Updating the convict tank

Nice!!!

I started getting into convicts recently and absolute like these fish allot so far. How do you manage to keep your fish alive with outside tanks? is there anything special needed?

I was thinking if trying something like that small with guppies at first

 

Load of the fry from blackjack have moved on .. but I had to move the outside convicts in for the winter. I had no choice but to remove my insulation wall and carry in the cube from outside. I now seriously have no space left for more tanks. This is catch22's cousin the one with the dodge silicone job, so I need to keep an eye on it and see .. might need to belt it up just for maybe. Also not daring to fill to to the brim.




Still needs to clear ...



Not sure about any great scape ideas - did bring all the wood from outside in also. This does add another 35 watts of power consumption to the room.



Later Ferdie

 

And the now obligatory video ;-)



Just replaced the batting - need way more polishing.

Later Ferdie

 

Think this is going to be a fun tank - nothing serious ...

did a rescape -ha ha ha :bigsmile:




Did add my bubble curtain



See I even brought some kribs in from the cold - and one very old skunk - that thing has 10 lives and lived 12 of them already.

Later Ferdie

 

Playing with the idea to maybe add some bolbitis , anibua and java fern to the tank ...

The wood pile is growing on me ... still not seeing substrate in the future.

weird how quickly they adapted to begging for food - outside the hid when you approached.



-



Not sure ... do I want java fern on the right back corner ... Anubias large middle about where the air hose hits the bubble curtain and bolbitis right lower front ... the wood pile is seriously addictive ... a I loose time watching the fish vanish into the pile.


Later Ferdie

 

Weekend - time for a scape .... ok moving some plants around - donation made for 4ft-clear and the other 4ft tank.










Later Ferdie

 

beautiful fish

 

Thanks Mattie, yeah I rather like my convicts, will do almost anything to keep them happy.

Hmm to that point was hunting for media last night, I got a new 2078 but only realised when I got home the box was a bit light.



I have now used all my stash from over the years - but could get 2l of matrix, 5 l of siporax and a 1l of jbl ceramcis - all new or I would have had to go into my not so new pile.



Been running now for a good few hours .. probably at about 15 Watt of power - so +- same same as the airpump and the coke bottle polisher that was running in the tank. Also replaced the t5 tube with two LED lengths might need a bit more but like the rays it is creating.



Also added some "Süsswassertang" - doubt it is the real deal, but this might just become as salad after lunch.



The rest all seem happy.



I am just not sure about the salad.

Later Ferdie

 

Wow.. This looks great! Very natural with all the wood.

 

:love:

Where do you all find your driftwood??? WOW!!! that's all I can say..

 

Amazing what you can do with driftwood....

Stunning!!!

 

Thanks all ...

The wood is from many different sources over the years. The older stump that is now snapped in two was from my original 4ft. The most recent is home grown lavender that was added to a tank last year.

BTW Salad did not last long ;-)



Later Ferdie

 

I am starting to form a picture of what uses what power in the house, but now I am keen to understand it per tank and tank component.


Did a quick and dirty DC volt amp meter. Blue current in Amp's and the other is volts dc, as expected a solid 12 volts but @ 1.48 Amps for the two 600mm tubes.


Later Ferdie

 

Wow, tank Looks EPIC!!!!
:drool2:

 

Quick Question(s),

How do you keep this tank clean? Isn't it difficult with all the driftwood?
How frequently do you do water changes?
How frequently do you do you clean your filter?

 

Your Kribs as well as your Convicts reproducing in the same Tank?

 

Well I "lost" the Kribs while the tank was outside - - it was green water extreme, so was very pleased when I found them after moving all the fish inside.
Subsequently the Kribs are now in a separate tank with some guppies - all rescues from outside - last batch was this evening with some added algae for the sweep.



The male is MIA - so I suspect some eggs /fry.


As for the Q's ... this is old drift wood .. so no leaching also not sure what one has to do to keep it clean, looks ok at the moment.
WC - none yet - but will need to do a top-up.
Hmm filters, yeah need to put a sponge on that intake - once that is done maybe twice a year is the goal.


Later Ferdie

 

Sorry to hear about the Kribs though :frown:

Thank you for the info! Really like you Convict Tank allot!

 

Lol - no no I mean "lost" as in did not know that they are still OK ... he he now that they are in a separate tank I suspect we will see some more soon.

Thanks - yeah the wood in the tank is a real pleasure to sit and watch, especially as the convicts dart in and out of the wood maze.

They just had snails for dinner so all hell is breaking loose as the extra energy hits the fins.

Later Ferdie

 

Ok - you made me look ;-) did a quick top-up while I was, the tank is actually looking fine at the moment - wood has cleaned up nicely .. way less fuzzy than what it was outside.