bobo

hmmmmmmmmmmm Selling snails... maybe I'll try the catchin. I certainly can't stick a bunch of loaches in my tank; was just hoping there was one type that was 'solitary'. Cheers for the replies guys

Hey guys, I have a small outbreak of snails in my tank (little white ones). However, I don't believe I have the room for a school of loaches (it's only 60l). Are there any loaches that are smallish, and can be kept by themselves, rather than larger groups? I had heard that yoyo Loaches fit this criteria, but I don't entirely trust the info., Cheers

Thanks for the replies everyone - I'm doing some more 'light investigating' and will come ask for clarification here once I have 'decided' on something. I figure: 1) I can buy 2x the system I listed above. Which may be expensive, but oh so easy... and I just came into a little spare cash. 2) I can hire someone with some expertise to help out. 3) Enlisted Dad to see if we can buy the fittings, lights from Bunnings/Mitre Ten, and see if we can do a little DIY job. Thank you for all your help - been a most generous forum. Will come on in a couple of days with my thoughts and will def. post pictures once I get it all started!

I'm off to bed; I'll have to check on replies tomorrow. Thanks a bunch. Enjoy your long weekend

I wouldn't have a clue to hook anything up - the problem is - any lights I get won't be able to fit in my current hood, so I will be removing the hood, and I need to be able to get a whole 'system' to place on the tank, without me assembling bits and pieces (cos I suck). Cheers for the idea

You have a dude who did it for you Sam? Is he a qualified electrician? I have nightmares of my house burning down around me, with my better half crying "those bloody fish!", my insurance void due to a half assed job... this is all first home paranoia no doubt.... Also, is he able to hook it up to some kind of brace? This is why I have been looking at these 'systems', because they contain a brace to connect them to the fish tank. Enough late night waffle, yes, can you please PM me his details? Cheers Sam

I don't mind spending $70-100 here; to get the lights stress free without thinking - it's the whole aspect of the fishies I don't actually enjoy, because I don't understand it (electronics/etc). But I want something decent for my money, so if 28W doesn't cut it... I shall continue looking. Doesn't that mean I need four lights then? I thought the watts was almost defined by lenth? Aim I wrong. Cheers for the reply

Ok, so this is an option I found on trademe for the lighting. I asked the guy and he said that is gave out 7500kelvin (cool daylight). Would this be something I should purchase: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing ... =249114831 The Ad: T52LO(60cm) 14W*2 T5 Fluorescent Lighting Fixture EXCELLENT FOR FRESHWATER TANKS, plant TANKS,CICHLID TANKS, REEF, MARINE, OR SUPPLEMENT LIGHTING FOR YOUR EXISTING SYSTEM!!! Features 60cm x 11cm x 10cm (LxWxH) include 2x 14W T5 fluorescent tubes 28 watts total power 2 Power Switch 1 Power Cord Black, non corrosive power coated aluminum housing Slim profile design - only 2" tall Highly polished reflector Mounting brackets Splash Guard Cheers guys We getting pics of your tank Cam?

Heh. I do that all the time. I'm going to get the Mrs to do the planning, since she has an artistic bent and I'll definitely dose with flourish excel. You reckon rams are okay in a 60l with a gourami and platies? I quite like rams. Cheers dude

Cheers. I think I'll go the flourish excel route; seems the easiest for a noob like me

Cheers

Cool. I might experiment with the yeast bottles once I have everything up and running.

Ok. I think I have everything sorted... but... The lighting. I think this is the area I will just pay for convenience, while I understand you can get lightings and somehow fix them into my current lid, that just aint gonna happen with my world reknown electronic skills. So, I'm just going to fork out for one of those systems that I can clip above my fish tank. I assume I can just clip to either side of the tank, on the glass walls, and it will just shine down? Do I need to worry about the watts of the bulbs? (I understand the Kelvin part - get a couple of 6500s or 1 6500 and 1 greater for a different colour of light). Do I need to reach a total level of watts for a 60l tank? Should I be looking at a two tube system? Cheers again

Oh yeah, Someone suggested putting Sodium Bicarbonate in the aquarium to produce C02. I assume this wouldn't work, or else everybody would do it right? So I guess I will need to make one of those yeast and sugar bottles, the whole C02 tank thing seems a little hardcore and expensive.

The bit about houses burning down made me nervous. Anything even vaguely practical is foreign to me, but I wouldn't even get a mate to that, since i don't even have enoguh knowledge to know if they have done the job right or not. I guess I will have to figure out another way to get the lights above the tank. You can't just buy brackets or lids or something?

Hey Nick, I would love some plants! If you have some spare cuttings, let me know

Cool. I'll see what 6500 lights are available and then try to figure out how to fix em above the tank (I do have practical, engineering mates...). Cheers. I'll keep you posted (prob through pestering questions more than anything else) hehehehe

Sweet, not too complicated

Cheers man

Cheers dude - I like laughing

I will find out what that jargon means and I would love some cuttings! It would be much appreciated

Foot tall. Haven't decided on plants yet, since I haven't decided whether to pillage some streams or... gulp... buy the plants (gasp)! Cheers

Cheers Cookie. I have put in half the size of my fist (and I'm small...) so hopefully that isn't too much. I stuck it in a stocking and dumped it at the back of the tank, since I couldn't fit it in the filter. I guess the light will be the expensive part of all this... I just redid my water tests, and came in pH 7 (just did a H20 change, shows how much it fluctautes with its weekly water change), and 0 ammonia, o nitrites and 4ppm NItrates(below the first indicator), which would suggest trace levels to me, or just testing inconsistencies. FINAL FINAL questions... I add a couple of ml of Stres Zyme and Stress Coat every water change (as directed), should I? Cheers Cheers!

You're a champ mate. I'll start this during the next couple of weeks, depending on total costs. Do I need to worry about being too 'nutrient rich', before I put in all the plants? My last question... I promise... for a while... what kind of strength light do I need? One bulb enough? Total watts, etc? Ball park figure Then I'll try figure out how strong my current one is. CHEEERS!

More questions ;p So, went to the local pet store and they ran a GH and KH test - I'm not sure they knew how to intepret the results, but I went online and intepreted them. After 4 drops the KH turned yellow and after 8 the gH turned deep green. So I think the KH is 4 and the GH is 8. They gave me some crushed up shells to raised the hardness, which I assume makes the pH more stable. Do I just leave them in permanently, or test my water again in order to decide when to take the shells out? I think I want to make a 'dutch style' aquarium, which if I understand it relies more on the plant life, while the 'nature' style seemed to involve more 'aquascaping, which seems out of my league atm. I do want it to get heavily planted and overgrown. So, speaking to the shop lady she said: 1) I should make my first layer 'First layer pure layerite' and then put my gravel or whatever over the top. Is this what you would use as a base? I want something decent, without going for the flashest out there. Can anyone recommend a product? I'm also confused as it said to wash it on the packet, yet I read elsewhere not to wash it, in order to keep the nutrients. After, I have laid down this layer, do I then add say a nice sand/thin gravel? How thick for each layer? 2) She said I could use 'root tabs' - necessary? 3) She said I could use API leaf zone? Necessary? Other similar products? 4) and I should have T5 light bulbs? Don't even know what I currently have. I can't see the wattage due to where the labelling is on the bulb and I am unsure how to detach the bulb in order to investigate. So I provide a photo: I thought I would do the home made CO2 thing, it didn't seem horrendously difficult. Anyway, thanks a bunch for the continued help people!