Office Space

[seangee]

All calm today and thankfully no ammonia. Under lights it seemed apparent that my theory on sexing the gourami was off the mark, but TBH I have no idea .
I did see a little argy bargy between two of them shortly before lights out - but as they are new to me I have no idea whether they were expressing an interest or warning each other off. They are much more colourful today - even with the lights off.

 

[seangee]

New lid arrived today - that's much better.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Looks clean and modern.

 

[seangee]

Looks clean and modern.

Just a few pounds for a sheet of clear acrylic. Light has been sitting around unused for years.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Just a few pounds for a sheet of clear acrylic. Light has been sitting around unused for years.

I plan to make an acrylic lid soon. It's so cheap, but it looks good.

 

[seangee]

All settling in nicely. The colours on the chillis are really popping now. Stumpy's tail is almost full size but still completely transparent with the little white flash.

No pics for a while because I'm dealing with a bacterial bloom. Just my luck that the bacteria that chose this tank was cyano . Been there for a while (before the new arrivals). I'm pretty sure the conditions that created it have cleared as its not really spreading fast. I have to gravel vac a couple of times a week - but it keeps coming back, so its back to daily water changes and gravel vacs to get rid of it. This is going to be my most water changed tank ever . I have also reduced the lighting by an hour and ordered a mini surface skimmer. Hopefully that will be enough. These fish get microworms regularly so there are extra organics being introduced, and as yet no bottom feeders.

 

[mbsqw1d]

Ah shame I was looking forward to more pics, good luck fighting the cyano

 

[Retired Viking]

Ah shame I was looking forward to more pics, good luck fighting the cyano

Same here. and I love to see your embers.

 

[seangee]

I'm hoping its not a protracted battle. Never had to deal with this inside a tank. The community gets it on the underside of the lid, above the water line so all that needs is a monthly wipe down.

 

[AquaBarb]

All settling in nicely. The colours on the chillis are really popping now. Stumpy's tail is almost full size but still completely transparent with the little white flash.

No pics for a while because I'm dealing with a bacterial bloom. Just my luck that the bacteria that chose this tank was cyano . Been there for a while (before the new arrivals). I'm pretty sure the conditions that created it have cleared as its not really spreading fast. I have to gravel vac a couple of times a week - but it keeps coming back, so its back to daily water changes and gravel vacs to get rid of it. This is going to be my most water changed tank ever . I have also reduced the lighting by an hour and ordered a mini surface skimmer. Hopefully that will be enough. These fish get microworms regularly so there are extra organics being introduced, and as yet no bottom feeders.

I like how you put "as yet" to no bottom feeders lol. Arriving soon to a 22g near you

How are the sparkling gourami? How they getting on with the chilli's and Ember's?

 

[seangee]

I like how you put "as yet" to no bottom feeders lol. Arriving soon to a 22g near you

How are the sparkling gourami? How they getting on with the chilli's and Ember's?

Ha ha. All going well. There appears to be one definite couple (always very near to each other), another possible couple (never too far apart) and two singletons who pretty much hang out on their own. The smallest of these is often hidden but always shows up at feeding time. haven't seen any overt aggression but there is the occassional squabble - no damage to fins though.

One of the two who are always hanging about together is showing a lot of interest in a clump of water sprite in the quiet corner. No bubbles, but I'm not sure he is going to appreciate the daily water changes

 

[seangee]

Silly little beggars!
I got 3 mini surface skimmers today. 1 For the community tank which I will leave running until the duckweed has gone as its marginally better looking than my home made one and self adjusting for height. The second in the Thai tank to clear they mucky surface when I feed microworms. Have set to come on for half an hour in the evenings but I may reconsider as the kubotai love high flow (but the loaches aren't really a fan).

The third I put into this tank and left it turned off. The chillies associate the lid being moved, or my hand with food. I shooed them away and watched. Within minutes 3 of them had found their way in (pump still turned off). Can't really do the pantyhose trick because that would defeat the object of a surface skimmer. I've taken the lid off for now and the chillies wander in and out at will, occasionally joined by a gourami. Oh well - I suppose it will work nicely as a fry trap if and when the time comes

 

[Retired Viking]

The best laid plans of mice and men are easily defeated by fish

 

[seangee]

Trivial solution in the end. I was not a fan of the flimsy floss pads that came with the skimmers. Still seen in the bottom of this one and I'm not complaining as the whole thing only cost a tenner. So today I was cutting some replacement sponge pads for the other two when I did this

There is another piece of sponge in the top where the slats are (hidden by the water sprite).
Actually I liked it so much I think I'll remove the floss from the lower chamber, fill it with sponge and chuck out my internal filter which is bigger, uglier and wrapped in pantihose. Hopefully the surface agitation before the water gets sucked in from the top will provide enough aeration for the fish that don't breathe from the surface - but if not the upward facing spigot on the outlet can be used to attach an airline to draw air in from the surface.

 

[mbsqw1d]

I'm learning a lot of avant garde techniques from this thread
Is the main section of the skimmer transparent by design, probably so you can keep an eye on the waste levels? I understand that nitrifying bacteria are inhibited by light, however I'm not certain how bright the light would need to be.. so whether its even a cause for concern here, if that is now the dedicated biofilter?
May I ask how the water sprite fairs as a floating plant. Is it completely floating so not rooted and growing up and across the surface? Whilst anacharis does float.. it looks.. messy IMO