The New 125 Is Finally Set Up!

[toothless 4]

I remember having hoses and cords running everywhere at one point. And I was also about to make a plantfilter too. I decided I had too much stuff rigged up and simplified it all down to the UV running off of a powerhead, two penguin 330's and a bubble wall. I am saving my plantfilter energies for a little porch pond. I really want to make one like the one I was helping with in the DIY forum. I think the windowplanter will make an excellent plantfilter!

[DataGuru 0]

I'd forgotten about that thread. That is a nice design.

I think it gets too hot to do a small pond here. The daughter bought a kiddie pool, filled it up and just left it sitting, so I put some plants in it. It was getting full sun from morning to mid-afternoon and was getting pretty hot. I just moved it closer to the house so that it'll only get sun till noon or so. I can't believe how many beasties are in it already. Snails of course but a bunch o different swimming bugs too. I may fish some of the bugs out to feed to the goldies and/or put some endlers in it. dunno. Probably will need to have something in it that eats bugs, or it'll be mosquito city.

I managed to get the top on the tank by sticking a big bucket on the shelf to raise the UV unit up so I could move the tubes around. It's still not a great solution.

I should have looked on aquabid. there's a 25 watt UV unit there for less than $100. I'd feel better with a higher wattage unit. 16 watts should be fine, but I'm probably only moving the volume of the tank the the UV once per hour.

[DataGuru 0]

Thought I'd update you guys on the progress so far.

It's been around 5 months since the tank was set up. The Endlers have been doing fine in it and breeding like there's no tomorrow. The plants are doing great. NitrAtes are only 20ppm, pH is 7.6 and ammonia was 0ppm (with NO water changes in 5 months!)... Still bubbling a little from the substrate and the bubbles still smell like H2S. I fished out like three quarters of the Endlers and moved the goldies in to see how they'd do. Here are some pics. excuse the breeder net.

The full tank

Left side

Middle

Right side

The first day, they're having a ball... scrounging everywhere for food. Feasting on snails, etc. But... in the process they do piledrivers with their faces into the substrate. No problems at all with then getting to the soil, but the pressure on the substrate releases gas bubbles which go into their mouths. They appear to be spitting the bubbles out and don't show any signs of stress. I test ammonia before I go to bed and it's up to .5ppm. ok that's not too bad given the pH. The next morning I get up and ammonia is still at .5ppm. I leave them there for several more hours till I see that everyone is breathing more rapidly than normal and seem lethargic... The big chocolate oranda (Coco) is just hovering a couple of inches below the surface breathing rapidly, so I put them back in their original tank. They acted a bit lethargic, (especially Coco) for a couple of days after going back into their usual tank. I'm just not sure the natural planted tank thing is going to work for goldies.

[Gold Ryu 0]

They're beautiful i love your fish and the tank.

[Kissy 1]

aww its so pretty tho! I hope it works out. Did you find out what's wrong? I have a question..how do you syphon the gravel in a tank that is so heavily planted like that?

[Guest Phreno]

I love your fish, they're all so huge!

[awrieger 0]

Hi Betty, what about just moving them over one at a time? Or maybe a couple of the smaller ones at first. Otherwise that's quite a hefty bio-load to introduce all at once!

[Guest Mfish]

Wonderful tank!

Good advice awrieger

[Kissy 1]

Your black moor is absolutely stunning!

Edited July 8, 2005 by Kissy

[Marco 0]

wow your tank is a biggy one it is....i like your set up kissy

your fish are awesome too

congrats Kissy

[Kissy 1]

Er..not my tank?

[DataGuru 0]

I think it's the hydrogen sulfide (and other gasses) that are bubbling up from the substrate that is the problem. It's not that soluable in water and just floats up by the tropical fish I have in there now, but the goldies press on the substrate when they forage and it bubbles up right in their faces.

I don't vacuum that tank. It's had one partial water change in 5 months. It's set up with a soil substrate aka Walstad natural planted tank.

Yes, I could move them over a few at a time, but that's not going to solve the H2S issue. I may give it a few months for the substrate to settle down more and try it again.

[Kissy 1]

Wow..I read the link you gave me and I am greatly intrigued! This something I want to do later in my life, when I have lots of room and money and my own house

[Guest labrat99]

That's a very nice looking tank. I hope your fish leave the plants alone. Mine eat everything except Amazon Swords and Java Fern. Good luck with it.

Take care.

Labrat

[Marco 0]

That's a very nice looking tank. I hope your fish leave the plants alone. Mine eat everything except Amazon Swords and Java Fern.    Good luck with it.

Take care.

Labrat

359207[/snapback]

hehe same here...my goldies nibble on my plants...which had just sprouted some leaves or some type of leaf and they just start eating it but then after its in their mouths they spit it out and just swim around...poor plant and it was loooking good too.

[lillypetal 18]

goodluck with the tank and introducing your goldies back in..what a mighty big tank, if you dont mind me asking how much did you pay for that goldy heaven?

[DataGuru 0]

So do you guys feed your goldies fresh veggies daily?

Mine get gel food and veggies daily and don't eat many plants. just the floaters (duckweed, and salvenia) that I put in for them to eat every day. I'd seen them grab a piece of hygro that's floating around the tank, give it a taste, and spit it right out. I'm growing more and more convinced the veggies have something to do with that.

Got the tank used for $200 from a local aquarium club member. the stand for $50 from another club member. Not bad.

[Guest Chishower]

I took a few minutes to catch up on this thread and may I say WOW. That is a beautiful tank , with some amazing fish! I don't know if its veggies, but you have to be doing SOMETHING right.

Keep this up and they will outgrow that tank too. I like this setup even more because it really drives home the basic principles that are so hard to see when your fishy is an inch long.

Congratulations on that tankful of beauties!

[DataGuru 0]

The new babies were feeling amorous! LOL and Coco caught the brunt of it.

Isn't Scooter something!

the newbies and Stripe. Scooter's body is as long as Stripe's now. and Fancy is fast catching up.

[Gold Ryu 0]

Your goldies are really something. I love your oranda.

[touchofsky 0]

Great pictures!

[Maceo 13]

oooooo sooooo jealous! I thought my 55 gallon was a beast!!

[fisharenewtome 0]

Ooooh - I love your fish!

[Graham 0]

(reviving) HOLY MACKERAL!!! WoW! Gorgeous! You ARE a guru!

That tank is SUPERB! (How did I miss this! I hate it when GN gets sick b/c I get behind on posts. He'll just have to stay healthy)! Your plants are amazing!!!

I would love to have a tank so big that I could floaty pond plants in it...

I have to read page 5 so if I ask something that's already there - please forgive.

About the gas, would Wlastad method prevent you from using something like Eco-Complete as "topsoil" - I really liek it (But I am a newbie, what do I know) and it is meant to be submerged. Just a thought - I got extra!

About your bird dog - b/c it is your dog! She needs a name!!! YEAH!!! You got a beatuiful dog and when you are done fattening her up and brushing her coat, she will be the Princess (or Prince) she was meant to be! My cat is a resuce, the first rescue I have had, and he is so grateful everyday! He is just beautiful! (and spoiled beyond belief - but he actually appreciates it)! It took weeks to get him less scared - but Oh, what Joy when decided that it is YOU they trust of all people!

Good luck with the tank - I love the new fish-(gotta get my hands on a calico like that) and the Oranda looks like a ham! The lights look great - what a lot of work it must have been but it is paying off already with plant growth like that!

Can't wait to hear more! (To think I was geting tired from setting up a couple of dinky tanks - )! But, when yo have to wait, return stuff, etc. it takes so long... Patience is that virtue I don't have! You must have an infinite amount!

[toothless 4]

The tank looks stunning, Betty! Really nice!

Could you still classify the tank as a walstad tank if you were to place an undergravel filter in there? And would the undergravel keep anaerobic bacters from forming pockets of sulfur?

Just a thought.

Looking forward to more updates!