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New to aquaria, advice needed!

mrhoyo said:
I've been through seriouslyfish for everything on that list and more. It's pretty good for a description, basic care and size per fish but doesn't say e.g. you need 10+ but can only fit 5.
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That's where INJAF can help. It has a useful article about fish stocking density.

JPC
 
jaypeecee said:
Yes, that's right, both will be processing nitrogenous waste. And, as you say, that will be ammonia at the moment. The suggestion that I'm just about to make is a bit contentious but I would add Tetra SafeStart to your tank to help establish a healthy bacterial colony in your filter. I, and many others, have had great success with this specific product. If you decide to try SafeStart, it is very important to give the bottle a vigorous shake before use.

JPC
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Ordered, due tomorrow.
I've got 100ml which should be enough for 120l apparently.
 
mrhoyo said:
The tubes are only 8ml capacity and I couldn't tell colour change in a bowl so each of these is 8ml water plus 1 drop.
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It is essential that 10ml of aquarium water is used to get the exact KH and GH. You could use a larger tube, if you have one or two spare. But, if it's a faff, then don't bother. We don't strictly need a more accurate figure. It's very evident that your tap water has virtually no hardness - be that KH or GH. So, now, you can tailor your water hardness to suit the fish you would like. Luxury! To make things simple, JBL Aquadur may be a candidate for simultaneously increasing the GH and KH of your tap water. You may want to check it out. Or, you could try Tropic Marin Re-Mineral Tropic, which is what I use with RODI* water.

* RODI = Reverse Osmosis De-Ionized

JPC
 
jaypeecee said:
Or, you could try Tropic Marin Re-Mineral Tropic, which is what I use with RODI* water.
Click to expand...

Tropic Marin RMT doesn't only increase KH and GH. It adds other electrolytes and salts for the benefit of plants, fish and other tank inhabitants. I suggest that you get the 'improved recipe' version of RMT if you decide to opt for this product.

JPC
 
mrhoyo said:
I've got 100ml which should be enough for 120l apparently.
Click to expand...

Perfect! When it arrives, please check the expiry date on the bottle before use. In this instance, it's particularly important as SafeStart contains live bacteria. And, for fear of repeating myself, give the bottle a good shake before adding to your tank.

JPC
 
Hi all,
mrhoyo said:
I've attached the full report, hopefully it makes more sense to you.
Click to expand...
Perfect, soft clean water with just over 1 dKh/dGH. The pH is elevated by the added NaOH. You could use that straight out the tap, plus dechlorinator. If you wanted to harden the water a little bit you could use potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3) and calcium chloride (CaCl2.6H2O) or chick grit etc., details are at <"James' Planted Tank">.
mrhoyo said:
I can't remember what the rest are
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  1. First one is Dicrossus filamentosus, I really like these, but they need live food, an established tank and very soft water. The Tetra is Cardinal Tetra.
  2. Some cultivated Rams, I would just stay well away these. If you really like them you need to get German Blue Rams from a local breeder. The dotty catfish is an "L number", it may be a Hypancistrus like <"L201"> or it might be a juvenile <" Leporacanthicus galaxias "> etc. Whatever it is they need some special care. The Tetra is a Rummy-nose, I can't tell which species.
  3. A male Betta and a Lamp-eye Killi, probably Poropanchax normanii.
  4. A mix of Danios (probably all forms of Danio rerio), Glowlight Tetra, Corydoras aeneus, Panda Garra.
  5. Kribs and Blue Columbian Tetra.
  6. Ember Tetra.
If you are keen on Cichlids, then an <"Apistogramma spp">. would be worth looking at, they are a bit smaller than Kribs and not quite as homicidal. <"Peter Clarke"> ("Apisto Aquatics") is in Chesterfield, and can both advise you, and sell you some fish.

Once the tank has grown in I would add the Tetra type fish, probably Ember Tetra out of those ones, and then a few weeks after that the larger fish. Have a look at the range of Corydoras catfish available, a fish like Corydoras panda would be easy to keep and attractive.

cheers Darrel
 
jaypeecee said:
Perfect! When it arrives, please check the expiry date on the bottle before use. In this instance, it's particularly important as SafeStart contains live bacteria. And, for fear of repeating myself, give the bottle a good shake before adding to your tank.

JPC
Click to expand...
I will shake it like my life depends on it.
At the risk of sounding even thicker, should I measure out exactly enough for 70l or just bung the whole lot in? I can't imagine I'll have much use for a partial bottle afterwards.
 
jaypeecee said:
Tropic Marin RMT doesn't only increase KH and GH. It adds other electrolytes and salts for the benefit of plants, fish and other tank inhabitants. I suggest that you get the 'improved recipe' version of RMT if you decide to opt for this product.

JPC
Click to expand...
Thanks, I'll have a look.
 
dw1305 said:
Hi all,
Perfect, soft clean water with just over 1 dKh/dGH. The pH is elevated by the added NaOH. You could use that straight out the tap, plus dechlorinator. If you wanted to harden the water a little bit you could use potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3) and calcium chloride (CaCl2.6H2O) or chick grit etc., details are at <"James' Planted Tank">.

  1. First one is Dicrossus filamentosus, I really like these, but they need live food, an established tank and very soft water. The Tetra is Cardinal Tetra.
  2. Some cultivated Rams, I would just stay well away these. If you really like them you need to get German Blue Rams from a local breeder. The dotty catfish is an "L number", it may be a Hypancistrus like <"L201"> or it might be a juvenile <" Leporacanthicus galaxias "> etc. Whatever it is they need some special care. The Tetra is a Rummy-nose, I can't tell which species.
  3. A male Betta and a Lamp-eye Killi, probably Poropanchax normanii.
  4. A mix of Danios (probably all forms of Danio rerio), Glowlight Tetra, Corydoras aeneus, Panda Garra.
  5. Kribs and Blue Columbian Tetra.
  6. Ember Tetra.
If you are keen on Cichlids, then an <"Apistogramma spp">. would be worth looking at, they are a bit smaller than Kribs and not quite as homicidal. <"Peter Clarke"> ("Apisto Aquatics") is in Chesterfield, and can both advise you, and sell you some fish.

Once the tank has grown in I would add the Tetra type fish, probably Ember Tetra out of those ones, and then a few weeks after that the larger fish. Have a look at the range of Corydoras catfish available, a fish like Corydoras panda would be easy to keep and attractive.

cheers Darrel
Click to expand...
Thanks. Mixing my own sounds like it might be a bit too easy for me to make a mess of at the moment.

I'll have a look at Apistos.

My Mrs doesn't actually like Corydoras, she specifically pointed out that she didn't like them at the shop (it was a panda!) so that's a bugger.
 
mrhoyo said:
Thanks. Mixing my own sounds like it might be a bit too easy for me to make a mess of at the moment.
Click to expand...

Hi @mrhoyo

That's precisely why I didn't mention it. Walk, don't run - at this stage. The pre-made potions may cost a bit more at the outset but, if you value your time, you'll be better off in the long run.

JPC
 
mrhoyo said:
At the risk of sounding even thicker, should I measure out exactly enough for 70l or just bung the whole lot in? I can't imagine I'll have much use for a partial bottle afterwards.
Click to expand...

Hi @mrhoyo

I'd be tempted to just use half of the 100ml bottle initially. The bacteria will have plenty to get there gnashers into. I seem to recall that you measured 0.25ppm ammonia and the Tropica soil will continue to drip-feed the bacteria with more ammonia. It's always useful to have some SafeStart spare.

JPC
 
jaypeecee said:
Hi @mrhoyo

I'd be tempted to just use half of the 100ml bottle initially. The bacteria will have plenty to get there gnashers into. I seem to recall that you measured 0.25ppm ammonia and the Tropica soil will continue to drip-feed the bacteria with more ammonia. It's always useful to have some SafeStart spare.

JPC
Click to expand...
That works well, I ordered two 50ml ones.
 
jaypeecee said:
Hi @mrhoyo

That's precisely why I didn't mention it. Walk, don't run - at this stage. The pre-made potions may cost a bit more at the outset but, if you value your time, you'll be better off in the long run.

JPC
Click to expand...
Same here, @mrhoyo has got a lot to take in, and I thought it best to keep things straitforward.
After a while we can get him mixing his own remin salts, homebrew fertilisers, home-made shrimp food and all sorts. 🙂
 
mrhoyo said:
That sounds straightforward, is it just a case of adding something when I do water changes? I'm already adding Prime and fertiliser so it's no problem for me to add salts too.
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Yes, just dose your water change water. Only a tiny bit of extra work, but as @jaypeecee says it removes the potential for a disaster.
 
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