Post #32 : The Power of the Force!

The power of the force! Now I know how people can be easily influenced or defeated in Star Wars...the force is such a strong stuff! Even stronger if it come from your own mother! -___-"

She was saying that I should probably start the 4 feet aquarium faster, in fear of the canister filter will ruin if being left off for so long. Although there are some truth in her words, but I know she can't wait for her favourite fish, the Angelfish! Previously, had one Angelfish, but it was shy, maybe due to I'm a noob fish keeper or the aquarium environment itself. But it died after almost one year staying with us.

So, today I've filled up the 4 feet aquarium with water and begin the cycling process..it would take weeks for the eheim canister to be cycled but I'll wait for about a week before adding the sand (still debating what kind of sand or should I use soil) and the another week before adding the fish. Alhamdulillah, I have 2 DIY filter running in current aquarium so I would be able to transfer them and jump start my aquarium! Yay!!!!

Top left - Marble Angelfish || Top right - Koi Angelfish || Bottom - Platinum Angelfish 

 Ok, my plan for the aquarium would be like this :
-For substrate, I think it would be the silica sand
-For the plants, I think I would put Echinodorus quadricostatus, Echinodorus amazonicus,Anubias barteri, and Java Fern. Do google those terms if you want further information.
-For the fish, I have two situation.
If I get two Angelfish - 7 Congo Tetra, A Dwarf Gourami, 6 Corydoras, and a German Blue Ram
If I get four Angelfish - 5 Rainbow Fish, 6 Corydoras, 15 Rummynose Tetra
However, these setup is not final..but I do know that I will add the Angelfish last.

I would love to keep more, but the space will be limited, unless I get a 8 feet aquarium! Hahaha

Post #30 : New Member! [again]

So, I've added another 10 Tiger Barb to the existing school! The aquarium now really look alive with colours and activities! I love it!

As I mention earlier, I wanted to add the albino Tiger Barb. At the fish store I also came across the Jade Tiger Barb which I thought look beautiful with the other Tiger Barb!

Yellow Tiger Barb

I couldn't find picture for the Jade Tiger Barb. If I manage to capture the picture of them in my aquarium, I'll post it here for sure! The Jade Tiger Barb colour look like the Green Tiger Barb but the colour is so so light, totally different then the others.

Alhamdulillah, the look amazing in that aquarium. I have now 3 DIY filter in that aquarium powered by two air pump. Of course, two of it are for the bigger aquarium I am yet to setup, just cultivating the good bacteria so that I can jump start the big aquarium without going to the cycling process. Hehe..

Post #27 : New Member!

Today I've added 5 new member to the 2.5 feet aquarium! 5 Green Tiger Barb, same species with different colours and pattern!

Green Tiger Barb. Picture taken from http://www.aquariumdomain.com/viewSpeciesFreshwater.php?id=94

The colour is really different from the normal Tiger Barb, however the behaviour is the same, nipply, active little fish!

Tiger Barb. Picture taken from http://www.funfishtank.com/2006/09/tiger-barb/

Next I'm going to add another 5 more member, making it 20 in total. Another variety of the Tiger Barb, which is the Albino Tiger Barb! Really pretty too :)

Albino Tiger Barb. Picture from http://www.ekmpowershop19.com/ekmps/shops/buriramphur/albino-tiger-barb-3cm-396-p.asp

I think I'm going to buy them next week, can't wait! Of course the aquarium isn't complete yet as I still want to do some changes to it.

Post #25 : Reviving the Hobby

The hobby mention here is fish keeping! Before cancer, I had a 4 feet normal dimension tank of tropical fish, with sands and plants! And then cancer happen. I just left the inhabitants of the aquarium to die, only feeding them once a day :(

Now, since cancer is not a barrier to do vigorous work anymore, I've decided to continue this hobby of mine! I've started with the 2.5 feet length with 1.5 feet height and width aquarium. The 4 feet is empty for now.

Miraculously, 5 Java fern that I had neglected in the messy, smelly, greenish aquarium survive like it was nothing. So does the 1 blue gourami and 10 tiger barb! The inhabitant that didn't survive was 1 angelfish (too sad when it die), 2 blue gourami, 2 black molly, 5 jullie corydoras. I was too weak to do anything that time, can't rely on others to do it. Anyway the thing already happen, and I look forward to this new beginning!

The 2.5 feet tank was originally planned for a pair of blue german ram, however plan often changed. Now it houses 4 Java fern with 10 tiger barb!

The water was still cloudy, thanks to the sand

I began setting up this aquarium last Wednesday (17 October).  Since it's small, it's not really a problem setting it up.

Taken on 18/10/12. The water is much clearer than before!

The problem I have with this particular tank is the filter. The powerhead sucks in the water too fast, and the top filter can handle all the water resulting leaking water from the filter. Luckily I was home with my father, and we were able to stop it from getting out of control. We drilled 8 extra hole in the top filter and voila! no problem!

My plan for this aquarium :
1)Add another 15 tiger barb (maybe the green & albino variety)
2)Add some rocks or cave for hiding
3)Add more Java fern

I would not add other fish since the current is strong and tiger barbs are really notorious fin nippers!!