Jennifer

A random, but helpful link related to this topic: http://www.wcf.com/co2iron/faq.html HTH

+1 I just fill the bottle to 3/4 full and situate it below the tank (next to the warm canister filter). Never, ever had anything close to fluid going up the tube into the tank but I do have a check valve to prevent water flowing from the tank into the bottle and thus preventing reverse overflow that way.

I have a couple of the Jebo aquarium lamps, JB09. They cost about $39 (I think) including a compact flourescent 9w tube. I got them from Organism in Chch. They are great in that they attach easily to the tank. http://wb5.itrademarket.com/pdimage/89/ ... jb0913.jpg

Awwwwwwww, look at those heavy lids. Such a cute snuggle body. I love it!

Don't know. I have never used one before. I guess that's the risk with trying new things. Seems kind of strange that it would do that, but you never know! Don't be discouraged though, we all have setbacks and want to throw in the towel sometimes. Just persevere and hopefully by next month you will have a happy and balanced tank again.

Cyanobacteria is a bit of an opportunist. You may have fed more than usual and did not notice a small ammonia spike, or higher than normal nitrates but these can all play a factor. Blackouts can be very effective but keep in mind that a few things will happen when you do this: firstly your plants will not grow which can lead to excess nutrients in the water which can lead to other nuisance algae. Secondly, rapid die off of cyanobacteria will release toxins into the water, including ammonia which of course can stress the fish and can trigger other types of nuisance algae. It you choose this method, it can be useful to keep up on the water changes to help dilute the nasty effects. If it were me, I would do as I explained earlier but since the plants are also affected I would remove them and dip them into a dilute bleach solution for a few minutes then rinse well and put them back in the tank. Keep removing the cyanobacteria as you find it. if it doesn't get any worse, you know you are targeting the problem, which is really what you need to do. Prevention is better than the cure!

Microworms and brine shrimp. If you can find someone in the area with a microworm culture, they will be a quick feed until the brineshrimp hatch. BTW, very cool on the fry!

Well done. If you have plants, start thinking about ways to get them growing well, that will help suck up the excess nutrients that can feed nuisance algae. With mild cases cyanobacteria can resolve easily without drastic measures. Remove what patches you can see by vacuuming it away (try not to release it into the water column if you can). Consider increasing surface agitation and definitely increase water flow to those areas. Keep a 10 hour photoperiod which will help the plants to thrive and use up excess nutrients. Try increasing the frequency of water changes, twice a week might be a good place to start.

Above all, don't do anything drastic or you could risk even more problems, IMO. Make sure your filter is functioning properly (check flow, but don't overclean the biological media itself). Cut back on feedings if you can. Vacuum the substrate (but try to do it a few days before or after cleaning the filter so you don't risk knocking out all the beneficial bacteria in one go). Keep up with the water changes. Give it time.

gamble

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Or if you don't know where to get KMnO4, a 1:40 dilute bleach bath works just as well. Either way, rinse well before adding it to the tank.

If you gave them a bleach bath the staghorn will be dead but it isn't going to magically dissapear, you will need to remove the affected leaves. Poor plants.

An effective concentration is 1:40, one part regular plain bleach to 40 parts water which is 20mls of bleach made up to one litre of water.

Beautiful fish. Man, that is some impressive staghorn........

Soak it in dilute bleach for 10 minutes and rinse well. Repeat if needed.

I agree, it is always a good idea to get a second oppinion rather than take one person's word as gospel - especially if they aren't an expert in the field. Also, medicine is not an exact science, we must always remember that each individual is different and what works for some may not work for others.

I would be inclined to leave it if she is otherwise well in herself. If she begins acting unwell, or if the redness begins to spread/wound opens and discharges then the infection is spreading in which case you could consider antibiotics. Trouble is, what sort of antiobiotics will target the particular strain of bacteria - therein lies the problem. So at this stage, offer good supportive care for her immune system: slightly warmer temperatures, good nutrition and good hygiene (for the water and the sore if possible). Best of luck.

The standard airstones should not be used. The CO2 degrades them and they can get blocked resulting in any number of problems (you don't want an exploding bottle of yeast on your hands). You can get wooden air diffusors but they get a fungus that isn't nice (plus they aren't easy to come by). There are a number of good CO2 diffusors around and they aren't too expensive. Try the trade & exchange or TM.

And the yellow is the emersed leaves dying off

+1

I was just posting the current position statements for my animal behaviour students and it occurred to me that some people here might appreciate it too. http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonline/ ... Itemid=366 So many people have outdated ideas about dominance behaviours and punishment and this is exacerbated by viewing TV "behaviourists" that are giving out all the wrong advice. The information at the link above represents the views of the formost veterinary behaviourists and behaviour researchers in the world. I genuinely hope this helps.

If you aren't going to do fishless cycling, TLC Smart Start is a great product that can get your biological filtration up and going. BTW, good on you for doing it right. Too many people just jump in and have no idea what they are doing so inevitable dissapointments occur. You are doing fine and your tank is looking very good indeed. 8)

I have a brand new one, still in the box. PM if you are interested.

cheap