New to hobby-please help anyone

[Sweet Angel]

Agree with vinz on snails, I also leave them as it is. They do cleanup jobs for you as well as the shrimps on all the food and dying stuffs. I also do not find their population a problem at all, as in they do not clog my view of the tanks during daytime.

In fact I find some of the snails interesting, esp MTS. I was planting hairgrass the other day and I thought I hit a rock, end up it's a MTS hidden below...

Agree with these guys, firstly I tought snails eat plants, but then I noticed one LFS seems to let them breed in their tanks so you can see very very much snail on their tanks, I looked closer, none of their plants had holes because of snails eating them...
Then I asked a few of their snails to put in my tank...

[|squee|]

I was about to head home and do water change. So just leave it and the oil will go away?

The oil will not go away. It's part and parcel of the planted tank. It's basically just an eyesore... people remove it using various methods. One way is to install a surface skimmer so that the layer is removed permanently. Another way is to lay tissue/newspaper on the surface of your tank to soak up the "oil". Surface agitation by a device like a hang-on filter also prevents it somewhat. But really, the oil is not much of a visual sore to me personally and the trouble to remove it is just too much.

Your bioload sounds a tad high. I myself only have eight T.Espeis in my 2ft with one oto. I'd stop around 20 for my 2ft, so approximating I'd say about 35 for your tank? It's a personal judgement thing imho.

[Sweet Angel]

You can go to this webby

Basically it is a dwarf chain loach... locally they call it something which roughly translates to monkey loach (in chinese). Both the chain loach and the yoyo loach aren't so easy to find... I used to spot them at C328 and Choon Sua in the past... sometimes qian hu... but other than those, typically most shops only carry the clown loach.

Are these loaches don't bother tiny plants like HC or riccia ?

[Sweet Angel]

A summary of the article will be: Dose KNO3 and KH2PO4 along with traces to account for all nutrients plants need. Excess is acceptable, and nutrients like nitrate are prevented from building up by 50% weekly water changes. CO2's importance is greatly emphasised.[/QUOTE]

What about K2SO4 & MgSo4...?
If we want to choose, which ones should we dose KNO3 & KH2PO4, or K2SO4 & MgSO4 ?

[Sweet Angel]

30 Cardinal tetras
15 Silver Tipped tetras
7 Black widow tetras
6 Zebra Danios
3 rummy nose tetras
2 Otos[/QUOTE]


Clementi, do your zebras act more agressively than the other tetras? Do they like to chase other fishes? I like the black spots on their females but I heard that zebras is a very agressive fish, I'm afraid if I add them, they will ruin the harmony in my tank.

[|squee|]

The loaches most likely will uproot recently planted HC and Riccia.

You dose only KNO3 and KH2PO4. K2SO4 and MgSO4 are not needed. Magnesium and Calcium seem to be in sufficient quantities in our tap water (calcium I'm sure there's enough) I myself add some Seachem Equlibrium to ensure that calcium and magnesium are in sufficient quantities.

[Sweet Angel]

I guess dosing KNO3 to make sure enough nitrate in tank water ?
What if we depend on fish dirt, rotten plant, & excess food for the nitrate... Will it be sufficient ?
Especially in heavy load tank like Clementi's...

[|squee|]

If your tank is CO2 enriched, plants need quite a bit more to grow properly since their "basic barrier of growth" is now removed. Depending on fish waste, rotten plants and excess food is only possible on a non-CO2 tank imho.

Yeap, we dose KNO3 to ensure that enough nitrate is in the water for plants to use as a nitrogen source. KNO3 adds potassium as well.

[Clementi]

30 Cardinal tetras
15 Silver Tipped tetras
7 Black widow tetras
6 Zebra Danios
3 rummy nose tetras
2 Otos

Clementi, do your zebras act more agressively than the other tetras? Do they like to chase other fishes? I like the black spots on their females but I heard that zebras is a very agressive fish, I'm afraid if I add them, they will ruin the harmony in my tank. [/QUOTE]

I started the tank with the Zebra danios to cycle my tank. Read and heard from a friend they are hardy fishes. Started off with 7 and one died along the way. They are very active fish but seems ok with all my tetras. I have not seen them attacking or nipping the tetras' fin but aggressive for food. They did a pretty good job seeking the left over food on the gravel.

I have to say, they are very playful and active and adds life to my tank. Whenever I feed them, they are always on the surface looking out for me. In conclusion, they are lovely fishes.

[Clementi]

Hi guys,

I got home last nite and found my oto dead!!! Later in the nite another 2 cardinals dead and this morning my sucker fish died. In less then 24 hours 4 dead!!!

I did a partial 20% water change last Sunday. Added the normal Seachem Prime as per normal. But found a layer of oil on Monday nite. On Sunday nite, I added a fan to bring down the temperature. Last nite, I did 30% water change and trimmed some plants as well. It puzzle me, what have gone wrong?

Like some feedback, my tank is overloaded. However, I do make an effort to do 20-30% water change every week. My tank has been running for 3 1/2 months now and this is the first time I have seen so many dead fishes within 24 hours. Any feedback!!! I hope I dont find any more dead fishes when I get home tonite.

As we were talking about fertilizer, a thought came to my mind. Can I bury all these dead fishes into the gravel as a source of fertilization? Might sound morbid but just a thought. What say you, guys?

[hirowen]

hi clementi,

IMHO i guess this is the effect of overpopulation..ur bacteria is not enuf to convert ur excess of ammonia produced from ur fishes eventhough u done 20-30% wc/week. if budgets allow, u can add in commercial bacteria to fasten the bacteria buildup..or else u may need to wait till ur filter system to find its balance..of cuz..more fish might die in the process

buried dead fish in gravel? hehe...have not try b4..imo it will cause ammonia spike in the end...only if u wan to try...let us know the result

[|squee|]

20 to 30% is not enough. Try 50%.

[Clementi]

hi clementi,

IMHO i guess this is the effect of overpopulation..ur bacteria is not enuf to convert ur excess of ammonia produced from ur fishes eventhough u done 20-30% wc/week. if budgets allow, u can add in commercial bacteria to fasten the bacteria buildup..or else u may need to wait till ur filter system to find its balance..of cuz..more fish might die in the process

buried dead fish in gravel? hehe...have not try b4..imo it will cause ammonia spike in the end...only if u wan to try...let us know the result

I started off with only 6 zebras and added the fishes over the weeks. My tank been up for over 3 months now. Isnt this period sufficient for the bacteria built up?

What puzzled me was, why the Oto and sucker fish. Thot these are very hardy fishes. Cld this be some poisonous algae growth in the tank they have fed onto?

Since my filter and tank been running over for 3 mths, will there still be ammonia spike??

[Justikanz]

30 Cardinal tetras
15 Silver Tipped tetras
7 Black widow tetras
6 Zebra Danios
3 rummy nose tetras
2 Otos

Clementi, do your zebras act more agressively than the other tetras? Do they like to chase other fishes? I like the black spots on their females but I heard that zebras is a very agressive fish, I'm afraid if I add them, they will ruin the harmony in my tank.

Ermm... Like to comment on this...

First, the zebras (Brachydanio rerio)are danios, as pointed out and not tetras. They are fast active swimmers but basically do not disturb other fish (Other than bothering them with their fast swimming behaviour).

Secondly, the ones with the spots are the lepeord danios (Brachydanio "frankei")... They might or might not be a true separate species but they are different. Like most barbs and tetras, female zebra danios are plumper in the middle but essentially look just like the males.

[Clementi]

Guys, any idea how long does it take for a 2 1/2 feet tank to be biologically stable? I am getting worried about mine as I dont wish to loss more of my fishes.

As per my earlier posting, is Oto and sucker fish very hardy. I still cant figure out what went wrong with these dead as this never happened before. Cld it be some poisonous algae they ate? but my yamato prawns still ok.

[hirowen]

Guys, any idea how long does it take for a 2 1/2 feet tank to be biologically stable? I am getting worried about mine as I dont wish to loss more of my fishes.

As per my earlier posting, is Oto and sucker fish very hardy. I still cant figure out what went wrong with these dead as this never happened before. Cld it be some poisonous algae they ate? but my yamato prawns still ok.

yo brother..btw wht filter u using? oto and pleco are hardy, but still cant tolerate ammonia and nitrite..it cant be poisonous algae..so i would assume that ur filtration is not stable yet.. it is hard to predict how long the system will mature..and 1 more thing...how did u add in ur livestock? it is advisable not to add in too many of them in a short period of time..add in 3 small fishes in 2 weeks time to play safe...

try do 50% wc and add in nutrafin bacteria...hope it will help

[Clementi]

yo brother..btw wht filter u using? oto and pleco are hardy, but still cant tolerate ammonia and nitrite..it cant be poisonous algae..so i would assume that ur filtration is not stable yet.. it is hard to predict how long the system will mature..and 1 more thing...how did u add in ur livestock? it is advisable not to add in too many of them in a short period of time..add in 3 small fishes in 2 weeks time to play safe...

try do 50% wc and add in nutrafin bacteria...hope it will help

Hi Hirowen, thanks for your feedback. U think I shld replace the oto and pleco or leave it for now? I thot after 3 mths with regular water change, my filtration shld be stable. However my water is pretty clear. U reckon it is ammonia spike in my tank but no sign of cloudy water.

I started off with 6 zebras, then added 5 cardinals, then 5 black widow tetras over a span of 3 weeks initially. 2 weeks later another 2 black widow tetras and another 10 cardinals. About 3 weeks ago, I added the remaining over a span of 2-3 days. Each time about 5 fishes.

To setup then tank it is like problem on going all the time. Initially my plant was rotting but my fishes were fine, now the fishes are dying especially the last 2 days but my plant seems better shape now. Blow me down...

[Clementi]

BTW mine is a DYMAX cannister filter.

[Clementi]

One thing I noticed recently is my tank has less bubbling effect? Weeks ago, I could see the bubbles rising all the time. Lately there isnt as much. What could this be? Cld this be a ph problem?

Secondly, I have only a 20w FL for my tank. Switch on from 7pm to 11pm. However my tank gets some morning sun too. U guys think a 20w FL is sufficient of shld I add another tube?

[Sweet Angel]

One thing I noticed recently is my tank has less bubbling effect? Weeks ago, I could see the bubbles rising all the time. Lately there isnt as much. What could this be? Cld this be a ph problem?

Secondly, I have only a 20w FL for my tank. Switch on from 7pm to 11pm. However my tank gets some morning sun too. U guys think a 20w FL is sufficient of shld I add another tube?

I guess 20w not enough light, but you said the plants already bubbling days ago, so should be fine with that amount of light.
But one thing for sure its not the reason why your fishes dead.

If we have to test all water parameter, can you guys wonder how much does it cause to run this hobby smoothly...?
As for the newbie this kind of problem can be overwhelming...

Btw Clementi's idea for tank with cemetery can be a new trend for aquascaping