In-tank Filter Corral

I posted earlier this week about the loss of my beautiful platy to the in-tank filter on my 5 gallon tank that sucked her in. The filter is big enough to use in a 10 gallon tank, so it is a bit more powerful than those little box filters or sponge filters that are available for small tanks.

I created a corral to keep the fish away from the filter's intake. I purchased some plastic canvas for needlepoint projects. The size I picked up was the 7 holes/inch. I tightly wrapped the canvas around the base of the filter so that it extended two inches below the bottom down into the gravel of the tank. I used dental floss to sew the canvas together to make a "fitted" tube. I think this will work. I did this on the two small tanks; 2.5 and 5 gallon tanks. I also picked up an HOB filter that I have put onto the 10 gallon for now so that it builds up bacteria. I'll make a little corral around the intake tube for that as well, just to minimize the likelihood of any other small fish being sucked in.

In the meantime, I have moved the remaining platys into my large tank that is just about done cycling. It has been holding steady at .5 ppm ammonia levels for two weeks now.... nitrites come and go, but I just don't think I have the waste load necessary to push it past this stage. I added two platys in hopes of pushing it over into nitrites so that we can finish this chapter.

I picked up 4 small female Bettas to quarantine in the 5 gallon with the new filter corral. They seem fine in there. I need to put together a little Betta condo to give them some space to get away from each other. They certainly do flare at each other, but not like male Bettas. I want to add them to the community tank after quarantine is done and since they need to go in as a unit to minimize stress, I'm letting them pick their "pecking order" out now. One indigo, one red, one pink with red fins and one light purple iridescent. They are all beautiful in different ways.

So Disappointing!

This morning, I discovered that the in-tank filter on my 5-gallon tank took in another fish. The first two fish it sucked up were neon tetras about 5 - 6 weeks ago. I thought it was due to illness, or something. But, now I realize that wasn't the case.

You see, there is about a 2 inch space gap between the bottom of the filter and the gravel in the bottom of the tank. The fish do seem to like to settle under there for the flow of the intake into the filter. This time, it sucked in one of my beautiful platy, and she actually was large for a platy. I'll try not to get too graphic, but it literally ripped her open!

I need to get another filter, obviously! At the moment, I'm in a state of shock! For the time being, I have put an aquatic filter sponge under the filter so that the fish cannot sit/swim under the filter anymore. The filter is produced by a well-known company in the aquatics industry. I don't know if I should write to them, or what. But I'm extremely sad and disappointed at the moment. I don't think I could write to them in a way that the hurt would not show. I don't think that would be useful at this time.

I'll go down to the pet store to see if there is a small HOB (hang on the back) filter that I can use on this mini tank. In the meantime, I'll be watching to make certain that the sponge doesn't get dislodged.

pH, Temperature & Ammonia Effect

Oh yah. I just want to make one simple comment.... I used to think that some folks in the astrology community came across as the most arrogant folks on the face of the earth. I am now learning that fish aquatists may have the astrologists beat, hands down. I have never encountered so many "Do as I say and Don't ask why" people as I have encountered in fishkeeping in such a short span of time. The ones that sit down and explain, walk you through, ask questions and give feedback are a rare find. If you find a seasoned person like this in the fishkeeping community, give that person a pat on the back and a hearty "Thank you" for being unique :) The fishkeeping community is certainly not into "coddling" their newest members!!! LOL And, as a newbie, don't EVER point out to a seasoned fish veteran that he/she has made a mistake! Gawd Forbid. They simply don't make mistakes, no matter how glaring it might be. LOL

Okay, on to what I have gradually been learning. Remember in an earlier post I mentioned feeling like a chemist? That feeling certainly has not stopped, even after having several fully cycled tanks up and running. My 10 gal, 5 gal and now 2.5 gal are fully cycled. Whooo Hoo to that! But, the tests never quite end there, do they? LOL

I'm learning that the smaller tanks really do better with a small fine mist aerator going ever so gently in the corner of the tank. Case in point; I moved my 5 gal to a new location in the living area to free up some counter space, and in the process broke the bubble stone thingy. Since I have two Platys in that tank, and they really don't need all the extra water movement, I decided I would leave well enough alone. Ummmm... ammonia levels started back up and so did the nitrites. I put in a new stone, and everything is back to normal. I also noted that the pH levels are back down to normal (<7.0) p = "potential" h =" Hydrogen."

2-month Nitrogen Cycle

Yep, that's about how long it took to cycle my 10 gal aquarium. On the other hand, the smaller 2.5 gallon tank is also fully cycled and it took a little more than four weeks. What I did in the 2.5 gallon was a fishless cycle, sort of. Let me back up a little.

When I had the bug a boo attacking one of my female platy, I picked up the 2.5 gallon tank and put her in it while medicating her. After she was well enough to go back into the 10 gallon tank, I started putting a few drops of pure ammonia into the tank keeping it at the 1.0 to 2.0 ammonia level. After about two weeks, I thought that another platy was about to give birth. So I cleaned the tank, rinsed the filter bag, removing and adding new carbon and then waiting a day before putting the pregnant platy into the tank. Within a day or two, the nitrites started showing up. I was surprised that the cycle was going so much quicker.

The Meds I had used would have delayed the cycle process. In using the ammonia, I felt that I was essentially starting over. In little more than three weeks, the 2.5 gallon tank is now fully cycled. This was the tank that I was having problems with such high nitrites. I believe the high nitrites were due to the fact that I had used the pure ammonia for two weeks. After I added a bubbler, the nitrite levels dropped and within days, the cycle was completed.