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hobbies New aquarium!

Okay, I dosed the tank with the magic bottle. Will check for nitrification in a few hours.

Also, I dislike this light more all the time. I've been looking for point-source lights, have IDed a couple candidates.
 
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Uncle Eckley said:
You guys are making me even more impatient, lol!
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Well in the meantime

1666369249835.png
 
CaneDog said:
Will be interesting to see if/how it works.
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I tested around 2:00 this morning and nothing. Dead as a doornail. 24 hours since is coming up, will try again then.

HellfireFarm said:
Well in the meantime

1666369249835.png
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What about the poor fish? Fish bowls aren't cool, guys. There are some practices of the past that are simply passé, but bowls are considered inhumane these days. It's not even full, ffs. 😪
 
Performed a large water change yesterday and dosed up with the Quick Start bottle again. Still no activity. I'll increase the water temp a few degrees. I hate this part. Three weeks tomorrow since I first fed ammonia. :mope:

I'm hoping I've just had the ammonia levels too high and have been inhibiting growth. The wc brought levels down to where I need them. Maybe the Quick Start will do something now.
 
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Uncle Eckley said:
Performed a large water change yesterday and dosed up with the Quick Start bottle again. Still no activity. I'll increase the water temp a few degrees. I hate this part. Three weeks tomorrow since I first fed ammonia. :mope:

I'm hoping I've just had the ammonia levels too high and have been inhibiting growth. The wc brought levels down to where I need them. Maybe the Quick Start will do something now.
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I mostly had indigenous freshwater fishes in my tanks so maybe it doesn't apply to your case but as a starter I was using Nutrafin Cycle and/or Seachem Stability. I added some too after each partial water changes and on random occasions! Don't know if it was a necessity but the babies did survived! Also to maximise the surface-to-volume ratio and boost microbial activity I was filling my filter with media similar to these:
1667512529043.png
 
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Bou said:
I mostly had indigenous freshwater fishes in my tanks so maybe it doesn't apply to your case but as a starter I was using Nutrafin Cycle and/or Seachem Stability. I added some too after each partial water changes and on random occasions! Don't know if it was a necessity but the babies did survived! Also to maximise the surface-to-volume ratio and boost microbial activity I was filling my filter with media similar to these:
1667512529043.png
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Thanks! I'm good for surface area - I've got two 90-gallon sponges in the sump.

This is my first time trying one of the magic cycle in a bottle products. It's always seemed bogus to me. How are aerobic bacteria supposed to survive sealed in that little bottle for months and months? I've always cycled my tanks with just plain ammonia. I've actually been using the same bottle of ammonia for almost 20 years, lol. It's a 10% solution - only takes a few drops at a time. Strong stuff. Smells abominable.
 
Uncle Eckley said:
I tested around 2:00 this morning and nothing. Dead as a doornail. 24 hours since is coming up, will try again then.



What about the poor fish? Fish bowls aren't cool, guys. There are some practices of the past that are simply passé, but bowls are considered inhumane these days. It's not even full, ffs. 😪
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Sorry, just reposting from the funny pic thread.

I thought that for Betta's (sp?) the smaller bowl was ok as their natural habitat tends to be small pools. (At least that's what I've read, wouldn't surprise me if it's wrong)

But also I would agree - it's like keeping a person locked up in a single room their entire life. Maybe not the best joke to go for :(
 
HellfireFarm said:
Sorry, just reposting from the funny pic thread.

I thought that for Betta's (sp?) the smaller bowl was ok as their natural habitat tends to be small pools. (At least that's what I've read, wouldn't surprise me if it's wrong)

But also I would agree - it's like keeping a person locked up in a single room their entire life. Maybe not the best joke to go for :(
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Nah, it's fine. Worse things are constantly done to all kinds of animals and should be seen to before we get mad at a Belgian hotel just trying to brighten people's stay. Just for those who may not know, is all.

A 10g tank probably costs around the same as one of those bowls, but would be far more comfortable and healthy for a goldfish. The 10g's not portable, though, so no room-to-room visits. But it's not only about space. A fishbowl is almost invariably stagnant and unfiltered. So more like a single room with no toilet or ventilation. Here's some hot pink gravel, though - just look at that and breathe shallow.

I don't know too much about bettas. I think they're soft water fish. Last I heard the recommendation for them was a 5g tank for one fish, 10g for two. But that's not what most fish shops will tell you, of course.
 
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I just got a definite nitrite reading!!! We have nitrification! Should only be a few more days now to complete the cycle. Once 4ppm of ammonia is consumed daily and nitrites stay at 0 we're ready. Fish will take a few days to prepare for shipment once ordered. Big water change the morning of their arrival and in they go!
 
Yeah I hate water changes especially if I’m having to mix salt. Can’t do nothing with salt water so it goes down the drain. Are you using water from the tap or do you have a water filtration system? For my salt tank it’s small enough I just buy distilled water in gallons but that getting costly and old.
 
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