alanmin4304

Baby tears is similar emersed and submersed but Rotala rotundifolia (means round leaf) becomes quite different. Eventually you will have all submersed growth and it is better looking submersed and not always easy to convert so well done.

Snails may well be an intermediate host for some parasites but usually it is for a specific snail (like bilharzia in humans) That is one of the reasons why Maf get excited about snails being imported on plants.

They work because the air bubbles trap water between them and carry it out of the pipe. This causes a drop in water pressure inside the sponge so water runs through the sponge. This traps "gunge" in the sponge which is food for bacteria that then live in the sponge. These bugs convert urea from the fish to ammonia then nitrite then nitrate and this is where the "cycling" takes place. Therefore, you only want it bubbling slowly as it is the water between the bubbles you want not the bubbles, and it is a living system so you dont want to clean the filter unless it gets completely blocked up as the bacteria multiply to fit the gunge available and when you do clean it you only remove enough to free it up again. Some people say to clean it in aquarium water but I think it is best to just leave it as gunged up as you can while it is still working. I clean the excess off the sponge when syphoning gunge off the bottom of the tank.

I got my fish from Wok so they don't jump when you boil them.

You missed the fact that chlorine reacts with water to form hypochlorous acid

I couldn't see how it would either but I used it. It must be true Mr Google told me.

I get my peat from the petshop and it is in little compressed balls--expensive but you don't need much. I collect and spawn the fish in rainwater and boil up some with the peat in a fine bag and add that to the tank. Add mops if required or fine sand as required and you don't get a mess,just eggs. They have the peat broken down into small bags for about $8.00 I think. It is high quality european stuff which I have also put through the coffee grinder with success. You need to boil it to stop it floating (keep the water.)

sand rocks

Meth blue doesn't work on teens and they usually create enough aeration of their own.

What do they look lie if someone crossed them?

If you scrape them off, give them a drop of meth blue and aeration and you will know for sure. Might help with the power bill as well.

Amazonian you may be correct. I tend to think a fish would prefer live food and they are also more "in the face" because they are swimming rather than sitting on the bottom. I have bought some from a different source and have also decapsulated some eggs that did not hatch well. Still prefer the live ones from the coke bottle trick.

They have removed the shell with chlorine and the contents are dead and dried. Best to soak them before feeding and they have the full nutritional value of newly hatched brine shrimp. I think the live ones are better because the fish instinctively snap at live food-- more work though.

There is a green tiger barb is there not?

I don't think it would matter if the water was only in there a short time. I use food grade drums for collectig rainwater as they should not leach. Other drums don't have to meet the same standard.

With 1200l/h on a 100 litre tank it might be cheaper to buy a second hand washing machine.

Is it from residue or the drum?

jn-- Most of the stem plants sold are bog plants and will be grown hydroponically or in pots in a glasshouse but because of what they are they require wet roots and this is likely to support snails. The slow growing ones will become magnets for algae sometimes. They will usually grow better if they have developed a root system but being in a pot does not mean they have roots.

You are right. I have had a brain explosion. Forget the above.

They breed best in peaty water so if you use sand you still use peaty water but not peat. I use rain water with peat soaked in it. A tea bag works also.

I can't remember what it is called but I think it is what was used to treat dogs for the control of sheep measels. Would it be drontal?

It is only the head of water ( height of Tank) and the way that weight is distributed that might cause a problem. The load per area for a small tank 1 metre high is the same as a tank the same height with a very large footprint.

Nobody apparently does it but I used to successfully use sand that will pass through a seive but retain the eggs. That way you know how many eggs you have and the % that are hatching (and you dont need marbles or steel nuts).

Many people selling plants make the cuttings up into bunches and put them in water for a while before selling (not to the point of conversion to submersed growth).They will tell you that it makes it easier to convert to submersed growth. This is probably true but by a sheer coincidence it also makes it difficult to grow emersed. Once again--- you pays your money and you takes your pick. I have offered plants grown submersed to a number of shops (at added cost of course) and they are not interested usually because other shops would be cheaper and some are even honest enough to admit that if they die the customer will come back and buy more. 30 years ago I used to supply plants to a lot of shops in the South Island and they were all submersed. Now it is hard to find a plant that is (other than ambuli or cabomba)

Slappers advice got a smile on my face but it is actually good advice. If you clean all the old RTV off it would be a quick, easy and cheap job for someone with experience to put together. Pretty dificult and risky if you get it wrong. Might be worth watching how it is done so you know for next time you want another tank.