Re-doin the edge

[Tener ds]

Hi all, at some point over the comin weekend ill be movin my 6 rasboras from my edge to my big tank, so I can re set up my edge.
Most off the plants are dying so will be replaced by java fern, the one thats in there is the only plant thats doin well,and will try for a slate covered bottom and back wall.
Now the edge will be emptied and cleaned first, but I don't won't to re cycle it when it's done.
Can I put the filter sponge and media in the big tank to keep the bb alive till the tank is ready?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Can I put the filter sponge and media in the big tank to keep the bb alive till the tank is ready?

Yes you can, if you make sure it is damp and oxygen can diffuse into it it will be fine. You can either store it in the large tank or in a shallow tray of tank water. If you can put it in the flow from the filter that is best, but as long as it is somewhere with some flow it should be fine.

This might sound slightly strange advice, but I would recommend giving it a quick squeeze and rinse first, this will remove some of the bacterial colony, but enough will remain and it will reduce the oxygen demand of the sponge.

cheers Darrel

 

[Tener ds]

ok,havin big problems catching my rasboars,plan b.
can i suck up the sand when doin water changes?
will it remove to much bb?
and itll be less stress full for the fish.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
I can sympathise, planted tanks are great but getting the fish out can be a nightmare. Here is one of mine, it usually accumulates Apistogramma fry/sub-adults until I have to drain it completely to get them all out:

Could you suck most of the water out and then scoop the Raspboras out from a corner of the tank? It is only a small tank, but had an integral lid? so you could tilt it up on one end? I use the "2 nets" method, although if you have a small amount of water you can often trap the fish against the glass with one net.

I think potentially you can take the substrate out and leave the fish in, but you may have a water quality issue when the sand is stirred up (usually the sand is OK if you have plants and MTS).

cheers Darrel

 

[Tener ds]

haha,have u ever tryed to catch a galazy rasbora?
OMG ive never seen a fish move so fast, and the edge would be no good for the tilting option.well i think ill suck the sand out,i think if i only do small bits at a time,will take longer but safer for the fish,it should be ok.ii don,t need to remove all the sand,about 90% would be ok.
as it is i only do a water change ever other day on this tank so even if it takes 2 weeks to remove the sand thats fine.as long as the fish are ok.nice tank btw.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Tener_ds wrote

even if it takes 2 weeks to remove the sand thats fine.as long as the fish are ok.

Certainly no problem if you take the sand out slowly.

OMG ive never seen a fish move so fast

Got you, I understandwhat you mean I've seen Galaxy Raspboras, amazing how something that small can move that quickly.

cheers Darrel

 

[Tener ds]

all done,tank looks good,fish seam happy too,water tests ok.heres some pics,hope you like them:

i have 6 galazy rasboars,2 guppys 1 male 1 female,1 otto,2 zebra snails and 1 big apple snail.
i was thinking about getting 4 little endlers,wot do u think,to much?
10% water change every other day to.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Looking good,

getting 4 little endlers,wot do u think,to much?

and

2 guppys 1 male 1 female

Definitely too much, as you will have to keep on fishing out the guppy fry and the Endlers and Guppys will cross breed. How about one more female Guppy? that would give either female a break from male harassment.

cheers Darrel