Really need help sort of off topic

31 posts • Page 2 of 4

Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


Zambize4899
 
Posts: 499
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:35 am

by Zambize4899

Poetic - I don't have a 10 gallon isolation tank. Only thing even close is a little glass 2 gallon mini tank. I could put him in that while I sanitize his tank? That would only take an hour or two. He sure does love his 6.6 gallon tank and he likes the temp high, the little 2 gallon would be, at the most 72 degrees. His tank is 80 degrees and he still wraps himself around the heater while sleeping. One site said to increase the temp when battling a fungus. I turned his up to 84 degrees and he still seems to love the temp.

Isolate in the 2 gallon while sanitizing and move him right back to his 6.6 gallon?

Zambize


Poetic_Irony2267
 
Posts: 297
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2007 8:42 pm

by Poetic_Irony2267

that would actually be fine, the two gallon tank would be easy to heat up just add a little warmer water to it and keep in the warmest location in the house, yeah that should actually do you just fine, when moving him back to the 6.6 do a half water change into the 2 gallon to get him back use to the water quality, do this gradually and he should adapt just fine. also take out your ornaments and give em a good scrub down and vacuum your gravel really well. water quality is a big issue when it comes to bettas they are quite temperamental when it comes right down to it


Zambize4899
 
Posts: 499
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:35 am

by Zambize4899

Oh, and as for the feeding. I only feed him 3 times a week and I feed him one pellet at a time to make sure none falls to the bottom. I feed him about 4-6 pellets 3 times a week, and maybe only 2 of those total drop to the bottom. Even then he sometimes eats those. I change 50% of his water once a week. and he has an extra pad in filter.

Zambize


Poetic_Irony2267
 
Posts: 297
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2007 8:42 pm

by Poetic_Irony2267

how often do you vacuum the gravel?


Zambize4899
 
Posts: 499
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:35 am

by Zambize4899

Every time I change the water, weekly. I did a water test:

pH 8.0
Ammonia .25
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 5.0

I'm thinking that's not bad for a Betta?

Zambize


Poetic_Irony2267
 
Posts: 297
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2007 8:42 pm

by Poetic_Irony2267

after reading the other post i tend to think you will be amazed at how much gunk you syphon out from under the plants and the wood piece, it will most likely disgust you... when i had my cichlid setup i had to completely move all rocks to one side vacuum and then repeat with the other side as the caves act as little reservoirs for debris and everything else, the current will push it in and it will settle cause the current doesn't go all the way through it chooses to go around, remember path of least resistance.


Poetic_Irony2267
 
Posts: 297
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2007 8:42 pm

by Poetic_Irony2267

ph is a little off i would tend to think, fish generally live in a ph range of 6.8-7.4 right around the neutral range, your tank seems to be a bit alkaline, if anything try to get the ph down to around 7.2 in over the enxt few days, this could also be the issue for the betta, as their natural habitat is rice patties in china, it's rain water filled with all sorts of stuff and the rice seems to even it out and drop it down, a betta can actually survive for months on end in an area no bigger than a puddle of water. but if the ph gets to alkaline it will kill em. at least this is what i have read.


Zambize4899
 
Posts: 499
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:35 am

by Zambize4899

The pH here is naturally high and I've had Betta fish for up to 3 years with this water. You may not have been in the discussion about my relentlessly high pH. We've tried everything, except peat moss, to get it down but it won't go down. It's this high in my community tank and other 2 small tanks as well. I would *love* to see it as low as you suggest, but those numbers are elusive.

Zambize


Poetic_Irony2267
 
Posts: 297
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2007 8:42 pm

by Poetic_Irony2267

try the peat moss it works wonders i have a nylon with about 3.5 cups of it in my canister and it's doing wonders for the tank our ph here is 7.8 coming out of the tap and letting it sit for a day with a bubble wand in the bucket, straight from the tap it reads in the 8.3 range which is why i am using an r/o tap mixture for my tank to keep the ph stable when doing water changes. my mixture consists of 5 gal r/o per 5 gal tap and i leave it out and test it after 24 hours and it's stable at 6.5 ph, this may be something you want to think about doing when doing water changes. although a ten gal bucket is back breaking to lift and slowly dump into my tank


Zambize4899
 
Posts: 499
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:35 am

by Zambize4899

I will definitely try the peat moss. I've been using spring water and that brought the pH down a notch or two, and that was straight spring water. My tank is small at 28 gallons so it isn't that many gallons for me to lug around. It's doable, and my guppies play in the waterfall. Yes, I have guppies. I'm really hoping to see a pH under 8.0...that would make me one happy fishkeeper.

Zambize

Really need help sort of off topic

31 posts • Page 2 of 4

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