy wa great. Tried to come up with theories on what had happened and how I can try and prevent anything in future.
Another guy was less useful. No empathy at all and I felt he was thinking 'it's just a fish' which I didn't care for.
Anyway, I spoke to the boss, who is the aquarium expert there and he inspected Marvin quite throughly. He said he could see evidence of a parasite, as the anus was looking odd and he thought he could see some kind of worm.

So, I'm now feeling a bit deflated but at least I am sure I asked the right questions and did what I could. One thing I am sure of is that Mike at Amazon is really incredibly helpful and I think from now on I will be giving him my money.

His plant look incredible and his tanks are really quite lovely. Only a small shop but great stock and all crystal clear.

Thanks again for all your help. I really do appreciate it.

I'm off for a whisky to pay my respects.


p.s On the plus side I do have a new aquaspace to scape. I'll start a new journal for that one.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (new week 3 photos)

Hey Rob, sorry to hear that. He was a handsome looking fish. You did as much as you could though, and it seems there would have been nothing you could have done in any case.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 4 - RIP Marvin)

I decided to not mope about feeling rubbish about things but get back on the horse and keep at it. I had a delivery today from TGM which I had forgotten about. Superge, a lily pipe cleaning brush and a black background (which is ADA, not what I expected).

I've wanted to test out a black background for a while so that's what I decided to do. First up I removed the frosted background. I still have a load left so can revert if I need to.

7139487387_2d30f1dd3f_z.jpg

Then flattened out the black roll. For now it is just held in place by the light supports, while I decide if I prefer it or not.

6993401016_915c2ff69e_z.jpg

Not the best photo and there are a lot of bubbles after a water change (remove any nasties from the dead fish) the DC was just refilled and I cleaned the diffuser, so all a bit cloudy.

I quite like the pic without a background. Maybe not in this room but I like seeing through the tank. Overall though I like the black. Helps to focus on the scape and the darkness brings out the colours. Really helps to get a nice exposure too, even with this crappy photos.

Once I decide for real and get it on properly I'll do a decent shoot.

Feeling happier now I've been pro-active. Will do more tomorrow, as well as start the nano!
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 4 - RIP Marvin)

Sorry about Marvin I know what its like to lose a very nice plec after I lost my green phantom during a tank change over. You really tried to offer variety of food and good quality water / nice environment. You sought advice and tried to sort him out but it sounds like it was out of your hands.

On another note I think the black makes the scape pop.

Andy
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 4 - RIP Marvin)

That result has inspired me sufficiently to retry a black background on mine too Rob ! Nice one.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 4 - RIP Marvin)

RIP Marvin. Very sad news, but you did what you could for him.

I'm also liking the black background. Makes your plants glow! Although I do also love being able to see through a tank - feels more contemporary?
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 4 - RIP Marvin)

I can see where you are coming from with that Sarah. I have a white wall behind my tank and like to be able to see through it. I also think a black background on a 450l Juwel would be too much. I think it really works on these smaller tanks though.

Rob I think it will look even better once it is properly attached.

Andy
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 4 - RIP Marvin)

Hi all,
Sorry about Marvin I know what its like to lose a very nice plec ........ You really tried to offer variety of food and good quality water / nice environment.
Same sentiments really, I was always worried about him. PM me if you are interested in getting another one, I know a breeder in S. Bristol who has some similar (L004) Hypancistrus fry, but you would need to pick them up from Stockwood.

cheers Darrel
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 4 - RIP Marvin)

Thanks Darrel. I might take you up on that in the future.

I thought I'd have a nice fresh start today and popped in to Amazon to pick up some plants for the nano I started today. While sorting substrate and bogwood I used the 60-P as a holding tank:

6996249622_76a9c62014_c.jpg

Then I noticed something. Damn whitest on the danios! Back to Amazon and they are now treated with a half dose of sera protazol. I was advised to veer from the instructions to reduce stressing the fish. So a half dose and 4 water changes, one every four hours, starting tomorrow morning. I dosed around 5ish this evening.

Mike is getting me some black widows but they will have to stay with him until I'm happy this is all cleared up.

Question: The black background highlights all the tiny bubbles in the tank. Is there a way to reduce them? I guess some are CO2 but not all I don't think.

Cheers
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 4 - RIP Marvin)

Hey Rob. IMO That cabomba is too much placed where it is. Needs to be right at the back if its not to dominate the scape. And as far as adding more fish goes, i would urge you NOT to add any for a couple of weeks mate. Esp if things are in sufficient state that you have a WS outbreak. If you have carbon in any of your filter/s you need to remove it whilst treating. :thumbup:
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 4 - RIP Marvin)

Thanks Chris. The cabomba was only in there for a bit. I got it for my nano. Same with the others although I might keep one sag' in the 60-P.

No worries. I've removed my carbon already but thanks for the reminder.
I actually doubt I'll put it back. I may get some more floss though.

The black widows will be a while. I'm not adding anything til I'm sure the tank is good again.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 4 - RIP Marvin)

First Marvin, and now whitespot - you're not having much luck at the moment, despite your best efforts. <sympathy>

But it sounds like you're getting on top of things, and I'm sure these are just teething problems.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank (week 4 - RIP Marvin)

pariahrob said:
Thanks Chris. The cabomba was only in there for a bit. I got it for my nano. Same with the others although I might keep one sag' in the 60-P.

No worries. I've removed my carbon already but thanks for the reminder.
I actually doubt I'll put it back. I may get some more floss though.

The black widows will be a while. I'm not adding anything til I'm sure the tank is good again.

Good stuff, thats for the best. Its just niggling things mate, nothing to worry about. The tank itself is going great guns so definitely nothing to panic about. Just as you said, give it a while to restore and settle before adding more things. Personally, I would include plants in that now. Just sort out your maintenance and ferts/CO2 regime the way you want it and that works for the tank and let it run for a few weeks.

I am gonna get some black background and give it a go for mine today I think :) Have a great weekend. :thumbup:
 
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