Small 30 Gallon Indoor System

ROB_K

I pulled the flowerpot out of the GB the roots on the peppers are crazy. I pulled out the tallest and put back into the GB media around 9 large pepper plants out of the maybe 40 in that pot. Picture shows pot already trimmed to what I wanted to keep, but ended up going for less.

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Also the tail on one of my goldfish is looking so much better over the last few days. It was missing the lower part when I got it. It was as if fin rot ( I don't think it is) or bitten off. Small fish, thats the edge of a 1-1/2" or 38mm pipe.

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The only filter now for the fish tank is the GB. I think the whisper was working too well. I removed it every other month when it clogged and knocked most of the gunk from the filter with tap water. Leaving the course filter alone inside for the beneficial bacteria.

ROB_K

I'm loosing fish again, this is the second in 2 days. I have not seen any changes in my tests. I have a few fish that have closed fins, but tests shows ammonia levels so low. I removed around 25% of the water as a precaution. I know the pH test works. The house tap water is 8.4 same as city water report. Basil is still growing slow as hell now.

pH | 7.4
NH3 | 0-0.25
NO2 | 0
NO3 | 0

Temp - 75*F / 74 *C

Can you re-cycle the system? Add some ammonia to see if things change, or does that turn everything in to crap?
Other thought I had was put rest of the survivors into the uncycled 55g that finally got a filter yesterday and go with some good sized goldfish(8-10cm) in the system

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ROB_K

I think I have found out why a few fish have died. I am not using a fresh fish food. I think its the flakes that are causing the issues. The koi pellets are what I have been feeding them without issue, but they are just as old by around 3-4 years.

The pellets are more twice the size of the goldfishes mouths, but they will fight at it for an hour till its soft enough. Its a little fun to watch. They could be crushed, but they don't look like they mind it they way they are now.

ROB_K

Just did my water test again and my results are the same. I am loosing about 1 fish a day now and it is starting to piss me off because I am not sure what is going on. 4 out of the remaining 6 show signs of clamped fins. The other fish with the turtle are still alive and swimming fine.

pH | 7.4
NH3 | 0-0.25
NO2 | 0
NO3 | 0

Temp - 75*F / 24 *C

Blood in the bottom of eye on fish corpse. No idea why on that.

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Ronmaggi

Go to lowes, home depot, or ace or any hardware store and pick up some solar salt. Take your water volume, devide by one thousand, multiply by two, and add that much salt, if you haven't already. One cheap ginormous bag will last a lifetime, and will help keep your fish alive.

ROB_K

I already had salt added to the water, but added more because I forgot to add some after water change. The water has around 90-100ml of salt in it for the 95L

Also added a 6"/15cm Channel Catfish last week it does not seem to mind the salt at all. Those little turds can survive almost anything. + it came with a 30 day warranty.

ROB_K

I am down to 3 gold fish and a catfish. 2 goldfish look like they are going to be dead very soon. The other one looks good and a catfish that looks as good as it was when I got it. It looks like it is growing fast for a week.

Also taking a video to show what is left of the setup and a water test comparison between the AP setup and the turtle tank.

ROB_K

Here is the video it cost me one of my test tubes. :upset:

ROB_K

Small update.

I'm down to 2 goldfish and a catfish.

Plants are growing into the light and starting to burn from it and one of the pollinated buds died off. The fish are looking good, but looks like they have seen better days. No clamped fins, but not eating as much.

I want to get another catfish but at $9.50 US they are a bit pricy at my LFS and getting them cheaper would be in higher quantity online. Might work something out with the LFS to see if I can get a deal in the Spring.

ROB_K

After the loss of the other gold fish, the defeated hero goes and gets 2 fan tail goldfish to put inside the the glass box of fishery. But this was all after he had changed half of the water and brought upon it new levels of watery goodness, so that this water would bring new life to the fields. And with that the villagers rejoiced and where merry.

pH | 7.0
NH3 | 0.50
NO2 | 0.50
NO3 | 0

Temp - 76*F / 25 *C

ROB_K

Not a whole lot going on with this system. I do have a pepper that is a little over 3cm long and still green, but it is only one pepper. Goldfish and catfish are doing great. I got a large amount of algae growing on the bottom of the tank. Herd that that can be good and bad. Shows that there are nutrients in the water, but they are getting used by the algae.

pH | 6.8
NH3 | 0.25
NO2 | 0.50
NO3 | 0

Temp - 75*F / 23 *C[/quote]

ROB_K

One goldfish is showing some signs of clamped fins again. The other one is doing great with the catfish.

All of the basil died off and I removed a few of the smaller pepper plants.

Also checking my water it was this a few days ago.....

pH | 6.8
NH3 | 0.25
NO2 | 0.50
NO3 | 0

Temp - 75*F / 23 *C

and now it is this.....

pH | 7.0
NH3 | 0.25
NO2 | 0
NO3 | 0

Temp - 74*F / 23 *C

I have lost my nitrites. Any idea why on that? I added more water to top it off and added some conditioner for because of our citie's tap water being hard on fish.

Ronmaggi

Conditioner? Be very careful with adding stuff meant for aquaria. A lot of times it states that it is not for fish meant for consumption.

ROB_K

This is the stuff that I am using.

http://www.petco.com/product/105872/TetraAqua-AquaSafe-Water-Conditioner.aspx

I did a video update last night, but I forgot to upload it. I talked about using it. These fish I don't plan to eat. That catfish will live with the turtle when it GED a few more inches longer. Outside next year will be tilapia or catfish, but this one gets to live.

RupertofOZ

ROB_K wrote:

This is the stuff that I am using.

http://www.petco.com/product/105872/TetraAqua-AquaSafe-Water-Conditioner.aspx

... I just love these "wonder" products...

Quote:

makes tap water safe by neutralizing chlorine, chloramines and heavy metals harmful to your fish while enhancing your fish's natural, protective slime coating. Specially formulated with natural biopolymers which support the development of beneficial filter bacteria for healthy, clear water

Quote:

Principle Ingredients: sodium hydroxymethane sulfinate, chelating compounds, polyvinyl pyrrolidones, seaweed biopolymers, organic hydrocolloids.

Sodium hydroxymethane sulfinate... (commonly used in cosmetics...)

Unstable under high heat... (admitable high)... and breaks down into...

Sodium Hydroxide... lye... a very strong pH base..

Formaldehyde... admittably used as an aquacultural bacterial treatment.. and to preserve specimens of dead aniamals...

And oxides of Sulphur... Sulphur Dioxide... rotten eggs...

Incompatible with... acidic pH compounds... oxidising compounds...an anti-oxident... sucks up free oxygen...

And Sodium and Ammonium Nitrate compounds...

Not a lot of beneficial stuff there for AP systems... other than the anit-bacterial properties... it'll kill any nasties... but I can't see how it promotes any "beneficial filter bacteria "...

What else... ahh...polyvinyl pyrrolidones... PVP...

Commonly used in...

Quote:

Technical

PVP is also used in many technical applications:

as an adhesive in glue stick and hot-melt adhesives

Other uses

PVP binds to polar molecules exceptionally well, owing to its polarity. This has led to its application in coatings for photo-quality ink-jet papers and transparencies, as well as in inks for inkjet printers.

PVP is also used in personal care products, such as shampoos and toothpastes, in paints, and adhesives that must be moistened, such as old-style postage stamps and envelopes. It has also been used in contact lens solutions and in steel-quenching solutions. PVP is the basis of the early formulas for hair sprays and hair gels, and still continues to be a component of some.

As a food additive, PVP is a stabilizer and has E number E1201. PVPP is E1202. It is also used in the wine industry as a fining agent for white wine or some beers. Other references state that polyvinyl pyrrolidone and its derivatives are fully from mineral synthetic origin. Therefore, its use in the production should not be a problem for vegans.

In molecular biology, PVP can be used as a blocking agent during Southern blot analysis as a component of Denhardt's buffer. It is also exceptionally good at absorbing polyphenols during DNA purification. Polyphenols are common in many plant tissues and can deactivate proteins if not removed and therefore inhibit many downstream reactions like PCR.

In microscopy, PVP is useful for making an aqueous mounting medium.

No real binding of chlorine... (which has probably off-gassed by now anyway... :lol:

)... chloramines, or heavy metals... and certainly no beneficial bacteria...

Hummm... "chelating compounds, seaweed biopolymers"....

Might have some beneficial effects for fish tank biotics... and fish slime coat production...

"organic hydrocolloids".... hummm...

Quote:

A hydrocolloid is defined as a colloid system wherein the colloid particles are hydrophilic polymers dispersed in water. A hydrocolloid has colloid particles spread throughout water, and depending on the quantity of water available that can take place in different states, e.g., gel or sol (liquid). Hydrocolloids can be either irreversible (single-state) or reversible. For example, agar, a reversible hydrocolloid of seaweed extract, can exist in a gel and sol state, and alternate between states with the addition or elimination of heat.

Many hydrocolloids are derived from natural sources. For example, agar-agar and carrageenan are extracted from seaweed, gelatin is produced by hydrolysis of proteins of bovine and fish origins, and pectin is extracted from citrus peel and apple pomace.

Gelatin desserts like jelly or Jell-O are made from gelatin powder, another effective hydrocolloid. Hydrocolloids are employed in food mainly to influence texture or viscosity (e.g., a sauce). Hydrocolloid-based medical dressings are used for skin and wound treatment.

Other main hydrocolloids are xanthan gum, gum arabic, guar gum, locust bean gum, cellulose derivatives as carboxymethyl cellulose, alginate and starch.

Seems to all relate... along with the "chelating compounds"... to some seaweed extracts/colliods...

Sounds like a watered down version of Seasol/Maxicrop... with a bit of salt... Sodium + Chloride (from the chlorine in the water... (which will stimulate slime coat production...)

And some anti-bacterial agents.. to kill any bugs in the tank...

So yep.. probably good enough for the fish...

But "condition" your water... neutralize... chlorine, chloramines and heavy metals... nuh... bullocks...

"support the development of beneficial filter bacteria"... nuh.. bullocks... they have to come from some other source... they're not in this mix... :lol:

So you have "hard" water.... well that's probably why your pH rose slightly when you topped up...

But it rose only marginally... and hard water usually just means a high(er) mineral content... calcium, magnesium and iron... not harmful to fish.. and beneficial to plants....

Sounds like you could acheive the exact same benefits... cheaper... and be able to eat your fish...

By just adding some salt.. for your fish.. and Seasol/Maxicrop... for your plants... :lol:

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Small 30 Gallon Indoor System

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