Richard Posted November 14, 2002 Report Share Posted November 14, 2002 Well, I have just had my tank for a week now... all my fishes seem pretty healthy... swimming around quite actively... so shouldn't be any problems... I do regular water changes... about 10% every 2 days... coz my filter is a bit small... it is a Rio 400 pumping 420 litres/hour... and my tank is a 4' x 1.5' x 1.5' which is about 200 litres...so the pump is turning over the water in the tank 2 times an hour... I know this is a bit low... and I really need an external canister pump... but I can't afford one now... will get one in the next few months when the fish get bigger... and i figure with regular water changes...it should be allright? my silver is about 6-7 inches now... pleco is about 7... clown loaches about 2-3, silver sharks about 3, and I have some plants in the tank... pebbles.... some big rocks... some driftwood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted November 14, 2002 Report Share Posted November 14, 2002 As long as the water is staying fairly clear and you don't have any ammonia or nitrite then you're ok. My personal opinion is that as long as your filter is big enough and has enough media to keep all your ammonia etc undetectable then a bigger filter is mostly just for aesthetic reasons, to keep the water clearer. Not saying a bigger filter isn't better, just that I think as far as the health of the fish go you've hit the point of diminishing returns when the levels are zero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldie Posted November 15, 2002 Report Share Posted November 15, 2002 If it is a new tank will you not have to be careful until it has cycled?? That is for the first six weeks of the ammonia and nitrate/nitrite levels. :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted November 15, 2002 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2002 I did cycle the tank when I first got it... One more thing... I hear some ppl adding salt in their tanks... is there a reason for this? Anyone on this forum do it? I picked some worms from the garden today... and put them straight in the tank.. just wondering if this is ok? do i need to clean the worms? some ppl say that the worms shoulde be quarantined to make sure they do not carry bacteria etc etc... but then they also say feeder fish bought from shops should be quarantined... isn't this a bit overboard? I have even heard of ppl leaving the water in pails overnight before they do their water changes... i usually just get water from the tap and pour it straight in the tank... I am in chch...so should not have problem with water quality... no chlorine in tap water... what pH is chch tap water anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted November 15, 2002 Report Share Posted November 15, 2002 A small amount of salt is beneficial to many fish and provides a little protection against greeblies. I used to feed my fish worms straight from the garden but others say to leave them overnight so they void all the dirt and stuff in their digestive system. Also be wary if sprays and insecticides have been used anywhere nearby. People who leave their water overnight usually have chlorine in the water. Leaving it overnight allows the chlorine to dissipate naturally. The pH in tap water will vary everywhere so asking what the pH is in ChCh is pointless. The man over the road from me has a totally different pH reading for his tap water than mine. You need to get a pH testing kit and test your own tap water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Posted November 15, 2002 Report Share Posted November 15, 2002 garden worms r safe bro. i mean the birds seem to do fine on it but, there have been a series of studies investigating the nutritional content of earthworms....they were thinking of vermicultre as a new source of protein for the aquaculture... anyway, they found that worms were less palatable, due to chemical(s) in their coelomic cavity--gives them a bad taste.......furthermore, the worms contained an enzyme that breaks down proteins.....it's something to do with typsin......but anyway, it lowers their nutritional value to the fish..... however, they r still extremely valuable as a good feed for your fishes....u just have to get them to accept it. try 'splitting' the worm longitudinally, remove the guts etc, wash it in water n feed it.....seems to work for me fishes. chopping it into smaller bits helps too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted November 15, 2002 Report Share Posted November 15, 2002 I'm not not gonna fillet and marinate worms for my fish! They're gonna eat it straight out of the ground and they're gonna LIKE IT! Or they don't get anything! Hehehehe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted November 15, 2002 Report Share Posted November 15, 2002 Ira! You obviously do not love your fish enough!!! :lol: My large cichlids loved worms but the goldfish wouldn't touch them. I actually have a genuine worm squisher. It is two metal plates with handles on one side and circles gouged out on the other. The idea is to place the worm between the plates and turn them in a circular motion in opposite directions. I gather it was meant to cut the worm up nicely. I am afraid I have never used it. I have no qualms about dropping in whole worms but do not wish to cut or squish them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted November 15, 2002 Report Share Posted November 15, 2002 Eww, yuck, worm squisher. I've thought before that I could tie a string to some worms and go fishing, hehehe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted November 16, 2002 Report Share Posted November 16, 2002 Supposedly regular earthworms are more palatable to fish than the tiger worms that are often found in compost heaps and regularly used for vermiculture. Some anglers still use the tiger worms, just store them in damp bran for a day or so and they rid themselves of the nasty tasting stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatman Posted November 17, 2002 Report Share Posted November 17, 2002 The ph is 7.5 where I am in Avonside. I have always put water straight from the tap with no problems as there is nothing in the water here, but the water pressure is real high, the pump is just down the road and you should see the garden hose when its on, its about 3 cm in diameter when the tap is on, thats high pressure :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted November 17, 2002 Report Share Posted November 17, 2002 I am visiting my son in St Albans, ChCh on Tuesday to help him move flats. I might take my pH tester and see what his tap water is. Wish we had more water pressure here. In summer we can't even have a shower as all the rich people up the hills run their hoses continually (even during water restrictions, no-one seems to get prosecuted) resulting in a real pressure drop. They water so much their lawns are permanently soggy. When my kids did leaflet deliveries I would help and take great delight in riding my bike through their grass verges and leaving squishy ugly wriggly mud tracks :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted November 17, 2002 Report Share Posted November 17, 2002 Time you changed that little angel avatar of yours to "Little Devil" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted November 17, 2002 Report Share Posted November 17, 2002 Oh that was way in the past Pegasus. I have been reformed! Yeah right! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john1 Posted November 24, 2002 Report Share Posted November 24, 2002 Hi Cariyl Next time you do deliveries, use a trailbike. Leaves bigger tracks He He John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted November 24, 2002 Report Share Posted November 24, 2002 And Pegasus says I'm a little devil? :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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