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tank shot from 07/23/18
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the beginning 6/5/15
I just got this tank used (great price) a 40 gallon tall and stand.
[edit 7/24- I just learned that my tank is not a 40, it's a standard 38.]
I'm so stoked to prepare this one for my end goal: angelfish. But for the time being it's going to house my cherry barbs while I wait for the plants to grow (they're probably going to need some recovery time). So far all I've done is scrub things (vinegar and hot water mostly) and filled it up to check the filter ran ok, leveled the stand w/cedar shims, made sure it doesn't leak. I'm soaking a bucket of safe-t-sorb with ferts and baking soda to buffer against pH swings, it's really been stripping the water in the bucket severely- it was below 6 when I first tested, now it's around 7.2. When I've got it to 7.4 or 7.6 and it doesn't drop upon adding new water as I rinse the substrate I'll feel safe to put it in the tank with the fish (if I err in any of this, please let me know! I've never done substrate beyond gravel before)
I don't usually like fake decorations in my tanks anymore, but someone suggested if I move the java ferns under the water flow, they might do better for me, so I think I will tie some of my javas onto the fake root piece this came with and see how they do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
the beginning 6/5/15
I just got this tank used (great price) a 40 gallon tall and stand.
[edit 7/24- I just learned that my tank is not a 40, it's a standard 38.]
I'm so stoked to prepare this one for my end goal: angelfish. But for the time being it's going to house my cherry barbs while I wait for the plants to grow (they're probably going to need some recovery time). So far all I've done is scrub things (vinegar and hot water mostly) and filled it up to check the filter ran ok, leveled the stand w/cedar shims, made sure it doesn't leak. I'm soaking a bucket of safe-t-sorb with ferts and baking soda to buffer against pH swings, it's really been stripping the water in the bucket severely- it was below 6 when I first tested, now it's around 7.2. When I've got it to 7.4 or 7.6 and it doesn't drop upon adding new water as I rinse the substrate I'll feel safe to put it in the tank with the fish (if I err in any of this, please let me know! I've never done substrate beyond gravel before)
I don't usually like fake decorations in my tanks anymore, but someone suggested if I move the java ferns under the water flow, they might do better for me, so I think I will tie some of my javas onto the fake root piece this came with and see how they do.