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New to aquaria, advice needed!

mrhoyo said:
Not sure where shrimp live in terms of levels.
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Pretty much everywhere, they crawl and climb, so they get up on the plants and hardscape as wel as the substrate. Don't often swim in the open water, although they can.
 
jaypeecee said:
Hi @mrhoyo

So, does that mean you've decided which fish you would like and their preferred water hardness? Which product did you order?

JPC
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I ordered the one you recommended, I thought it would be wise to listen considering how much you've helped so far.

I think we're going relatively simple and getting some kind of small tetra, probably green neon. Quite common but a bit more unusual than a blue neon or cardinal.
Shrimp seem to have a huge range of hardness requirement but neocaridina is the aim.

Not decided on whether to get a centrepiece or yet or any corydoras, otocinclus etc.
 
mrhoyo said:
perhaps a pleco or another set of bottom chaps
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People seem to be calling all sorts of things plecos these days. 'Real' plecs are huge, 50cm or more. Bristle-noses are smaller but still a fair size (mostly around 10cm) and can be a bit clumsy.
A tiny bottom-living catfish is Hara jerdoni, that's worth a look. They tend to hide a lot, but will come out if you give them some bloodworms, live or frozen. Hyalobagrus are nice, and quite active, but hard to find in shops.
 
mrhoyo said:
, probably green neon. Quite common but a bit more unusual than a blue neon or cardinal.
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Also quite a bit smaller than cardinals, so you can have a bigger shoal.
Normal (as opposed to Green) Neons can be hard to find as healthy specimens Possibly because of too much inbreeding. Green Neons are usually fine.
 
sparkyweasel said:
Also quite a bit smaller than cardinals, so you can have a bigger shoal.
Normal (as opposed to Green) Neons can be hard to find as healthy specimens Possibly because of too much inbreeding. Green Neons are usually fine.
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Those are a couple of reasons too.
We like rummy nose but I think they're probably too big to keep in our tank.

Embers are an option too but half the photos are nice and bright and the others look like supermarket own brand versions.
 
sparkyweasel said:
People seem to be calling all sorts of things plecos these days. 'Real' plecs are huge, 50cm or more. Bristle-noses are smaller but still a fair size (mostly around 10cm) and can be a bit clumsy.
A tiny bottom-living catfish is Hara jerdoni, that's worth a look. They tend to hide a lot, but will come out if you give them some bloodworms, live or frozen. Hyalobagrus are nice, and quite active, but hard to find in shops.
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I'm not particularly sold on bottom feeders to he honest. I'm attempting a carpet / lawn and it's enough work keeping the plants in as it is, I can't imagine fish all over them will help. Some tiny corydoras or something might end up in there at some point.

I saw some glass catfish in the shop and they looked amazing all grouped together but I understand theure not ideal for me.
 
mrhoyo said:
I'm not particularly sold on bottom feeders to he honest
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They are not compulsory. 🙂

Glass Catfish are amazing; did you say you were thinking of a bigger tank if this one is successful? I may be thinking of some-one else. A big shoal of those in your big tank, after you've had a bit of experience, would look great. 🙂
 
sparkyweasel said:
They are not compulsory. 🙂

Glass Catfish are amazing; did you say you were thinking of a bigger tank if this one is successful? I may be thinking of some-one else. A big shoal of those in your big tank, after you've had a bit of experience, would look great. 🙂
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Yes, the wife is actually quite impressed with progress so far. I could potentially have a 100x40cm in the living room or an even bigger one in the kitchen at some point (currently in the process of talking to architects about an extension).

They were all huddle under a bridge decoration, treading water. Pretty cool.
 
Good news - the Tropic Marin has arrived.
The dosage is a bit confusing though, am I right in thinking it means 7kh and 4gh?

Dosage: One level measuring spoon for 15 l/4 US gal. of water (results in approx. 7°dH total hardness and raises the alkalinity by approx. 4 °dH).
 
mrhoyo said:
Good news - the Tropic Marin has arrived.
The dosage is a bit confusing though, am I right in thinking it means 7kh and 4gh?

Dosage: One level measuring spoon for 15 l/4 US gal. of water (results in approx. 7°dH total hardness and raises the alkalinity by approx. 4 °dH).
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yes 👍😃
 
Siege said:
yes 👍😃
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Fantastic.
So going on my tests and predictions from others if I do 4 measures (60l worth in 70l tank) I should end up 7dkh and approx 4dgh?
Presumably then I'd dose every water change to equivalent dosage for the water replaced?
 
Do it once and test to make sure you are happy.

Then test the tds.

going forward you’ll only need to test the tds.

I used to use the Tropic Marin product and found it tricky to dissolve. It was easier to mix it in some warm water and then add to the new water/tank.
 
Siege said:
Do it once and test to make sure you are happy.

Then test the tds.

going forward you’ll only need to test the tds.

I used to use the Tropic Marin product and found it tricky to dissolve. It was easier to mix it in some warm water and then add to the new water/tank.
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I see. Any recommendations for a TDS meter?
 
Right, confused again!
Depending on what we're calling 'bright yellow' I'm either at 3dKH or 7dKH:
3
20200618_171959.jpg
5
20200618_172041.jpg
7
20200618_172120.jpg

The good news is the first drop went blue this time.
GH test was easy to read, changed at bang on 8.
20200618_172502.jpg

Whatever the dKH is I think that means my hardness parameters are now more within the normal ranges.
 
hypnogogia said:
The bright is confusing in this context. This way of testing is a process known as titration, and what you are looking for is a colour change. So, from blue to yellow (any shade of yellow) is a result.
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Thanks. So the Tropic Marin only raised the dKH to 3 then so, if I'm right, my ph is lower than 7. Which is due to nitrite/nitrate? This chemistry is still new!
I'll test for them at the weekend.
 
Yes, bright is probably not the best word. I think they mean pure yellow, as opposed to greenish-yellow or yellowish green. With low hardness you may never get those shades, but in hard water the sample could go through those shades and you would count the drops until it goes properly yellow without any green tinge.
With low hardness the yellow will always be pale, as the reagent is very diluted when you have only used 3 drops.
hth
 
@mrhoyo, are you testing your RO water after adding re-mineral? If so, those tested values are about right, according to the re-mineral information and info that @dw1305 provided. Adding re-mineral as directed will increase alkalinity (Kh) by 4dKH and general hardness by 7dGH.
 
hypnogogia said:
@mrhoyo, are you testing your RO water after adding re-mineral? If so, those tested values are about right, according to the re-mineral information and info that @dw1305 provided. Adding re-mineral as directed will increase alkalinity (Kh) by 4dKH and general hardness by 7dGH.
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Ah, it's me being an idiot and reading it wrong. I thought it meant 7dKH and 4dGH.
Bang on what it said then, more or less.

This is just added to my tap water though, not RO. I have no minerals!
 
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