Once I get my mind onto something I’m like a little terrier . The difficulty is keeping any sort of momentum once the initial dopamine hit has faded! Appreciate your advice on the other thread; unfortunately timers act as a demand so have the opposite effect! But definitely going to grab some clay based root tabs to fertilise the crypts in there just now and hopefully by the time I forget to refresh them, the leaf litter will be doing the job for me
240L Fluval Roma with Oase 600 Biomaster: 1 German red bristlenose, 4 male cherry barbs, 6 standard rummynose, 3 golden rummynose tetra, 9 emperor tetra, 14 cardinal tetra, 2 hengeli rasbora, 3 nerite snails, 1 adult Sulawesi snail and multiple juveniles continually appearing.
Parameters: gH2, kH1, pH7.4 (tap).
Fish fiend since October 2017.
So…I tested tap and tank pH yesterday and again today and it seems like the 8.2 was an anomaly as I suspected. Consistently showing around the 7.4-7.6 area both immediately on testing and after 24 hours. Tank is holding around 6.6-6.8 and I’ll keep up daily testing just to track it (fun science for the boy too ). Happily my nitrates are still at the 0-5 mark so now I’m just waiting on my leaves (thank you again to @Fr8ppy for sending me some oak leaves I can add in alongside my fancy ones from Natural Waters). I added a teaspoon of loose Rooibos tea that I left steeping in 200ml hot water for an hour yesterday morning so now the water has a tiny hint of a tint. With the reduced lighting it’s enough of a difference already to have me relaxing over the “look”.
Yesterday tank vs tap pH
Today (avec snowy garden) tap pH fresh vs 24 hours on the left, tank pH and nitrates to the right
240L Fluval Roma with Oase 600 Biomaster: 1 German red bristlenose, 4 male cherry barbs, 6 standard rummynose, 3 golden rummynose tetra, 9 emperor tetra, 14 cardinal tetra, 2 hengeli rasbora, 3 nerite snails, 1 adult Sulawesi snail and multiple juveniles continually appearing.
Parameters: gH2, kH1, pH7.4 (tap).
Fish fiend since October 2017.
It’s like cycling a tank again, checking the water daily to see what’s going on (I tell ya, if it isn’t routine, it just doesn’t happen!)
All stable in the tank so I’ll leave off testing until I add my first handful of leaves (should arrive tomorrow).
My moody Emperor boys have been enjoying the new layout and seem to congregate at the Anubias end, circling the solitary rock!
Hopefully the weather will be better by the end of the week as I’m desperate to head through to my closest Fishkeeper Scotland and grab a few more lady friends for them (I have 3M/3F). Will also keep my fingers crossed for some Duplicareus or Adolfoi cories (or any nice looking cory at a nicer price if necessary). If the boy decides to take an interest who knows what we might come home with though . But it’ll depend on ice/snow as the roads around here have taken a right battering with the storms this winter and lots of idiotic and careless drivers out there.
240L Fluval Roma with Oase 600 Biomaster: 1 German red bristlenose, 4 male cherry barbs, 6 standard rummynose, 3 golden rummynose tetra, 9 emperor tetra, 14 cardinal tetra, 2 hengeli rasbora, 3 nerite snails, 1 adult Sulawesi snail and multiple juveniles continually appearing.
Parameters: gH2, kH1, pH7.4 (tap).
Fish fiend since October 2017.
fr499y wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 11:06 am
Nice emperors. I'm still waiting to rehome mine as my tank isn't big enough now they have grown
I'd rehome and pay for shipping, if you couldn't find anywhere for them.
WARNING- DO NOT BREED, FEED OR PET THE PUDDLE!
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fr499y wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 11:06 am
Nice emperors. I'm still waiting to rehome mine as my tank isn't big enough now they have grown
They’re definitely one of my favourites. Shame the boys are quite squabbly otherwise I’d have quite a few more…I’m hoping some extra ladies will keep them calm and then I’ll decide if they’ll take over as the biggest tetra group or not. I’d definitely take yours if I lived closer!
240L Fluval Roma with Oase 600 Biomaster: 1 German red bristlenose, 4 male cherry barbs, 6 standard rummynose, 3 golden rummynose tetra, 9 emperor tetra, 14 cardinal tetra, 2 hengeli rasbora, 3 nerite snails, 1 adult Sulawesi snail and multiple juveniles continually appearing.
Parameters: gH2, kH1, pH7.4 (tap).
Fish fiend since October 2017.
I added 1 large seed pod, 1 small seed pod and 4 large leaves on Wednesday (a bamboo leaf, black pepper and jackfruit). pH was sitting 6.6-6.8 level but is now definitely at the 6.6 mark as of yesterday. Not unexpected for my water here so I’m happy with that. I have plenty more leaves soaking (including oak leaves from @Fr499y) and I’ll pop in another handful at my next water change over the weekend and keep monitoring. It’s not black Blackwater by any stretch of the imagination but there’s a subtle tint and I think the fish colours are looking good. Unfortunately the roads are still too snowy for me to feel comfortable driving anywhere for fish but that’s probably good as it gives me longer to assess how the water chemistry is sitting.
240L Fluval Roma with Oase 600 Biomaster: 1 German red bristlenose, 4 male cherry barbs, 6 standard rummynose, 3 golden rummynose tetra, 9 emperor tetra, 14 cardinal tetra, 2 hengeli rasbora, 3 nerite snails, 1 adult Sulawesi snail and multiple juveniles continually appearing.
Parameters: gH2, kH1, pH7.4 (tap).
Fish fiend since October 2017.
Photos from last night. Did a water change in the morning and added some more leaves that have been soaking in a bucket for a few days. pH immediately after the water change had gone from 6.6 back up to the 6.8-7 mark. So potentially looking at smaller changes but I’ll keep tracking the pH and see what happens.
240L Fluval Roma with Oase 600 Biomaster: 1 German red bristlenose, 4 male cherry barbs, 6 standard rummynose, 3 golden rummynose tetra, 9 emperor tetra, 14 cardinal tetra, 2 hengeli rasbora, 3 nerite snails, 1 adult Sulawesi snail and multiple juveniles continually appearing.
Parameters: gH2, kH1, pH7.4 (tap).
Fish fiend since October 2017.
A simple to use calculator for working out how much to dose of a certain product, based on your aquarium water volume and the requirements of your product.
There are two major causes of fish deaths in an aquarium; new tank syndrome and over feeding.
If you take the time to read this you will hopefully not have to deal with new tank syndrome and you will create a healthy environment for your fish.
Cycling a fish tank can be confusing to beginners and experienced fishkeepers alike. If you’ve already read about it you’ll probably still be confused, because most cycling guides don’t really explain cycling in a manner that’s easy to understand. Here I’ll try to explain in simple terms what is essentially a very simple uncomplicated process.
Algae is a natural occurrence that has been present on Earth for over a billion years, thriving in environments with light and water. In moderate amounts, algae can have advantageous effects, such as utilizing ammonia as a food source, acting as a food source for fish and invertebrates, and producing vital oxygen through photosynthesis.
. The difficulty is keeping any sort of momentum once the initial dopamine hit has faded! Appreciate your advice on the other thread; unfortunately timers act as a demand so have the opposite effect! But definitely going to grab some clay based root tabs to fertilise the crypts in there just now and hopefully by the time I forget to refresh them, the leaf litter will be doing the job for me 
). Happily my nitrates are still at the 0-5 mark so now I’m just waiting on my leaves (thank you again to @Fr8ppy for sending me some oak leaves I can add in alongside my fancy ones from Natural Waters). I added a teaspoon of loose Rooibos tea that I left steeping in 200ml hot water for an hour yesterday morning so now the water has a tiny hint of a tint. With the reduced lighting it’s enough of a difference already to have me relaxing over the “look”. 
![:]](./images/smilies/smile.gif "Smile"){kind=small}
