22 Litre Betta Tank

[Joshwainwright]

Ugh that's pretty poor, maybe ask on here if anyone has one they recommend?

Even if its a bit of a travel, once you find a great fish store they're worth their weight in gold

 

 
I can't drive so that's a bit of a problem
 
Great photo of your dog by the way! Mine always ends up laid on the windowsill when there's nobody around, the little devil!

 

[Shelster]

His name is "Hasler"

 

[PlumbersMerchant]

Looks awesome. have you put an underlayer of something in the bottom first (under the sand) or will the pants survive just being placed in the sand ?
 
Also, do you need to put anything in the tanks to feed the plants ?
 
I have a couple of real plants in my tank, roots burried beneath the gravel and they seem to live ok ?
 
 

 

[Shelster]

Looks awesome. have you put an underlayer of something in the bottom first (under the sand) or will the pants survive just being placed in the sand ?
 
Also, do you need to put anything in the tanks to feed the plants ?
 
I have a couple of real plants in my tank, roots burried beneath the gravel and they seem to live ok ?
 
 

I've kept my pants well clear of this set up

My plants I have just literally planted in the sand, I was hoping a betta wouldn't do too much uprooting - time will tell I guess.
I am dosing daily ferts - sorry I never mentioned that - chelated trace mix - I now use it on all of my tanks, it was suggested by a very helpful forum member who has helped and given advice on my two other planted tanks.

Thank you, I am pleased with the outcome, just need the ammonia parameters to lower and Vader will be released

 

[Mamashack]

Am still waiting too - my ammonia level has been 0ppm after 12hrs for a few days and the first time nitrites goes to 0, ammonia decides to stick at 0.5ppm! Go figure!!!

 

[Joshwainwright]

I've kept my pants well clear of this set up

I should have you have!

 
Edit: DAMN! I thought it was you that made the mistake. My bad!

 

[daizeUK]

Beautiful tank Shelster.  Loving that bogwood

If you had your heart set on a piece of java fern, you can get 'microsorium mini' from Aquaessentials, I have some and it is much smaller than the usual pteropus.  Although I think the bogwood looks just great bare.

 

[Shelster]

Thank you Daize, I think the bogwood makes the tank

Quick update: after putting in one bag of mature media at 12-30pm yesterday, I have checked the parameters today and ammonia is still sitting between 0.5-1.00 I did then check nitrite also and that is 0 so ill keep waiting.

In the mean time Vader is still eating, and when I replenished his breeding tank water within my 54litre tank I noticed he had built a bubble nest

 

[RCA]

Ok so here's how things are developing:

Vader has eaten

despite having to live in a breeding chamber at the moment he has still eaten some artemia. (I bought a frozen pack as that was what he was being successfully fed at the lfs)
I also bought him some betta food but I can't find the tub now to let you know the name

In terms of the ammonia I thought I would see how things developed after my 90% water change, and to be honest it's pretty much sitting between 0.5-1.00ppm. What has happened I am still completely baffled with myself. Whether I have any live bacteria in there is questionable.............

However: A big shout out goes to: TRIMAR AQUARIA in Camborne, they have been brilliant, firstly offering to loan me a light unit when mine didnt work and my plants needed light, and secondly bless them they have given me some mature media

Soooo I have placed the ceramics they have given me into my tank, gave them some in replacement and put what they have given me amongst another bag which has been in there all along.

I guess now its just a waiting game.

Meanwhile, Vader appears to be doing well in his breeding chamber in my 54litre - I am replenishing his water daily just in case he may get a build up of ammonia in there. (I know some say they don't often get a very good flow in these)

I shall take another ammonia reading later on tonight to see if any change in the parameters

 
I have been having some fish challenges over the past few days, so not very active on here, but watching your post and would like to say

  to Vader, he is just like my old boy, bottom left in my signature, who alas no longer looks like Vadar   I am currently setting up a "retirement" home for him
 
 
Can you tell me do you have your own RO unit and if so what is it?  I wondered whether to get one set up as we have hard water here, plus the tap water nitrates are high.
 
Did you know the store you are singing the praises of, Tri-mar Aquatics, were PFK's Retailer of the Year in 2011 & in 2012?  Great looking store in these links.
 
Have you got any Indian Almond Leaves for Vadar?  Let me know if you want me to PM you the link of where I get mine from.
 
Keep up the great work, and we all look forward to Vadar loving his new home.  Don't forget once he is in there to try TOTM

 

I can't drive so that's a bit of a problem

 
...

 
Hi Josh, do you have a bike and are you within cycling distance of a train?  I find I can get to a few different stores with these options

 

[Joshwainwright]

Hi Josh, do you have a bike and are you within cycling distance of a train?  I find I can get to a few different stores with these options

The nearest train station is a 20 minute bus journey away so it's not really something I'd like to do on a bike I've recently found a L066 King Tiger plec for sale in the next village and I don't even fancy going to pick that up on a bike, especially in this weather!

 

[Shelster]

Yes RCA I have my own unit as I was pregnant when I found out about the high nitrates o_o

I will post the link to it when I find it

Yes would be interested in the link about the almond leaves please

Uh-oh what type of tank trouble? Hope all is well?






Not much changed here, ammonia levels seem to be the same, I must admit I was hoping for a change by now.

 

[Mamashack]

I think I'm having the same problem Shelster. I did a huge water change around 85% a few days ago to bring down the pH which had shot up to 8.8 for some reason and since then, altho the nitrites are now being processed in 12 hrs, the ammonia munchers seem to have slowed down to 24 hrs. Am keeping going tho as I think it's only a matter of time and it will be ok.

 

[Shelster]

Oh how frustrating for you

I've always used mature media and have effectively had cycled tanks with no problems, this one however is proving to be very different

 

[RCA]

Yes RCA I have my own unit as I was pregnant when I found out about the high nitrates o_o

I will post the link to it when I find it

Yes would be interested in the link about the almond leaves please

Uh-oh what type of tank trouble? Hope all is well?

 

 
Thanks re: the pending link.
 
Have PM'd you re: IAL.
 
I have a topic on whirling corys which is one of the issues latterly, but I also bought three new Betta girls and lost them all in a very short time in Quarantine.  Sadly they were a bad batch and when the store confirmed my water was good (knew it was OK) and offered more fish I elected to take x5 Amano Shrimp instead - new to me shrimps, I now have 10   At some point will start a discussion on them as I have video etc of them at work

 

[Shelster]

This is the food I bought for Vader :

I've just given him some for the first time tonight and he loves it so pleased he seems content in the breeding chamber for now, poor guy!