Today's a new day.

[elephantnose3334]

If you still have that 5 gallon you could make a paludarium? I know you’ve hinted at the potential of making one in the past. Obviously it would be too small water volume to keep fish and most likely shrimp.

But a small body of water for snails could work. SerpaDesign which I believe you’ve watched before on YT recently did a mini paludarium for less than $50US to show that one can be made on a budget. You could gather materials from local habitats obviously within the local laws. And attempt a mini waterfall style paludarium. This could also be a chance for you to try a selection of both aquatic and terrestrial plants. Water changes would be easier as there’s less water and not a large amount of fauna But as @Colin_T said you’ll have to respect your parents concerns

I wish, but it's better off being a betta tank.

 

[elephantnose3334]

Today's Tuesday. Hopefully me and my younger sister get a Classica (discontinued brand that my LFS sells as 'manager's specials') 30L aquarium starter kit (41 x 25.5 x 29cm) together in a weekend day. Costs $120, which is a good price for this sized tank. We did get along with one another since my younger sister got a purplish-blue betta named Amethyst two days ago. We were thinking of an easy planted aquarium with the light and heater because the tank would definitely need both because bettas are a tropical species and aquatic plants need light to photosynthesise.

 

[elephantnose3334]

It's Wednesday. Days come and go. The tetras are doing okay. The difference between a 30L Classica aquarium and an Aqua One Splish & Splash aquarium the same size is that the Classica one have a glass base, not a plastic base, while the other one has. Both of them have a similar starter kit.

 

[Colin_T]

So one tank is all glass and the other tank has glass sides but a plastic base?

 

[elephantnose3334]

So one tank is all glass and the other tank has glass sides but a plastic base?

Yes.

 

[Fishmanic]

I wouldnt think it would have plastic as the bottom flat piece if the rest is glass. Maybe it has plastic trim around the edges of the bottom flat piece but the bottom piece should be glass.

 

[elephantnose3334]

Today's Friday. @Colin_T, I came by to see if everything's okay. I wanted to see if you're okay today and if there are some improvements on what's happened to some stuff. I know it's hard, and I get that. It sucks that some terrible things have happened since over a decade ago. Days come and go, and important stuff have been going on sometimes.

Worked at the Fremantle Good Sammy on a traineeship (part-day Thu and Fri, but changing to full-day Thu starting next week) since a few months ago due to the traineeship change from the Booragoon store to Fremantle, and I enjoy it more than the tiny Booragoon store. Revamped the store a little starting in the kids section, and slowly working the way up in a few weeks. Items constantly change and we have to move stuff. Since I'm quickly learning how the retail system works. In my world, things are looking bright for me and I have been caring for my tetras when I'm not at school or workplace. People can be efficient at certain things, but it may take time and patience.

Fellow fishkeepers, do you want to share your happy moments that you had in the past, but struggled to find your stepping stone in the present day? I had some struggles regarding fish deaths in my first tank, but I moved on from them and worked my way up to becoming a good fishkeeper who have done their proper research on fish species and aquarium sizes. My younger sister have a lower chance of fish dying in her aquarium than I had. I was lucky to have (mostly) disease-free fish. My two cardinal tetra survivors have been living in a year and 3.5 months old (approximately) and my silvertips a bit longer. I'm happy with the tetras I have, oh, and I must do a water change tomorrow because it's been two weeks since the last one.

 

[Colin_T]

Worked at the Fremantle Good Sammy on a traineeship (part-day Thu and Fri, but changing to full-day Thu starting next week) since a few months ago due to the traineeship change from the Booragoon store to Fremantle, and I enjoy it more than the tiny Booragoon store.

Are you going to do something else with your life after the trainee ship (look for a job somewhere else or do something else) or just stay at good Sammys for a while?

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I have nothing good happening at the moment. My leg is infected where the skin came off and it smells bad and hurts. The doctor prescribed me with antibiotic cream and pills (not taking the pills) and the cream isn't helping. I have an appointment with a dermatologist (skin specialist) on Monday so hopefully they can figure out why my skin is falling off and I'm not healing.

 

[elephantnose3334]

Are you going to do something else with your life after the trainee ship (look for a job somewhere else or do something else) or just stay at good Sammys for a while?

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I have nothing good happening at the moment. My leg is infected where the skin came off and it smells bad and hurts. The doctor prescribed me with antibiotic cream and pills (not taking the pills) and the cream isn't helping. I have an appointment with a dermatologist (skin specialist) on Monday so hopefully they can figure out why my skin is falling off and I'm not healing.

Maybe. If anyone from the Perth CBD or in suburbs near it want to do some sort of project on doing natural looking fish tanks (not puke coloured rainbow gravel, fake plants and ornaments) with real plants and hardscape, I'll count you in. And I think you're perfect for some good aquarium designing advice.

Me and my younger sister are probably thinking of getting a roomy 30L aquarium for her betta Amethyst in case aggression breaks out in her bedroom 41L tall aquarium (currently house 4 pygmy cories and said betta). The only problems in the Classica aquarium kit is the lack of the heater, bad quality filter and koi food? Why koi food? I think they're a Singapore brand but we'll sell the stuff except the tank. She misses Sapphire, the blue betta who died a few months ago before getting Amethyst, so she got him from the same LFS as Sapphire got brought in. We're thinking of getting real plants this time, but she fears that algae would take over the tanks like the old 10L did.

Any tips on doing a good aquarium setup and its maintenance?

 

[Colin_T]

Lots of live plants reduce algae problems and floating plants like Water Sprite can stop algae growing on the glass and ornaments. Water Sprite also has nice branches the Betta can sleep on and remain near the surface but under leaves.

My tanks have always been basic, some open swimming space at the front with plants along the back and maybe sides. I didn't have ornaments in most but did provide caves (made from clay flower pots) for the dwarf cichlids.

Most of my tanks had undergravel filters and I gravel cleaned the substrate (filter media) once a week when I did the water changes. The breeding tanks had air operated corner sponge filters that were cleaned once a month. The tanks with power filters (mainly marine) had the filters done once a month as well.

 

[elephantnose3334]

Today's Sunday. I have cleared the homemade bedside table and put the empty 21L aquarium on it. Getting there on getting the green light for the aquarium. I'll be a first time betta owner and I know that because I never kept domestic Betta splendens before. HBF Run for a Reason is coming up. My nanna wants to pick charities to donate during that time, so I may help out.

 

[elephantnose3334]

Did a water change and hosed out the filter sponges because they were mostly clogged with fish waste and food remains stuck in the sponges. I tried to do it like my dad did with the previous hosing (many months ago) and flicked out all the water out before putting the sponges back into the tank. I'll keep an eye on my tetras for a day or two in case bad things happen after the water change. Dad told me to clean out the filter sponges myself because he was making dinner for everyone.

 

[Colin_T]

Well done on cleaning the filter.

With power filters you can wash the sponge in a bucket of tank water, then tip the dirty water out and give it a second rinse in another bucket of tank water if the sponge is really dirty. They can look clean but if you squeeze them a few times the gunk starts to come out and I have seen the water turn black from a clean looking sponge.

The filter case and motor can be rinsed under tap water. The impeller (magnet with 3 or 4 plastic blades on one end) can be washed under tap water too. Be careful removing impellers and impeller shafts. The impeller shaft can be made from steel or ceramic. Ceramic shafts can break if you are rough with them. Impellers sometimes have a small plastic washer on either end and if you lose the washer/s, the pump won't work that well so look out for them and don't wash them down the drain.

I reckon your folks are probably seeing you in a new light now you maintain the aquarium (water changes, cleaning filters, feeding the fish), your doing well.

 

[elephantnose3334]

It's Monday. I'm learning as I go when I do the 41L tall aquarium. So I'm closer to doing a found 21L (36 x 22.3 x 26.5cm) aquarium.

Well done on cleaning the filter.

With power filters you can wash the sponge in a bucket of tank water, then tip the dirty water out and give it a second rinse in another bucket of tank water if the sponge is really dirty. They can look clean but if you squeeze them a few times the gunk starts to come out and I have seen the water turn black from a clean looking sponge.

The filter case and motor can be rinsed under tap water. The impeller (magnet with 3 or 4 plastic blades on one end) can be washed under tap water too. Be careful removing impellers and impeller shafts. The impeller shaft can be made from steel or ceramic. Ceramic shafts can break if you are rough with them. Impellers sometimes have a small plastic washer on either end and if you lose the washer/s, the pump won't work that well so look out for them and don't wash them down the drain.

I reckon your folks are probably seeing you in a new light now you maintain the aquarium (water changes, cleaning filters, feeding the fish), your doing well.

The filtration only consists the pump and filter sponges in a Petworx tank kit.

 

[elephantnose3334]

Today's Tuesday. Have to do a lot of schoolwork this week. Plus a full-day work day on Thursday. I'm still doing my traineeship until next year, 2025 at least. I just hope I get the aquarium after I complete my schoolwork. The tetras are doing okay in the 41L. No causalities after the filter cleaning a few days ago. It's May and the remaining fish are still going strong. I'm proud of myself. I wish good things like this happens in my 21L.