KiwiGal77

Thank you Ira Was looking at filters last night and lining up the the CF1000 (which says suitable for up to 200L, so thought that would be a good buffer). Glad to know I'm at least looking at the right type! The tank comes with an air stone and pump, so will just see if I like it or not and how noisy it is as the tank is in my bedroom. I do quite like pretty bubbles though. All natural lighting. Seems to be doing well with my planted tank so far, and as the tank is roughly the same depth and height just longer I figured it would be ok still. It's facing large windows and also has a window to the side, so gets plenty of light. Well that's good... sounds like all I need is the filter, tank and more substrate.

Hi all! I'm possibly going to upgrade my 45L tank to a 110L tank, but I want to find out what extra equipment would be needed for a tank of that size? My current filter is only suitable up to 80L, so what filters would you suggest for a 110L? Would I need to add air stones for that size? Anything else I should consider cost wise? Thank!

Was thinking of picking up some Melafix and Praziquantel tomorrow... good place to start? How long would it take/how many treatments for him to start looking better if they were working? Oh, and some useful info: I haven't got a test kit on me at the moment, but before the Corys were added 2 weeks ago Ammonia and Nitrite were 0, Nitrate was low. I do 25% water changes twice a week. pH is stable at 7.4 and temp 25-26. Have had a bit of an algae bloom over the last week, not sure if that's an indication of a nything?

My platy hasn't been looking too well over the last couple of days - lying on the bottom of the tank a lot, lost weight, clamped fins. He is still swimming around at times and seems to swim well, comes up for his food in the mornings and is eating, haven't seem him gasping for air at all. He appears to have some whitish stringy or fluffy stuff on the top between his head and fin and also by his lower fins - unsure if it's something like a fungi or worms, or looking at photos might be raised and damaged scales/fins. Eyes are clear, can't see any white or black spots anywhere. About 3-4 weeks ago I swapped over to live plants. Two weeks ago I added 3 cory's, who are all doing well and looking good. Going by research it looks to likely be either fungal or possibly worms. Here's some (not so great) pics of him:

Thanks My hygro, anubias and java fern seem to be doing fine so far. My dwarf sag and crypts both have dying leaves though and no sign of new growth since planting. Any idea what might be missing that would affect those two?

(false) Julii Cory

Hi everyone, Picked up my corys yesterday... they are sooo cute!! Think they are quickly going to become a favourite. Just wondering if they need special food, or if the JBL sinking micro-pellets I've got are alright? They seem to be eating them this morning, but I know you can get specific sinking tablets for cat fish so should I be feeding them instead? Thanks

Thanks everyone Just tested my tap water and that's reading at 7.4, which explains the alkaline pH. I would still like to get it to about 7 for the type of fish I'm wanting, so thinking I'll go with the natural & slow approach of adding a couple of Almond Leaf Teabags into my filter (don't know if I want a huge leaf taking up half the bottom of my tank lol). I do small water changes twice a week, so that should minimise fluctuations. The tank has now been set up and had two Platys in for about a month, and I'm finally getting readings indicating my tank is cycling ok Have just swapped over to real plants, so that should help too. Will be off to get the next 3 fish next week. Yay!

After some advice for my new plants please Just wondering if I should buy some Seachem Flourish to help my new plants along? Or is there a better alternative for a good overall fertiliser? Also would the liquid fertiliser help the rooted plants as well, I've read all plants do absorb nutrients through their leaves but rooted ones prefer rich soil? They are just planted in sand, light is low-med and no CO2. I've got Anubias Nana, Java Fern, Twisted Val, Dwarf Sag, Hygrophila and a couple if young Crypts. Thanks

Well I've set up my first planted tank Looking a little sad at the moment, but hopefully the plants will pick up once they adjust to my tank conditions and start some new healthy growth. Also looking forward to the crypts growing and filling in their gaps. Fish are certainly loving the extra hiding places, much more settled. Here it is the day after planting:

I'm just making the swap from silk to real plants. While the silk plants looked nice enough and were easy, I want the aquarium to be as natural as possible and also think plants play an important role in the ecosystem, keeping the tank in a more healthy state.

Yea did look at them Thinking I'll just go with Harlequins. Now I'm planting the tank up I think it would look beautiful with a nice school of Harlequins swimming around and then the Corys down the bottom

Thanks everyone Think I've decided on my plants now: Anubias Nana Java Fern Dwarf Sag Sunset Hygrophila Twisted Val

dwarf sag (3-5 cm) and Crypts (10-15cm) will be good foreground plants

If I was to have lighting it would have to be on a timer. Most days a week I'm gone by 7.30am, and regularly don't get home until 10pm to midnight. Couldn't leave lights on for that long I'm guessing! So natural it will have to be. These are the plants I'm interested in. Are any of them difficult or NOT suitable for a basic low tech tank?? Anubias Nana (already got 1) Java Fern (1 on the way) Stargrass Twisted Vallisneria Amazon Sword (or something similar shape but not quite so large?? For a back corner) Dwarf Sagittaria Any recommendations for 10ish cm high foreground plants that won't cover up my entire substrate??

Your tanks look awesome! Can I ask what the plants are in the front of the first tank? And the thick grass-like stuff growing between the rocks in the last one? I've just had a friend also say I don't need fancy (expensive) substrate for the basic plants I'm after either. So maybe I could get away with just the silica sand and if needed throw a fert tablet under them? Hmmm... now I'm also wanting a different, higher piece of driftwood. I love the shape of mine, has a cool tunnel underneath for the fish, but it's quite little. I have a lot of space in the top 2/3 of my tank.

ahh, bugger I didn't get onto adding my location before ordering from TM! Thanks anyway for the offer

Hi Adrienne, That would be awesome, thanks! I actually currently work in Epsom (for the next week), so could swing by after work one day if you're home late avo? I'll send you a PM (if I can work out how lol) First plant is still alive, that's a good start.

I'm trying to decide if I want to set my tank up ready for plants, figuring it would be easier to do now while I only have two fish in there and I'm still waiting for it to cycle. So if I was going to change it from silk plants to real plants, as a complete newbie what would I need to do? I would like low tech - natural light only (I have massive windows though) and no CO2. I know this reduces my choices of plants to just the hardy and low-medium light ones, but figure I can always get lights and other fancy stuff in the future if I want/need. I currently just have white silica sand as substrate, maybe 4cm deep. I'm guessing this isn't going to be good enough to grow plants in? I love the light colour and would like to keep that look, and I'll have corys so need the fine substrate. Would either want a light coloured & fine plant-friendly alternative, something with similar properties I could mix through with my current sand to make it more plant fertile, or I guess something to layer under the sand (which will be a pain, as I'll have to empty the tank completely!) Also what sort of general maintenance is required for planted tanks? Do people find it significantly increases work load and cost? TIA

Awesome thanks. Did a little re-arranging after this and have moved it to a deeper hole a bit closer to the front. Will see if it's still alive in the morning :slfg:

Modification Success! :happy2: I cut off the wool lining from the carbon cartridge and took the carbon pieces out so it's just a thin bit of plastic to use as a divider. Now I've got a single layer of noodles along the bottom, then standing vertically in order of water flow I have a piece of sponge, the plastic sheet and then noodles. Means I can easily replace the cheap sponge when needed without having issues disturbing the noodles Back - showing bottom layer of noodles and sponge. Front - noodle set-up (could only fit one layer deep so thought it was better to alternate direction to help agitate water flow?) Top - water travels from left to right, then forward through the sponge, plastic sheet, noodles and back into the tank

How long do they normally take to attach themselves securely, and at that point do you cut the cotton off?

Does it look like I've done it right?? Just tied on with some cotton so the roots are sitting in a crevice. Planning on putting the java fern on the other side of the high point which is a bit longer

Thanks Picking up some Abubias Nana on the way home today and just bought some Java Fern off TM (cheaper than in store). Should have a lovely, natural looking planted piece of driftwood by next week. Yay, first real aquarium plants

Thanks, sounds easy enough Also am I correct in thinking that Anubias can also be attached to driftwood and are another easy-care plant?