Under Members Tank Photos, I had posted a thread showing some fish photos.However, I thought a separate summary might be helpful to other new members. I have tried to be honest about all my mistakes, most of which occurred early on. Thanks again for support from the mods and members here who got me out of the newbie stage, but, heck, I'm STILL learning. SH
Tank Summary
Setup Date: November 2004
Tank: 46 gallon AGA, bowfront with AGA black wood stand
Theme: Family tank
Temperament: Community
Cycling Method: fish, 6 weeks to complete cycling
Filtration: AquaClear 70, single sponge, Biomax, filter fiber
Substrate: 1/8" natural brown gravel
Heater: 200 watt Ebo Jager
Lighting: Single strip light, 30 watt AquaGlo with DIY 8 Blue LED 4000 MCD moonlights on timers
Temperature: 75 degrees
Plants: hornwort, cryptocoryne lucen
Inhabitants:
2 boesemani rainbowfish, Melanotaenia boesemani
2 congo tetras, Phenacogrammus interruptus
3 white skirt tetras, Gymnocorymbus ternetzi
6 turquoise danios, brachydanio kerri
2 clown loaches, Botia macracantha
2 albino aeneus cory cats, Corydoras aeneus
3 glass cats, Kryptopterus bicirrhis
2 irridescent sharks, pangasius
2 Singapore flower shrimp, Atyopsis moluccensis
1 blue lobster, quarantined to species tank after attacks
Feeding Schedule
-daily morning feeding of alternating Tetra flake, dried bloodworms; 1-2 times per week enriched frozen brine shrimp or mysis shrimp
-alternating daily pellets for bottom feeders, Wardley shrimp pellets, Tetra sinking pellet, spirulina algae
-nightly pellets for nocturnals
-occasional shelled frozen peas
-rare squid
Average Parameters
pH 7.0
Nitrite and ammonia 0
nitrates 40-80
gH 1
dKh 1-2
Maintenance
-weekly 30% water changes, Python hose and dechlorinator
-gravel vac 1-2X per month
-weekly filter fiber change
-other routine filter maintenance,etc.
Tank Afflictions
-ich during cycling
-cloudy tank syndrome; took 2 months to clear
-irridescent shark suffered a small laceration to its body, unclear if lobster related or self-injured; healed on it's own
Losses
2 German rams, lobster attack
1 male swordtail, ? lobster attack
1 clownfish to wasting disease
1 white skirt to ich during cycling
6 cardinal tetras during early tank setup
2 dward red gouramis during early tank setup
Several plants, eaten and insufficient lighting
Successes:
-successful treatment of ich during cycling
-overall good health of the tank despite heavy stocking; no losses to illness or aggression since completion of cycling and maturation
-DIY moonlight adds beauty to the tank at night
-maintaining several plants under very low lighting conditions
-saved 1 out of 2 gouramis to fungal disease during early cycling with Melafix
-good community balance; have seen no aggression, tail nipping, etc (except for the lobster)
Errors and Failures
-buying irridescent sharks as a 'newbie' with lack of fund of knowledge; both are original tank inhabitants and are now 5-6 inches in length and nocturnal. I take good care of them but they will eventually have to leave the tank
-trusting a blue lobster to be a community denizen (see above)
-the newbie urge to get evey fish under the sun during early tank setup and tank is heavily stocked, but, all are doing well with consistent water changes; present fish embargo until population naturally diminishes
What Would I Have Done Differently?
-purchased a larger tank; 46 gallons seemed huge initially; 72 gallon would be better
-probably have done a fishless cycle
-having a marine tank now, I would have considered doing a cichlid tank
-stocked lighter; not purchased irridescent sharks
-would have added driftwood, increased lighting , added more plants, but did up the ornament thing for the kids; that all might be later on
-tried to have lost less inhabitants
Hope this helps someone out there. SH
Tank Summary
Setup Date: November 2004
Tank: 46 gallon AGA, bowfront with AGA black wood stand
Theme: Family tank
Temperament: Community
Cycling Method: fish, 6 weeks to complete cycling
Filtration: AquaClear 70, single sponge, Biomax, filter fiber
Substrate: 1/8" natural brown gravel
Heater: 200 watt Ebo Jager
Lighting: Single strip light, 30 watt AquaGlo with DIY 8 Blue LED 4000 MCD moonlights on timers
Temperature: 75 degrees
Plants: hornwort, cryptocoryne lucen
Inhabitants:
2 boesemani rainbowfish, Melanotaenia boesemani
2 congo tetras, Phenacogrammus interruptus
3 white skirt tetras, Gymnocorymbus ternetzi
6 turquoise danios, brachydanio kerri
2 clown loaches, Botia macracantha
2 albino aeneus cory cats, Corydoras aeneus
3 glass cats, Kryptopterus bicirrhis
2 irridescent sharks, pangasius
2 Singapore flower shrimp, Atyopsis moluccensis
1 blue lobster, quarantined to species tank after attacks
Feeding Schedule
-daily morning feeding of alternating Tetra flake, dried bloodworms; 1-2 times per week enriched frozen brine shrimp or mysis shrimp
-alternating daily pellets for bottom feeders, Wardley shrimp pellets, Tetra sinking pellet, spirulina algae
-nightly pellets for nocturnals
-occasional shelled frozen peas
-rare squid
Average Parameters
pH 7.0
Nitrite and ammonia 0
nitrates 40-80
gH 1
dKh 1-2
Maintenance
-weekly 30% water changes, Python hose and dechlorinator
-gravel vac 1-2X per month
-weekly filter fiber change
-other routine filter maintenance,etc.
Tank Afflictions
-ich during cycling
-cloudy tank syndrome; took 2 months to clear
-irridescent shark suffered a small laceration to its body, unclear if lobster related or self-injured; healed on it's own
Losses
2 German rams, lobster attack
1 male swordtail, ? lobster attack
1 clownfish to wasting disease
1 white skirt to ich during cycling
6 cardinal tetras during early tank setup
2 dward red gouramis during early tank setup
Several plants, eaten and insufficient lighting
Successes:
-successful treatment of ich during cycling
-overall good health of the tank despite heavy stocking; no losses to illness or aggression since completion of cycling and maturation
-DIY moonlight adds beauty to the tank at night
-maintaining several plants under very low lighting conditions
-saved 1 out of 2 gouramis to fungal disease during early cycling with Melafix
-good community balance; have seen no aggression, tail nipping, etc (except for the lobster)
Errors and Failures
-buying irridescent sharks as a 'newbie' with lack of fund of knowledge; both are original tank inhabitants and are now 5-6 inches in length and nocturnal. I take good care of them but they will eventually have to leave the tank
-trusting a blue lobster to be a community denizen (see above)
-the newbie urge to get evey fish under the sun during early tank setup and tank is heavily stocked, but, all are doing well with consistent water changes; present fish embargo until population naturally diminishes
What Would I Have Done Differently?
-purchased a larger tank; 46 gallons seemed huge initially; 72 gallon would be better
-probably have done a fishless cycle
-having a marine tank now, I would have considered doing a cichlid tank
-stocked lighter; not purchased irridescent sharks
-would have added driftwood, increased lighting , added more plants, but did up the ornament thing for the kids; that all might be later on
-tried to have lost less inhabitants
Hope this helps someone out there. SH
I felt worst about the small school of cardinals I got...disappeared one by one and I thought someone was eating them. Found them all in the filter tubing during a filter clean out. That was too bad...but...happened very early on.
