55 gallon...updated and wanted to share

[julielynn47]

I have been working on getting plants growing in good, and I know it is not beautifully landscaped, but I am not a decorator, be it house of aquarium...LOL

It has gone, over the years, from all artificial to now having real wood and live plants. It is and always has been my work in progress. But I am really pleased with the way it is looking now.

Just wanted to share

 

[Toney]

Very nice

 

[julielynn47]

This is the tank that I have had so many issues with the black beard algae and the brown algae/diatoms...whichever it may be. I have to run that diatom filter quite a bit to keep it looking this way. Whatever is out of balance I have not been able to figure it out yet. It takes a lot of cleaning to keep it looking this way. Someday I will hopefully figure out what the imbalance is, but until that time I guess I will keep on doing what I am doing.

 

[NickAu]

Looks great, love all the plabts

 

[Mark Z.]

The plants look great! What kind of fertilizer do you use and what kind of lighting? My tank is a work in progress also, having started with plastic plants and now have real ones and wood.

I recently had a problem with brown algae or diatoms in my 48-gallon. Everything in the tank was covered with it and I couldn't get rid of it. Finally, I added five nerite snails and three otocinclus. I can't believe that there is hardly any algae left!!! Now I am getting worried that there isn't enough food for them. It took a few weeks for something to start to happen, then it seemed like it was all gone almost overnight.

 

[thrujenseyes]

OMG, it's absolutely beautiful!

 

[julielynn47]

Thanks everyone! I really do work hard on this tank just to keep it looking half way decent. LOL

As to the ferts I use, I use Seachem Flourish root tabs and Seachem Flourish Comprehensive liquid. And I really don't use the liquid that often.

As to lighting. I have two T-8 light strips. One one side I have a Life Glo and on the other side I have an Aqua Glo. The Life Glo is very bright and to me it washes out the color of fish. So I put an Aqua Glo on one side so I could not only have the light from the Life Glo, but also have the color of the fish brought out by the Aqua Glo.

I have one little nerite snail in the tank. I don't know how much one little snail can eat, but in my situation I think I would need a least 100 of them to keep the brown stuff under control. And I have never been able to get an Oto to live more than a week. And it is not because of lack of food. I don't know why they don't live unless they just are not healthy when I get them. I have don't have an issue with other fish living. If I thought they would live I would buy a few. Goodness knows they could live forever on the stuff that grows in this tank!

 

[flchamp89]

Most are wild caught and roughed up when we get them. Like groups of 5 or more. Are prone to parasites and digestive issues. Seem to do better in very mature tanks with lots biofilm. Tds sensitive. I have never had many last 3 months.

Awesome tank

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[julielynn47]

Thank you!

That is probably it with the Otos. The tank is very well established. I set it up in 2007.

 

[thrujenseyes]

Otos are super fun little fish if you can manage to keep them alive. I'm always worried they won't have enough food so I make sure they get veggies once a week (which the rest of the inhabitants enjoy as well).

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[BeckyCats]

Beautiful tank! Great job!

 

[Mark Z.]

I have had a problem keeping my otos alive also. I was cleaning the tank this weekend and actually found three that I thought were gone!

As for the nerites, my tank was COVERED with the brown algae or diatoms. All the leaves, all the rocks, most of the glass. The nerites did the job for me. Although, they are little poop machines. At least I can vacuum the poop out.

 

[julielynn47]

I might try some nerites and see if that helps. I would love to try some more Oto's too. I will think about that as I have not good luck with them. I never fed them zucchini though, that might help, since they always had plenty other stuff to eat and they still didn't make I just don't know....

 

[thrujenseyes]

I think the trick with ottos is getting them passed about a month in your tank ...getting them healthy from their tough journey being caught and whatnot (I've read that they drug them to catch them) and most in pet stores are stressed and unhealthy. Unless you can get tank raised.

I bought three together from a LPS in a seemingly healthy looking tank but Oh Dear Lord when the guy at the shop was trying to catch them I was having a panic attack watching how horrified they were and how stressed they were getting and how he was using a heavy hand with the tiny delicate little creatures. I actually started sweating.

I lost one at about 3 weeks and the remaining two I've had for maybe 6/7 months. My tank is pretty clean with the exception of a few of the top anubias leaves that must get too much light so they always have hard algae cover. And this is where they hang out, almost 100% of the time. Except when I put a veggie in there...then that's where they are. Like I said in a previous post...I always blanch veggies for them because I'm always very worried if they're getting enough food. They're adorable little critters that had such a tough go at life...I just hope they've now forgotten that and can live happily.

As for Nerites, they are HARD workers and can really clean a tank! And they're gorgeous! I have a zebra one that has been awesome!

 

[julielynn47]

I too witnessed the rough chasing of the Oto's when I got some, a long time ago, at Pet Smart. Last fish I got at that particular store and I won't be getting more of any type of fish there. Now there is a Pet Smart in another city where they are not rough with their fish. They are even old school when it comes to bagging. They introduce air into the bag with an airtank, something I have not seen done since I was a kid. And the fish survival rate from this store is good. It has become my store of choice for getting fish. So I may try some Otos from there.