Adrienne

I wasn't sure if you were wanting two types or just one. Quite often a single species in a bigger group looks way more impressive than two species in small numbers. I would start with 6 of one type and then wait a couple of weeks before adding any more to the group. If those 6 don't swim together you would need to add more if you want them to school. That may then limit you to one species anyway. I had about 12 ember tetra in one of my tanks and as a single species they looked great. Yes, I think you could get away with 6 of each type, 8 of each would be absolute maximum for that tank size and you would need to do regular water changes and be careful not to overfeed.

You would need a minimum of six of one species for them to school, ten would do better however your tank may struggle if you wanted ten of each.

Badis or Ember tetra would be absolutely fine. Ember tetra in the shop are very pale orange compared to what they will end up looking like in the tank. They become a very deep orange

Should be just fine

Can I please see a photo of it so I know what type of glosso it is?

Regarding the glosso - 1. It won't remain planted in your tank as it requires a very fine substrate. The roots on each plant are tiny, just a few mm long. 2. It requires intense lighting and a steady source of CO2 to keep it growing. In other words it is a plant that is high maintenance.

I really like it. Is that gravel 'fruit salad'?

I really don't know enough about using local CUC in the tank. I know people do use them and the majority seem to have success. My tropical marine sits between 26 -27 - chiller kicks in at 27.1 so I think 28 is probably too high anyway even for a tropical marine tank.

Could be a spike, could also be your tank is too hot for the local marine who like cool - low temperate conditions. I suspect that in a tank that size adding that many cleanup crew in one hit will cause a spike eventually.

i reckon thats a good price Over $800 new

Just interested in this - you actually got to talk to the person in charge of biosecurity in Auckland? Biosecurity for Auckland or for the country? When I called a few months ago I was put through various places as no one section (including biosecurity) had any clue what i was talking about. Finally it was confirmed by a return call to me that the old by-law stood and I was also told that claiming ignorance was no excuse I wonder if that pertains to the person you talked to

The guppies will pick off their own fry while small - normally have between 30-50 each drop. Just keep males if you don't want an explosion.

The filter wool that comes with the tank is a filter wool/carbon cartridge. My only thought is that if you are changing both the cartridges at the same time is that you could be getting a mini cycle on your tank - possibly a sudden short sharp ammonia spike. The filter wool holds a huge amount of beneficial bacteria. The surface of your noodles also hold it - generally they aren't rinsed off until the water flow is severely restricted. A sudden spike would account for the random deaths you are experiencing and tests would not necessarily show it. Generally cartridges are only changed every six or so weeks - this is more to do with when the carbon in them becomes full of muck and can not absorb any more than the wool becoming dirty. My suggestion would be to try and bear with the driftwood leaching and only change one item i.e. one cartridge at a time and not any if you are rinsing off your noodles. See if that helps. I have the AR980 and have been through the leeching spider wood as well so I do know where you are coming from. I have replied two of my cartridges with the stiff white filter pads which you can cut to size and a black filter pad. In the nearly year it has been running I have rinsed them off about 6 times. They do look mucky but the tank is clean and clear and the filter is flowing as well as it did when I got it.

oops sorry. So are you using the standard media cartridges it comes with and noodles, plus chem zorb. When you do change your media are you changing it all at the same time? Just the sponges and chem zorb, or the lot?

What style tank do you have and what sort of filter media?

As said above your NO2 (nitrite) is too high. Even .25 will wipe fish out, if not immediately the long term damage done to the gill plates and internal organs will eventually take them. 50% water change straight away, then 50% tomorrow and each day until they reduce significantly then 30% daily until it gets to 0. Test each day, test ammonia and nitrate as well. Once it's down to zero wait a couple of weeks before you introduce any new fish - by this time any other affected fish should have died. Not all fish die, some defy the odds. How often do you normally water change and how do you clean the filter? It could be that the way you do it is what is causing periodic deaths within the tank. As to your disappearing fish, they have most likely died. Snails and plecs will dispose of the bodies very rapidly.

from an article in 2008 http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/christ ... ray-rarity and this from national geographic http://www.nzgeographic.co.nz/archives/ ... lourmorphs

If you live in the Auckland region then you need to know that it is against the Auckland Council bylaws to buy or sell Blue Tongues in the Auckland Council area. This was an ARC by-law which has not yet been updated so according to the council still stands. They are pests. http://www.arc.govt.nz/albany/fms/main/ ... 0pests.pdf

Good job. I'd be tempted to try natives but I don't think I could handle two chillers whirring in the lounge.

Is this the tank that Stella was involved in setting up?

If you are coming through to SanityChelle all you would need to do is sweep off the motorway at Market Road, go past our house, and get back on at Gillies Ave then continue up towards their house. My spider wood has a few white patches on it also one very unusual looking black patch that developed. I don't know that it's treated, just imported.

Do you ever come in to the city? I might be able to help with a few bits and pieces

totally clear or so you can see through as to know there is still water in it? Check out this place http://www.plastic.co.nz/plastic-products/products.html Its where I got my container for my ATO

Without knowing what they are it's impossible to know how long they would survive in a tropical. Are you able to take a photo? If you are wondering about tipping the whole lot into a tropical tank to feed the fish long term it's probably not a good idea. Just net a few out and put them in the tank each time and also to check the fish eat them.

If I was the male and saw that female I'd probably think about running too. It's got such good ray extensions, I'd wonder if it was an immature male in disguise!