alanmin4304

It is a wetting agent ---destroys the surface tension and helps with absorption of the chemical being applied

I understand that the same type of chemicals are used to control algae. Things are only toxic when the concentration exceeds the rate the fish can tolerate. If you rinse the container well it should be good.

It is the foaming agent that they use with agricultural sprays and it leaves little blobs of foam on the ground so they can see where they have sprayed. It is similar to the foaming agent they add to mothers dish washing liquid because she does not realise that soaps need to make bubbles but detergents don't and she wont buy it if it aint got bubbles. It destroys the surface tention on the water---sometimes called a wetting agent--- Water soluble---will wash away. I buy containers that have been used for food because they are made of "food grade" plastic and wont leach into water.

Since you are a local and on the right side of the Bombay Hills I have sent you a PM about where to get cheap flouros. It is not PC to make this public or we could all be excommunicated. That is assuming that they are not an unusual tube only available from the pet shop at great cost.

Are you suggesting mother is camp?

All of your plants other that the Ambulia have been grown emersed. Emersed plants generally need good light to convert from emersed to submersed growth and your lights are on the mild side and a bit old. Flouro tubes become less eficient with age and need replacing about every 6-12 months depending on how long they are on. The tubes get dark near the ends when old. Daylight tubes are the ones most people are using. They are generally a lot cheaper from a wholesaler than the pet shop. I got a couple of 4 footers last week for $10.00

It is available from your pet shop and possibly the local coucil for worming dogs. Someone who has used it should be able to help with the way to use it.

A house of that design would probably have had an Engieers design for the complete structure or at least for the pole platform. You could check that at the Council office because that info is a matter of public record.

Most plants sold are grown emersed but not necesarily hydroponically. Some are easy to convert to submersed growth and some are not. Difformis means two forms and that and rotala are both quite different when emersed and both can be difficult to convert. Most of the red plants are also not easy and some of the plants sold never will grow submersed and will rot after a few weeks. They grow more quickly and can therefore be sold more cheaply but also have a greater risk of dying. You pays your money and you takes your pick.

I have used it and it is not cheap but very good as a source of micronutrient. I use river sand as a media for growing plants. Seive the sand and remove and wash the course material (which will give you a fine gravel) Mix your fine unwashed sand with the micronutrient then place the washed fine gravel on top to keep it down. It should last about a year.

That is always the rub. There is always different opinions of what will survive in NZ. When I was sending live tubifex to the North Island it was stopped by Maf to avoid the spread of whorling disease (which I understand is indemic in many marine fish). They thought they were coming from the city oxidation ponds but they were not, and everyone who knew wanted to keep the secret.

It depends a lot on the plants that you have. The lead can restrict the plants ability to form roots, others do better just sitting in the water until they grow roots, then remove the lead and plant them.

To the best of my knowledge plistophoria is not curable. There are however other diseases with similar symptoms that may be curable.

They are looking sideways at fish that can live in cold/temperate conditions.

Fish importers are in the business of making money by importing fish. They will therefore import the fish that will make them the most money. They are no different to someone who imports Japanese cars or junk jewellery from China. So if you want a particular type of fish imported you have to make it worth their while.

Loss of colour is usually the first sign noticed. Some importers treat infected fish with formalin. It doesn't cure it but can hold the infection spread until they are released from quarantine and sold. I buy my neons from a shop that breeds their own neons and they have all been good.

Looks like it might be but realy tricky to tell some females from each other. Easier when you have others to compare with.

Thanks for the comment--- thats at least 2 of us having trouble with pics. I have tubifex worms in my turtle tanks which have come in on plant from the river

You could ask an importer to get them in for you if they can get them from their normal supplier and you are prepared to pay for the risk i.e YOU PAY DEAD OR ALIVE. It would only be economical if they came in with a normal shipment.

Don't believe everything Mr Google tells you. It is not easy to convert E. azurea to the floating form-- still reckon thats what you have. Looks similar to zosteraefolia but the leaves are longer and they curl down. Stalk is firmer and the leaves go black if it doesn't get enough light (like H. zosteraefolia)

I have a buck that says you have blue/green algae.

I have a rena about 20 odd years old that runs off the mains, controls the lights and turns off the aeration for 5 mins when feeding--- brilliant.

An exporter is unlikely to want to supply you with just the very best selection of fish when they aready have other customers, say in the States who are spending squillions and are looking for fancy stuff as well. The biggest importers in NZ would be total pretenders compared to some out there in countries with a far greater population. I understand the quarantine requirements have changed and you can have shipments with different release dates provided they are physically seperated. I was probably the last person to import goldfish and I had 7 inspections in 6 weeks. Have a go (if you are a masochist)

Echinodorus sp. go through a dormant stage when transplanted. If you transplant a mature one then dig it up a few months later you will find all the original roots have died and it has grown new ones. When it has a new root system it will then go through a growth spurt but while a bit dormant it is susceptable to algae and the outside leaves dying off (which can be removed)

I have a tank of about the same size (1200 x 500mm high) with 2 x 30watt flouros. It has E. martii, red special and ozelot all with runners. It has CO2 injection because it contains fish and the lights are on 17 hours/day. Make sure the light tubes are replaced regularly and the lights are on a bit longer if your wattage is a bit low. Don't aerate the hell out of it and the fish will generate CO2 (aeration drives off CO2) And you will have a great system befitting a student budget. Cheers.