Journal 5.8 Gallon Betta Blackwater

[gnatster]

Hopefully you have a towel or something around the base to catch condensation, or you have a lid. Ask me how I know to point that out. LOL!

There is now. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[gnatster]

This dark start is taking forever. Performed a 90% water change yesterday. Testing a day later, there is still 1.5 ppm Ammonia, 0.8 ppm Nitrite, with Nitrates off the chart at over 20 ppm.

 

[JayP]

This dark start is taking forever. Performed a 90% water change yesterday. Testing a day later, there is still 1.5 ppm Ammonia, 0.08 ppm Nitrite, with Nitrates off the chart at over 20 ppm.

What are you using to get that fine of detail on the nitrite measurement?

 

[gnatster]

What are you using to get that fine of detail on the nitrite measurement?

A fat finger. Should be 0.8, it's been fixed.

 

[gnatster]

One month in, ammonia is still high. Gives me more time to obsess over thoughtfully plan a plant list.

 

[gnatster]

Today, NH3 and NO2 at O! Woohoo Nitrate took a considerable jump.

Big water change and ordered as babysitter plants:
Rotala rotundifolia x 2
Red Root Floaters x 1
Water Sprite x 1
Anacharis x 2

I haven't had Anacharis since I was a tween.

It was do it now or wait for a shipping weather window. We have a few warmer days this week, then the cold sets in.

 

[JayP]

I ordered plants from Buceplant last year during super cold weather. Included the insulated packaging and heat packs and plants made it just fine.

 

[gnatster]

Added the babysitter plants today.

 

[gnatster]

Almost a month has passed. Today I gave the tank a big trim. Used the trimmings for some credit towards some red Pinto Shrimp at the LFS.

 

[gnatster]

Also added some Bolbitis, Buce, and Anubias.



I'll let the tank settle in for a while. One change at a time. Patience...I keep telling myself.

 

[gnatster]

A Few Weeks Later...

3D-printed corners for the mesh lid are on the way. My metal shop neighbor/landlord will cut the rails; they have the right tools and experience.

I've purchased 24 Red Pinto SHrimp from 2 different vendors. 19 went into the tank. At most, I've seen a dozen at one time.

The 2 pots of TC Buce have pretty much melted. There are 2 clumps hanging on. I've added some small clumps I've had growing emersed.

Rotala rotundifolia needs another trim. It's all green above the last trim. The demarcation is very pronounced. Do I pull it up, trim the tops off, and replant them?

Wisteria has taken off, which needs a trim, too.

I've collected multiple baggies of Red Root Floaters. Some went to the LFS, some went to a friend's vermiculture.

Duckweed has appeared, argh.

So have scuds, argh argh. Fish, when added, will take care of them. It's going to be a few weeks, though. The long-range forecast is not conducive to livestock shipments.



The tank gets weekly 50% water changes. Ferts are PPS, 2 drops Macros, 1 drop micros, daily.

Shrimps and Scuds along with a bouncing back buce.

 

[Kwyet]

Yes, I would replant the tops of the rotala and toss the bottoms. I would also get rid of more of the floaters, so they aren’t piling up on each other. Since you’ve already made a video clip, why not enter it in the contest?

 

[gnatster]

Since you’ve already made a video clip, why not enter it in the contest?

That was a test. I'm probably going to get dinged by YouTube for having the stereo on in the background.

My next step is to replace the wisteria and anacharis with some crypts, when the air doesn't hurt my face outside.

My intention has been to add botanicals at some point in preparation for a betta. I have them, way too many of them. The Mixed Assortment from Daku Aquatics is a ridiculous amount. I'm sort of glad the weather has forced me to wait longer than intended between steps.

 

[Phish Tank]

Nice red pinto shrimp! Love the markings

 

[gnatster]

Nice red pinto shrimp! Love the markings

Thanks. I call them voodoo shrimp. When I first saw them, the character Samedi from Live and Let Die came to mind.

 

[gnatster]

This tank is coming along nicely. The cold is forcing me to be patient.

The babysitter Wisteria in the left rear has been removed. Picked up a pot of Crypt retrospiralis for the area. Added a few more Red Pinto Shrimp, too. Once the shrimp are reproducing I'll add fish.



The Sanggau “Mini Wavy Buce has stopped melting and hopefully has stabilized. The Lamandau Purple dissolved into a puddle of mush.



A trimming from another tank of Black Pearl has settled in, a new leaf is sprouting.



The Anacharis comes out next. In the left front corner, I'm thinking of a pop of color with L. cardinalis “Mini”. Some P.Helferi in the right front area. Looking over my notes, I hadn't picked anything for the right-rear area. Need to give that some thought.

 

[gnatster]

Removed the babysitter Anacharis from the front left, replaced with Pink Flamingo crypt. Really opens up the view, for now. Trimmed and replanted the tops of the Rotala, trying to thicken the stand. Placed some small Buce pieces I inadvertently trimmed in the 60S. It's hard to see what I'm doing sometimes in the forest growing there.

Following the PPS protocol, dosing small amounts. 4 drops of Macros, 2 of Micros daily. The cold that forced patience is paying off.

 

[JayP]

The Pink Flamingo is going to look great in that spot.

 

[gnatster]

I wrote a whole update, then hit something, and it's all gone. Arrghh

Here's a picture.

 

[Kwyet]

I hate it when that happens. I’ve done it several times, or I accidentally post before I’ve finished typing the update.