Your current Fish tank Setups!
- Thread starter Malt_Vinegar
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had a couple of fish die in the past and end up wedged near the internal filter.
couple of weeks ago something spooked my golden gourami maybe the congo tetras i have got a few tiger barbs but there too busy chasing each other about and have never show any interest in the gourami ,it jumped right out of the open top tank ended up on the carpet
luckily i was in the room and heard the splash and rescued it.
had it a few years never done this before but thinking of installing some kind of thin mesh on top to prevent any deaths
couple of weeks ago something spooked my golden gourami maybe the congo tetras i have got a few tiger barbs but there too busy chasing each other about and have never show any interest in the gourami ,it jumped right out of the open top tank ended up on the carpet
luckily i was in the room and heard the splash and rescued it.had it a few years never done this before but thinking of installing some kind of thin mesh on top to prevent any deaths
I've been using liquid CO2 but as i can't reliably dose it due to work commitments I've found im getting hair algae growth (I read lack of CO2 causes this if you e got a bit too much light). Actually I came back about 1/2 an hour ago from 2 days away for work and I've got quite a significant growth of it.
Where can I find the equipment to convert a 6kg bottle (I assume fire extinguisher?) to a CO2 source for the tank? Any recommendations if you've done it yourself?
Tank is only 22L so don't need anything heavy duty.
c02 art sell a dual stage regulator for about £99 that will fit fire extinguishers and pub style c02 bottles no need for any other converter.
a six 6kg gas bottle is really large though 850 mm high and about 150mm wide i bought one it was humongous in my living room had to get rid, using a soda stream bottle and converter in addition to the dual stage regulator i have at the mo downside it's more expensive to run than say a 2kg fire extinguisher. but i can get mine filled for a fiver at a local paintball shop so not too bad, for a tank your size a 2kg fire extinguisher might be your best bet.
good resource here for info on c02 set ups where to source bottles ect.
https://www.ukaps.org/forum/forums/carbon-dioxide-co2.37/
A CO2 setup for a 22L tank seems like a massive overkill... the CO2 kit will be bigger than the actual tank itself!
CO2 is to encourage plant growth, not actively prevent algae.
If you are getting algae growth, try tackling some of the other parameters first, e.g. reducing light levels, ensuring that nitrate levels aren't too high, ensuring there is no waste food in the tank.
CO2 is to encourage plant growth, not actively prevent algae.
If you are getting algae growth, try tackling some of the other parameters first, e.g. reducing light levels, ensuring that nitrate levels aren't too high, ensuring there is no waste food in the tank.
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Also, try to make sure you have no dead spots, flow is very important in planted tanks in my (limited) experience
Didn't realise your tank was quite so small. Why don't you get a dosing pump instead and set it up to dose a few ml per day? They are normally used on marine tanks but are very useful for automating any tank.
Something like this: https://charterhouse-aquatics.com/shop/aquatics/aquarium-pumps/jecod
As others have said there will be an imbalance somewhere in the tank but it could be anything from light, flow, nutrients and CO2. I would start by reducing the light, you can get away with as little as 5 hours in reality (plants grow much slower though).
Something like this: https://charterhouse-aquatics.com/shop/aquatics/aquarium-pumps/jecod
As others have said there will be an imbalance somewhere in the tank but it could be anything from light, flow, nutrients and CO2. I would start by reducing the light, you can get away with as little as 5 hours in reality (plants grow much slower though).
i don't have no time for my tanks everything is automated now. Can recommend a jabao/jacod unitDosing pump sounds interesting. I'll look more in to that.
From reading up it seems I either have Brown hair algae or some form of Diatome which is usually an imbalance of light and CO2. Light is probably on for too long, currently set to 10 hours. CO2 gets the odd sporadic dosing when I am home and can do it. When I'm home it's 0.75ml of the Fishkeeper own brand stuff every 48hrs. I was liking the idea of just having a can of CO2 and having it bubble in at the correct rate at all times, but if this isn't sensible for a Betta tank then I'll pass on the idea.
My Oto's aren't touching it either and of course I cannot get anything like Amano shrimp as they'll be quickly devoured by my Betta (good natured as he is for a Betta, he's still an ********).
From reading up it seems I either have Brown hair algae or some form of Diatome which is usually an imbalance of light and CO2. Light is probably on for too long, currently set to 10 hours. CO2 gets the odd sporadic dosing when I am home and can do it. When I'm home it's 0.75ml of the Fishkeeper own brand stuff every 48hrs. I was liking the idea of just having a can of CO2 and having it bubble in at the correct rate at all times, but if this isn't sensible for a Betta tank then I'll pass on the idea.
My Oto's aren't touching it either and of course I cannot get anything like Amano shrimp as they'll be quickly devoured by my Betta (good natured as he is for a Betta, he's still an ********).
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Stolen from ukaps forums:
Here :
https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/fluffy-brown-hair-algae.380/
Advice there is that a 3 day blackout (my fave algea destroying method) and reducing light will go a long way to nailing it.
Here :
https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/fluffy-brown-hair-algae.380/
Advice there is that a 3 day blackout (my fave algea destroying method) and reducing light will go a long way to nailing it.
Thanks Malt, I had read that thread last night shortly after posting here.
I wonder if my new filter was to blame? The advice from the shop when I got it was soak the sponge on some JBL aquarium kick starter stuff, then drop it right in? Water quality seems stable but perhaps it's just not quite right.
Will the lights being off for 3 days not have a detrimental effect to the plants?
I wonder if my new filter was to blame? The advice from the shop when I got it was soak the sponge on some JBL aquarium kick starter stuff, then drop it right in? Water quality seems stable but perhaps it's just not quite right.
Will the lights being off for 3 days not have a detrimental effect to the plants?
Soldato
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Doesnt look like diatoms to me unless s/w diatoms are different obv
Looks like hair algee. Do you test your water? Especially for nitrates and phosphates
Looks like hair algee. Do you test your water? Especially for nitrates and phosphates
The new filter has probably kicked off a mini-cycle, check your levels of ammonia, nitrite and nitrates. For future reference, always try to use filter material from your old filter in a new one.
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Not an algea expert myself, but as above, testing is key.
That said, a blackout is an amazing tool for solving all sorts of issues.
As ci_newman said. It's probably an ammonia spike if you didn't leave the old filter in place when the new one was added. Those bacteria start things are snake oil if you ask me! I used to snip a part of running filter and place it between the new media in a new tank to prime it when I was running many tank! Usually meant the tank cycled quickly, if not straight away.
That said, a blackout is an amazing tool for solving all sorts of issues.
As ci_newman said. It's probably an ammonia spike if you didn't leave the old filter in place when the new one was added. Those bacteria start things are snake oil if you ask me! I used to snip a part of running filter and place it between the new media in a new tank to prime it when I was running many tank! Usually meant the tank cycled quickly, if not straight away.
Thanks for the replies all. Went to my LFS (Fishkeeper Melville) and their opinion was probably phosphate levels. I've got one of those phosphate sponges to fit in my filter and let it do it's magic whilst I remove it all by hand.
Did a water test and all levels look absolutely normal. I've had no chance to test for phosphates as the shop didn't have a kit, but there is no harm in adding the sponge.
Either way it's just contained itself to the moss on top of my log in the tank, it's not everywhere (yet!) so hopefully I'll catch it before it gets worse.
Will let you know how it goes!
Did a water test and all levels look absolutely normal. I've had no chance to test for phosphates as the shop didn't have a kit, but there is no harm in adding the sponge.
Either way it's just contained itself to the moss on top of my log in the tank, it's not everywhere (yet!) so hopefully I'll catch it before it gets worse.
Will let you know how it goes!
Water changed, algae scooped, tank cleaned, moss ball moved, filter fitted with Phosphate pad... fingers crossed things are looking up.
Well, that was until I looked at my Betta and saw the scales along his back turning silver
Not having much luck at this aquarium lark, any idea what this could be?
Well, that was until I looked at my Betta and saw the scales along his back turning silver
Not having much luck at this aquarium lark, any idea what this could be?
Soldato
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Prob bashing against things in the tank. Looks like lost scales.
Nothing too serious then? I have a large piece of lava rock at the back of the aquarium he often swims about, perhaps it's a bit rough when he catches himself?
Either way, fingers crossed I'm getting my old, clean, tank back!
Either way, fingers crossed I'm getting my old, clean, tank back!
That is some classic hair algae. Its quite difficult to balance out and remove naturally. I don't agree that it would be high phosphate, that tends to be a myth but it is a good way of selling phosphate pads. There is a lot of evidence out there that show that excess nutrients do not cause algae. It is much more likely that it is an imbalance of CO2 and light is the cause or a nutrient deficiency which is slowing plant growth. Algae also excels where CO2 levels vary a lot, plants not so much.
I would either use a dosing pump if your going liquid if you can't do it daily (ideally before the lights come on) or just not bother.
On a planted tank light ideally needs to be your limiting factor, but in a low tech tank it tends to be CO2. You want to cut the light down to try and find balance, but its really trial and error every tank is different.
There are a few things that eat it but other than amano shrimp I wouldn't recommend any for your tank. I'm surprised that you have issues with them and a betta, they tend to get as big as one.
The easiest way to manage it is manual removal and targeted liquid co2 using a syringe/pipette, its really good at killing algae with direct contact, most plants don't seem to mind. Turn off the filter for a few mins while you do it and then turn it back on doing it at a water change is more than fine. I do have liquid CO2 but only use it for this reason.
I would either use a dosing pump if your going liquid if you can't do it daily (ideally before the lights come on) or just not bother.
On a planted tank light ideally needs to be your limiting factor, but in a low tech tank it tends to be CO2. You want to cut the light down to try and find balance, but its really trial and error every tank is different.
There are a few things that eat it but other than amano shrimp I wouldn't recommend any for your tank. I'm surprised that you have issues with them and a betta, they tend to get as big as one.
The easiest way to manage it is manual removal and targeted liquid co2 using a syringe/pipette, its really good at killing algae with direct contact, most plants don't seem to mind. Turn off the filter for a few mins while you do it and then turn it back on doing it at a water change is more than fine. I do have liquid CO2 but only use it for this reason.
