Brennos

yeah but that water has minerals added to it I would imagine, pure distilled water is not very nice.

I buiy 5l of distilled water for MY PC water cooler from SuperCheap Auto for $10.

I ended up with Wunda White Spot cure, as it was all my LFS had today, So I have raised the temp, to speed up the life cycle of the cysts, and will do gravel vacs daily, any other tips?

I have white spot on one of my Gourami's, He has been picked on by another gourami, and I think this is what is causing him to stress, and that's how he got it. I have a UV steriliser, but need to get some cure. I was thinking wonder tonic, but is this stuff safe for bristlenoses and kuhli loaches? Any side effects to this stuff, I can use salt because of the loaches.

Sam, if your stuck, ill be happy to help. I have the tools, so just bring wood and materials, and a plan.

excellent. Definatly good reading on the live rock and dead rock.

What equipment is needed for this cycle, Skimmers, canisters, lights, ??

That was my thought also, the CF should be able to handle that fine. I have revised the stocking lost a little, I was thinking 5x Glass Catfish, 3x Bristlenoses, 5x kuhli, and a couple of corys. That's the aqua advisers fault lol.

Brilliant thanks, I assume this needs to be done in the tank you intend to use for the marine? I am just about to start reading on rock cycling, and cooking live rock, thanks for the pointer.

The gouramis are male. they chase each other round sometimes, but no complaint of product yet, I need to research the rams and the glasscatfish some more I must admit. I have plenty of hidey holes in the tank, so everyone has a place to hide. I can't understand how the site thinks i need more filtration, i mean the CF1200 should be suffiecient.

This is what I have been looking at, for after I move, Currently I have just Gourami, kuhli, and bristlenoses. the aquaadvisor site says my tank is overstocked, and that my aquaone cf1200 isn't capable of filtering for this many fish. What do you guys think? Tank is an Aquaone ar620T

Glowlight tetras or harlequins would be awesome, I love the colours.

Will do cheers.

It does. Do you know the other brand names? I'm pretty set on a 4ft tank, I need to go out to HFf albany, and get some advice on gear, etc. I toyed with adding a sump and skimmer to my aqua one, but that seems like a lot of hard work.

I do, I have two small ones suctioned cup to either side of the tank,

My main issue now, is inexperience, and not really know what gear I need, and what gear I don't, and what gear is recommended but not needed initially. My plan right now is to stockpile as much of the gear as possible. So things like the heaters, power heads, skimmers etc. The stuff that can sit around for a year while I save/convince the Mrs, to get a 4ft+ tank. If I have the tank and stand designed first, then design the sump, and stick to the designs, the gear I buy, should fit with no dramas. Things like testing equipment, and tools would also be on the list of stockpiled gear as would a RODI unit too I guess. Is this a bad way to do it. The problem I have, is I can not save (impulsive spender right here), so If I buy the bits I need, not only am I getting the bits needed, but I will be motivated more, to save for the tank. especially If I have a couple of thousand dollars of equipment sitting around redundant. Other option is to force myself to save, and get the cabinet, and tank, but then I have to look at it for months on end, while I save for the gear, and being as I am a very impatient person, that will nigh on kill me lol. I have a place for it, but it would have to be in the garage, which is ground level, and has concrete floor. The rest of the house is about 2ft higher than the garage, and was originally a batch, so the flooring is not that strong. I'm weary of my 130l tropical set-up, I might have to brace the underfloor yet.

Don't get me wrong, the RSM is good value, I have priced up the hardware (not the tank or stand) and realise i'm going to need over 4k for hardware. But for something that I will probably upgrade in 1-2 years, it would be better in the long run to spend 4k on a decent setup. Then I can have corals and anemones too. I guess i'm just impatient, and want a marine now, but don't have the room ( or the structual strenth in the floor) to support a 4ft marine. I would be too scared to put that kinda weight on a wooden floor.

I have my guppies in a tank with no heater, but the ambient temp in that area is around 29 deg with the doors closed, at night they get down to 26 deg, so i'm not worried, there is even fry in the tank now, once autumn comes, I will add a heater though.

Excellent. I love diy threads.

That's what appeals to me as well. But at 2k, for something that i will end up replacing at a later date, i might just wait and build a 4ft one later.

I have the 620t, with similar filtration, I added a canister, so I can stock more, and have better water flow. The standard filter is capable though.

Just had a play, very nice tool, I bookmarked it along with the aqua advisor. Now i need to work out how much the rocks I have weigh, and how much sand I have, then i can work out exactly how much water is in the system. Very helpful, thanks.

No specific problem, I just want to try and make the set-up as natural as possible, if you know what I mean

Algae isn't a huge problem for me, occasionally, a small amount may settle on the rocks, as soon as the BN's realise, its gone. I should of mentioned, When I was having trouble;e with fish dying, I purchased a UV steriliser, since then, the hair algae, and that horrid brown stuff has gone, now its a small amount of green algae on the rocks, and driftwood.

I have been looking for the most natural, and easiest (low fuss) way of keeping my tank clean and healthy. I purchased 2 mature Bristlenoses the other day, to go with my 2 juvenile BN's, and have 4 Kuhli Loaches, The idea is to use these animals to clean the algae and substrate, and I have been contemplating getting a freshwater mussel or two from the pet store, but I have heard mixed things about slowly killing them in aquariums due to starvation, the idea was to use them to help filter the water as naturally as possible, I am trying to achieve an aquarium that human hands don't need to fiddle with too much, in the way of glass cleaning and substrate siphons etc. As it stands, I test the water twice a week (may reduce to once a week, now all my sick fish issues seem to be over), a 30% water change weekly, and a gravel clean weekly, I also plan to open the canister filter once every month or so, and rinse the pads, and remove any plant matter that may be caught up in there. Cleaning the gravel is a pain in the ass, due to rocks, driftwood, and plants, what else can I put in the tank to clean the gravel, if there is any fish that will do that. I'd like to get to a pint where I only have to do minor water changes, and gravel cleans as infrequently as possible. Is this possible, or am I dreaming? I do have plants in the tank, and am planning on adding more plants to "feed" off the fish waste in the gravel. EDIT: Also, are freshwater shrimp available here, would they make a nice addition to the cleaning crew? I'm also interested in what sort of maintenance you guys do, I know as a novice, I used to clean everything far too much, as in I would dismantle the whole tank, and use boiling water to clean everything the re assemble and refill, That caused all sorts of problems, but after researching and reading I realised I was making a huge mistake, and ceased, now I'm on my 3rd tank, and everything seems fine, no more new tank syndrome every week