alanmin4304

I use the balls for Echinodorus sp. and they do well with them.

Can you drill toughened glass and what would be the advantage of toughened? I built a tank in a cabinet for a restaurant and made the front from laminated glass in case some drunken idiot tried to break it in which case it would have leaked rather than explode like toughened would. The place went broke before it opened and it is now in my lounge.

Hygrophila corymbosa stricta--also sold as blue hygrophila, Nomophila stricta and temple plant. Water wisteria (Hygrophila difformis)

It is a prescription only antibiotic so you would need to get it from a vet. You use 2.5mg/litre then the same again after two days.

Mine cost $10.00 at an auction-- Worth checking second hand stuff

I made a tank out of 3 doors from a bank in 12mm toughened glass and I gave it to a friend 20 years ago and it is still going OK.

Use a handfull of salt made to a past with a little water and a soft cloth then rinse all salt away. Good for used tanks as well. If you leave the salt on for a few hours it will kill any creebies.

Feeding is important otherwise some grow a lot faster (usually the ugly ones) and feed on the smaller (more fancy ones) That is why you need a lot of space to sort out the sizes and the uglies. Otherwise the same as most fish-- heaps of food and water changes.

The cost of a low cost CO2 system depends on what type of fish you like.

I lied. It has 8 stamens when you look at a better more open flower--- will post a better pic when I get a chance.

You need to watch the chemicals as it is copper sulphate and some fish are very sensitive to copper

I have clown loaches which seem to do a good job but they need to be a reasonble size.

Typical Echinodorus with 3 petals and stamens (6) round the outside of the centre Will try to get a picture of E. amazonicus if it bursts into flower (for comparison)

Wait until you have to start training them not to jump.

Some people like the Malasian trumpets because thet bury and they feel that loosens and aerates the media.

I have a tank of about the same size with 2 x 3ft flouros and no CO2 and I have 3 types of Echinodorus in there with runners and they like light. Leave the lights on longer--mine are on 17 hours/day. Fish give off CO2 and the plants can utilize it if you don't drive it off by aerating the hell out of it. Contrary to popular belief ambulia is not always easy to grow and it is not always easy to convert plants from emersed to submersed growth, and when you buy plants from the petshop they have usually been grown emersed (particularly the stem plants). I also have ambulia in this tank and it is growing but not flourishing. When you set up a community tank it is all a big compromise for fish and plant, what is good for one is not going to be ideal for something else. I tend to grow plants only where they like it rather than forever trying to change the environment. I only use added ferts (flourish excell) if I start to get algae problems, and once a year add JBL fert balls to heavy feeders.

The little ramshorn stays on ts side so you see the spiral and the larger one stays upright. I think the one you are describing burrows in the gravel and comes out mainly at night.

It is a while since I have kept Val but you may find different types will prefer different conditions and some may do well in your set up. Try and see is the best way.

How long does it take to produce 500 litres?

I have made one that works a treat. I started with a siphon thing from mikefish on trademe but the plastic didn't last so I made one up using the chrome fittings for a water filter connector. Screw off the filter on the kitchen tap and screw on the fitting then blend the water to the right temperature. I put one of those snap on garden fittings on and use the garden hose (out the kitchen window,around the house and in the lounge window) You need a fawcet.

I use one of those halogens when woodturning. It is 500watts and you can feel the heat on the back of your neck. Cheap to buy and use in short bursts-- no good for plant (except woodturning plant).

Nothing wrong with Bush---he has God (gold,oil and drugs)

Oxygen weed is easy---The only one allowed is Elodea canadensis (Canadian water pest)

It sounds like you are having a hard time. I don't think there is any point in throwing medications at a fish tank unless you know what you are treating. Can you get one of the more experienced local members to have a look and try to work out what the problem is? It is said that a very high percentage of the drugs prescribed by doctors are to treat the side effects of the other drugs prescribed.

Vallisneria gigantea was banned years ago and was growing wild in the North Island. It is a massive plant (I used to sell it to the shops) The plants were chopped off at about 2 metre lengths and the base would have been 25-30mm wide. Americana can be big but nowhere near as big. Spiralis has a straight leaf and is named after the spiralling flower stem. The twisted ones are torta and others I suspect. I understand there are male and female plants but generally only females in the hobby because they can propagate vegetatevely. The plants should therefore not have viable seeds and will be in waterways because some idiot put them there. Could be wrong but that is as I understand it.