Saturday - where did the week go?

[Ron Sower]

So...when the week flies by, what does that mean?...too busy?...Ha!

I've been working on the Tetra tank the past few days...Wednesday, I removed all the plants and put them in buckets, then scooped out all the sand substrate...this created a lot of cloudy water!...Thursday I let it rest for the day....Yesterday I located a store with Safe-T-Sorb (my real substrate of choice!) and added it to the tank last night...I don't rinse it because it is too much trouble so it looked like a muddy river...but not to despair, I popped on my large Aquaclear HOB, and this morning the water is crystal clear...!  Today I will get the plants back into the substrate...I have new (for me) lights for this tank...I'm going full steam ahead on cultivating more plants...Then maybe tomorrow I'll start the setup of one of the two 75g tanks sitting in the game room ready to grow plants!...

And then, of course, there are all the projects on that long list of To-Dos that I can choose and pick from if I get really industrious...but like Liz mentions about herself, I'm learning to slow down and doing less things in a day...not sure I like that, but it's reality! ...

It is 71 right now and looking like it will push 90 today with sunny skies and no rain forecast for many days...after today It's going to be in the 80s for a week or more...these are some of the best days to visit central and southern AZ...and if you like cooler temps, then it's good in northern AZ...but some areas up there have had snowfall already!...

I guess I'd better get started on my day...have a good one, friends!...Happy aquariuming!...

[wsantia1]

Good afternoon everyone. It's been a warm (83F) and breezy day here but that is about ready to change as a cold front is moving in from the west and it will trigger some severe T-Storms this afternoon. The temp will dive into the high 40s by this evening.

I was supposed to got an outdoor club meeting at noon today but they changed the time from noon to 11:00 am because of the approaching storms and I could not get out of the house early enough to make it there in time for the raffles.

I've been putzing in the fishroom and added some more filtration to a couple of tanks including one  that has some maturing Gold Rams. There are only 5 of them but that's enough to keep me going with this project.

Liz, I assume  that Gold Rams x Gold Rams = Golds Rams. If my assumption is correct I will need to get a Black Ram in on the pairing to produce some Black Rams?

Ron, is this the Safe-T-Sorb that you like as your substrate?

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/ep-minerals-safety-absorbent-800989?store=2122&cm_mmc=organic_feed-_-GoogleShopping-_-Product-_-800989&utm_source=Shopping&utm_medium=ECOMM&utm_content=Feed&utm_campaign=Core&cid=Shopping-ECOMM-Core--33&gclid=CjwKCAjw8KmLBhB8EiwAQbqNoGsZ2ObImU_W7v0kKiC7KL_KaDkar0torRw2JGUMg36zMceHiEf-rRoCOMIQAvD_BwE .

I am toying with the idea of using substrate in a few of my tanks and I'm just wondering if this is the same stuff that you were talking about. I've seen prices ranging from $7.99 to $35.00 for a 40Lb bag. That's a price difference that I don't feel comfortable with.

Have a great day everyone.

[LizStreithorst]

Morning gentlemen.  Willie, I've never bred gold to gold but since your golds come from blacks my guess is that you would get some blacks in the spawn.  I'll be curious to find out what you get from yours.

We had a nice little rain last night and it's a good bit cooler this morning.  The days of shorts and a tank top are long gone.

I've got some nutella brownies going in the stove top oven.  I'll let you know how they come out.  I haven't even used my microwave yet and the only thing I've done with the new stove is boil water for my french press coffee. 

Shawn is going back to work Wednesday.  He's 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off.  By the time he gets back home I'll have enough experience with the oven to make him and the rest of the family a nice big pot of file gumbo.

Looking to forward to Barb posting more pics of her front and back yards after all her hard work.

[Barb]

HI gang, today has been ferry-riding day.  I enjoy it so much, I try to go at least twice a month.  Today was the 1/2 hr. ride across the Pamlico River, it is about 3 mi. wide at the ferry crossing. There were just 7 cars on this trip.  It is a free ferry but so much fun I always think it should cost, but many people use it to and from work daily or for shopping or hospital trips so the state keeps all the local ferries free.

I will take some yard pics after I do some more work out there.  I need to put away tools, and other things that would look bad in pics.  Thanks for asking Liz.  Still bone/desert dry out there.  Some people in my area got rain last week.  But not me.  the ponds in my neighborhood look like they are down 2'.

  Can we see a pic or link to your new little oven?  How nice for you to have 3 new ways to cook!

Willie and Ron, I have a Tractor Supply just 1  mi. down the road, I will look for that stuff and try it.  Maybe tomorrow, and will let you know if I get it and the cost.  Right now I have potting soil with gravel on top of it.  Will set up another plant tank with the new stuff for comparison.
Barb

[LizStreithorst]

I'll take pics and post links tomorrow, Barb.  Brownies were a touch over done around the sides and less fudgy in the middle but if I hadn't made them so many times before I'd have thought they rocked.  I'll make them again before I don't give it a 2 thumbs up on nutella brownies.

[Ron Sower]

Ron, is this the Safe-T-Sorb that you like as your substrate?

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/ep-minerals-safety-absorbent-800989?store=2122&cm_mmc=organic_feed-_-GoogleShopping-_-Product-_-800989&utm_source=Shopping&utm_medium=ECOMM&utm_content=Feed&utm_campaign=Core&cid=Shopping-ECOMM-Core--33&gclid=CjwKCAjw8KmLBhB8EiwAQbqNoGsZ2ObImU_W7v0kKiC7KL_KaDkar0torRw2JGUMg36zMceHiEf-rRoCOMIQAvD_BwE .

I am toying with the idea of using substrate in a few of my tanks and I'm just wondering if this is the same stuff that you were talking about. I've seen prices ranging from $7.99 to $35.00 for a 40Lb bag. That's a price difference that I don't feel comfortable with.

Have a great day everyone.

...Yes, Willie...that's it! You should be able to get it at Tractor Supply, or other farm supply stores for close to the 7.99 price...the higher prices are what I see online and that's because of shipping I think...If you do use it, put in a lot of root tabs in the beginning sow it will absorb the nutrients...once it gets saturated, it will be available for the roots of the plants...It will also pull nutrients out of the water column...once it settles in though, it's easy going...!