crazyzoo

Smallest is about 6cm...largest is about 15cm....lots about 10cm.......but hoping they will keep on growing

I rescued a Pleco that was going to be flushed down the toilet (its 30cm), and had to buy a new 4ft tank for it cos it fought with my other bigger Pleco....anyway I set up this tank with rocks, added Plekky....and 13 Blue Dolphins.....never see Plekky and dolphins don't do anything....seriously thinking of getting rid of dolphins unless I can make tank actually interesting to look at....any suggestions (in comparison my other tank is full of Clown Loaches, Gouramis, Angels and Cookie (Pleco)).

Thanks....will go find out about that

How did you get those photo's on here?

Funny you should mention scouring pads....I know someone who used those old fashioned curlers (as in the ones that go in hair) in their filter....have not been too keen to try that though!

Carbon only lasts 4-6 weeks before it starts putting its absorbed contents back into your water....so I would throw it out. I just have sponges and ceramics (small ones and big ones) in my filter (have a Fluval 303, Jebo 819 and Jebo 810).......carbon seems to a waste of time and money, unless you are removing medication after treating fish.

Female Paula 38 Married with 5 kids-husband puts up with fish keeping

How do you get photo's onto this site?!

I have 17 clowns in a 600l tankl, and they always race back and forth and up and down like this....especially after feeding time and in the early eveing........

If you buy Aquaplus in the 2 litre bottle it is heaps cheaper per litre than in the smaller bottles

Hi again.I think a 50% water change every day is a bit excessive. It will take a few days before ammonia starts showing up anyway. 25% every few days should be fine...I don't know much about the fish you bought but if they are hardy they should be able to cope with slight ammonia levels...also you have a decent sized tank so you have a bit more room to play with as water quality is easier to maintain with a larger tank. Since you live in Wellington and our water is chlorinated you do need to use Aquaplus or Stresscoat (unless you have rainwater supply). As for lighting mine are on for 12 hours per day (I have 2 x 30W)...not an expert on lighting but my fish and plants are healthy . Also if you lose a fish while cycling your tank don't worry about it too much.

HI I don't think you need to bother with the Cycle or Plantzone. Just Aquaplus or Stresscoat to dechlorinate the water. Get a few hardy fish....such as Platties to do the cycle naturally. It should take 6-8 weeks for the beneficial bacteria to build up so that the Nitrogen cycle can work efficiently. A test kit is useful but animates will test your water for free if you can be bothered taking down a sample. Ammonia is the first to appear....then nitrites and finally nitrates (once ammonia and nitrites are zero and nitrate is showing cycling is complete). Water changes and plants are a far better way to keep everything working, rather than fancy chemicals

They do swim about a bit, just get frightened off when I approach.....but when Gourami was in the tank followed them about, and didn't worry about me being about. I do a 25% change every Sunday, and Ammonia and Nitrites always at zero, and Nitrates below 10. ph is 7.6. Hopefully they will come right, bit of a pity to have fish and not see them.

Who? The Gourami's or Cichlids? They all look like they normally do! I have now moved the Gourami's out of the Cichlid tank....but Cichlids gone into hiding again. Now I'm trying to source some big Blue Dolphins to put with them.

I can't seem to get a very good photo of my loaches....move a bit fast! Will try though. Tanks all sorted....have 17 Clown Loaches, 4 Gouramis, 2 angels and large Pleco in 600l tank.....and 13 Dolphins and pleco in 250l tank

Does Aquaone make one? I know the Jewel ones fit in a pop-out slot on the Jewel tanks?

It sits on the edge of the tank, I just leave an inch gap with the glass lids.

I used term dissolve but actually mean dissipate

Lead does still dissolve in the water, and then is absorbed into our bodies, or the fish for that matter. But really it is a decision that people have to make....a bit like using a cot that has been painted with lead-based paint.

I have to disagree with those that lead does not dissolve in water...if you go and search on the internet there is plenty about it. Here is a couple of excerpts I read: "Lead pipes were once used for household water. Lead pipe was easy to form by casting or extrusion, and easy to join by fusion. A mixture of litharge, glycerine and linseed oil made "plumber's cement" that could be used for joining pipes without heat. With hard water, a layer of sulphate or carbonate forms on the lead, and lead does not enter the water. With soft water this protective layer does not form, and a dangerous amount of lead can dissolve in the water." THE LINK BETWEEN FISHING, HUNTING AND LEAD Years ago, researchers concluded that lead poisoning from lead sinkers, jig heads and lead shot was a major cause of death among certain waterfowl species. Some studies have estimated that lead kills between 1.5 and 2.5 million migratory waterfowl in North America each year. Lead has been linked to other problems as well. In fact, California requires manufacturers selling lures with lead in them to print a warning on the packaging to this effect. The warning tells potential purchasers, "This product contains lead, a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects and other reproductive harm." You may have noticed these labels yourself. Many manufacturers who do business in California leave the labels on their packaging for all states rather than have special packaging for the California market.

I would be worried about the lead leeching into the water if you have it in there full time. I use a teaspoon to hold down my cucumber

I have a Jewel one and it works fine. Have used it while away for 10 days, and long weekends.

No the big tank is for my loaches....will just have to get a bigger tank once cichlids have out grown it!

Who do I contact about joining this club? I emailed someone once and never got a reply. Just want to know when the meetings are, how much subs are, what does the club do etc?

One tank is 600 litres, the other is 250l. The dolphins are in the smaller one, this is set to their preferred conditions.....but when I put them in there they went into hiding until I put my big gourami's in there. In saying that they are only between 3 and 6cm, and the gourami's have been in there for about 4 weeks now, so maybe I should put the gouramis back into my other tank since the dolphins appear settled.