I hope you can get the algae under control. That green dust algae is a real bugger!
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Journal 40B MTS Nature Aquarium
- Thread starter Mr.Shenanagins
- Start date
- Featured
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- Thread starter
- #282
Exactly, do not envy me lol. It only goes this long because of my time constraints and lack of motivation.
Still of after a month my tank looked like that I'd be happy but that is not my co2 tanks.
- Thread starter
- #284
I’m not worried about it, it only gets like this without weekly preventative maintenance.
How did the clean up go?
- Thread starter
- #286
It’s been quite a while since I posted, just been busy and the tank has taken a back seat. I unfortunately don’t have a positive update, and it’s my own stupidity.
Last night I decided to do some serious maintenance and all was going well until I decided to multitask. I was refilling after siphoning and then put my kids to bed in the process………20 minutes later……I came downstairs and heard the water. Yep, I flooded the floor. About 1/4” of water that thankfully stayed confined to the wall side of the tank. Towels and towels and shop vac’ing later, I cleared the floor. I discovered the carpet in the adjoining room also fell victim. I sucked up a majority of it with my small extractor vacuum, and decided to run to the store and get one of the commercial size ones to finish the job. No major damage done thankfully.
I regrettably lost 4 of my 5 male boesmani, and a couple of my gudgeons in the process. A stupid mistake on my end that was costly to my livestock, and almost to my home. I pondered hard about getting rid of my tank but I didn’t let the negativity take over. My wife even gave support, when she should have kicked me out the door. Not gonna lie I was near tears knowing I F’d up bad. Please, don’t take your spouses for granted, love and appreciate them as much as you can for when these shitty things occur and they provide the unconditional love and support.
To add insult to injury, I didn’t even finish my maintence. Oh well, I’m more upset over the fish, I had some beautiful males coming into their own, gone. I will eventually restock, but I feel awful.
Plants wise, I just can’t keep up with stems. They grow too fast, and the time it takes to reset I just don’t have. I have since decided I’m going to go with crypts only in the background, currently with Flamingo, Sunset, and Albida Costata. I’m looking forward to the slower growth, and watching the crypts bloom into some beautiful bushes.
Last night I decided to do some serious maintenance and all was going well until I decided to multitask. I was refilling after siphoning and then put my kids to bed in the process………20 minutes later……I came downstairs and heard the water. Yep, I flooded the floor. About 1/4” of water that thankfully stayed confined to the wall side of the tank. Towels and towels and shop vac’ing later, I cleared the floor. I discovered the carpet in the adjoining room also fell victim. I sucked up a majority of it with my small extractor vacuum, and decided to run to the store and get one of the commercial size ones to finish the job. No major damage done thankfully.
I regrettably lost 4 of my 5 male boesmani, and a couple of my gudgeons in the process. A stupid mistake on my end that was costly to my livestock, and almost to my home. I pondered hard about getting rid of my tank but I didn’t let the negativity take over. My wife even gave support, when she should have kicked me out the door. Not gonna lie I was near tears knowing I F’d up bad. Please, don’t take your spouses for granted, love and appreciate them as much as you can for when these shitty things occur and they provide the unconditional love and support.
To add insult to injury, I didn’t even finish my maintence. Oh well, I’m more upset over the fish, I had some beautiful males coming into their own, gone. I will eventually restock, but I feel awful.
Plants wise, I just can’t keep up with stems. They grow too fast, and the time it takes to reset I just don’t have. I have since decided I’m going to go with crypts only in the background, currently with Flamingo, Sunset, and Albida Costata. I’m looking forward to the slower growth, and watching the crypts bloom into some beautiful bushes.
Flooding the house is my worst fear, so I feel your pain. Loosing cherished pet fish is never easy either. It’d make the best of us want to quit. Hopefully you’ll get your crypts established soon. I look forward to seeing them bloom.
- Thread starter
- #289
Thanks for the replies everyone, still in disbelief with what I did. Rookie mistake that I made years ago when I was a kid, and not something I ever wanted to do again.
I’m looking forward to an easier to maintain scape, although it’s going to be a good while before it fills in and I’m okay with that.
On a positive note, I found 4 of my 5 total gudgeons so I’m hoping that last one is hiding somewhere still. I’ll know when I clean again in a few days to touch up what I missed. I’ll post some pics then, just not feeling it after this S**t show.
I’m looking forward to an easier to maintain scape, although it’s going to be a good while before it fills in and I’m okay with that.
On a positive note, I found 4 of my 5 total gudgeons so I’m hoping that last one is hiding somewhere still. I’ll know when I clean again in a few days to touch up what I missed. I’ll post some pics then, just not feeling it after this S**t show.
That sucks for sure. Glad the gudgeons are mostly okay.
- Thread starter
- #291
Found the last one! All 5 accounted for, they hide REALLY well in my anubias and moss forest that covers the hardscape.
Ugh, devastating
So sorry man.It won't make you feel any better, but where I live the power goes out a lot and it is the better part of valor to keep the bathtub full for long stretches of the winter, so that we can flush toilets etc. Of course it has to be emptied cleaned and refilled periodically.
On one occasion I turned on the tub, paid very strict attention for about 4 minutes.. then wandered into the kitchen and turned on the exhaust fan over the stove for dinner.
Out of hearing, out of mind.
Bathroom tile floor saved the subfloor somehow, but it was down the hall in both directions.. my guess, 30 gallons of water on the floor. So crushing when you make a mistake like that!
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Many of us have been there. Feel for ya.
- Thread starter
- #294
Whelp, it’s not a true journal unless you share in the misery. The last WC I did I removed the stems and left the crypts I had and replaced the top layer of sand. Without fail, boom, diatoms exploded. Cyano also took hold but that’s likely a dosing issue. This is the most disgusting it’s been in a while but not having stems makes this much easier to cleanup and less casualty plant wise. This is all self included because I’m just having a tough time managing my time for the tank. Notice the snails get busy no matter what the environment 
Having said that I’m working on the tank now, cleaner pictures to follow.
Having said that I’m working on the tank now, cleaner pictures to follow.
STS, Summer Tank Syndrome
we may need to have ourselves a Most Gunked Summer Tank contest here before too long.. I'm in 
Love this. We've all been there so it's good to see I'm not the only one.
Thanks for posting.
Thanks for posting.
- Thread starter
- #297
And the recovery:
I still have some small things to address, but I’m trying for a change in the background. Thanks @Burr740 for the awesome chunks of blyxa for both sides.
I still have some small things to address, but I’m trying for a change in the background. Thanks @Burr740 for the awesome chunks of blyxa for both sides.
It's amazing what one maintenance session can do. Looks so good.
- Thread starter
- #299
I’ve ordered more crypt Florida sunset to fill in the middle of the planting island, as well as a clump of buce brownie blue. I do like the flamingo on either side. I am truly unsure what I will get out of the sunset crypts as I cannot find consistent images to support its underwater form. I’ll find out soon enough, hopefully with the relatively moderate light I have above it will induce some nice colors.
I removed a chunk of moss from the driftwood to thin it out and I need to re-glue some pieces back. I’ve been a bit slack with the decorative foreground but I don’t hate the look, once I can get back in a more cruise control schedule I’ll dress it back up.
Fish wise, I’m not in a rush. I do feel bad for my lone rainbow though.
I removed a chunk of moss from the driftwood to thin it out and I need to re-glue some pieces back. I’ve been a bit slack with the decorative foreground but I don’t hate the look, once I can get back in a more cruise control schedule I’ll dress it back up.
Fish wise, I’m not in a rush. I do feel bad for my lone rainbow though.
- Thread starter
- #300
Update time. I was staring to get a consistent BGA bloom that was starting to affect my slowest growers and any areas with low flow. Thanks to @Naturescapes_Rocco suggestion of using UltraLife Blue Green Slime Remover I have eradicated it. My progress to getting out of the dirty condition state has greatly improved. The trouble with slow growers is that their condition is also slow to be revealed.
I have had to prune the Java fern and anubias where there was too much crowding and dead/dying growth hidden. My collection of buce subsequently wasn’t happy either, with some visible staghorn on some leaves which proved flow was indeed becoming an issue. The blyxa I got from Burr has since thickened on the right side but the left side is struggling a bit to take hold and keeps coming loose in the substrate. The sand there is much thicker and the roots have to grow quite a bit to reach the soil underneath so I think that’s part of the issue but I think I’ve managed to get it anchored for now until it can start to bush out.
My crypt flamingo has had ups and downs which I’m attributing to it not really being able to get settled in consistent conditions which I’m working on. They are all rooted quite well so that’s a positive. The crypt sunset clumps are all pretty small and have a little ways to go to get going, so I imagine it will be a while before they start putting out some nice sized leaves. The soil underneath is extremely mature at this point and my plan is to insert a bunch of individual osmocote + balls below the sand until I hit the soil bags to revitalize it with some fresh NPK+
This tank is heavily planted with slower growing species, with an abundance being reophyte style plants and hardscape. I’m trying to take @Dennis Wong advice and cater more to the substrate with this tank and limit water column dosing to a leaner approach N & P wise. I know the osmocote plan wouldn’t necessarily practice well in a sand only tank, but I’m under the impression since I do have soil below my cap, the thickness of the sand and CEC of the MTS should keep the nutrients locked in below. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.
More to come about my stocking, I did receive more fish
Pictures to come as well 
I have had to prune the Java fern and anubias where there was too much crowding and dead/dying growth hidden. My collection of buce subsequently wasn’t happy either, with some visible staghorn on some leaves which proved flow was indeed becoming an issue. The blyxa I got from Burr has since thickened on the right side but the left side is struggling a bit to take hold and keeps coming loose in the substrate. The sand there is much thicker and the roots have to grow quite a bit to reach the soil underneath so I think that’s part of the issue but I think I’ve managed to get it anchored for now until it can start to bush out.
My crypt flamingo has had ups and downs which I’m attributing to it not really being able to get settled in consistent conditions which I’m working on. They are all rooted quite well so that’s a positive. The crypt sunset clumps are all pretty small and have a little ways to go to get going, so I imagine it will be a while before they start putting out some nice sized leaves. The soil underneath is extremely mature at this point and my plan is to insert a bunch of individual osmocote + balls below the sand until I hit the soil bags to revitalize it with some fresh NPK+
This tank is heavily planted with slower growing species, with an abundance being reophyte style plants and hardscape. I’m trying to take @Dennis Wong advice and cater more to the substrate with this tank and limit water column dosing to a leaner approach N & P wise. I know the osmocote plan wouldn’t necessarily practice well in a sand only tank, but I’m under the impression since I do have soil below my cap, the thickness of the sand and CEC of the MTS should keep the nutrients locked in below. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.
More to come about my stocking, I did receive more fish
Pictures to come as well Similar threads
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