Guess What I Got Today

[soybean]

Oh, balls to buying individual plants! Ive bought one of these (but larger bundles) a few times and always had really healthy good quality plants sent, a good variety, and a lot of them are still going strong. If what you're after is just easy to care for plants, can't go wrong.

http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25-Live-Aquatic-Aquarium-Plants-Easy-Grow-Best-Ebay-/220806434262?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item336916cdd6#ht_4890wt_689

 

[Akasha72]

ooh interesting... added it to my wish list so once I'm ready I can order then. Had no luck with a stand on ebay though

 

[soybean]

Don't forget the classifieds on here, or http/www.aquarist-classifieds.co.uk/

 

[Akasha72]

okay, got the classifieds saved and the plants added to the wish list. I'm just having a look for some bog wood or something. There's a piece on ebay I might watch - it's got 3 days to run. I'll also check out all my lfs' when they open next week. I need a tank background too ... think I might go for plain black

 

[Ace Of Spades]

I like how it isn't ordinary shaped

 

[Akasha72]

wha?

 

[Akasha72]

somebody can't sleep for thinking ... I wonder who that may be then


I'm trying to work out the logistics of setting up this tank!! At turned midnight

The main thing regards the filter. From my sig list the fish that are going into the Juwel are my platy fry, mummy platy, my 2 tuxedo platies, my 3 cory's and my 3 oto's. Everyone else (guppies, one platy for the time being as she's a bully and my neons) will stay on in the 2ft until my Dad takes it and them to his house.

At present my filter contains 1 full sponge and 1 3/4 sponge as I took a quarter for the fry tank. I have 2 new sponges for the PF2. The plan would be to remove the carbon from the Juwel filter and put one full sponge from the PF2 into that to seed the new filter. This would leave just the 3/4 sponge to support the guppies and neons.

So, the question that's bugging me when I should be sleeping is - is that enough? Is it worth me taking out the 3/4 sponge tomorrow and putting it inside the fry tank filter and replacing that with a new full sponge. Then when I move everyone I can leave one full sponge in the PF2 and move all the media from the fry tank + one full sponge to seed the juwel ... ?

I also need the gravel from the 2ft but I still have the old stuff (it's in the fry tank) so the plan would be to get some kind of large container this week, fill it with tank water, put the heater out of the 2ft in it with the PF2 filter and get all the fish into there. I'm presuming they'd be fine like that for a few hours?

Then I can steal the gravel (is it best to wash it or just put it straight in - bacteria?) replace it with the old rough stuff and get the guppies and neons back to the 2ft ... argh this is going to be a nightmare isn't it, No wonder I can't sleep

 

[soybean]

Blimey. Go to sleep!

Gravel - give it a quick rinse in tank water if it is mucky, and re use it as you like. There are very few bacteria on surfaces like this, but you should try to avoid tap water anyway.

Yes, fish will be fine in the container, I've kept mine in one for a few days before.

The plan would be to remove the carbon from the Juwel filter and put one full sponge from the PF2 into that to seed the new filter. This would leave just the 3/4 sponge to support the guppies and neons.

That would be fine. Half the fish in each tank, so half the amount of sponge from the filter for each.

Try not to over complicate! As long as you have some cycled media in the filters in the tanks with fish in, you are pretty much there. The fish ammonia will feed the bacteria and seed the new sponges in time, but in the mean time keep testing the water and be prepared to do the Big Water Changes if you get any ammonia readings - sometimes you get a mini-cycle when setting new tanks up in this way, while it takes a while for the new sponges to catch up.

 

[Akasha72]

I think I may have had a little too much caffeine today!

I'm worrying I'm going to end up with new tank syndrome again. The thought of going through that again horrifies me!

I want to be sure I know what I'm doing and don't make some silly mistake because I've not thought it through. Sorry if I'm being annoying thinking by type lol

 

[soybean]

Better to ask than to wonder.

Like I say, be prepared for mini cycles by testing amm and nitrite daily. It might not happen, and if it does it won't be like starting again, but at least you know what to do if it does.

 

[Akasha72]

thanks Soybean .. you are my saviour ... I can go to sleep now lol

 

[soybean]

Lol, good idea, I probably should too!

 

[Akasha72]

I can't get over how quickly these lil guys have grown - almost big enough for their new adventure in the big new tank

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Looking good

 

[Akasha72]

thank you! There's still 14 aswell so all but one baby survived. I'm watching the female again cos I think there may be more to come