Mol_PMB's multiple tank log

[bwarwicker]

Very interesting. I've always wondered how some of the apisto keepers I've read breeding logs of have maintained ph at low 5's. I think I've read of people in high 4's too but that could well be in my dreams.

[TropicalFishForums]

[JumpMaster]

Does the peat need to be replaced? 

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[Mol_PMB]

I'm sure there are better ways of doing it, but this is what I do.
I have a plastic mop bucket. I have lined the mop squeezer funnel with some filter floss. Each time I want to make some filtered water I fill this funnel with peat. See pic.
I have a big sack outside and I use fresh peat each time - the waste goes on the garden afterwards.
I then boil a kettle and pour it slowly through the peat. After that, I set it up under a slow dribble from the cold tap as in the pic. Usually I put a pump in the bucket, and each time it gets nearly full I pump it out into my 80-litre storage container.
I add a bit of prime too, and end up with about 80 litres of water with pH approx 5, KH <0.3 and TDS 30-40.
This water is not brown or tannin-stained. If I want that look I use a different process, boiling leaves and bark in a saucepan. Not so suited to large quantities, it tends to make the water equally acidic but with a higher TDS, maybe 60. 

It's all a bit Heath Robinson but it seems to work for me, with my naturally soft water.


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[bwarwicker]

Thanks for that. Maybe something for me to look at.

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[Mol_PMB]

I've been away for 10 days and got back last night. I prepared some water then, and some more this evening, and have now done a water change on all 5 tanks, approx 30% on each. No losses noticed yet, though it's hard to count the big shoals and I haven't seen Orinoco yet.

I have seen a bit more angst between the Dicrossus, including a 'kiss' between the dominant male and the sole female (which I don't think is a sign of affection!)

I am very strongly considering another 4' tank, second-hand from audigex. This has a bigger cross-section so twice the volume of my existing 4' tank. To fit this in I will need to move my current 240L 4' tank along by 2'. How?!
The new tank would be set up for one (maybe two?) Pseudacanthicus, probably L24. I could maybe also move the Cupids from T5 into there, and then move 4 male Dicrossus into T5, leaving a pair in T3 with the Farlowella.

Hmmm....


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[bwarwicker]

Do it first, ask how later   When I had laminate I mostly emptied a tank to move it and just shuffled it along, but that was probably completely stupid.

[plankton]

I feel a large plinth being placed upon the floor and a crane to lift the existing tank being used and a film being made of it all, you can get £250 on "YBF" after all.......

[JumpMaster]

Paul,  what kind of peat do you use? How many times can you use it.

[Mol_PMB]

Paul,  what kind of peat do you use? How many times can you use it.

I use ordinary moss peat from the garden centre. I only use it for one water-change, so probably 100L of water goes through 1L of peat. Then I put the peat on the flower beds and use fresh the next week.

[Mol_PMB]

So, I felt in need of some retail therapy so I have bought 3 new tanks this week...
I haven't actually got any of them yet though.


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[plankton]

Oh, what the heck, turn a room into a tank, why keep buying tiddly little things!?

[Mol_PMB]

I'm going to replace this untidy mess with a matched pair of 30"x12"x15" plain glass tanks, a bit bigger than the one on the right of the picture which is 24"x12"x12".
The tanks were less than £40 each from the LFS. I've also ordered some elegant LED lighting tubes for them that will be suspended from the shelf above. There will be a small gap between the tanks that I'll box in to hide the pipes and cables.

Lurch can have the 40L cube for his (sorry, he claims it's his daughter's) new Betta, and the others will become spare.

And for the opposite wall of the room, I need to move the 240L 4-footer along to make way for audigex's 450L 4-footer.


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[plankton]

That'll look good - I assume there will be room for getting in the tops of the new tanks, unlike when I tried to be clever and use a similar space...... *goes off whistling....*

[Mol_PMB]

That'll look good - I assume there will be room for getting in the tops of the new tanks, unlike when I tried to be clever and use a similar space...... *goes off whistling....*

Yes, they will only be about 3" higher than the one on the right, level with the bookshelf or thereabouts.

The LED strip lights will be hung above them in mid-air. My LFS is re-equipping its display tanks with these units and they look really good.


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[Mol_PMB]

I am experimenting with a new (to me) method of keeping the glass clean in T2 and T4. I have purchased four Clithon diadema and put two in each tank.

The LFS didn't have any so I went to the dreaded P@H who grilled me on the size of tank and other occupants, but I came home with 4 for just under £10. I will have to see how the get on in my soft water (though these aren't the very acidic tanks) and I have sprinkled a bit of coral sand in one corner.

At the same time I made an impulse purchase of a yellow Rabbit snail (Tylomenia zermis? Tylomelania gemmifera?). It will be interesting to see how this gets on as I think they prefer more alkaline water. It is however more appropriate to my Asian biotope than the Nerites.

Thus far, all the new additions have made for the nearest piece of bogwood and are slowly exploring. I hope they're too big to be considered lunch by the chocolate Kuhlis...