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DesignsOnYou

DesignsOnYou

Large Fish
#21
Jun 21, 2008
493
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#21
There has been a discussion on here about rainwater before. From what I remember, I think it's fine unless it has chemicals in it, which would obviously be no good for your fish, (or you either probably, but I'm assuming you're not drinking tank water, ha). The hesitation that I've had with using it is that my tap water is fairly basic, like higher than 7.6. I drip acclimate my fish and have had pretty good luck so far. Rain water would presumably be softer, and probably more acidic, so I haven't used it because there's no way I can have it for every change, and then I'll just be causing those things to fluctuate. Just in the for what it's worth department. I'm curious if my logic makes sense though. Thoughts, anyone?
I'm also laughing a little to myself at how much snow it must have taken to fill a 37 gallon tank. What is that, like 30 cubic feet melted or something? I can picture you continually bringing snow inside and dumping it in the tank. Did your kids think it was the greatest game ever? Haha. Glad it worked out for you though.
 

M

Michaelh218

Medium Fish
#22
Jan 13, 2009
58
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Elberta, Al
#22
Actually I had two coolers I would shovel snow into. put the snow in a pot when it was boiling I would poor it into the standup cooler. Once that cooler was all liquified I'd put my heater in there (so not to shock the fish), so yeah....all day long. After about 5 hours of that I got some water conditioner and filled it up the rest of the way with conditioned tap water. I have to admit though....once everything cleared up, it was one beautiful tank but then again we changed filters about the same time in both overflows so take that and the fresh carbon the filter media contains and the water didn't have much of a choice but to be beautiful lol.

It may have been in a magazine about the rain water, but yeah the kids thought it was funny as heck. Look mom, dad's bringing snow in the house. I'm just glad they didn't decide to have a snowball fight. Their mom would have shot me dead!
 

M

Michaelh218

Medium Fish
#23
Jan 13, 2009
58
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0
Elberta, Al
#23
*update*

My wife rocks, she just purchased a 24inch t5 for my tank!! (early b'day present) When that comes in it should really help my plants take off.

Granted, my tank is 30 inch but we couldn't find a 30 inch so I guess that's an odd size.

I'm stoked!
 

M

Michaelh218

Medium Fish
#28
Jan 13, 2009
58
0
0
Elberta, Al
#28
well the "big" fish are going to a new home soon :). Figured I'd be in good shape with 48 watts as that's the highest I could find for my width (they were also selling 24 watts but we didn't want those).

So I guess you're screwed if you have a small tank?
 

E

emmanuelchavez

Superstar Fish
#29
Feb 22, 2008
1,370
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#29
I hear t5's are pretty good. I have a 30" t5 coralife fixture on my 29g, and it works miracles, granted all I have in the tank is needle-leaf java fern, java moss, and jungle val.

I have a 4" fixture on my 5" tank; just make sure to plant lower-light plants on the edges of the tank.
 

M

Michaelh218

Medium Fish
#31
Jan 13, 2009
58
0
0
Elberta, Al
#31
okay, I'm now experimenting with a DIY system I converted from the tablet set up I had.

I used a 20 oz soda bottle, I package of bread yeast (not the best I know but just testing it out atm) 1 cup of sugar.

Basically what I did is take the little canister that I would put the tablets in out of the set up and put the 20oz bottle in its place. I just did it and getting a bubble about every 4 or 5 secs so I am assuming it is working (or I'd get no bubbles)

I'll keep an eye on the ph though I don't see this dropping it too much (if at all) and I do have some wiggle room where ph is concerned.

Still going to get the pressurised system but this was a pretty cheap upgrade as it was made from stuff we had in the house.

I'm sure I got a little co2 leakage but I don't think its that big a deal. I'll get to a hobby shop when I can to get a bulkhead fitting to go on the cap which will take out any leakage.

When I can get some more tubing I'll go to a 2 liter and beer or champagne yeast as has been suggested.
 

M

Michaelh218

Medium Fish
#33
Jan 13, 2009
58
0
0
Elberta, Al
#33
I've learned a ton since I've been here (and considering how short that has been, its pretty good).

I had just gotten a brain storm last night and decided to convert tablets to DIY and so far its working....granted I had some of the yeast bubbles get in my tank but I seem to have fixed that problem (put too much water in the bottle) and now getting a bubble every second or two as of this morning.

Looking forward to my 48 watt T5 that should be here in a couple of weeks then my plants should really take off.

Now if my friend will hurry up and take the fish I'm wanting to get rid of so I can get some more plants and really get this thing popping!
 

M

Michaelh218

Medium Fish
#35
Jan 13, 2009
58
0
0
Elberta, Al
#35
Whiskers said:
sounds like your on your way to acheaving the tank you want. Congrats, and maybe you'll slip in a pic so we can all share in your happiness. ppl here love pics hehehehe.
Click to expand...
I'll be doing more pics on Wednesday but the pics I have already as well as a blog on my tank can be found in the link in my profile.....that way I don't clutter the forum too much :)
 

kalidiscopeyes

kalidiscopeyes

Small Fish
#38
Dec 27, 2008
28
0
0
#38
Hey! I'm new to this also :) I've been slowly adding live plants and want more...that's the thing once you really get into this! You keep wanting more. Let me put it this way; I love this hobby as much as some people love thier cars or golf! lol!
Good luck on the co2 sys. Get your wife into the hobby and it'll be easier:)~
 

M

Michaelh218

Medium Fish
#39
Jan 13, 2009
58
0
0
Elberta, Al
#39
Well, the aggresive fish are gone :)

Now I have....

5 guppies, 3 male 2 female
2 dwarf guaramies
1 frog
1 knife fish
various live plants :)
2 snails

Set up is now a DIY co2 (feed into filter intake until my nano diffuser gets here)

T5 lights came in today, one daylight, one actinic.

I'll take a pic after the tank clears up a bit as I also did some aquascaping.

About getting my wife into it? LOL well I didn't realize exactly HOW aggresive dwarf puffers were but after researching (she already bought two) we found out they are recommended as species tanks.....well now my wife has given up on picking out fish lol. What she did, though is buy a 10 gal to put the puffers in. I know about cycling, so what we did us fill it up with water from the 37 gallon and used some of the substrate from it as well (it had plenty lol ) and two of the plants from the bigger tank. I don't think we'll have much of a spike at all. So now we have 2 tanks :)

What's funny is...now I don't know how serious she is but she's on ebay right now looking at some BIG tanks (wooopi!!!!!!)
 

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