Putting a custom setup together for the first time

Discussion in 'Anything DIY related' started by A new day, Mar 9, 2020.

  1. OP
    A new day

    A new day Moderator

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    Does anyone recognize these organisms growing on the stones? Some look like empty casings but some seem to be alive. A bit tricky to see today as we had some rain which disturbed things a little, but yesterday it was very clear that they eat the algae I’m trying to cook up - the areas immediately around it were eaten clean.

    What I’d really like to know is whether or not they’re harmful to put into a tank, or would they provide an additional food source for the fish?

    These are the stones I bought from a lfs, they were stored bone dry outside so the organisms must’ve been dormant for a very long time. The smaller stones I collected myself and treated with bleach are in a separate container next to this one, with none of these organisms.

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  3. GaryG

    GaryG Fishohollic

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    I wouldn't worry about it, I often see it on driftwood that is curing, should be OK to just rinse it off, throw out the old water and re fill. Do you have any liquid ferts, was just wandering if ferts would help algae to grow
     
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  4. OP
    A new day

    A new day Moderator

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    Ok great thanks @GaryG !
    My liquid ferts are only trace elements, not the macro elements that can sometimes grow algae unfortunately...
    The stones in the other container (without these organisms) grow good algae
     
  5. OP
    A new day

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    As I removed the stones I saw all these red worms (about the size of planaria)... live food for my fish or rather not?

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  6. Barry Roux

    Barry Roux

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    Bloodworms?
     
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  7. OP
    A new day

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    They certainly look like bloodworms to me, but I don’t have a wide frame of reference.
     
  8. GaryG

    GaryG Fishohollic

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    Looks like blood worm, midge fly larva

    Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
     
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  9. OP
    A new day

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  10. fux940510

    fux940510

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    I agree with bloodworms. My folks have a concrete bird bath in their garden, and it regularly gets crusted with these things. They are a larval stage for a kind of mosquito i believe.
     
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  11. OP
    A new day

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    Cool thanks, I fed them to the pond :thumbup:
     
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  12. OP
    A new day

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    Small tanks and sideboard are out, so space cleared for the 1,5m river tank. Won’t happen under level 4 lockdown but let’s see how things develop...

    There’s a 3m gap between the jungle tank and the left corner so can play around with positioning, depending on where the floor is the most level. According to hubby it’s somewhere in the middle.

    I would’ve liked to have the tank more towards the left, with some sort of planted rack (Serpa Design style) in the middle to separate the tanks and cover up the power socket. But safety comes first!

    @GaryG I ended up putting tank water with the large rocks, nitrates around 20. Cooking up better algae but starting to see this rather dodge looking red stuff develop (only in the tub with tank water, not in the smaller one I haven’t touched). Harmful?

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  13. GaryG

    GaryG Fishohollic

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    Not sure, looks like it is loose, maybe just empty the water out and lightly hose it off, then at least you won't destroy the algea and then fill up with tank water again, could it be brown algae maybe. It would be a shame to lose the algea. I am starting to get a little despondent about my chances of getting some hillies and gobies with the lockdown, but determined anyway. Had some rotten luck last week, my LFS organized me 4 F 8 Puffers but when his courrier dropped off they were all dead, supplier forgot to put heat pads in packages...frustrating

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  14. OP
    A new day

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    Ok cool thanks a mil!
    Oh my goodness..... all I can say :confused::(
    Sorry man...
     
  15. OP
    A new day

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    Fingers crossed
    They’re not that easy to get hold of at the best of times, and with lockdown very difficult. But hey, they could get hold of figure eights and they’re not the most common either.
     
  16. OP
    A new day

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    Quick question: what does one use to glue on the polystyrene base? Silicone spread very thinly and evenly?

    Quick update: the stand / cabinet MIGHT be delivered next Saturday soonest. Apparently it’s not even started yet, and work can only start on Monday so this will be the bottleneck.
    The tank might be here sooner. Yay!
     
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  17. Whoknows

    Whoknows Moderator

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    I just put a few lines down it about 10cm in from the edges and then press the polystyrene aginast the glass. Wait one hr and done. It will push out toward the edges once you press it onto the glass
     
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  18. Whoknows

    Whoknows Moderator

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    Finally its felt like years I'm sure.
     
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  19. GaryG

    GaryG Fishohollic

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    Great!, looking forward to seeing this tank up and running...cant wait
     
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  20. OP
    A new day

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    Me neither! :lol::thumbup:
     
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  21. OP
    A new day

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    Great, thanks :thumbup:
     
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