Chapter 5 Daily Routine

Some things need to be done every day for everyone in the tank to thrive. These things do not take up a lot of time but defintiely need to be part of routine.

5.1 Morning

• You need to put 1 ml (up to the first thread on the cap) of Excel into the tank to provide the plants with the carbon they need for the day
  • Try to remember this because variations in carbon can cause an algae bloom
• With the smart outlet, tank lights automatically turn on at 9am.

5.2 Evening

5.2.1 Feed Neptune

• You need to feed Neptune first. He recognizes movement of the blue betta food jar and should swim to the front. If not, you need to wiggle your finger so he knows it’s food time. Tossing the food in without him being ready and looking at it will just result in it sinking and mucking up the tank, he has to look at it and know it’s food time.
• He gets 5ish pellets of food one time a day only in the evening
  • Do not read what it says on the container, it is a lie.
  • Even 5ish pellets is a lot for him, he’s a big boy. He will eat until he dies though, so keep meals small.
  • You can ‘forget’ to feed him once a week so he doesn’t get too constipated.

5.2.2 Feed Corys

• The corys are much easier to feed, but it’s best to toss their food near where they already are to prevent it from dissolving into the water as much.
  • They get 4-5 pellets of Hikari sinking wafers.
  • Try to do this while Neptune is distracted with his own food, he will lunge at anything entering the water, and doesn’t like the idea that corys are allowed to eat.

5.3 Anytime

• Head count the corys
• Check Neptune’s fins and scales
• Give a the tank a look over for floating leaves or rotting leaves on plants, it’s just good to know what’s going on.