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Hi. Enjoy your time here.

Good morning everyone reading this, like most of you know, I'm from south africa and the products that you use isn't available in south africa 😊 ,so after some research I have found a company that can supply me with the salts, they can even go as far as pack it in ,individual quantities and...

Welcome

Hello all Would like to do a round of deworming on my tank (and another round if required) because I recently acquired some Corydoras CW51 and my stupid ass decided to take a gamble and not quarantine them. Only two appear to be unhealthy (one I've already had for a year and only recently...

Hello there!

I also have a small fish aquarium at my house, where I have observed the environment of the fish and kept some things like clean, well-oxygenated water, stable temperatures, and pH levels and water free from pollutants and toxins.

Very true. The Fish we keep in the hobby are remarkably adaptable to a lean diet. Probably one of the reasons most of my fish will outlive me ;) geez... (I'm in a rot I guess - @dw1305 any advice? ) .... well, joking aside I have Black Neon Tetras, Cardinals and Rubys in one tank that that by...

Lovely nano setup!

Welcome to UKAPS

Overfeeding is often overlooked

Yeah ill do that. Gives them a head start to hide and adjust Sent from my SM-S918B using Tapatalk

Seems unlikely. Do the inverts first then the Betta if you’re concerned?

I was dealing with a huge amount of ammonia during the beginning of the cycle due to a slight oversight on my part hence why it's taken this long. Made sure to not make that same mistake for my second scape now Sent from my SM-S918B using Tapatalk

I'm only planning to add 1x Clithorn snail, 6x Neocaradina shrimp and 1 Betta. I'm sure all these won't create a huge ammonia Spike that will upset the system? Sent from my SM-S918B using Tapatalk

Just err on the side of caution and introduce critters slowly and a few at a time if you're still not convinced. Normally my tanks cycle enough in a week or two to do just that.

Figured as much Sent from my SM-S918B using Tapatalk

Given your results are both the same shade of pink, but one sample has half the nitrite of the other shows that you can’t trust the test results.

When I lived in west London many years ago I couldn’t grow plants either. These days they grow like mad. I have a 60L and 37L cube, both with sand substrate. No CO2. I’ve chosen a few plants from the Tropica easy range plus Moss. I have shrimps in both tanks which are great for helping keep...

I like it too. Doesn’t multiply too quickly. It does get caught on a lot of stuff though. I think dwarf water lettuce is my favourite but Frogbit is the best for turning when it’s unhappy.

Today i made a bunch of capsules containing my own mixture of powdered clay and fe(dtpa). Tomorrow ill add them to the new plants. Im sure they will appreciate it :)

Welcome! :)

Welcome! :)

Hi - latest update... Plant progress: Limnophila heterophylla growing quickly and needing regular trimming. Moderate growth from Rotala R and Hygrophila P. Buces and Crypt Parva growing slowly. Now seeing progress with the Anubia mini coin. Am regularly snipping the roots on the Frogbit...

Can anyone help me with my questions?

Tiny mealybugs maybe? They tend to be pretty sedentary. The leaves should be a bit sticky from all the secreted honeydew then.

Thanks, Tim. Kind of what I was thinking. Love the look of the Pinnatifida, so really wanted to give it a go. I do remove around 1/4 to 1/3 of the floaters on a weekly basis- I'll take more out from now on and see how it goes. Will get some TNC Lite as well.

New bromeliad! Might be a tad big, but think it just about gets away with it 😂

Anyone have any idea what this is that been plaguing my houseplant for a short while? I initially thought it was some sort of bug, but they don’t move. Then I thought eggs, but not sure what as we don’t have any issue with bugs. Some sort of fungal infection maybe? Cheers, Chris.

I agree. ppm is confusing as it depends on the unit of reference, and ppmv is the worst. You have to imagine that gases in air can be partitioned into separate volumes so the ppm ratio can be calculated. In reality, gas molecules commingle in the air space and can only be separated in the...

I know my plant mass is good but damn I can't help but feel a bit paranoid. I think I'll just wait till the end of the month and then add them in. Just to be extra safe Sent from my SM-S918B using Tapatalk

On the whole I don't think your tank is doing too badly for a low-energy setup. Some of your initial problems could have more to do with inappropriate plant choices. For instance, Hygrophila Pinnatifida often proves difficult for experienced growers with CO2. Myriophyllum Mattenongrosse, really...

...starter, some more fish (after the first ones died), a silicate removal kit (because "high silicates in the water killed them", or some other total b*llocks), some <"premium biological media">, a <"bigger canister filter">, some zeolite etc then you can "make some real money". cheers Darrel

So what then should I do to know when it's safe to add fish and shrimp? I'm thinking to wait till the end of the month and do one last test to see if things are okay and then buy fish because by the tank would have cycled for more than 2 months and things should be ready Last thing I want to...

...test tells me. You might be interested in this paper that has come my way via my "day job" <"https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00381">* *Gawanker, S. & Masten S. (2023 ) "Development of an Inexpensive, Rapid Method to Measure Nitrates in Freshwater to Enhance Student Learning"...

In a smaller tank Salvinia minima is another option. I picked some up recently and like it so far.

For reference, I conducted 4 water tests. The Red one (Far left) is 100% Distilled water The Second one is 50% Distilled water/50% Tap water The third one is 100% Tap water And the fourth one is my tankwater There are some reports that NTLabs used Nitrate levels to read the Nitrite levels...

Long story short I tested the nitrites from my tap water and it shows a light pink which means that's there is about 0.25-0.5ppm of nitrites. But years ago when I tested my tapwater with API liquid it showed a bright blue meaning zero. Even when I tested with the API test strips ot shows zero...

Just a little video. I think the tank is effectively moving to maintenance mode so likely to be the last post. The longer term plan is to move to a custom size Aquariums4life AIO 600 next year.

Nerite Snails are big enough not to be eaten and are good at eating algae. They're also quite pretty. MTS will eat algae and waste fish food, and are great for helping clean up.

Here's my Homalomena kindly supplied by @bloskas . I have it next to a window and I feel like the fish bowl keeps a relatively high humidity. I spray daily with RO water and seems to like it. At some point it grew a flower bud but it withered and never evolved. It makes for a nice composition on...

Hi Again, slow afternoon at work, so surfing the forums! I'm not that familiar with your particular light, however my understanding is that it's not too strong. So, id do a couple of things: reduce light to 80% get a load more plants in there. I think you may have diatoms growing on your...

Looks like you are getting some good advice here. The floating plants will give you a good idea of it is your ferts or not. Your tank looks like it is rather brighltly lit for a non-co2 tank, but it might just be the photo. Lets try a complete fertiliser first, have some floating plants (frogbit...

Would there be a specific type of snail that would survive the chain loaches when I first put them in they took every snail I had in the aquarium ( not sure where the snails came from but were numerous

Yes you can. I have kept clown loaches and snails together in the past. Your chain loaches will actually help manage the population, but not wipe them out. As @Andy Pierce says though, shrimp are prettier.

I think that the above discussion proves my point, that the ppm is confusing :). Of course, once we understand it, even the most complex particle physics isn't complicated. Indeed, while accurate, it's common for individuals to perceive atmospheric CO2 at 400 ppm as "a lot" compared to 2-3 ppm...

I struggle with these threads, I really could not tell you why I get BBA or BGA, but I do know what I experience in one tank is not replicated in the other. Some tanks have BGA for their entire life, others like my current three have no trace of any algae. however the first tank here had every...

Good afternoon all :) This will come across as such a simple question and I’ve had the light for 4 years so really shouldn’t be asking this after all that time :/ I’m a bit of a technophobe and do not find the app that easy at all Can any one advise the best settings to use on a Fluval Aquasky...

Unfortunately I can’t add snails or shrimp ( such a shame as I would love to) due to the chain Loaches :( I think I’m going to remove the Seachem sticks as the tnc arrives tomorrow Just given the tank it’s second clean today and it looks much better :). In regards to the lights I have to be...

Hi all, They definitely look a bit pale, but that might just be the light "washing out" the colour in the photo? If they really are pale green? You could try going back to a "complete mix" and see if <"they green up any">? cheers Darrel

Thank you both!

Hi all, It will depend a little a bit on the tank, but I usually give mine a swoosh around (under the tap) <"every couple of weeks">. Our <"water supply"> (in the UK) is <"relatively lightly chlorinated"> so you don't need to worry about "sterilising" your sponge <"Cleaning filter sponges in...

Hello :wave: welcome.

Clean it when you see flow beginning to slow down. I clean mine in a bucket of tank water and will squeeze out the water and let it reabsorb the tank water a few times until the worst detritus is out of the filter foam.

Good surface agitation and good flow in tank are key to CO2 injection, some folk do get away with low flow and limited surface agitation as it is very tank setup and plant/planting dependant also. But when things are not quite right it would always be the first thing to consider in a CO2...

Better trim them before they turn unhappy again

Hi all, My tank has now been running since Feb. Overall, I'm pleased with it, but some of the plants have left me quite frustrated! I would appreciate any advice! 1. Size of tank. Juwel Lido 120, 61x41x58 cm 2. Age of the system approximately. 3.5 months 3. Tap water parameters: Postcode GL12...

Welcome 🙂

Hello again, I just have a question from reading through some other threads on here. Namely, if I have one sponge that is doing both mechanical and biological filtration, how often and how vigorously should I be cleaning it? I realise that mechanical filtration needs to be cleaned so that flow...

Hi @Hyenasden looks like you're getting some useful advice here to help you solve your problems. To address some of you other questions: I wouldn't bother with CO2 quite yet. You need to get the basics right before CO2 will add any value. To this end, start using a full NPK fertiliser like...

Yes, it can definitely help. You will always be CO2 limited in a low-tech setup. You can get started for very low cost with a homemade citric acid + baking soda system to see if you like what it does. There are lots of youtube videos on how to make one. I have a 45L system that is CO2 gas...

For me, it's night and day difference, some advanced plants will basically not grow without added co2. If you're set on less demanding plants, with lower lighting it becomes less relevant.

Oh wow what a huge difference !! I definitely need floating plants in there . Thanks again for such a detailed reply :)

Is this photo more helpful Darrel?

Thank you Zeus. I'm a bit puzzled with the pH situation in my tank. I think Co2 is too high. Moving the DC to the "worst case scenario" location and it's still lime green to yellow. I let a glass of tank water degas for 24h and the pH was 7.8-8! Right before the co2 is on the pH is 6.8 and the...

Hi all, <"Tropica Premium"> doesn't contain any nitrogen (N) or phosphate (PO4---). Because these are two of the nutrients that <"plants require most of"> and because of this we usually recommend a fertiliser that does contain them. I'm going to say that may well be where your problem lies...

Hi, no, Green Cyano ;) Dosed once, finished :)

Oh I should have mentioned my water temp is currently 25.9

That’s very kind of you thank you so much :)

I wouldn’t bother with that. If you can wait a week, I’ll send you some for the cost of postage.

Also Ive never used c02 before would it help on such a small aquarium ?

Thank you so much for the time and answers . I’m pretty new to forums so hope I’m replying correctly . I will have a look for floating plants when I next go to the store . I have printed the duckweed pages and will go through that . I’ve been using Tropica premium nutrition but to be honest I’ve...

Happy plants in there!

do you please have more info on the model of light? If you're truly set on superior plant growth, i'd really recommend looking into dosing co2 if possible, but if you can't, it might be worth listing the plants you're interested in to gauge opinions on feasibility here

Welcome!

First of all, well done for persevering for 4 years! A few pointers and questions: As you don't use CO2, don't worry about drop checker. What ave you been using to fertilise to date? Do you have information on your water hardness from supplier water report? What KH and Gh do you have? what is...

Hallo all, I am putting together a nano tank, and am about to make the same hack with an Oase Filtosmart 60, which works out the cheapest for me. I will use the Oase Filtosmart 100 thermo fit, but I am looking for a heater that will fit, as I can’t get hold of Superfish very easily. Is it the...

Hi all, Algal spores are universal in non-sterilised water, so as soon as you create suitable conditions they will grow. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Welcome to UKAPS, Unfortunately this is <"quite a common finding">, but I'm going to say you are now in the right place now. When you have time read through: <"What is the “Duckweed Index” all about?">. In terms of plants have a look at the <"Tropica Easy"> range, they are likely...

20240514_163650 by Lenny Lim, on Flickr Rotala tulunadensis has grown very tall.

Hello , I hope everyone is well After almost four years of constantly losing and having to replace my aquarium plants I’ve decided to reach out for help . When I inherited the aquarium I like most of you envisioned a lush green thriving aquarium but alas this has never happened. I have been to...

Hi all, The problem is that it will return, if conditions remain suitable for it. Cyanobacteria, diatoms etc are pretty much universal in freshwater, they will always be present in your aquarium, but most of the time at a level low enough so that they aren't visible. cheers Darrel

Yes, I do agree that the instability is the most likely cause, but I would like to get rid of it as thoroughly as possible since BGA is very hard to get rid of. Did you use the Blue Life Red Cyano? It seemed to be for marine tank use... Thanks for the advice. It is a ZRDR generator with a...

Hello and good morning , I hope you are all well Just wanted to say hi I will post a new thread in the plant help section :)

The water has gone green, and it's not the spirulina I don't think. It was originally from my water butt, so although I haven't added anything except the yeast/leaves/spirulina, it looks like I might have cultivated some by chance? I have added a couple of my every-expanding bladder snail...

Hej Thomas. Nu ved jeg godt det er noget tid siden du har lavet dit utrolig flotte vivarium. Men jeg er lidt nysgerrig på din finish. F.eks. pvc listen oven på terrariet. Hvad har du brugt der? Det ser/så mega godt ud. Efter lang tid væk for hobbyen er jeg landet her igen. Og dit "design"...

Can you be more specific on this? I am no expert on CO2, but I think the drawback with these generators is that their delivery is fairly inconsistent - inconsistency is always a bad thing. Be patient. Keep changing water.... Consistency is key for any successful planted aquarium. Now that...

Hello there!

Welcome to UKAPS

I would leave it alone for a few weeks, I can't see you having a problem with helanthium tenellum 'green' it grows well in non CO2 tanks

I planned some helanthium tenellum 'green' about a week ago. It came as a 1-2 grow so I'm guessing that's in vitro. The plant is still green and has zero algae on it but at the same time hasn't grown an inch. Is it still adjusting to the water parameters? Will trimming the leaves down...

My kitchen aquarium was always having outbreaks of BGA but the plants were healthy ,l removed most BGA in maintenance and regular waterchanges but it persisted. It is low tech. After trying everything except treatments, l reset up in living room (,same plants ,sand substrate and fish ) twelve...

Hello, your tank was set up one month ago, so the beneficial bacteria are not fully developped in the filter/substrate, the parameters are not steady, and all this could act as a trigger for BGA. So keep on regular maintenance, water changing, manually remove the BGA and observe the evolution...

Aha! Ok perfect!

As of iOS 16, you can easily enable a setting in the Files app to show all file extensions on your iPhone. Here's how to do it:- 1. Open the Files app on your iPhone. 2. Navigate to any folder containing files. 3. Tap on the More icon (three dots in a circle) located in the top right corner. 4...

Nope Wtf.... It worked! No joke :happy: Thanks Scaperinc and hypnogogia really appreciated!

Hi all, Welcome to UKAPS They are <"Ostracods"> ("Seed Shrimps"), a kind of Crustacean a bit like a Daphnia <"encased in a shell">. They are entirely harmless and very common in shrimp tanks etc. cheers Darrel

Also got a few pics last night... That Kessil A80 with gooseneck went together really nice with the other parts and it's the perfect lighting for this setup. I lucked out. I have an idea for better ripple definition, but this mellow water motion is nice for this fish combination. A future...

Try clearing your browser history and cashe then restart your phone( i know very IT department answer but this works 🤣)

Oh dear, my apologies for not reading. 54 litres About a month since set up Fluval 307 - sponge media + Seachem Matrix Week Aqua M450 pro - originally at 100% intensity for 4-6 hours; currently at 45% for 6 hours ADA Africana CO2 - citric acid/baking soda generator Tropica Specialised - 1 pump...

Can anyone help identify these? Suddenly appeared in my breeding tank. They swim quite fast, not jerky like copepods..