[Grobbins48]

Just a few from today. Enjoy!

 

[Grobbins48]

Was unable to take a pictureof this, but pretty sure I saw some pencil fish fry in the floating plants! Pretty cool if they are able make it.

Wonder how many have been caught in roots of plants I toss... I better be more careful in the future!

 

[Grobbins48]

Here we go again! Fry from last batch are hanging around the whole tank now. Just found these today, my guess by her behaviour is they are about a day old.

 

[Grobbins48]

Maybe someone can help me understand this one:

Tap GH: 8
Blackwater Tank GH:12 (tested twice)

There is BDBS mixed with I believe black moon sand (from when I initially started the tank), mopani, oak, Japanese maple, and mini catapa leaves, and a single small apisto hut. Where does this massive GH swing come from?

Water chances are ~20% every 2-3 weeks (things are going quite well in this tank so I have been taking the approach of minimal disruption, which seems to be yielding results...)

Other parameters:

KH- 8 (tap is 6)
TDS- 290ppm
NO3- 0
PO4- 0
pH- 7.3
Temp 26C (~79F)

 

[vvDO]

Maybe someone can help me understand this one:



Tap GH: 8

Blackwater Tank GH:12 (tested twice)



There is BDBS mixed with I believe black moon sand (from when I initially started the tank), mopani, oak, Japanese maple, and mini catapa leaves, and a single small apisto hut. Where does this massive GH swing come from?



Water chances are ~20% every 2-3 weeks (things are going quite well in this tank so I have been taking the approach of minimal disruption, which seems to be yielding results...)



Other parameters:



KH- 8 (tap is 6)

TDS- 290ppm

NO3- 0

PO4- 0

pH- 7.3

Temp 26C (~79F)

If it’s been a rapid change I can’t explain it. If it’s been steadily rising then it could be due to evaporation.


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[Grobbins48]

If it’s been a rapid change I can’t explain it. If it’s been steadily rising then it could be due to evaporation.


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Wow, blinding flash of the obvious... yes that is exactly what it is. Evaporation with top offs. Thanks you!

Guess I better think about my water changes and how I can balance them with keeping the water stained a bit.

 

[vvDO]

29 Gallon Blackwater Journey

Wow, blinding flash of the obvious... yes that is exactly what it is. Evaporation with top offs. Thanks you!

Guess I better think about my water changes and how I can balance them with keeping the water stained a bit.

You can always make sure you top off with R/O, a lid definitely helps reduce evaporation. A larger water change can also help then of course you’ll have a harder time keeping your water “stained.” Next waterchange instead of full tap you can add some RO or distilled water in with the new water.


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[Grobbins48]

You can always make sure you top off with R/O, a lid definitely helps reduce evaporation. A larger water change can also help then of course you’ll have a harder time keeping your water “stained.” Next waterchange instead of full tap you can add some RO or distilled water in with the new water.


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I have seen some of the RO setups on this forum.... and if I know myself well enough I'll goo all out and swap to RO for my high tech tank too! Haha. Na, I won't do that now.

Thought about distilled water. Could be a buck or two a week to top off with it- ot horrible, but not ideal.

But I was thinking I could just be better with my weekly water changes and use some Rooibos tea at every change to stain the water back. See how that works out for a few weeks (or until I give up on the water being stained...).

 

[Grobbins48]

Testing some photo transfer from my phone to Imgur to see if there is better quality. Stuff in the water is frozen BBS feeding.

 

[Discusluv]

Testing some photo transfer from my phone to Imgur to see if there is better quality. Stuff in the water is frozen BBS feeding.

magnificent color on that little beauty :wink2:

 

[Greggz]

magnificent color on that little beauty :wink2:

+1.

Nice fish and nice pic!

 

[Grobbins48]

Thank you both! This tank has been so much more enjoyable than I initially thought!

Now it makes me want to try a different apisto species one day- not yet though, still have a lot of time with these guys!

 

[Nlewis]

Thank you both! This tank has been so much more enjoyable than I initially thought!

Now it makes me want to try a different apisto species one day- not yet though, still have a lot of time with these guys!

Just means you need biotope another tank.


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[Grobbins48]

Just means you need biotope another tank.


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Yikes... I think two tanks is plenty for me at this time.... though it would be fun!

 

[chayos00]

Don't go down the rabbit hole with RO like I did! LOL I started getting 5g at a time from the grocery store and it was like $1 or $1.25 for that. I tested their RO water and it was a nice 0-2TDS. However wouldn't be too bad as a possibility for top offs and to drop your GH a bit.

 

[Grobbins48]

Don't go down the rabbit hole with RO like I did! LOL I started getting 5g at a time from the grocery store and it was like $1 or $1.25 for that. I tested their RO water and it was a nice 0-2TDS. However wouldn't be too bad as a possibility for top offs and to drop your GH a bit.

Oh yeah... There is no way I can go full on RO, just not possible right now. I prefer the decent tap water we have here because it is quite easy to do water changes. Hook to hose up to the downstairs bathroom faucet and drain the old water out the window into the garden.

My philosophy has been work with the water I have (like I said, its pretty good water too) vs. trying to chase anything.

I MAY grab some larger RO water if I can find multiple gallons for a buck or two for top-offs... We will see. I can always just stick with weekly water changes and add some Rooibos tea (just bought some, but have yet to try it) to keep chasing the blackwater look.

On the bright side, the fry are doing well. The other batch of eggs didn't make it, but I am not surprised or overly upset about it. Really want to see these 10 or so fry grow out and go from there.

Pencil fish fry (found one) is really growing too!

 

[Grobbins48]

A short video of the tank I put together. Enjoy!

 

[TheUnseenHand]

The water in this part of the country is immaculate. It's probably as close as you are going to get to RO water out of a tap.

 

[Grobbins48]

Just sharing some love for the blackwater today. Added some Rooibos tea this water change, like the look!

 

[Nlewis]

Just sharing some love for the blackwater today. Added some Rooibos tea this water change, like the look!

How’s this tank and the fry doing?


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