A new day’s 44L

Thanks you’re being kind
No the front is just Pfs. The far right (midground) is aquasoil capped with pfs so the crypts are all planted in soil (although quite frankly they grow just fine in pfs with a root tab, seen in my other 2 tanks).
I might give the vallis mini in front root tabs just to help them establish themselves. The other plants in the pfs are stem plants that feed from the water columb anyways, or epiphytes.
I’ve done a little experiment glueing java fern babies and 2 anubias babies to pebbles and ‘planting’ the pebbles in the pfs so that the rhizomes are not covered. So they look planted but I can move them once they become too large for the foreground.

 

It’s been a week since the bronze cory eggs accidentally hatched

Had very few losses thus far (3 that I know of) but it is very labour intensive, syphoning 2x day doing major water changes in the process using water from the 65L - aged, clean and at temp.

Yesterday I set up a new 45L tank that is supposed to be a QT but will have to grow out the cory fry in here first. Will perhaps transfer them in a week or two, they’re still a bit small.

Dophin SH 380 HOB filter with sponge intake (won’t suck up fry) and gentle flow but 380L/h output. In the filter is 250ml of new matrix and some cycled matrix, plus a bit of activated carbon and plenty of filter floss. Temp 24C. The cory fry container is floating here now.

Some pfs and plants I had on hand, but won’t make an effort to scape as I might need to do salt treatments etc in here in future so can just take out or discard the plants and drain the tank and replace pfs if needed when used as QT or after being used as hospital tank. Don’t have a light yet.

The part that’s a bit unusual is that (for fry growing out purposes) I’ve made it biologically identical to the pond by using cycled media from the pond, around 30% pond water and the rest borehole water, and hornwort from the pond that will hopefully introduce some infusoria. Perhaps I should add one of the driftwood pieces from the pond too.

I figured that the minnow breeding in the pond is going well (used borehole water) and I don’t feed the fry in there at all. I defs plan on feeding the grow out tank but I reckon my borehole water is good quality and biologically alive with good stuff that fry would like to eat. No need for dechlorinators etc.

Accidentally scooped up around 15 White Cloud Mountain minnow fry of various sizes and decided to add them to the tank too. You miiiight be able to spot some in the photo but the largest ones are only around 1cm long now, perhaps 8mm. Amazing that from the top (in the pond) the fry look black but from the side (in the tank) the larger ones are intricately patterned and look almost like neon tetra with blues, greens and reds. Hence the nickname ‘poor man’s neons’. They’re really very pretty.

Ammonia tested 0 today but will continue to keep an eye on this. Doing the normal routine of Stability for 8 days. Once I’m sure it’s cycled I’ll start to gradually introduce some of this water to the cory fry container bit by bit during wc so that the container is eventually from this tank before release.

Let’s see how it goes!

 

Started a new thread for the fry grow out attempt in the new 45L
https://www.tropicalaquarium.co.za/threads/cory-and-minnow-grow-out-project.33430/#post-418776

The 44L cory & shrimp tank is ticking along nicely, plants are starting to grow out a bit. Nice, low maintenance tank.

 

Got a ZP4000-P for the 44L, think it looks quite sleek!
Awaiting stock for the 2 footer.

 

Thanks! Does the 44L look a bit washed out to you? I can fiddle with the reds a bit to adjust but then it quickly looks pink. It has only white and red as far as I can see.

At the moment I rotate the Nubios between the 65L and new fry/QT so I neec another light anyway. Will see if I’m 100% happy with the Zetlight before getting one for the 65L also. Think the new model might have more colours to play with, will see.

Will play around a bit with he hinge, thanks

 

Thanks yes I believe the Lancia is excellent, you have them too? They go for quite a bit more than I’d like to spend, but will keep it in mind cause I seem to have become finicky when it comes to lights (functionality and looks), realising that it can make or break a setup.

 

After a stem plant trim. The sand in front is covered with stones and aquasoil from the corys’ wriggling, think I’ll just let it be else I’ll go crazy

A couple of days ago added some minnow juvies from the grow out tank (temporary housing until they’re big enough for the 180L). They’re really cute, I like them a lot!

 

Oh goodie! Thanks!

 

PS @Cale24 when the hubby asked what he could get me for my upcoming birthday I sent him a link for a Lancia for the 66L. And 2 tiger (onion) nerites while we’re at it

 

I’ve made an interesting observation with the nerites lately. In the grow out tank they go above the water level when the nitrates climb (which was often as I overfed). Else they stay put. Not saying it’s universally true but they did it like clockwork, almost like canaries in the mine.
In the other 3 tanks I haven’t had wandering nerites (thus far).

 

Thanks @MariaS it’s a happy little tank