Untested

It's been creeping up and up and up. There's a fairly big piece of driftwood with java moss in the tank but still slowly creeping up. It got to 8(!) before I finally went to see the guys at the Bird Barn up the road (who are 100% FANTASTIC btw....I highly recommend them!!) and Alan sold me some peat moss for the filter. It's around 7.2 now.

As below it's a AR620.....90L I finally sprang for a master test kit.....The only thing that's not within parameters is the PH Is there some kind of systemic (as opposed to just dumping some chemicals in the tank) way of lowering the PH?

Thanks all So I started adding a few guppies and a couple of plattys. All are doing great so far.... I'm gonna add a couple of very small BN plecos tomorrow. I did end up using the dechlorinator before I put the fish in. Will update but we're hunky dory thus far

Hello again all - Thanks for the advice so far :bggrn: So.....here's the new tank! Cleaned, with White vinegar and dried with a hair dryer......Gravel and ornaments cleaned with boiling water. Filter cavities stuffed with some of the wool and 1/3 of the ceramic noodles from our well established, existing tank....as well as fresh sponge, noodles, wool and new charcoal. Filled with the water discarded during a water change (about 20L) from our existing tank, and tap water and treated with a bacteria starter (Nutrafin "Cycle"). Filter and heater and air pump turned on. Just a few of questions if I may: Am I on the right track here? I (mostly) took instruction from here http://www.fnzas.org.nz/?p=1868 I have a bottle of Nutrafin "aqua plus" which claims to remove chlorine and chloramine and make tap water safe for fish, it further claims to do this using "pure herbal extracts". I'm extremely cynical when it comes to the marketing claims of any company and I'm wondering if I should use this product?" Are there any tangible advantages to this stuff? It seems to me that if I can avoid pouring chemicals into my tank, that can only be good....... At which point is it safe (for the plants) to start planting? And is there somthing I need to do to prepare the tank for planting? ie. Fertiliser etc.... I'm planning on cycling the tank with a few guppies, when should should they go in? ie. how long after filling the tank? Finally, what have I missed? What else do I need to do to prepare this tank? Thanks again all

Righto, 1 part white (pams brand lol) vinegar to 100 parts elbow grease it is then...... Thanks all

Rodger that....will do one today in that case and the other next weekend..... Thanks for that advice, I would have turfed them all at once and put all new stuff in!

Thanks for that Will do the changeover next weekend....

Hi all So, collected my new (to me) Aquaone AR620 (90L) today. It's clearly been in storage and is absolutely filthy!! I'm thinking I'll give it a good clean up with weak bleach and soap solution prior to use...... Is there any reason not to use bleach or soap when cleaning a tank? Is there something better/safer? There's a bunch of ornaments (driftwood, coral) that I won't use bleach on which I'll just pour boiling water over I reckon......As with the gravel for the bottom. Am I on the right track here? Cheers A

My wife and I cracked up at the dog looking into the tank...... Wish I could draw like that!!

Hello all So.....my first (of many many many I imagine) post requesting assistance from the community..... I have a little Aquaone Nano tank (18-20L?) that has little flat filter inserts in it, one has ceramic/wool and the other has wool/charcoal. The tank contains two blue platties. The time has come to replace these (the filters, not the platties lol) and I'm wondering if there's a better and/or cheaper solution than buying the filters? Could I just put a bag of rings and some wool in one chamber and fill the other chamber with sponge? Or some other/better configuration. You'll have guessed by now that I'm a noob to this hobby so forgive me if this is a stupid question....... Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge.

Hello all I'm brand new to the forum and pretty much brand new to the hobby. 34 years old, married with a 5yo son and work as an Emergency Medical Technician in West Auckland..... I've got a 90L tank with about 30 guppies (which are breeding like demented rabbits at the moment), a 20L tank with two blue platties (who eat their babies) and I'm collecting a new 90L tank tomorrow (yay!). Have picked up some useful stuff off the forum already so decided it was time to stop lurking and attempt to contribute....