55g in progress (dialup warnin) - a journal

[pet-teez]

Ah, gotcha!
Makes so much more sense now

Originally Posted by Vonzorfox

It would put more light on one half of your aquarium at a time. Similar to a sunrise/sunset. Also you would get even use of all your bulbs instead of running one set all the time. Sorry if I confused you, my teaching skills stink.

[MARIMOBALL]

Cassie nice tank! if you don't have CO2 try DIY CO2 and excell for the time being may not be enough but its something. Maybe rock that is darker and has more texture would look more natural. The wood looks great BTW

[pet-teez]

I want to add c02 at some point but I can't afford the stuff quite yet (so I'm using half the lighting, etc)... I have some of the small stuff I'll need but have to wait on the tank and regulator.
I don't have DIY yet either but I do have excel so far. heh

I'll be swapping those rocks at some point, I'll take my sister to my favorite rock yard out in San Marcos so that we can pick something out. I just had these sitting on the floor in the room and she wanted to toss them in. heh

Thanks

Originally Posted by MARIMOBALL

Cassie nice tank! if you don't have CO2 try DIY CO2 and excell for the time being may not be enough but its something. Maybe rock that is darker and has more texture would look more natural. The wood looks great BTW

[mpodolan]

Great start! Regarding the Python, they provide you with an adapter for the sink. All you do is unscrew the part on the end of the faucet (the part with the screen) and screw the adapter in. The python connects right to it. Keep us updated with the progress of this tank!

[eyebeatbadgers]

Originally Posted by pet-teez

I've been curious about using a Python for about ten years now but none of the faucets in this house have the right kind of thing to put a Python on to, they need a threaded part right?

Look up DIY Python. Your kitchen faucet will likely have some kind of threads on it. You may have to remove the aerator to find them. A DIY setup uses a waterbed refill venturi to start the suction. That kit will come with several adapters to work with your faucet.

With that setup you will be able to do waterchanges in about 10 minutes per tank.

[Haeun]

Looking goooood. Heh, gotta wait 'til that manzanita sinks though.

[pet-teez]

I got the twiggies kinda how I had planned to have them in there, the water is looking funky now and I really need to decide what kind of plants I want to add in here.

Here is a close up of my moss:


Close up of my A. petite:


And an update of the tank, you can see "funky water" and how the wood has changed:

[over_stocked]

Your faucets have the threaded adapters to use a python with them! The chrome part that sticks under the "arm" of the faucet--the airator--it screws off. You can usually grip it and it will turn. If not, a pair of rubber coated pliers or a silicone pot holder usually get the grip you need....

Get that python! That's not how I'd be doing water changes!!!

[lauraleellbp]

Your moss is looking pretty bad- should be a very bright green, unless it's just the pic?

[pet-teez]

It isn't just the picture. When I first got this moss it wasn't fluffy like this, I wedged it in a piece of malaysian driftwood and it all "died" until about a month ago when the bit closest to a light turned green and started growing.
I'm not sure what kind it is or why it hates me but I'm hoping it comes back at some point.

Originally Posted by lauraleellbp

Your moss is looking pretty bad- should be a very bright green, unless it's just the pic?

[pet-teez]

Our kitchen faucet is actually a sprayer thing, it doesn't have a screw off airator on it and I'll try to fiddle with the faucet in the bathroom tomorrow without breaking something... I think it needs to be replaced anyway. heh

Originally Posted by over_stocked

Your faucets have the threaded adapters to use a python with them! The chrome part that sticks under the "arm" of the faucet--the airator--it screws off. You can usually grip it and it will turn. If not, a pair of rubber coated pliers or a silicone pot holder usually get the grip you need....

Get that python! That's not how I'd be doing water changes!!!

[IonRacing]

i like everything about the tank but your water quality is terrible. it looks like it is still cloudy. Is that a mag 350 canister hang on ......that is not enough filtration for a 55. I work at that fish place and we always sell a filter for double the size of the tank. so if you have a 55 i would sell you a filter rated for a 110

[lauraleellbp]

Originally Posted by pet-teez

It isn't just the picture. When I first got this moss it wasn't fluffy like this, I wedged it in a piece of malaysian driftwood and it all "died" until about a month ago when the bit closest to a light turned green and started growing.
I'm not sure what kind it is or why it hates me but I'm hoping it comes back at some point.

Cassie- I think that moss is too far gone, and at this point is probably contributing to your cloudy water... If you really want to try and revive it, I'd try a separate container so that if it doesn't work, the moss isn't rotting in place in your current tank?

[pet-teez]

I think between not having rinsed the SMS, using Aquasoil and having a couple of those Jobe's sticks the water does look pretty funky but it looks better today than it did yesterday. I didn't have any charcoal in the filter originally but put some in a thingy last night and set it in front of the outflow which is helping make the flow not too strong.

The rated for 55g and right now I have to cover the outflow a bit so that it doesn't beat the hell out of all the plants with the flow. I grabbed that to use until I can get an eheim or something better. It's a H.O.T. which is 250, I have the 350 canister too but I really dislike it so it's resting in a number of parts in a rubbermade tub...
I wouldn't want anything stronger for now.

Originally Posted by IonRacing

i like everything about the tank but your water quality is terrible. it looks like it is still cloudy. Is that a mag 350 canister hang on ......that is not enough filtration for a 55. I work at that fish place and we always sell a filter for double the size of the tank. so if you have a 55 i would sell you a filter rated for a 110

[pet-teez]

Really? It looked so much worse when I had it in the driftwood crevices it mostly turned to sludge within a couple days if I remember right.
It wasn't doing well in my office tank and I moved the wood to my "snail tank" where all the moss dyed fully except some came back on the top of the wood (near the light) and made a tuft big enough for me to tear into three and leave some on the original wood. It took about 5 months to get that moss back to life and the person I got it from said hers all died, I was starting to wonder if maybe it's not an aquatic moss.

Originally Posted by lauraleellbp

Cassie- I think that moss is too far gone, and at this point is probably contributing to your cloudy water... If you really want to try and revive it, I'd try a separate container so that if it doesn't work, the moss isn't rotting in place in your current tank?