New Juwel 96 Tank - Fish/Plants/Cycle Log

[drobbyb]

Rainbows are sensitive fish somewhere between discus and regular tropical fish. They don't tolerate the compounds that accumulate, nitrates being one of them. Honestly though a 50% waterchange only takes a few more minutes to do and your other fish will benefit from it as well. If you don't have one already you might try a python. It makes changing water a snap.

 

[drobbyb]

I did some research on this:

Waterchanges are one of the easiest things you can do for your fish, and will do more to support their health and longevity than the most high-tech filtration and control systems can do without waterchanges. No systems exist, despite misleading claims to the contrary, that can replace waterchanges. Weekly changes of between 25-35% should be employed to avoid any major changes in water quality and chemistry. Weekly changes of at least 50% will be required for rainbowfishes maintained at high population densities.

Note that the article said 50% at higher densities. What they mean by that is a high fish population. Most in the hobby usually keep the tanks capacity or a little more due to overstocking. That makes it a high density situation, so that's why I recommend 50% every week.

Source: http/members.optushome.com.au/chelmon/ (Home of the Rainbowfish)

 

[bushbrother]

Thanks for the info, I will take your advice

 

[bushbrother]

Hey everyone, here are my attempts @ some pictures, those rainbows won't hold still so I will need to try again later Can someone do me a favor and help me identify what my 2 "stow-away" fish that came in the bag with the shrimp from LFS are? I think I got a good enough shot, they are tiny!

Gustav the Gourami ...

Cories ...

The "stow-aways" ...

Camera shy rainbows ...

 

[drobbyb]

They look like livebearer fry. Probably guppies.

 

[OldMan47]

The stowaways do indeed look like 2 or 3 week old guppies. The DG and the trilineatus are also looking good.

 

[drobbyb]

The rainbows not holding still is a good thing. They are supposed to be like that

 

[fatheadminnow]

Amazing shots!

-FHM

 

[bushbrother]

The rainbows not holding still is a good thing. They are supposed to be like that

Cool, at least I am doing something right I do sometimes spot them all in a group all facing the exact same direction and all swimming but not moving forward, like they are against a current, it looks really good, like a natural school of fish. But they have never done that when I have my camera ready

Amazing shots!

-FHM

Thank you

 

[waterdrop]

Looking good BB! WD

 

[bushbrother]

This weekend I completed my first water change with fish. I used my hose and bucket and tried to do as slowly as possible not to disturb the fish. They did seem all to head into one corner though. I did a 50% change as recommended for my rainbows, and it did not take very long at all.

I also went and bought a decent water thermometer as I was confused by the strip on the front of the tank. My suspicions were right and the water was a bit cold at 23 degrees (even though my heater was set to 26). I had to set the thermostat to 30 on my heater to get it to 25 degrees in the water ... is this because it is cooling off faster than heating (as its getting to winter now)?

Anyways, all the fish are super happy I also got 2 apple snails to try to combat my algae growth on the glass, they seem to be powering through it also I could not resist 2 amano shrimps they are much bigger than the cherry shrimp (who are still doing well) and are alot braver ...

 

[waterdrop]

I never worry too much about my fish during a water change. I mean, I'm careful not to hit them or trap them with the gravel cleaner and I don't make sudden movements but in general I think they rather like the activity and enjoy getting a workout and putting their shoaling behaviors to work.

Heaters are not, in my experience, calibrated to match their rheostats to numerical temperature reality. They are meant to be used in conjunction with a thermometer. Often they have a procedure, sometimes in their user manual, allowing you to adjust the numeric dial separately from the actual rheostat knob to make the numbers match reality.

For instance, on some, once you determine the temperature is at a particular value with your thermometer, you pull the knob gently outward and rotate it so that the correct number lines up with the pointer and then let it back in. From then on the numbers on the heater dial will match what the thermometer is saying. The heater should also be right at the point of its pilot light coming on when you do this, rather than in a range where the light would be on continuously or off continuously.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[bushbrother]

Ahhh, makes sense I will have to see if I can find the instructions for the heater as I bought it second hand with the tank. It is the stock Juwel 100w one. As for water changes you are right, the cories seemed to quite like it

When you meantion your gravel vac, do you know if these work with sand? Or would they just suck all the sand up instead of just lifting it up? I have been using a siphon tube to "hoover" the waste.

 

[BryceHockey]

Nice BB, I had been watching your thread as we had very similar situations with the nitrite not dropping to 0.0. Looks like we got some of the same fish as well.

The fish look great, the gourami is beautiful!

 

[waterdrop]

With sand, hoovering is the right idea. Its a skill you get better at over time where you position the hose somewhere above the sand (often just a siphon hose is used, no cylinder) and then wave your 3rd, 4th and 5th fingers at the debris on the sand (while your thumb still has the siphon sealed off) until it floats up. Then you take your thumb off and hoover the debris. Good luck BB.

WD