101 guide to Tanning Regime

Due to the frequent PMs I received in the mailbox, I decided to put together all the various bits and pieces for the good of the community:

Part 1: The Beginning of a New Start


Conditioning - it would be best to add some K leaves into the tank and increase the lighting intensity gradually over the days...users could use 3 / 6 / 9 / 12 / 24 hrs intervals as a guiding point

Slime Coat Observation - Slime coat is a physical marker for tanning users to observe the stress level of the reds in the tanning process...if users notice a substantial loss of slime coat, its best to add in some aloe vera extract or epsom salt in terms of restoring the protective coating for the reds

Part 2: The When, Where, What and How to go about Tanning

Size suitable for tanning - there is no specific sizes which is the minimum or maximum age for tanning. As long as there is a sign for blushing of colors can be observed on the red, it is deemed to be suitable for tanning.

Position and angle of lights - the recommended position and angle of tanning lights is at the front of the tank, about 5cm under water...or the best level to place the light is the zone where the red frequently swims

Types of tanning lights to use - there are various lights tat can be utilise for the purpose of tanning...namely to mention a few: Arcadia D3, PL lights, Dennerle plant tubes, T5HO and Metal Halide sets. Primarily it would be advisable to start with a PL light set as it is not too intense as the last few lights mentioned...

Part 3: Push up and Hold Up the colors

Push up colors - if the process of Identifying the color blush stage is accurate, tanning will enhance the process and quicken the process of coloration fill up...Fast or slow depends on the spectrum and intensity of tubes used

Hold Up of colors - Tanning is a stimulating process for the reds to enhance production of chromatophores...in layers and in terms of intensity...it is making use of the concept of contrasting...ie. it makes the base colors of the red intensity hence enabling the better distinction between the rim color and the scale base...Tanning process must not be abruptly halt or else users may see the immediate fade of the colors which was "pushed up" previously...all things being equal...it has to be slowed down and reduce in intensity until finally back to the use of normal room light to ensure the proper acclimatising and stablising of colors

Part 4: Frequent Encounters of problems if technique is used wrongly

Slant swimming posture - If the red is not accustomed to the lights to be used, users may observed their red swimming in a slant manner...the only way to counter this measure is to put a light tube at the back of the tank shinning front to make the two sides of the aro gets even lighting

Cloudy Eyes - this is one of the comments passed by a user, personally during my experiment with >10 pcs of reds altogether, it has never occurred. The primary assumptions which users must establish is to have Good water parameters. Cloudy eyes generally is associated with physical scratches or bad water conditions

Appetite Loss - This again has to do with the way the users acclimatise their reds to the tanning regime...if suddenly intensified lights are shone at them, weak-hearted reds will display stress and lose their appetite altogether

Blind?? - This is one of the commonly asked question with regards to the tanning regime...please bear in mind fish sleep with their eyes open...internally there would be filters to block off the excessive lights which may damaged their "cornea" (if they have one - sorry I am not a biologist cannot confirm on the cornea thingy)...up to date I have tested with various light set not exceeding 10,000 lumens equivalent of brightness, going beyond tat range I cannot guarantee safety...the general mkt equipment of PL, T8, T5 all falls below tat marking

Part 5: Additives and special tools

Ketapang leaves - these are needed in terms of the initial kick start process as the tanins within the leaves will slowly emit and allow the readjustment of the water parameters to one tat favours the reds

S7 - commonly used in the planted community together with TR7 so as to provide trace elements in the enclosed tank. This is also common with those trying to enhance the appetite of the reds (reds being picky eaters will be choosy and temperaments changes as they grow)

Bubbles - is used as general guide on how the tank water fares...too much foam on the water level is an indicative sign of potentially bad water...suspended sediments or particles likewise

Epsom Salt - Initial clinical use is to assist the fish to clear their stomach...it is also helpful in regeneration of slim coat on the scales...should not be used excessively...only when there are suspected "dryness" on the scales observed

Part 6: Myths and Fairy Tales

Color in 1 day?? - this is one of most tricky part of tanning which many would swear and curse...cos some would see their red deepening in terms of 1 week or 2 weeks or some in 3 mths no effect even when they are doing the same thing

the general rule of thumb as observed from the tanning experiment, a "normal" SR should come in color within 3 weeks...excluding the time u need to recondition the red if it was in a bad water parameters and ur current tank settings is one tat varies from day to day

If someone tells u they can push color in a day, they are playing with timing...cos one red tat shows sporadic coloration (spots along the rims of their scales) is easier to push than one tat is super whitish in base and scale

the tanning lights merely helps to PUSH out the color, the chromatophores is already existing there to be expounded on

Turn Red after tanning? - I have started tanning experiment in aid to give those so called Cannot Make It reds...its not a magical trick or Photoshop tactics

What tanning done is to amplify the melanophores (black pigments) on the scales making whatever light yellow to dark yellow, light orange to dark orange, light pink to dark pink...tats about all tanning can do in a stage of color blooming...if u want to transcend one level of colors, u must attack the scales when it is of the right timing...

The More the Better? - many users seem to think tat by adding as many light as possible infront of the red will make them red faster...in the contrary, this makes the red very jumpy and overly stressed up...In the end it will slow down the process...same logic in weights training, train with more weights doesnt guarantee powerful pecs if done in the slipslod manner

An Old saying,

there were 3 types of ppl
those who make things happened
those who see things happened
those who ask wat happened?

My theory is:

there were 3 kinds of red
those red tat no need light Can Make it
those red tat NEED Light to Make it
those red whose Owners think they CANNOT MAKE IT

Originally Posted by kagemaru

Part 5: Additives and special tools

Ketapang leaves - these are needed in terms of the initial kick start process as the tanins within the leaves will slowly emit and allow the readjustment of the water parameters to one tat favours the reds

S7 - commonly used in the planted community together with TR7 so as to provide trace elements in the enclosed tank. This is also common with those trying to enhance the appetite of the reds (reds being picky eaters will be choosy and temperaments changes as they grow)

Bubbles - is used as general guide on how the tank water fares...too much foam on the water level is an indicative sign of potentially bad water...suspended sediments or particles likewise

Epsom Salt - Initial clinical use is to assist the fish to clear their stomach...it is also helpful in regeneration of slim coat on the scales...should not be used excessively...only when there are suspected "dryness" on the scales observed

I am interested to know why too much bubles indicates bad water? pls teach ooo mighty 1

Originally Posted by liquidnoise

I am interested to know why too much bubles indicates bad water? pls teach ooo mighty 1

OMG...mai hai wa...

bubbles by itself is just a airbubbles enveloped by the surrounding water...once they reached the surface, it will have no more "coating" from the water to sustain its bubble shape --> this we call the "breaking Up"

if the water is saturated with Total Dissolved Solids, it will become more sticky...just like soapy water used to play bubbles...why the bubbles are able to stretched into a bigger shape by joining one another is the existence of the proteins or "oils" from ur feed...this oil will stretched out and hold the shape

hence when we see the amount of bubbles cumulating, its also meaning ur "dissolved" waste level is increasing

Hope I make it clear in my illustration

Originally Posted by kagemaru

OMG...mai hai wa...

bubbles by itself is just a airbubbles enveloped by the surrounding water...once they reached the surface, it will have no more "coating" from the water to sustain its bubble shape --> this we call the "breaking Up"

if the water is saturated with Total Dissolved Solids, it will become more sticky...just like soapy water used to play bubbles...why the bubbles are able to stretched into a bigger shape by joining one another is the existence of the proteins or "oils" from ur feed...this oil will stretched out and hold the shape

hence when we see the amount of bubbles cumulating, its also meaning ur "dissolved" waste level is increasing

Hope I make it clear in my illustration

no lah no hai.
Recently I revamp my IOS. manage to get pH about 7.6~7.8 maintain
I did about 45% WC also damp in alot of anti-chlorine.
I notice that there are bubblies more then normal. I know more alcoline water can happen also like wat u have mention. But the additional is just CC. maybe a little too much anti-chlorine.
My water surface bubblies but no oil residue.
tested water okay leh. wat does it mean
?

Originally Posted by liquidnoise

no lah no hai.
Recently I revamp my IOS. manage to get pH about 7.6~7.8 maintain
I did about 45% WC also damp in alot of anti-chlorine.
I notice that there are bubblies more then normal. I know more alcoline water can happen also like wat u have mention. But the additional is just CC. maybe a little too much anti-chlorine.
My water surface bubblies but no oil residue.
tested water okay leh. wat does it mean
?

WC 45%.... u champion! Yr school of thought very hard to use Kage's method, cos yr water management is beyond us.

Originally Posted by liquidnoise

no lah no hai.
Recently I revamp my IOS. manage to get pH about 7.6~7.8 maintain
I did about 45% WC also damp in alot of anti-chlorine.
I notice that there are bubblies more then normal. I know more alcoline water can happen also like wat u have mention. But the additional is just CC. maybe a little too much anti-chlorine.
My water surface bubblies but no oil residue.
tested water okay leh. wat does it mean
?

2 things:

Firstly u just revamped the IOS...bacteria will be lost or insufficient to perform at its best

Secondly having alot of anti-chlorine doesnt mean no chloramine...most of the products on the shelf is not able to remove chloramines...and tats wat is added to our NEWATER

water surface bubbles need not show "oiliness" its just an illustration

Originally Posted by Petshopboys

Then how to solve the problem?
Thanks master K

bubbles is an indication of the current water mgtm regime...improving on the current set of filter medium is one way to go...this is wat bro humongous is striving to achieve all this while

DIY and add on to his arsenal of filtration

this will serve him gd in the long run

Bro koji is already experienced enuff to maintain his water regime so I gathered he could focus on the light alone and experiment with the various pattern and arrangements

Originally Posted by liquidnoise

I am interested to know why too much bubles indicates bad water? pls teach ooo mighty 1

after feed market prawn if ur aro chew and spit and chew, water sure cloudy and smelly and bubbles stay very long.... u think water is good? its another way of looking at it