He11's Kitchen

I understand

I tried a piece of acrylic once, was going to set a flash on it, he attacked it before I ever let go. Think after a while he might get used to it, but I just wanted an open top when I set it up. Planned on having a few plants sticking out, got some pothos cuttings taking root in a "planter" but not sure if I want a wall full of that stuff. Thought I could grow some amazon sword partially submerged, that' not going so well.
All the leaves died when i moved it to the planter but it's slowly coming back.

cool idea!

Just checked the tank for nitrates, still nothing! Only polyfiber, sponge, and bioballs in the sump now. Got some algae over some of the wood and moss. Can't figure out why there's no nitrates with all those fish in there, haven't changed the water in a week.
Could it be that the driftwood has enough anaerobic bacteria to break down all the nitrates

The planter thing is a no go for now, the suction cups are junk, they won't hold any longer. Might be able to use wire hangers or something else later on.

every few hours they get a bubble bath


Put an 800gph pump in a corner on a timer to go on for 30 minutes a few times throughout the day to change the flow a bit and stir up some of the dead spots. Hooked an airline into the intake of it and a valve to adjust the airflow, cranked it up for the pic.

this tank is just awesome... Any idea on the "kind" of wood that is?

plastic zip ties work great and are cheap and come in various sizes btw ,cool set up

My guess would be oak, since that lake is surrounded by them. But I really don't know.

About ready to take ALL that wood out and use it for the flower garden.
I think the stuff is rotting, took out a small piece from a corner out today that had a lot of fungus growing on it, and the outside of it was almost spongy and scraped of with a fingernail. Tried bleaching it and scrubbing with a hard brush, that removed a layer but it was still kinda soft underneath. Each waterchange I scrub it to get the algae and stuff off, but it just grows back, I skipped my weekly wc and there was puffs of white fungus all over the place.
Wished I knew a sure fire way to cure that stuff, it would be worth putting back in a few months or even a year if it took that long. Maybe a LOOOOONNNNNNGGGG bath in saltwater. If I take it out I'll probably gain about 25 gallons or more of tank volume. I love the look of the tank when it's clean, kind of hate to take the wood out, but the tank would likely stay a heckuvalot cleaner.
Sure would look kinda naked and bare with only one fish in there.

then go find more wood lol

Maybe some of these can help.

http://ezinearticles.com/?DIY-Driftwood-for-Aquarium&id=182987
http://www.tetra-fish.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2268
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/55482-diy-driftwood-aquarium-safe-woods.html
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/diy-aquarium-projects/53589-driftwood-issue.html
http://www.cichlidforums.com/showthread.php?t=23083
http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_driftwood.php

Will probably try the salt if I do it, but tearing down that tank and then trying to get the wood back in is gonna be a pain. If I hate it without the wood I'll def do it.

YUCK!!!


There's a fish in there SOMEWHERE, he bit me a couple of times!

NAKED!


microbubbles everywhere, should clear up in a little bit