Shots of my current guppies, sorry for the pic quality, used my mobilephone

have about 5 females and 6 males with about 20ish babies..will try to take shots of
the babies and pos it soon...they ar enow hiding in the trees...

Hmm... I am not sure about bleach but I think the residual will be as harmful to your fishes. Here is what I will do. Pour all the water away. Clean the tank with clean water. The most I would use might be some mild dishwasing detergent. Be sure to rinse it out properly. Spread the gravel onto a tarp and wash with clean water too. Let it dry really well under the sun. Set your tank back up with the gravel with new water after. Don't put fishes in there yet so tap water will be fine.

I would buy or use a filtration system where I can get a used filter of the same size from someone else - friends or local fish store that is from a healthy clean tank. Use that filter on your filtration system. Why use this? A used filter will contain all the proper bacteria that is needed to jumpstart your tank. Quicker than waiting for it to develop naturally. Eg. break down ammonia, etc.

When I start a new tank, the water is always not clear but don't worry about this. Let it sit for a min of 3 to 4 weeks. Change the water like normal. You can look up the frequency to change water based on size of tank. I do a water change every fortnight on my 29 gallon tank.

As the water clears up, I would start with some hardy fish (fish that do not die easily) like 4 or 5 Albino Corydoras and just let them be in the tank for another 2 to 3 weeks before adding other fishes.

Here is what I have used:

- 2 liter coke bottle
- tubings that is smaller than the coke bottle cap (~5mm)
- airstone
- super glue
- knife
- yeast

I cut a hole that is just a tad smaller than the tubing diameter on the center of the coke bottle cap. Stick the tubing through and apply superglue around the hole to seal it properly. Attach the airstone to the other end which you will set to the bottom of your tank.

You can do without the airstone if you don't have one. I just stick my tubing under a decorative stone to hold it down.

Mix half a cup of yeast and a cup of sugar with warm water. Stir to mix it evenly. Let it sit for about a minute or two and then pour it into your coke bottle. Add more water to fill the coke bottle about slightly below 2/3 full. The yeast should start producing CO2 in a day or so. The measurement above are subject to change. Experiment with it. I did it a few times before I found the right amount of yeast and water. Quality of yeast will also affect the production of CO2 so do a trial and error until you find the correct amount of what you need.

I am sure there are better methods out there but I find this to be very cost effective. You get to enjoy your coca cola or favorite beverage before using it! Most aquariums owners I know already have tubings. If not, just head to your local fish store to buy some cheap ones. The wrong mixture combination will produce too much or too little CO2 so find the right mixture for yourself.

Just a word of caution. If you use an adjustable valve to control the release of CO2, be aware that you may have an exploding bottle on your hand if it produces too much CO2!! Do at your own risk!

Good luck.


RB

This post has been edited by RedBox: Nov 21 2006, 11:07 PM

many thanks bro, but since u said it can explode, dont think I will be experementing or fermenting anything soon, i hve kids at home, and their
safety is my utmost priority, really appreciate your help and info, btw, si the set-up above for a 2 feet tank?

THANK YOU

This post has been edited by mydelsol: Nov 21 2006, 02:53 PM

My caution was if you use a valve to control the released of CO2. Just don't use a valve then. However, this may cause too much CO2 in your tank if it released too much. If this is the case, just take the tubing out of the tank. Once you try it a few times, you will find that you can get the right mixture.

I have used it on a 10 gallon and 29 gallon tank. I have never owned any other sizes. I'm too lazy to go measure it now but I am sure the volume will give you an idea.


RB

This post has been edited by RedBox: Nov 21 2006, 02:57 PM

again THANK YOU for your help and uidance, really imformative.
My current tank is nice (sendiri puji) but my plants tend's to die off in a week or
so, so was told to hve C02....thats my only reaosn...and i like to see my guppies
"happy" with so many plants, but tired of buying them on and off..sum of the babies tends to die off...sigghh

RM85 for tank or co2?

Wah... detailed! Wuuu... thanks... Corydoras are hardy? Didn't know...

it was a small Co2 tank thingy wit a 1 month supply of "CO2" to be replinished
every month at a cost of RM20/- a pack

bro, IF you cld, can you post how your CO2 setup, how it looks like,
just need an idea IF i do go ahead with it, advance thanks.

hi guys, about the diy co2, u can refer this link if u r interested to make one, sorry i dont kno how to copy n post the thing here, so i just post the url: http://www.plantedtank.net/articles/DIY-Yeast-CO2/7/
hope this wil help
for guppy no need black water n ketapang leave, u r not keeping bettas, i myself is a wildbetta keeper, guppy dont need this.
for aquatic plant, plz refer this link: http://www.plantedtank.net/plants.php , if u r beginer, plz go for the plant tat stated overall difficulty: easy.
sayasebuk: rm85 is the small one right? its not suitable for 2' tank, tats for minitank one. yes, everytime u finish the gas then u need to refill, just go any shop tat refill the fire distinguisher shop wil do aldi, as long as it is co2. if u sakit hati with money, then diy la, save money ma n bcareful with the volume, too much wil cause the algae to grow especially those annoying black black hair algae. get some oto or snail la.
just to share the info, peace

Wow... expensive to replendish. I buy packets of yeast from grocery store for 50cents a pack.

I don't have one to show at this moment. See the link provided by jaspery27 above. Very similar. My tank currently have enough Corydoras and Guppies so I have not made a new diy CO2 setup. The plants are not as green as before. I have been spending more time with my puppy than on my aquarium these days.


RB

This post has been edited by RedBox: Nov 21 2006, 11:12 PM

later i'll post some guppy tank pics of mine.

me too.......

Well I tried to take some pictures of mine but they keep swimming around after I zoomed in on them. I gave up after trying for a long time.


RB

THANK YOU for the informative url, appreciated...

yes i know, its expensive, that why i wanted to DIY, so looks like will go ahead
with my project later this weekend, how many guppies you have now? tank size?

hehehehehehe, my guppy tank nvm provide any co2 too, but the plants r doing well, if u guys dont wan to waste money on co2, then diy la, or like me, go for the fern types plants, easy to grow, minimum light, no need co2 ( if u hv fish inside), ferterlizer i use JBL brand (its up to u la), fern like java or singapore moss just nice for those lazy ppl like me lo just share my opinion, peace

I got hit with some illness and now left with 8 guppies, 4 Albino Corydoras, 1 Corydoras Melanistus and some snails in a 29 gallon tank.

I also have 2 goldfish in a 10 gallon tank. The two goldfishes have been with me for about 4 to 5 years now. Before that, it belongs to a friend of mine who gave it to me after he moved. The goldfishes are estimated at about 9 or 10 years old now!

[edit] Here's what I use for plant food. Just some regular ones I found at a small local pet store.





RB

This post has been edited by RedBox: Nov 22 2006, 01:21 PM

Bro,

I hve considered C02 DIY as recommended by bro RB, below is my tank, think its abt 10gallons, hve considered Java Moss, but dont know how much to buy as most shops sell by "weight" or palm size and cost abt RM10/-
to RM12/- a pc. so am curently torn between CO2 bomb, as am not a scientist, or a being a normal lazy guy and getting moss.....advise pls??

ouch, had the same problem wit sum snails, whihc turned out to be millions... had bought snail remover, but it removed everything in the tank as well wow, ur Goldfish really old bro...

one dwarf puffer is enough to eliminate hundreds of snails