20 gallon L banded sunfish tank!

Here is my tank. I am working on getting a bunch of cabomba for along the back and between the wood. Currently has dwarf sag, vals, a crypt, a few java ferns, some type of anubias and riccia. The fish in there are my fundulus rubrifrons (2m/2f), trio of flag fish (1m/2f), my little goby guy, some small gambusia and h. formosa, two tiny dwarf crays, and my oto cat female (male died =( ) This will house my banded sunfish here in a couple of weeks/month, but I need help with the wood. I noticed some white filmy stuff growning on it and I thought that by boiling the wood that it would disappear, but didn't. Maybe I didn't boil it enough? anyways it is currently OUT of the tank, but I want to re-add it so any help there would be great!
anyways here is the tank:

Those are nice looking pieces of wood. Where did you get them?

What type of wood is it? I've found that "hardwoods" I put in tanks do get that bacterial/fungal growth, especially if it was a piece that had not been in the water prior to...meaning that it was not driftrwood. That white bacterial/fungal growth is the standard for but it will run its course eventually. Below is a reply I made to your original "wanted" post for wood.


http://forum.nanfa.o...?showtopic=4527
"I don't know the ecotype you have access to, and unless you have dendrology knowledge or are a wood scientist it is hard to tell, but the best (most long-lasting, and rot-resistant) wood to use IMO is cedar, northern white cedar Thuja occidentalis, and possibly eastern red, Juniperus occidentalis in your general local. It will stain the water with tannins more than others but it is good stuff. I try to stay away from alder, willow etc. and other riparian species as they generally tend to "fungus-up" heavily for a while after introduction to tanks, unless they are well cured. I would severely caution agains pines of any type as they are very soft and tend to rot quickly. The red and/or silver maples (pseudo riparian species often found in lowland wooded swamps) aren't toooooo bad but also will also fungus a quite a bit. By "fungus-up" I mean that they will get a white fuzzy growth, itmay be bacteria?, on it. I don't think it "bad' in that it won't neccessarily kill your fish but not great. My java moss and java fern tend to take to cedar better than others too. Others may have difffernt opinions/experiences... I will say though that I have found some wonderfully textured willow that I have used with good success, but IMO it has to be a really great piece for me to use it. Have fun!!"

Those are nice looking pieces of wood. Where did you get them?

Ditto - very nice. Did you dig out some stumps? Really - what was the technique for finding these pieces?

I went down to the wisconsin river and searched along the shores. I did take a sawzall in there with me, but the two pieces that I used in this tank were in the river just off shore. As for the type of wood, I have no clue, but I am currently letting it "bleach" in the sun, ( that is what was recommended and I assumed that to mean let it sit in the sun for a while.) I am also planning on going to the same place again soon to look for madtoms and darters just to see if I can find any, and to get more wood for my 10 gallon tanks.

I heard from someone that the "moldy goo" was not harmful for the fish and will disappear over a few weeks/months time. Would you guys say it would be safe to leave it in there? And they also said that the fish will eat it? I have no clue.


But thanks for the comments guys!

Oh, btw, I might change up my mind and go with bluespotted instead of banded, depends on how I am feeling the day I purchase. Also, would black striped topminnows live ok with the red cheeked topminnow? ( and I think one of my female red cheeks is really a female golden topminnow.. will try to get a pic to show)

I've had the same problem a number of times, never noticed fish eating it but I'd clean it off now and then and within a couple months it didn't come back.

With Banded or Bluespots I'd be concerned how the Hets will do.

Edited by keepnatives, 23 June 2008 - 11:09 PM.

I didn't say it before, but that tank set up looks awsome!! Where did you get that coarse sand? Did you collect that or did you spring for that at the LFS?

I'm just speculating, but if that slime/goo is bacterial and/or fungal than it seems that whatever the bacteria and fungus is eating needs to be consumed or removed. I don't know if bleaching it in the sun will do it. Do you have a big rubbermaid bin to put it in the sun submerged in water so that the wood will leach-out instead of bleach-out ?

I got the sand for .20 a pound. I like it it is made of red flint. as for the wood it is sitting in the sun right now. The hets will be moved out once the sunfish come. I am seriously looking forward to putting the wood back in.