Shoal & Stem
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Full Tank Log

· 19 entries
Update

Rescue betta updates

So this is what’s happening with my little friend Viktoria. The wound on her side is fully healed now, you cannot even tell it was ever there. Medication has been fully discontinued for about a week now. She’s acting well and she is actually eating t…
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Update

Updates on my little rescue

She is doing a lot better! I wish I had gotten photos of her on the first day but she looked so terrible I was just too busy trying to find a way to help. She’s still a bit bloated, but the wound on her side is actually almost fully healed. I’m kind…
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Milestone

Better still.

Key moment
This is not a good quality picture but I was trying to capture the wound on her side. See the little red spot right by her head? That’s it. It looks like a color spot but it’s not, it has depth to it. Yesterday day it was fuzzy and white, clearly a f…
Update

Tiny rescue betta

So there she is, my tiny rescue betta. She’s a bit bloated, being dewormed currently and also has a small wound on her side (not visible in the photo). No idea what caused it but it’s pretty ugly. I’ve done a couple epsom salt baths and am running me…
Update

Uh oh, I did a thing.

So I had zero intention of getting another betta. Zero. Then I literally ran into an acquaintance who told me she a) recently got a fish bowl for her kid and put a betta in it. And b) absolutely hated taking care of it. “You like fish tanks right? Wa…
Inspiration

A mostly finished aquascape

I’m starting to really like this little tank, simple though it is. The sand cap is finally in place, the wood has settled. I’m just waiting for it to cycle again due to the big changes disrupting the bacteria a bit. I actually switched out the old fi…
Solution

Cyanobacteria is gone!

CyanoRX really works well. Everything looks good here, no more Cyanobacteria to be seen. Early water change performed as per the CyanoRX instructions. I think we’re good to go here

Milestone

We have plants!!!

Key moment
Seriously, I finally sat down and planted this thing. It’s looking a lot better. I also unclogged the intake on the filer earlier because it was clogged with hornwort pieces. Anyway, Cyanobacteria appears to be better. The blackout is finally ended.…
Problem

Uh oh

So, it appears that Cyanobacteria has been introduced to this tank. This is a bit of an issue since the plants meant to go in here are currently in the mail and should be arriving on Monday. Thus, this tank is in full blackout mode until then. Lights…
Rescape

Mid rescape

Key moment
Okay, so this is obviously a mess right now. But I wanted to share the news that I am mid rescape! The hardscape is finally in place, plants arriving soon. Even a little pothos planted in the side. This is going to be really neat when done. I just ha…
Rescape

An update.

Key moment

As planned this tank has been emptied and transplanted to the new 20 gallon, fish, snails, substrate, plants and all. Currently retired, soon to be reborn as a shrimp only scape due to its small size.

Update

I have fun news!

So, this little 6.5 gallon tank has been really fun but I’m currently actively in the process of upgrading my little betta girl, Franziska, and the rest of this tank (plants and substrate included) to my new 20 gallon high. This little tank will prob…
Update

Secondary sponge filter and updates

A second sponge filter has been added to the tank to increase filtration and help stabilize the water parameters. Also, plants doing well. Tiny fish doing super well.

Update

Added tannins.

Added Fritz Blackwater additive plus cattapa leaves and alder cones, attempting to lower PH levels safely.

Trim & reshape

Trimmed plants

Trimmed hornwort and duckweed back. Removed some algae growth but minor. Seems to be in response to current fertilizer schedule. My betta is still a fry so constant water change is needed due to anabantoid growth inhibitor hormones.

Update

New heater!

Added new 50w heater to replace the slightly janky one I had before. The new one is far more stable. Also trimmed and seeded tank with nitrifying bacteria and cattapa leaves.

Milestone

Eureka

Key moment
So I think I may have turned a corner with the cycling. I ended up inoculating the tank with media and plants from my solid ten gallon tank. It really seems to have helped. The substrate is still leaching ammonia fairly badly but parameters are now n…
Observation

Bacterial bloom

This tank has had a horrible bacterial bloom over the last 3 days, so cloudy you couldn’t see the back of the tank. It randomly cleared totally at about 10 pm last night. No idea why or how since params are still stalled out. Maybe progress?

Update

Cycling and initial planting

Tank is undergoing an empty cycle right now, no fish until proper parameters are established. Just started planting today. Added nitrifying bacteria solution, root tabs, and ferts.