# My tank thanks Scotmando !



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

This evening, I had the pleasure of dropping by to see Scott and his beautiful fish room, and it was hard not to just drool on the floor ! He very generously gave me a large bag of truly disgusting looking grey water and mulm ..which will surely be brimming with lovely colonies of bacteria, to help get my tank cycle going faster. 

He also very kindly gave me a nice bag of frogbit, water lettuce and another pretty ferny looking plant I don't know the name of just yet. 

Happens I had purchased a case of Ataulfo mangoes the previous day, which were still in my van. I asked if he liked mangoes and he said yes, so I was pleased to share some mangoes, not a bad trade at all.

When I looked at the frogbit in my tank, after I placed in the water, it seriously reminded me of the creature in the very first episode of Star Trek Next Generation.. Star Point Station.. the roots hanging down under the leaves look very like the space creature the Enterprise saved in that episode. If that makes me weird, so be it. 

I've never seen frogbit or water lettuce before, and was very pleased to get some, both are very attractive, and I'm sure will do their part to get my tank running in tip top shape.

Thanks again Scott.. much appreciated !


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## Scotmando (Jul 10, 2011)

I cycle all my new tanks with "disgusting looking grey water and mulm" a.k.a. filter residue. This stuff was 'extra premium' bacteria, as I hadn't cleaned out the filter in about 6-7 weeks. 

THE 3 PLANTS are frogbit, mini water lettuce and Guppy Grass (Najas Guadalupensis)

Enjoy all the goodies. Good luck on the new set-up. 

Nice to meet an enthusiastic hobbyist such as yourself!

Great trade! I love Mangoes!


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Yup, the icky grey stuff was primo material.. my tank readings today showed zero nitrites, and a nice healthy nitrate reading.. freakin' amazin ! So thanks again... the danios thank you also for making their home a nicer place to be - they've grown noticeably in just a couple of weeks. They kept jumping out of the big vase of cleaner water I was trying to keep them in, which I had floated in the main tank. I was hoping to lessen their stress as the nitrite spike ran it's course, but now it doesn't matter. Yay !


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Thanks also for the ID on the guppy grass. Can I plant that in the substrate ?


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

awee awesome Scott! :3


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## Scotmando (Jul 10, 2011)

Karen was really nice. It was a pleasure to help.

I love bacteria!


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## george (Apr 11, 2009)

Karen, just a quick question. Was he wearing his orange hat?


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## df001 (Nov 13, 2007)

Scotmando said:


> I love bacteria!


You know what they say right? Support bacteria, its the only culture some people have... 

It never fails to amaze me how awesome everyone on the board is, both in sharing of knowledge, and great help to each other.


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## charlie1 (Dec 1, 2011)

Scotmando said:


> I cycle all my new tanks with "disgusting looking grey water and mulm" a.k.a. filter residue. This stuff was 'extra premium' bacteria, as I hadn't cleaned out the filter in about 6-7 weeks.
> 
> THE 3 PLANTS are frogbit, mini water lettuce and Guppy Grass (Najas Guadalupensis)
> 
> ...


Great work Scot , these types of RAOK is what makes this hobby so rewarding.
In light of your professed love for the mango, you should consider a name change
Scotman*g*o


Regards


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

*Orange hat ?*



george said:


> Karen, just a quick question. Was he wearing his orange hat?


Nope.. not an orange hat in sight.. just yellow mangoes ! And all those lovely fish tanks full of seriously pretty fish and stuff.


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## Scotmando (Jul 10, 2011)

Fishfur said:


> Nope.. not an orange hat in sight.. just yellow mangoes ! And all those lovely fish tanks full of seriously pretty fish and stuff.


Sorry, its at my uncle's home. I may have to wear my white cap with HOL on the front in orange and the Netherlands flag on the back!


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

*Query, about that grey stuff ?*

I dumped the bag of grey gunky water into my tank the way Scott suggested, and it sure worked a treat, it was amazing how quickly the nitrites vanished. But it left my substrate coated in a fairly thick layer of dull grey sludge particles. I left it be for a few days, but then it bugged me too much to look at it, so I siphoned a lot of it out. Sieved the water, returned the water to the tank and used the solids on my plants, so they didn't go to 'waste'. I know, it's a pitiful pun .

Anyway, there is still a noticeable amount of grey particles. A lot is superfine and has settled below the substrate surface, but enough larger particles remain to cover leaves, stones, wood, the bottom, the sponge filter.

It gets stirred up when the two danios chase each other, or the loach rummages in the substrate, then they settle again. My query - Is what is left going to eventually break down and disappear or will I have to keep siphoning it out to get that super clean look I admired so much in Scott's tanks ? I've used the finest net I can find to sieve the solids out, but nothing will catch the fines. I'd be pleased to just get rid of the larger bits that are most visible.

Aside from this, my tank is looking better and better. I've got loads of java ferns, some anubias and other things, moss starting tied to driftwood and stone. Water is clear, nitrites remain at zero, nitrates remain pretty low too. Using Flourish and Excel as per label instructions. I just want the grey bits to vanish..so are they going to go on their own or do I have to sieve it some more ?


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## Scotmando (Jul 10, 2011)

Fishfur said:


> I dumped the bag of grey gunky water into my tank the way Scott suggested, and it sure worked a treat, it was amazing how quickly the nitrites vanished. But it left my substrate coated in a fairly thick layer of dull grey sludge particles. I left it be for a few days, but then it bugged me too much to look at it, so I siphoned a lot of it out. Sieved the water, returned the water to the tank and used the solids on my plants, so they didn't go to 'waste'. I know, it's a pitiful pun .
> 
> Anyway, there is still a noticeable amount of grey particles. A lot is superfine and has settled below the substrate surface, but enough larger particles remain to cover leaves, stones, wood, the bottom, the sponge filter.
> 
> ...


Usually I just let it go for 2-3 weeks and then you can do a waterchange. When you do the water change, siphon off the bottom where the particles have settled.

What kind of filter are you running on this tank? It also should get rid of most of the particles.

Got one mango left! They're delicious!

Thanks, Scotman*g*o


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

*mmmmm, mannngoooess.*

Big sponge filter in one corner, but I dislike its appearance. Yellow [colour fading,thankfully] flat clover leaf thing. When it gets worn out I'll replace it with a taller version with a smaller footprint. I replaced the very short lift tube it came with to one the height of the tank, so it's more efficient. Also have a small corner filter opposite the sponge,runs on air. Used pebbles in the bottom to stop it floating up. Several layers of poly pads inside plus I stuffed the grated front chamber with some sponge cut to fit. Didn't want any future livestock getting stuck in the thing.

Don't want a power filter. Sponge is a good biofilter & the corner one is pretty effective, nice circulation going. It has taken out quite a lot of the stuff & I rinse out the poly pads in a bit of tank water every few days. The water is nice and clear, just yellowed from wood leachate. I'll put some charcoal in sometime to take the colour away 'n then I hope the water will look as crystalline as yours does. It's only when the stuff gets stirred up that I notice it, except when I'm looking down from the top, when I feed the fish, 'cause then I can see it lying everywhere.

So I'll just wait awhile 'til I need to do a water change and siphon off whatever is still around then. I have quite a few plants now, thanks to some more kind and generous members, they should help.

I chopped a mango up in some yogurt today for lunch. Mmm mm.! Going to freeze a bunch of them for juicing later. Looove Ataulfo mangoes !


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## Scotmando (Jul 10, 2011)

Fishfur said:


> Big sponge filter in one corner, but I dislike its appearance. Yellow [colour fading,thankfully] flat clover leaf thing. When it gets worn out I'll replace it with a taller version with a smaller footprint. I replaced the very short lift tube it came with to one the height of the tank, so it's more efficient. Also have a small corner filter opposite the sponge,runs on air. Used pebbles in the bottom to stop it floating up. Several layers of poly pads inside plus I stuffed the grated front chamber with some sponge cut to fit. Didn't want any future livestock getting stuck in the thing.
> 
> Don't want a power filter. Sponge is a good biofilter & the corner one is pretty effective, nice circulation going. It has taken out quite a lot of the stuff & I rinse out the poly pads in a bit of tank water every few days. The water is nice and clear, just yellowed from wood leachate. I'll put some charcoal in sometime to take the colour away 'n then I hope the water will look as crystalline as yours does. It's only when the stuff gets stirred up that I notice it, except when I'm looking down from the top, when I feed the fish, 'cause then I can see it lying everywhere.
> 
> ...


Sounds like you're doin it right.

The siphon off the bottom routine really works well. That's how I do water changes.

One more juicy mango left! I love the fragrance when you first cut into them.

Enjoy, Scotman*g*o


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Just thought I'd let you know, my tank is looking pretty good now. Though it's still a bit yellow from the wood, the water is now crystal clear. Parameters seem to be quite stable and 3 new fan shrimp I got a few days ago are doing a bang up job cleaning up everything in sight. Odd little guys, but interesting to watch and they do show up frequently, despite the camouflage colouration they have. I hope I've got both sexes, I've read a few places that a dominant male will eventually colour to a nice red. So thanks again for the boost to get started, it sure has paid off !


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