New to hobby-please help anyone

[Clementi]

Hi there,

I have just started on this hobby about 2 months back. The setup was ok. Planted tank with cardinals and silver tipped tetras. Fertiliser with DIY CO2. However i have the following questions, hope somebody can help;
1) I noticed snails growing in my tank and worried they will eat up my plants. What can I do to eliminate it. Been told about puffer fish but worried puffer will eat up my tetras?
2) My tank temperature is always above 30 degrees C. What can i do to bring down the temperature as most plants and fishes need about 25-28 degrees C?
3) What more can I do to enhance my plant growth? Any recommendation on liquid fertilization?

Thanks for your help in advance!!

[|squee|]

Hey there, welcome to AQ.

1) I personally pluck out as many snails as I can during water changes. Puffers are a good remedy, they won't eat up your tetras (unless they're like the size of your computer mouse) but once your snails are all gone you have to keep it for the rest of its life or pass it on to someone else.

2) Look into getting a fan set, either commercial or DIY. There's a good article on petfrd.com, look here. I used that to build my own fans, quiet and cheap. Beats those commercial ones that are occasionally noisy and bulky hands-down.

3) I personally find the Ferka range of fertilisers attractive, or the Seachem range is good. Read up more on what plants need in addition to CO2 and light here. You can go into PMDD (Poor man's daily drops/dosage) if you want to, but it's a rather technical course that you might want to leave for later when you get more interested in planted tanks.

[Clementi]

Thanks for your insight, Terence. By any chance do you know how much is a chiller?

I am rather interested to keep a puffer, which species of puffer will be good. After the snails are gone, can the puffer live harmoniously with my tetras?

[|squee|]

I've never bought a chiller before, others will have to help you here

I'm not too sure about speices of puffers, but generally those sold at LFSes will do the job. Don't get Tetraodon mbu though Your average puffer is known to nip on fish tails after finishing off with snails, so they often require a seperate speices tank of their own.

[Allen_1971]

Puffers are fine provided you get the right type... Unfortunately I don't have any pics to show you which one is right.... the wrong type will kill your fishies...

A good (safe) alternative is a loach... I have been using pakistani loaches (a.k.a yo-yo loach) with quite good effect. I think the sidthimunki is not bad as well.... but I haven't tried them. Just don't buy species of loaches which grow really big like clown loaches... Only problem is these loaches can be hard to find...

[Clementi]

Hi there,

Once again thanks for the infor. I have heard about clown loach but not too keen as I prefer small fishes. My tank is only 2 1/2 feet. What u suggested seems interesting. Any particular LFS you suggest I can find the yo-yo loach? So loaches are better tank mates?

Any suggestion on lightings? Do you think it is necessary to change tube every year?

[vinz]

Chiller prices... http://www.eaquanature.com/store/default.php?cPath=26 is a guide to prices. But, as always, DO shop around to check out if you can get better prices.

Avoid the older Teco range... they aren't very efficient in our climate. Heard the new range are cheaper and better. You can consider the JBJ Artica series as well. System and Control Engineering (aka Bioplast) at Blk 22 Boon Keng Rd sells the Daeil chillers which is the OEM of the JBJ Artica series. Prices differ, warranty and after sales service differ greatly between JBJ and Daeil, so you need to decide what is more important to you.

These are the few better brands in the market... but a bit pricier.

[CT]

how big is your tank? and wat sort of lighting r you using now?

[Clementi]

My tank is 2 1/2 feet. About 120 litres

[hirowen]

Hi there,

Once again thanks for the infor. I have heard about clown loach but not too keen as I prefer small fishes. My tank is only 2 1/2 feet. What u suggested seems interesting. Any particular LFS you suggest I can find the yo-yo loach? So loaches are better tank mates?

Any suggestion on lightings? Do you think it is necessary to change tube every year?

hi clementi,

here is the information regarding pakistani loaches and dwarf pufferfish

as for the lighting, it got to depend what light tube u using (PL or FL). take a look at the sticky thread posted by vincent u can find ur answer there ya

[Clementi]

Thanks, read the site. Think I ll go for the Yo-yo loach. Not too comfortable with the puffer as not wanting to risk my lovely tetras.

Anyone can advice on fertilization of plants. Thinking of adding iron pills or liquid fertilizer into my tank.

[Clementi]

Wondering if having some snails are good for planted tank? Read that snails will loosen the subtrate. Any advice?

[Clementi]

Puffers are fine provided you get the right type... Unfortunately I don't have any pics to show you which one is right.... the wrong type will kill your fishies...

A good (safe) alternative is a loach... I have been using pakistani loaches (a.k.a yo-yo loach) with quite good effect. I think the sidthimunki is not bad as well.... but I haven't tried them. Just don't buy species of loaches which grow really big like clown loaches... Only problem is these loaches can be hard to find...

Hi Allen, Can find what is sidthimunki ? Any link?

[|squee|]

Um... why iron pills? Only the Malayan cone snail does the substrate any good, I'm not sure about the rest.

[Clementi]

Um... why iron pills? Only the Malayan cone snail does the substrate any good, I'm not sure about the rest.

Ok, do you think the Malayan cone snails will do wonders to my substrate or just leave it for now. On one hand, I am trying to get rid of some snails thus looking at the yoyo loach.

Why iron pills? A friend told me his plants are thriving and he added iron pills and might be the reason for the bloom. What say you?

[vinz]

First time I heard them called Malayan Cone Snails. They are usually known as Malayan Trumpet Snails. Anyway, anything that eats the other snails will eat the MTS if they are the right size.

MTs are ok because they stay in the gravel in the day and only come out at night, so they aren't such an eye sore.

Most ppl seem to despise snails, but I'm one of the few who leave them be. They help control algae and uneaten food, dead/dying plants etc. Most of the smaller ones won't harm the plants and will eat algae or dead/dying plant parts. Seen some finishing off dead fishes too. Mostly they come out ot the glass only after dark.

[baranne]

Most ppl seem to despise snails, but I'm one of the few who leave them be. They help control algae and uneaten food, dead/dying plants etc. Most of the smaller ones won't harm the plants and will eat algae or dead/dying plant parts. Seen some finishing off dead fishes too. Mostly they come out ot the glass only after dark.

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...

[Clementi]

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...

Thanks Vinz and Joe. I think will leave the snails for now and hope my plants will be ok. BTW, any input on plant fertilization and iron pills please?

[Allen_1971]

Hi Allen, Can find what is sidthimunki ? Any link?

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.

[|squee|]

I've no idea about the iron pills, but to each his own I guess. Plant fertilisation can go two ways: easy but expensive or hard but cheap.