First time 10 gallon planted tank: Adventures and misadventures.

[thechibi]

It's been kind of tough to get things cycled. And I won't lie, my heart sank when I saw a couple of snails today. I suspect they rode in with the filter media and gravel from the established tank. I really got upset for a bit. I squished the ones I saw and am debating a couple of assassin snails and the lettuce leaf strategy. It may be something I just have to live with. But my plants seem to be doing pretty well. I may stop excel, since the Crypts seem to have a couple of holes in them now. I wonder if that's normal? I'd like to DIY. Must get friend to chug 2 liter faster. Must bring more 2 liters to work to build supply. Fortunately, I love to bake so I have lots of yeast around. Mwahaahah! I hope to get some yellow, pumpkin or blue neocaridinas! I'm waiting on a response from someone. It's very exciting. My first shreemps! I hope I don't annoy people here. I always worry about that. In the mail, I have 3 cories and 3 CPDs on the way. I'll let them get settled and order them some friends I think. People've been pretty awesome. Pictures soon once I get my camera charged. I have the sense of design of a dead badger though. Also my moss looks so doofy tied to the log.

[kcartwright856]

The DIY CO2 is fun! I'm on my first adventure as well, so I can't give too much advice. I would try out the assassin snails, though! What's the worst that could happen?

That moss should attach pretty darn fast and you can take the ties off. Or... you can use the trick that someone on here told me about. Gel super glue! I think I'm addicted to gluing moss everywhere now.

[fozwald]

Yay I'm new too. I started my first tank a couple of days ago. I used diy co2 for the few days but my father got me a co2 tank as a random gift ( he always gets into any hobby I do) but any who. i couldnt get the diy co2 to work.

[lurrch]

Cycling a 10g can be a real pain. It took almost 2 months for my first tank to cycle (partially due to several bacteria blooms), but I didn't have any used filter materials.

An assassin snail is a neat addition and would probably help. Ultimately, snails only proliferate when there's lots of uneaten food. Make sure you aren't overfeeding and there won't be many snails.

[thechibi]

Awesome, thank you! And yeah, the cycling has been hard. I haven't had *any* luck finding pure ammonia. :/

I'll keep an eye on the moss. It was in really bad shape... so if it doesn't work, I may look at some willow or Christmas moss to replace it.

And awesome. CO2 is a handy gift. I'll definitely be ordering my assassin snail or two. I was just horrified because I hadn't put any fish in yet (Mail tracking says they arrive today! I'm gonna HUSTLE home from work like mad!).

I ordered my shreemp today. It's quite exciting.

[thechibi]

Ordered a couple of assassin snails. So far I only rarely see snails. When I do, it's only 1 or 2. I squish them on sight! No freeloaders eating my plants! I am a bit worried about the assassins hurting my shrimp so I think maybe once I get these snails wiped out, I will ROAK the ninja duo to someone with a shrimp problem.

The 3 CPDs and Cories are *adorable*. I love their little faces and they're so playful. I hope my shrimp will do well too. I'm worried about our hard water.
Oh! And I'm learning to use this Sony digital camera. It's a bit fiddly. x_x I don't think it cost very much, but it's a good start.

[Psionic]

I kept my retired assassins in a tank with CRS for over a month and everything was peaceful. Now they feast on blood worms.


-Val

[thechibi]

Oh! Awesome. They won't hurt shrimps? That's definitely a plus. I may keep them then, since they do look pretty cool.

Thank you. I was worried about them nomming on shrimps once the snails were gone. But I found a full grown MTS (or what looks like something really, really similar) in the substrate. I pulled him out but yikes.

I'm discovering that learning to use a digital camera is kind of tough, especially when my subjects won't sit still. The Cory habrosus and CPDs are cute though. I've named the CPDs: French, Fry and Tater. I'll need Tot and two more names.

There's holes in some of the leaves and I think I'll grab some potassium for my plants...

Otherwise, things seem to be humming along. Aside from the fact the CPDs haven't grasped that yes, the floating food is meant to be eaten and not headbutted.

[Psionic]

I had asked on the forums about assassins and shrimp. My assassins also never liked to go beyond the substrate or glass. My shrimp were always walking around plants. Assassins don't eat up flakes as far as I know. That's why I feed them frozen blood worms.


-Val

[thechibi]

I have a bottle of dried gutloaded bloodworms and some frozens. It's good to know they won't hurt the shrimps then. I really like shrimp. I've seen one full grown MTS looking fellow and a few small ones with white bodies that I smush ASAP so I don't know how big they get. It's kind of upsetting to see them since I worked so hard to keep them out. >< Oh well. I actually don't see that many... I saw none yesterday and one teeny fellow today that I squished and let the cories gobble.

Corydoras habrosus is the cutest little corydoras I've ever met. I love their faces and they come up to me. They're so silly.

I wish my CPDs would come out and eat but they hide behind the log and stem plants. I'm worried about them. I think it's because I only have 3. Maybe it'll get better once their pals arrive in the mail. They aren't pale though, so that's definitely a plus.

Also seeing ... one of my plants has curling leaves and brown holes! So I'm fretting that my Potassium won't get here on time. I feel a bit bad about it. Since I have at least two crypts in my planted tank, I may stop the excel and try a DIY (If I could get my friend to finish that 2L of soda!) or one of those fluval mini co2 setups just to give it a shot.

Slowly learning to take pictures of the tank. Finding that zoom is my friend here.

... and there's a weird film on top of the tank. I guess I'll need to hunt down an air pump or something. Blech.

[thechibi]

Haven't seen any snails today. Am certain they are hunkering down. For today, today arrived my ASSASSIN SNAILS. Let the reckoning begin!

The rest of my CPDs and Corydoras habrosus arrived today. They're all very cute and personable and I loves them. :3 Now, to await my shreemps.

Seems to be some hair algae and one of my plants is curling. Hopefully that Potassium will get here ASAP.

[thechibi]

I am worried the post office has lost my poor shrimp. I feel bad for the shipper and the shrimps. I may call them and see if they have anything for me.

Aside from a scare with the smallest CPD and an assassin snail, things seem to go well. Annoyed my stem plants like to come uprooted... hoping the potassium will help things.

I got that icky protein film at the top of the tank and am just waiting for the tubing to arrive in the mail. Will I have to aerate forever or just until it goes away?

[thechibi]

I feel horrible. One of the c. habrosus had cloudy eyes. Given he had no fin clamping, fast gill movement or sunken bellies, I assumed since I had been underfeeding a bit I could add some more chow. He seemed happy to nom up the blood worms and algae tablet (My feeding regimen is 1 sinking item+1 floating/midwater item so everyone gets some now) and came up to me.

This morning, he was upside down on the substrate dead. I feel absolutely horrible, since if his eyes hadn't cleared up in a day or two I was going to yank him to the QT tank. He honestly didn't seem sick... And my simple guide to fish diseases had poor nutrition or injury as #1 for clouded eyes.

Now I only have 5 Cory habrosus. I guess I will get another one, but it feels sad since I was so happy no one had died. Now I am really worried about that tiny CPD.

Stem plants still love coming uprooted. >_< Drivin' me nuts.

[thechibi]

Now I am worried I can't find my two tiniest CPDs. I hope they didn't get sucked into the filter... I like how they look very much, but I may try something less shy next time. Although, they are warming up to me and <3 their bloodworms they do!

[Regenesis]

DIY C02 is awesome. I use it. I can't wait til this gets along.