tanked (3)

 

The new tank is approaching maximum capacity, at least for the moment.  The existing inhabitants have been joined by six Congo tetras, three more dwarf otos and three bronze corydoras.

 

The tetras are the largest fish and the corydoras the most active, outpacing even the barbs.

tanked - part 2

 

It's taken a while, but at last we're getting somewhere! I set up my new aquarium at the start of December and it lay barren and empty whilst I waited patiently for the nitrogen cycle to get going. Water samples were taken daily until at last the ammonia reading peaked followed shortly after by a nitrite spike. It wasn't long before both cleared and I was ready to begin stocking.

 

After copious research and a number of visits to a local tropical fish specialist I decided to go with barbs. So far the tank holds eight green barbs, six golden tiger barbs (orange and white striped), six golden barbs and two dwarf otocinclus.

The planting has started to bed in too, though I've had to remove the dwarf hair-grass. Having carefully teased open several pots of the darned stuff to break into smaller plantlets it repaid me by acting as a brown hair-algae magnet. It's been rooted out now, though doubtless tiny remnants will resurface from time-to-time like random green vestigial nasal hair!

 

 

 

 

tanked

 

Well here she is, my new tank, just waiting to settle down ready for the arrival of the first fish. I'm thinking about a few Congo Tetras to start...

 

I've always wanted an aquarium ever since I saw one kept by my cousin, Hugo. I was very young at the time and the magic of the darting fish beneath the lights has been etched indelibly on my memory.

 

The move to our new home last year provided just the opportunity to start my own piscine adventures. I set up a small 60 litre tank and I was hooked! But it was never going to be enough. So now I'm in the process of establishing a second, much larger 240 litre tank. I've had a go at some pretty rudimentary aquascaping by building a small hill at the back, decorating it with dragon rock and planting what I hope will in time grow into a lush underwater lawn.

I just need the nitrogen cycle to establish itself now. Patience is a virtue!