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Help! I need to help a fish
- Thread starter TextsFromParrots
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TextsFromParrots
Biking along the boulevard
Well that was an adventure. 
Though thankfully it didn't take nearly as long as it did to scrub and peel all that algae off in the first place!! Poor Duncan, he was once again placed in his bucket as I worked, but so far so good. Here was the game plan tonight!
-I turned off the filter, heater and all that jazz.
-I removed all the old gravel using a sturdy fish net, it was harder then I thought and I ended up half soaked trying to contain the mess, but it worked!
-Next I used a finer net to go through and try to get all the loose bits of algae and worked to scrub down the walls again. A lot of the algae won't come off.
Maybe there's something better I should use? Right now I have the algae scrubby pad and I use a squeegee type deal.
-Now onto the sand! First off, I should NOT have lugged that thing to work taking the bus. 20 lbs was light at home, but by the time I got to work I was panting! The sand was pretty easy to add actually, though I was surprised there was all slushiness inside of it instead of it being dry. 
It looked like a huge cloud had exploded in the tank when I put it in! It took a good bit before it cleared.
-I brushed it carefully, and made more clouds as I laid it out evenly, but I may think about another air stone. The long one has a great line of bubbles, but the sand's a bit pesky to lay properly over it.
-Decoration time! I'm not the best decorator, but I did my best to make a little pathway of shiny pebbles from the bridge to his little pagoda. The plants I got were a bit small so I cleaned up a few of the better old ones and placed them back in the tank.
-Washed the foam in some old water and replaced it, and then turned everything back on.
Right now Duncan is in his little baggy floating away on top of the tank while I run it for the next 20 minutes and then he'll be introduced back into the environment. The pH levels are at 7.3 right now, which should be just fine for him. It's only a few points lower then what it was when I began. And without further ado, the progression of this tank of horrors into what it is now! Forgive my lack of decorating skills. The next time I work with the tank I'm going to reposition various things like the air tube so they won't be so visible in the background.
Original:
After The Great Algae Battle of 2011:
And now! Forgive the blurriness, cell phone was used to take them and the water is still clearing up.
I tried to make sure he had a lot of hiding places since he seems to like to dart in and out of things. I'll try to remember my camera tomorrow to take better pictures.
And during my PA I mentioned the tank to my boss.
Her response was that she had commented on the algae and mark had insisted that the fish was healthier with it and he didn't want to remove it. I know now the black beard algae was just really nasty looking rather then harmful from what I've read, but he barely had any room to move in there and this way looks so much better. Our fish deserves a happy home! 
Though thankfully it didn't take nearly as long as it did to scrub and peel all that algae off in the first place!! Poor Duncan, he was once again placed in his bucket as I worked, but so far so good. Here was the game plan tonight!-I turned off the filter, heater and all that jazz.
-I removed all the old gravel using a sturdy fish net, it was harder then I thought and I ended up half soaked trying to contain the mess, but it worked!
-Next I used a finer net to go through and try to get all the loose bits of algae and worked to scrub down the walls again. A lot of the algae won't come off.
Maybe there's something better I should use? Right now I have the algae scrubby pad and I use a squeegee type deal.-Now onto the sand! First off, I should NOT have lugged that thing to work taking the bus.
20 lbs was light at home, but by the time I got to work I was panting! The sand was pretty easy to add actually, though I was surprised there was all slushiness inside of it instead of it being dry. It looked like a huge cloud had exploded in the tank when I put it in! It took a good bit before it cleared.-I brushed it carefully, and made more clouds as I laid it out evenly, but I may think about another air stone. The long one has a great line of bubbles, but the sand's a bit pesky to lay properly over it.
-Decoration time! I'm not the best decorator, but I did my best to make a little pathway of shiny pebbles from the bridge to his little pagoda. The plants I got were a bit small so I cleaned up a few of the better old ones and placed them back in the tank.
-Washed the foam in some old water and replaced it, and then turned everything back on.
Right now Duncan is in his little baggy floating away on top of the tank while I run it for the next 20 minutes and then he'll be introduced back into the environment. The pH levels are at 7.3 right now, which should be just fine for him. It's only a few points lower then what it was when I began. And without further ado, the progression of this tank of horrors into what it is now! Forgive my lack of decorating skills.
The next time I work with the tank I'm going to reposition various things like the air tube so they won't be so visible in the background.Original:
After The Great Algae Battle of 2011:
And now! Forgive the blurriness, cell phone was used to take them and the water is still clearing up.
I tried to make sure he had a lot of hiding places since he seems to like to dart in and out of things. I'll try to remember my camera tomorrow to take better pictures.
And during my PA I mentioned the tank to my boss.
Her response was that she had commented on the algae and mark had insisted that the fish was healthier with it and he didn't want to remove it. I know now the black beard algae was just really nasty looking rather then harmful from what I've read, but he barely had any room to move in there and this way looks so much better. Our fish deserves a happy home!
Last edited:
waterfaller1
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I think you have done a wonderful job, and it looks great!
This is what I told you in the beginning of the thread. It looked bad, but really algae feeds off the waste, so it actually makes the water clean. But who wants to look at a tank the way it was? Don't let those people put you down, I think it looks awesome.
waterfaller1
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Take your finger, and smooth the line in the very front of the sand, so it looks a bit more even. I bet lugging that sand was heavy. It is nice stuff though, huh?
I bet lugging that sand was heavy. It is nice stuff though, huh?
TextsFromParrots
Biking along the boulevard
Yeah I remember. But now I don't end up hating going back there. Its nice to just look at the nice clean tank. Poor Duncan he doesn't know what to do with all the new ornamentation.
But now I don't end up hating going back there. Its nice to just look at the nice clean tank. Poor Duncan he doesn't know what to do with all the new ornamentation.
waterfaller1
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He will be ok, as long as you don't change it every week. Remember that your hands can alter the PH, so hands out as much as possible. As the nitrate rises, it also effects him. Do not let the nitrate get over 20ppm. Watch those ornaments, they can be a bit dangerous if they harbor waste under them. I am sure he is thankful for all you have done. Believe it or not, fish can be pretty intelligent and recognize their keeper vs. a stranger.
Remember that your hands can alter the PH, so hands out as much as possible. As the nitrate rises, it also effects him. Do not let the nitrate get over 20ppm. Watch those ornaments, they can be a bit dangerous if they harbor waste under them. I am sure he is thankful for all you have done. Believe it or not, fish can be pretty intelligent and recognize their keeper vs. a stranger.
TextsFromParrots
Biking along the boulevard
Hopefully after this I'll be able to relax on tank duty and maintain it rather then annoying poor Duncan day in and day out. Thanks to all of you for your advice. This was really a strangely fun adventure learning so much! It makes me hopefull I might have a pretty tank of my own one day.
And Duncan says thank you too!
And Duncan says thank you too!
It looks so much better, Kristen! I hope he thrives in his nice new clean home. And it certainly would be very cool if he inspires you to get your own fish for home!
waterfaller1
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Heheh..he's in the pagoda!!!
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