Ianab

Zebra loaches are cool Get a few, just because, even if they aren't exactly amazon species they will fit in fine and help keep the snails under control. Cheers Ian

Yup, kuhlis are cute. They dont grow very big, but like to live in a group... so get a couple more You will see them out and about a lot more when there is a group of them. Cheers Ian

What type of loach? Some of them are fine.. others can be nippers Zebras are normally pretty hamless :-? Ian

A single krib should be fine in a tank like that. Although I have noticed that when they are by themselves tend to stake out an open cave and sit there watching the world go by. No problem, you just dont see them swimming around the tank very much, unless it's feeding time. They sorta act like a troll living under a bridge, and just pop out to chase off smaller pesky fish. :lol: If you have 2, they will either pair up, which is good, or one will chase the other, not so good. 3 or more will form a more active and social group, they will work out their pecking order and interact with each other. But as long as they have plenty of space and hiding spots they will all be OK. They are fine in a community tank, but they might get tempted by slow moving long finned fish like male guppies :-? A krib will be fine with your danios, tetras etc, and it might be best with just one in a small tank. Cheers Ian

Hi Ben. I'm in Taranaki too. Cant help you with any fancy fish, but if you need a bucket full of guppys as a start for your community tank let me know :lol: Cheers Ian

Lower is better, but you probably wont get 0 unless you have very clean tap water and change 50% per day :roll: 20 is 'normal', as long as you can keep it like that your fish will be fine. :bounce: The furnishing of the tank can change the pH, driftwood will generally lower it, while a bit of limestone, seashell or coral in the gravel will raise it. Not a problem as long as it doesn't get to extremes. But if you do want to adjust the pH a bit, those are fairly natural ways to do it. Cheers Ian

Like a lot of fish, they do grow big. Seems to be a common problem, they dont tell you how big those common plecos and bala sharks grow either. Or you could just say that they sell fish tanks that are too small Cheers Ian

What Dimebag said. Nitrate around 10-20 is normal and perfectly OK. Your filters convert the toxic ammonia and nitrite into nitrate, which is less toxic. So the nitrate slowly builds up, and you do your water changes to keep the level low. If it goes over about 40 then you should start doing more or bigger water changes. Nitrite and Ammonia should be 0 as long as your filter is cycled and working properly. If they aren't, then you need to find out why and fix it fast. You pH sounds OK too. Most common fish can handle pH of 6-8. It's better to have it stable in that range than to have it fluctuating as you try and adjust it. Some fish are more fussy, Amazon species generally prefer acid, closer to the 6. African lake cichlids prefer alkaline, more like 8. But most fish can handle a reasonable range. Cheers Ian

Sounds like you have room for some largish clown loaches in there? I dont think you really need any scavengers, plecos seldom leave food uneaten on the bottom of the tank, they are omnivores so they will clean up the oscars leftovers as well as their own food :lol: Cheers Ian

The silicon will fail before the glass gets old Silcon will last for decades, glass lasts for centuries.

Looks like an ideal cory enviroment 8) Ian

Local fish shop had a bunch of these little chaps a while back, Panda corys http://www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/profiles/freshwater/catfish/pandacory.html Only grow to 2" long, so 4 of them in your tank should be fine. As long as they have a few rocks, ornaments, logs, plants etc to hide behind they will be fine. Cheers Ian

True.. if it's cynobacteria then the pleco wont be so interested. But if you are setting your tank up to grow plants, well algae is a plant, some will grow no matter how well the tank is managed. A couple of little fish with built-in glass scrapers can just make life so much easier. Cheers Ian

UV filter only helps for algae thats free floating and actually goes through the filter to get zapped. Got any algae eating fish in the tank? A bristlenose pleco (the small sort) might fix your problem. Cheers Ian

Well there is a tank about that size on Trademe, located in Hawera, has a heater, small filter and light + a small table. $100 buy now :-? OK, the one you are looking at might be nicer, better filter, lights and stand. But thats the sort of price S/H fish tanks go for. Cheers Ian

Yup.. you are looking at a swimming pool with windows in it really :lol: You probably need to to start from the building foundation and work from there. Lay a concrete pad to support the whole thing. It could then be framed with steel, concrete or heavy timber and lined with epoxy swimming pool sealant and the windows fitted. I think it would have to be built in place? Cheers Ian

A bunch of tiger barbs? My 4ft tank has a bala shark, 6 tiger barbs, 3 kribs and 3 plecos. Allways plenty of action in there, but no agro. Bala sharks grow big, swim fast but are pretty peacefull. Plenty of fish will be OK with them as long as you follow the 'doesn't fit in mouth' rule Cheers Ian

No... if the stunting was due to environment. The offspring would have the normal genetics and grow normally ( as long as they had food and space). If the parent fish is genetically a dwarf, then the offspring are likely to be too. Cheers Ian

It's probably OK. I have a 36x12x12 tank with NO top braces at all, no worries. Of course a new piece for a top brace isn't going to cost much and will be simple to fit. So you may as well replace it. Cheers Ian

You could allways be cunning and set it up as a WCMM breeding tank. Put in 6 WCMM and a bunch of java fern and wait a month or so... I'm sure your Mum would be excited to see all those cute little baby fish and you get to net out a dozen or so extras each month Otherwise your community fish will all be happy in there, with a sensible sized filter. You could allways go with an undergravel for that size tank anyway. Cheers Ian

If you think the adjustable powerhead is making too much current then the other filters you are looking at will probably produce even more. Either will be fine for a 100l tank though. I dont think they will magically fix the green water though, the sponge in them is pretty open and floating algae is pretty small. Some more water changes may help clear it up though. I have an Ehiem 2008 (baby brother to the 2010) in my 70l tank, it works great. The undergravel with a powerhead should be fine for a small tank like that. Get a better filter when you get the bigger tank. Cheers Ian

I'd say a small pleco, if the tank is planted and decorated then you may never FIND it, let alone catching it. Plan on dismantling the tank, it will be quicker. Unless you are trying to catch something else, then it will probably swim into the net :lol: Ian.

Yeah.. about that size :lol: Cheers Ian

Should be fine, all the fun of clown loaches but dont outgrow your tank. Get several, they are a very social fish (like the clowns) and like to play together. I have some in a tank with a small pleco and neons, no problems. Your tank is looking very cool, especially for the cost. Once you get a full school of tetras in there it will be very impressive 8) Cheers Ian

They have all probably just been washed downstream by the current :lol: My tiger barbs often all congregate around the internal filter in my 4ft tank. I think under the filter is about the calmest spot in the tank. They just hang about, doing headstands and chasing each other.. until there is some food action down the other end of the tank :lol: Cheers Ian