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Totara's First Tank Diary


Totara

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I think I may go with a Bristlenose, and dose some Nutrafin Cycle immediately after putting him in. The reason being as he is a poop machine, the bacteria may struggle to deal with the initial ammonia, but after it matures and can handle him well there will be a really good colony going. Is my logic sound here?

Thanks,

Will

As far as I'm aware BNs can be too sensitive for cycles (and will most likely get too big for a 50L) - Nutratfin Cycle simply helps to kick it off and you will still have to wait for the tank to cycle.

I still think it would be either easiest to do a fishless cycle or to get seeded material from another member D:

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Are you sure they are sensitive? I have talked to quite a few people who say that BNs are very hardy. Also I dont think that he will get too big, and if he does I can always sell him.

Will

I've been told they're sensitive to nitrate spikes and ammonia - I think the amount of ammonia they produce in a cycling tank would be dangerous for any fish without very regular water changes (which will probably take longer for the tank to cycle). I guess I just don't see why you'd expose a fish to ammonia that will no doubt burn them (even if in minor amounts) when it would be the same time to do fishless without any need for water changes at all. Most sites say they get to 12cm but I've seen ones bigger than that D:

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Just go slow on the stocking with 50% weekly water changes and you wont need to worry too much.

Recommend buying a load of fast growing stem plants until your slower growing plants establish themselves, they will take care of nutrients and help with algae. Things like indian fern, blue hygro, polysperma. All readily available .

Buy seachem prime for water conditioner. Better than the rest. Also detoxifies nitrogens into forms less harmful for fish but can still be used by the bio filtration.

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Dont worry thanks, I have a friend who has a bunch he can sell me :)

Just go slow on the stocking with 50% weekly water changes and you wont need to worry too much.

Recommend buying a load of fast growing stem plants until your slower growing plants establish themselves, they will take care of nutrients and help with algae. Things like indian fern, blue hygro, polysperma. All readily available .

Buy seachem prime for water conditioner. Better than the rest. Also detoxifies nitrogens into forms less harmful for fish but can still be used by the bio filtration.

I already have Prime :3 And thanks for that. Can anyone tell me if it is ok to continue planting after I have added a BN?

Thanks,

Will

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The middle plant would of been sold to you as hair grass. I think the right hand side plant looks like the rush. Either way a lot of the advice from LFS in Nelson should be taken with a grain of salt.

Ah, well I know not to trust them again :P

I'm not a plant person but i don't think the two on the right ase aquatic plants, marginal/wetland plants I would guess...

They seemed to be thriving pretty well at the tanks in the LFS...

That middle plant looks like a rush that you plant at the side of ponds with its roots in the water

Hmm I'm not too sure, maybe you are right, but I think it looks ok, and when it spreads out a bit (It had in the LFS's tank) It should look alright. The same goes with the flax looking thing on the right.

Thanks for the help guys, I will be getting some Christmas Moss or Java Moss to attach to one of the rocks. Does anyone know how I should attach it?

Thanks,

Will

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The left looks like Hygrophila corymbosa stricta grown emersed, centre hairgrass grown emersed (looks like it is in seed), right I don't know but grown emersed and probably a marginal. The first two would do better if split up a bit and spread out so they get more light.

Thanks, if it is in seed will i get hundreds of this things growing?

Thanks

Will

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The right one is most likely not a true aquatic. Note that the emersed plants (leafed ones, at least) will probably rot off - usually they have enough energy to grow back submerged leaves but sometimes you lose the plant all together. I find the best way is to give it enough nutrients to keep it going while the leaves rot and regrow. The hairgrass (assuming that's what it is) might do the same but I'm not sure - I usually find that it rots and goes icky for the first few weeks anyway before thriving. Like mentioned above, planting it by separating it and putting it all over the tank will make it grow faster - I find the hairgrass when left in clumps just grows up and stays in a clump. The right plant doesn't look like cyperus imo

RE: tying moss - some use rubberbands but I've heard horror stories about them. Cotton is my favourite as it eventually rots away but it's a real pain when it comes loose and if loose you need to cut it off asap or plants will get stuck on it and spin around and make a mess (and algae loves it). Others cable-tie it, so they can simply cut the cable tie and remove it when it's attached. This might work but you may end up pulling plant off if it's grown around the cable-tie. I usually avoid putting any scissors into the tank because I'm clumsy :P

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