Ok so much has happened since my last entry
1) I have to find a new fish shop. The GA was not in last time but I did get followed around by an old creepy guy who asked me out 3 times in 20 minutes! Since smiling politely while changing the subject, ‘I’m busy’ and ‘No’ didn’t have much effect and I’m too polite to say ‘You’re old enough to be my dad, **** off!’ I fear it’s my only option.
2) My vallis has been replanted from 2 bunched dying clumps to lots of little individual dying plants. Ho hum. Some things are obviously not meant to be.
3) My pH levels sank to between 5 and 5.5. Panic ensued. Advice was given and calm has been restored. I have ordered a water hardness test kit, done a 30% water change and am preparing to deal with the loss of the CO2 diffuser.
4) I attempted my first proper water change. Thank god I do not have any fish in my tank because other than water came out, different water went in, it was disastrous. Given I always read the articles and/or ask advice before I do anything how I managed to miss the ‘A beginner’s guide to the water change’ article is beyond me.
I started by attempting to get the siphon working without removing the hood. I trapped my arm. I removed the hood and put it, upside down, on top of the microwave – doesn’t reach the floor where I won’t stand on it without disconnecting all the cables. I got the siphon going, the hose flipped out of the sink onto the floor. The water was filthy given I have no fish yet. I started hoovering and sucked leaves off one of the little purple plants (I think they must have been poorly from the pH drop) and sucked up the air curtain (didn’t consider this an issue immediately).
Once the dirty water was gone, I opened the filter and cleaned it of big bits (didn’t touch the media, just pulled out bits of leaf and a stuff). The only big container I don’t use for cleaning the house is my old water filter jug (didn’t even cross my mind that I have an old death trap tank to use) so mixed up each jug individually and have probably overdosed on de-chlorinator as didn’t have any way of measuring chemicals in that small a quantity so had to guess-timate. Since my thermometer is stuck into my tank, had to guess that too. Pouring the water back into the tank got water all around every side, over every surface, more over the floor, over me and all over the cat (I’m not popular now). Then the window cleaner turns up. I was using the bogwood instead of a plate as I didn’t want food crockery/utensils around dirty tank water but it didn’t work so the gravel went all over.
Next I attempted tidying up some of the plants, but since I couldn’t tell what I was doing as the water was so cloudy, more water went everywhere and somehow I got more wet. I spent over an hour attempting to re-bury the air-curtain and hose because the weights have decided they would rather sit on top of the gravel! Then I knocked the filter in the process, it moved and made a fountain sending water over the back wall of the tank. Writing this now, it seems really funny but honestly if it was alive I would have killed it at the time.
It took me the best part of 45 minutes and half a roll of paper towel to clear the kitchen up afterwards. Good news – Ammonia 0; NitrIte 1; NitrAte between 50 and 110 (so hard to tell on Nutrafin test is the API one easier?) and pH 7! Woo hoo!
I have constructed a kit/shopping list for my future water changes. I’m not going to be able to spend 3 hours doing this every week.
• 1 laminated copy of ‘A beginner’s guide to the water change.’
• 1 21 litre plastic storage tank
• 3 large old towels
• 2 old tea towels
• 1 nice hand towel
• 1 siphon pump (or something similar)
• 1 digital thermometer
• 1 measuring syringe thing (or similar)
• 1 plastic plate or bowl
• 1 pair of long handled tweezers
• 1 pair of long handled scissors
• 1 sports bra and vest top
• 2 hair bands
• 1 pack of headache pills
• 1 tube of hand cream
I have cleared a large enough space for the box in the cupboard so hopefully most of it will all fit in it so can be kept tidily together. But that’s a job for tomorrow, now I’m having a well earned drink!

hello,

i just wanted to say, my ryukin and my oranda had a brood.

the babies were born on valentine's day 2010. The ryukin also had a brood with my fantail. (they hatched two days earlier) this is the first time i've ever had fish babies so it's all a great new experience.

I watch them close everyday and the oranda / ryukins are now 5 days old. on day 4 i noticed i could see that some were coloured and some wern't. (the mom oranda is matte and the dad ryukin is red)

i also notice i can already see which ones will be ryukin! the little black line in their body is already humped!

I know you all may already know this but i found it cool. i'll add a picture soon. i've got some great video of them that i've added to youtube already lol.

I hope to get a matte ryukin ... i'll keep you posted!

thanks for reading my post.

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 3.3 + (think it might have gone down a bit but might just be wishful thinking)
Nitrate Super high again
pH 7.5

Plants, heater and filter cover all covered in dusty muck again Added another 4 1/2 teaspoons of ammonia and another squirt of nitrate reduction granules. Plants seem to be doing well with the CO2 addition and are only using a tiny squirt now when the light is on.

It's all getting a bit boring now really and needs to hurry up. Apologies to anyone who is reading this but any tips to make this cycle more interesting would be most welcome (preferably tips that don't require expensive trips to LFS - inexpensive trips great as get to talk to GA)

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 3.3 + (highest reading on my test)
Nitrate somewhere between 50 and 110

Nitrate reduction granules must have done something, added some more today. I'm still planning to do a water change once the cycle has finished but want to see the Nitrates rise, and can't do that easily if I'm off the chart.

Four x 1/2 teaspoons of Ammonia added.

Now I'm off to the forums to ask some stupid questions.

The last 2 days have been rather eventful. Since most of Friday night was spent in a strop because I couldn't work out how to fit the light to the hood which arrived on Thursday, I didn't post that my Ammonia had again depleted to 0!! I added 3 x 1/2 teaspoon more, to give those friendly bacteria plenty to chew on while the Nitrite sorts itself out.

The NitrIte was a very nice dark pink and the NitrAte was a very dark purple. Both of them were nearly off the charts.

This morning Fishy-Fishy sorted out my lighting dilemma, so I trotted off to the LFS to see the G/A. He wasn't in but the old guy (manager/owner?) knows my name!?! I bought a little wisteria to replace the spider plant (which has been potted in soil and gardening club are going to do something whizzy with it for the summer fete) some API leaf stuff, some Tetra NitrAte reducing stuff and a cheap/simple (hopefully not useless) CO2 diffuser kit (£9.99)

Lady whispered in my ear that no point buying a reflector as kitchen foil works just as well!

I also grabbed some fishing wire/beading line from Hobbycraft.

When I got home I stuck some music on and went about getting wet. I tied the Anubias to little terracotta weights so they won't rot but look like they're planted. I planted the wisteria in the gap and stuck the little bit the came off in front of the heater. I set up the air curtain around the 'swim space' and in front of the filter. I weighed down the air hose with another terracotta plant weight, washed some more gravel and buried it all! (so far it's staying buried)

I did today's readings

Ammonia 3, NitrIte off the chart, Nitrate off the chart, pH 7.5

I set up the CO2 diffuser, added the leaf stuff and the Nitrate reducer stuff. I moved the thermometer to the other end of the tank, cut off the corners and 2 sides in the condensation tray and cut out a feeding/testing hole. Then went about playing with tin foil. Once the hood was lined, I screwed in the new clips, attached the bulb and put it on.

If I do say so myself, it now looks fantastic.

I've given in and am probably about to be severely told off by the experts but I couldn't stand looking at it any longer.

In the course of unplanting the anubias nana, so the rhizome bit wasn't buried, I wiped down it's leaves. Then I wiped down the leaves of the other plants. Then I pruned off all the manky leaves, fishing the bits out with my net. Then I wiped down the sides of the tank, the heater and the outside of the filter with a tank wipe.

I feel so much better about it now.

The ammonia has taken a nose dive, the nitrites have shot right up and I've added another half teaspoon of ammonia.

In other news, the hood arrived today so had to make a trip to the lfs. Also 'invested in' an air pump, an air curtain hose, a 25W light bulb and a 30W unit. My grand plan of having a double light fixture, with a blue bulb for nighttime has fallen at the first hurdle because you can't turn the bulbs off and on separately. I'm gutted.

On the otherhand, I did get to spend 20 minutes being 'assisted' around the shop by the very gorgeous man who works there. It's a hard life.

The nitrite is on the increase. It's almost at 2 today. And ... the nitrate levels have risen for the first time, not much, and may just be a fluke but it's all go!

Definately better for having the filter on full whack, even if the plants are looking a bit messed up.

I have nitrite! It's so exciting! and thankfully the temperature seems to have stablised again.

Unfortunately the scum turned into a solid layer, refusing to let the surface water move and the vallis, veriagated thing, amazon swords and java fern are all looking a little worse for wear. I took the cap off the filter nozzle in an effort to increase the flow. The water's moving but the plants are getting battered and 2 leaves have been lost already. Where's a frustrated looking smiley when you need it?

I've clearly still got soooooooooooooo much to learn!

Came home early (for me) from work (school) today as didn't want to be stuck in the cold to find it's actually colder at home and the fish tank isn't very happy with me.

The central heating had just come on and although the tank heater had been on all day, the tank was obviously leaking heat to the whole house. The temperature was down to 26.2 but it's meant to be at 28! I'm so relieved there aren't any fish in there as that sort of drop can't be good for them. I don't know if the hood or proper lights will make a difference but might have to play around with my C/H timer. If I set it to come on for 2 or 3 hours in the middle of the day, maybe it will prevent such a drastic drop.

The scummy film is worse, one of the amazon swords has had the leaf directly under the light turn brown on one side (sun tan? ) and the java fern on the bogwood is going all manky at the edges. Trying very hard not to obsess. The veriagated plant seems to be trying to flower though. Surely that's a sign it's settling in well.

Ammonia is still above 4.9 and Nitrite is still 0. Was hoping for some action by now even if it was just a tiny drop/rise. I'm just far too impatient for my own good.

Woo hoo, the horrible blue tinge has mostly gone, the plants seem pleased with their new homes and new mini light and the ammonia level is up to 4.5! The pH has gone up slightly but ammonia is pH 14 or something crazy so I think that's probably normal.

Unfortunately there seems to be a nasty scummy film on the water surface. Given I did very thorough, product free scrubbing of everything, I am NOT amused. I can only see it under the light so it can't be as bad as it feels. Hopefully the filter will be able to sort it out.







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