Wookii
Member
Nice work on the tint - is that just from one shell? I might look into those!
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Blackwater tank 80cm
- Thread starter LMuhlen
- Start date
Wookii
Member
They look pretty tough, but could they be chopped or sawn into pieces?
I'm sure they could, I even considered doing it at first, but then I preferred testing it before investing much time into it. A curiosity is that, different than coconuts, they are somewhat porous and permeable. I think this is something that helps with the tinting, water passes through it.
I still want to test this whole blackwater thing with the intended fishes added to the tank, but it is possible that I'll remove the sapucaia and keep it available for water changes, to try and keep the tint at a desired intensity. Apparently it could be a few months before the green neons show their faces again around here, but the tukanos could pop up at any time now.
When I get some of the originally intended fishes, I'll have to remove the rummy noses, and I have no idea how I'll do that. They are rummy noses turned to 11, they bolt around like they can teleport, especially when I give food. I'll probably have to build a trap, the fishing net won't have a chance with all the hardscape.
Reviewing this thread, I noticed something that was bothering me. In the pics, the tank looks much shorter than it is, and the filters in the back look huge. The camera is distorting it, especially on the frontal pics, I think it is because I need to take the pictures from a short distance since it is in a small room, and it uses some sort of wide angular lens or effect. In truth, each filter is 15cm wide and the free area between them is 50cm long, adding up to the 80cm total length.
I removed the sapucaia to keep the water color under control. I also did a water change and it cleared a bit, maybe a bit too much. I moved the sapucaia to my water change reservoir, so the fresh water will come painted. I'll do a water change tomorrow and see how that works.
The good news are that I found a fish store in the other side of town who announced tukano tetras. So after a small journey, I now have 12 tukanos. I had established that when I found the planned fishes I would remove the rummy noses, and that day has finally arrived. Removing fishes from tanks is among the most frustrating aspects of the hobby for me, and this time it wasn't any different. In any case, it is done and, after 40 minutes, the 3 rummy noses are now swimming in a large school in the main tank.
No quarantine for the tukanos, and I won't do it for the other fishes as well. I'm suspicious of my quarantine tank, and all these small fishes look particularly fragile, so I'm thinking that less moving around is for the best. And I'll take my chances with possible diseases.
The bad news is that a cyano infestation started. It is still just starting, but I'm not one to underestimate cyanos. I thought that the low light levels would stop algae from bothering me, but the cyanos are forming at the surface and on the wood closest to the light. I have once again covered the lights with the kitchen paper towel and I'll siphon as much detritus as I can. Some of the leaves deteriorated very fast... I won't be using those anymore. Floating plants won't help, the cyanos are growing on and around them.
I'm considering some sort of background for the tank. I want to add a layer of polystyrene to the back to help keep heating expenses down, but for that I first need to find a way to hide it. I've never done anything bolder than all-black backgrounds, I'll try and ask around at print shops if they have affordable options. I'm thinking some sort of degrade from black to white moving from the bottom and from the sides to the top center, forming sort of a white half ellipse. The yellow water would make the tones go brown/yellow. I like the soft degrade that formed naturally with the tank light illuminating the wall behind the tank, but I want something that hides the filters on the sides.
I removed the sapucaia to keep the water color under control. I also did a water change and it cleared a bit, maybe a bit too much. I moved the sapucaia to my water change reservoir, so the fresh water will come painted. I'll do a water change tomorrow and see how that works.
The good news are that I found a fish store in the other side of town who announced tukano tetras. So after a small journey, I now have 12 tukanos. I had established that when I found the planned fishes I would remove the rummy noses, and that day has finally arrived. Removing fishes from tanks is among the most frustrating aspects of the hobby for me, and this time it wasn't any different. In any case, it is done and, after 40 minutes, the 3 rummy noses are now swimming in a large school in the main tank.
No quarantine for the tukanos, and I won't do it for the other fishes as well. I'm suspicious of my quarantine tank, and all these small fishes look particularly fragile, so I'm thinking that less moving around is for the best. And I'll take my chances with possible diseases.
The bad news is that a cyano infestation started. It is still just starting, but I'm not one to underestimate cyanos. I thought that the low light levels would stop algae from bothering me, but the cyanos are forming at the surface and on the wood closest to the light. I have once again covered the lights with the kitchen paper towel and I'll siphon as much detritus as I can. Some of the leaves deteriorated very fast... I won't be using those anymore. Floating plants won't help, the cyanos are growing on and around them.
I'm considering some sort of background for the tank. I want to add a layer of polystyrene to the back to help keep heating expenses down, but for that I first need to find a way to hide it. I've never done anything bolder than all-black backgrounds, I'll try and ask around at print shops if they have affordable options. I'm thinking some sort of degrade from black to white moving from the bottom and from the sides to the top center, forming sort of a white half ellipse. The yellow water would make the tones go brown/yellow. I like the soft degrade that formed naturally with the tank light illuminating the wall behind the tank, but I want something that hides the filters on the sides.
After the first couple of says, the tukanos stopped swimming together and are now spread all around the tank. I decided that I won't try to count them, as that would be both pointless and stressful. And if I lose one of them, that won't push me into changing anything.
Overall things are going smoothly with this tank, except for the cyanos, which are slowly but surely growing each week. I siphon them as best as I can every week, but it is very weird to have it growing at the water surface. This week I reduced the photoperiod a bit. As winter approaches, the tank is getting some direct sunlight from the window... But I don't see much of a difference with the cyanos where there is sun and where there isn't.
Yesterday I did the water change with a small 6mm hose to delicately remove the cyanos tangled with the floating plants. It was a very slow procedure, but effective. When it was over, I checked the bucket full of brown water and there were 2 tukanos in it 🤦♂️ I can't believe that I fished 2 of them without even noticing, while I was completely focused on picking up cyano patches. But also can't believe they fit through the very narrow tube, I think it is a 4mm inner diameter only.
Overall things are going smoothly with this tank, except for the cyanos, which are slowly but surely growing each week. I siphon them as best as I can every week, but it is very weird to have it growing at the water surface. This week I reduced the photoperiod a bit. As winter approaches, the tank is getting some direct sunlight from the window... But I don't see much of a difference with the cyanos where there is sun and where there isn't.
Yesterday I did the water change with a small 6mm hose to delicately remove the cyanos tangled with the floating plants. It was a very slow procedure, but effective. When it was over, I checked the bucket full of brown water and there were 2 tukanos in it 🤦♂️ I can't believe that I fished 2 of them without even noticing, while I was completely focused on picking up cyano patches. But also can't believe they fit through the very narrow tube, I think it is a 4mm inner diameter only.
Hi all,
I've found this with both Tetras and <"Pencilfish">, they only really school together when there is an external threat.
cheers Darrel
I think this is a <"fairly general finding with small blackwater Tetra spp">. They come from an environment where food is scarce and as soon as they feel secure they take up little territories, with the most dominant fish in the "best" territory.
I've found this with both Tetras and <"Pencilfish">, they only really school together when there is an external threat.
I think that is the best option, if you have a tank you can count them in? It will be much too open for them to feel safe. I think that their behaviour just indicates that they are happy with their environment.
cheers Darrel
