I set up this tank 23 days ago (see my previous post for the initial setup!) Since then I added several more plants and have already had to trim my rotala and ambula and replant the clippings. The plants brought in some bladder snails and I purchased 6 blue ramshorn snails which absolutely demolished the diatom algae. I know I may eat my words later, but I kind of love all the snail friends. I also have several pothos and monstera clippings in the back attached to the glass with suction cups, and a spider plant baby sitting in the old filter casing until it's big enough to attach to something.
I upgraded the internal canister filter to a HOB that I stuffed with coarse foam to add more surface and to slow the flow. I also made a hinged acryllic lid to prevent my future son from jumping. Heater is submerged horizontally at the back behind the rotala and hardscape.
I cycled using the Ammonia method and it worked like a charm – for about a week now my Ammonia has been going to 0 every 24 hours after dosing, but I was waiting for the Nitrites to catch up. Yesterday I got back from a night out of town and they were finally at 0… dosed another 2 ppm Ammonia last night and today we're at 0 ppm Ammonia/0 ppm Nitrites/40 ppm Nitrate! 🥳
So this weekend it will finally be time to bring home my new betta! I've visited every LFS in my city (plus one in a nearby city) and found the shop with the healthiest and best kept fish (including the bettas which each have their own 5 gallon tank!) They quarantine their fish, have handouts about cycling a tank, and have a minimum tank size before they'll sell fish to anyone. So wonderful to see a store that actually cares about fish and I'll definitely be supporting them as much as I can!
I'm planning to test parameters again before I go to buy my fish and will do a water change if my Nitrates are too high (though my plants have been gobbling them up so I think it may not even be needed.) I'm so excited!
[Next planned updates to the setup: more plants – Red Tiger Lotus and moss – and a better light (currently leaning towards Week Aqua M Series 450!)]
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Posted by madefrmemories