A newbie on a 2 ft tank

[j.c.koh]

@mdm,

Its a bit messy as I've been fighting a BBA battle lol.

It's getting better, I'll post an update this week.

[j.c.koh]

Hi it's been a while since I last update.
I have had some algae issues causing the postpone.

Maintaining the iwagumi tank is quite challenging, algae is always lurking around the corner. Waiting to punch you in the face for getting too comfortable and letting your guard down, so you are always on edge.

I think the biggest challenge is the balancing of the tank, since there is no fool proof written formula as every set up is different, you just have to trial and error though your way and hope nothing serious happens.

It's getting harder to maintain as the tank ages, but given the experiences I gained day by day, I should be able to get by. I'll try to maintain the tank as long as I can, like going for boot camp training before planning for a rescape.

For this update I'll be posting an equipment review, fauna update and the current state of the tank, might take a few days to post them. I'll start posting tomorrow.

[j.c.koh]

I would 1st do a product review.

I had retired my eheim 2215 to the storeroom as a backup filter. I replaced my filter to the oase biomaster 250. This filter had some innovative features that do amazing stuff and I wish to share.

Those are the things I like about the filter.

1. The material used on the whole canister has a premium, rugged feel to it, it's like you can throw it out of the window and it will still be in working condition after impact.

2. It's very quiet.

3. There's a slot meant for installing uv light in case you ever need it.

4. There's a prime button that let's you prime the filter with a push of a button.

5. Best of all, it comes with the pre-filter module features. At first I thought it was a gimmick, but after using the filter for a month now I'm quite impressed with it.


However there's one thing I didn't like about it, the filter is to be use on a 16/22 hose. I had to use reducers on both the inflow and outflow causing some decease on the flow rate.


There's a problem I always had in the past, whenever I trimmed my MC they will be floating everywhere in my tank, it's impossible to scoop them all out.

You knew that those dead leaves would be sucked down to the bottom of the canister but you can't do anything. Too much rotting leaves is bad for the tank but too much cleaning in the canister will affect the BB culturing on the bio media. Even if the BB wasn't an issue opening up the canister regularly breaks your back.
That's when the pre-filter module comes in.

[j.c.koh]

Using reducers on both inflow and outflow.





Unlocking both catch before module can be taken out.







Water in the module reservoir. If not for the pre-filter module, those would have end up at the bottom of the canister. Sometimes I would find shrimplets there, I'll return them to the tank before pouring away the water.




I clean them with tap water before putting them back.

[j.c.koh]

This is a diagram of the biomaster 600. water will flow through the trap door into the module. This is the first stage filtration, big chucks of debris will be trapped here and since the sponge is so fine, it is unlikely any debris would make it through to the bio media section, so less frequent cleaning.

However, I was told to clean the pre-filter module once every week, reason is if one of the holes on the transparent pipe were to get clogged, the flow rate of the filter would be greatly affected. I think spending 5 mins every week is a fair trade.

[jackychun]

That sounds very nice the filter you are using! I really like the convenience of cleaning the prefilter 5 mins a week!


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[Fujisasuke]

Very nice explanation of this new filter! i was contemplating about this filter when i saw it at seaview few weeks ago, thanks for the writing about yr experience using this filter!

[j.c.koh]

In this update I will focus on the faunas. Some are new, others had grown up.






This is my male samurai gourami. initially I had a pair, I don't have the pictures of the female. the female had a much redder body that resembles the armor plate of a samurai. The light I'm using had little red spectrum so I'm unable to bring out the color to her full potential.

When I brought them home they refused to feed on the food I provided. Then 5 days later the female jumped out of the tank when I was out at work. I thought of buying another one to accompany the male but he's still not eating. Not sure if he's able to survive I dropped the idea.

He has been with me for 4 months now and he still show no interest in the flakes and pellets I provided. I seriously had no idea what he had been eating all these months, but he looks healthy, that's all that matters. And he looked happy alone so I'm just gonna leave it this way for now.

[hann]

I have eight pairs when I first started. Now I am left with 2 pairs. Samurai gourami has always been challenging to upkeep. They are particular about food. Even though they accepted sera O-nip but they don't eat a lot. Those which chose not to even eat even blood worm last but not Long in my tank.

[j.c.koh]

Ya, he's a damm fussy eater. Definitely won't be getting more until I find a good way to feed them.

[j.c.koh]

This is the forktail blue-eye, it belongs to the same pseudomugil family as the getrudae.

I like the forktail's color better, they are more intense. Their wings/fins are shorter and looks tougher. My getrudae's wings were very flimsy, the males wings all got torn up when they are fighting over girls.

Same like the getrudae, they do not need special care, just put them in the tank and they are good to go. They are top-mid swimmers.





These are the 3 SAE that's helping me fighting the algae war right now, very hardworking. I feel guilty chasing them away when I'm feeding the tank. I'm afraid once they had too much flakes they'll start slacking off.



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[Zep]

Hi, I feed my samurai gouramis Dr Basleer garlic. They swim over to me whenever I am near. When I just had them they didn't eat much but after a few days they got used to the food and kept begging for more.

I have 4 samurais in a com tank and so far so good.



Maybe you can try Dr Bassleer.

[mdm]

anyone got the same feeling that this hobby is slowing down in Singapore?

i was at Qianhu, Y628 and Sea View and seemed like there were lesser crowds

fish forums also lesser threads and replies nowadays

[j.c.koh]

@zep,

Wow, your samurai's color's very nice! The redness of my female is nothing like yours.

The main food I'm using is the dr bassleer biofish-fish. That spoilt brat not eating leh. My guess is he's feeding on the shrimplets in the tank. The shrimps had been breeding like crazy, I guess it buys me some time to train him to feed.


@mdm,

Ya the forum is very quiet lately.
There's still some crowd over at sea view, but for qianhu.... Very sad....



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[Zep]

Thanks @j.c.koh. Guess once they stabilize their colour will come out. I have one or two more females and the colour is nowhere near this one. You can also observe the females establishing their pecking order if you have a few.

Seaview still has crowds. C328 is always still busy. Really hope the hobby and the shops can sustain.

The forums and chat groups are quieter though.

[j.c.koh]

@zep,

Too bad the max I can go for is a pair due to my tank size.
When I was at AA months ago they put a bunch in the display tank. The way they swim together is quite breathtaking.

It's quite sad to see a few smaller LFS in my neighborhood closing down 1 by 1.

Since 2005, I've been going down to the aquarama exhibition almost every time. Now they also moved to China liao....

[mdm]

@zep,

Too bad the max I can go for is a pair due to my tank size.
When I was at AA months ago they put a bunch in the display tank. The way they swim together is quite breathtaking.

It's quite sad to see a few smaller LFS in my neighborhood closing down 1 by 1.

Since 2005, I've been going down to the aquarama exhibition almost every time. Now they also moved to China liao....

huh? you mean no more bi-annually aquarama exhibition in Singapore liao?

[j.c.koh]

@mdm,

Now they all host at China liao, next year at Shanghai.

[j.c.koh]

Sorry guys, I meant to post the update last week but had been busy though out the weekend causing the delay.

That's how the tank looks now :







The rocks are free from bba now, there are still bba on the hair grass and mc but it's now within control. A little trimming from time to time should reduce them even more.

I had a problem I would need some advise from you guys.



While I was trimming weeks ago the soil from the top suddenly rolled down covering the mc carpet, I tried removing it by hand but it only gets worse.

Is there a way to remove the soil on the mc carpet?

If not do I leave it as it is or rooted up the mc and replant it?



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[torque6]

While I was trimming weeks ago the soil from the top suddenly rolled down covering the mc carpet, I tried removing it by hand but it only gets worse.
Is there a way to remove the soil on the mc carpet?
If not do I leave it as it is or rooted up the mc and replant it?
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Landslide? Any support place during the setup to support the soil last time? I usually use SKP food grade cut out (from plastic box) for this purpose.

I would just siphon out the top soil from that patch and place the soil back. Any bare spots you can place the soil back is fine. Use those tubing that can fit 2-3 grains of soil pellets so not to risk siphoning up the MC (but should be fine if MC is already deep rooted).