anyone keep tropical fish ?
20 January 2007, 07:41 PM
#61
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Clare when the shop said clean the gravel did they actually say take it out and clean it? Normally when you clean the gravel of a fish tank its by way of a pump. You leave the gravel in the tank and use the pump to syphon the gravel up and as it churns over all the cr4p thats in it comes away. By taking all the gravel out and washing it you may well have washed away all the good bacteria thats need for the fish cycle, ie amonia, nitrate and nitrite conversion. If this has happened there wont be any bacteria left to break down amonia which is the first part of the cycle and the most dangerous. This if not kept in check will kill all fish very quickly. Also the reason they advise to only do 10% is so that you do not change the ph/kh levels of the water too drastically. Any more than 10% can change the water properties too quickly and have a bad effect on the fish.
May be worth doing another water test in 2-3 days just to check the amonia levels. With only 2 fish, and providing you don't feed them much they wont actually produce very much amonia but better to be safe than lose the fish and start all over again.
May be worth doing another water test in 2-3 days just to check the amonia levels. With only 2 fish, and providing you don't feed them much they wont actually produce very much amonia but better to be safe than lose the fish and start all over again.
20 January 2007, 08:09 PM
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I got me some blue neons from maplins, with a suitable transformer (the ones that go in pimp my pc
)It looks really good, I have the main tubes come on about 2pm and they go off at 8pm, and the blue neon tubes come on at 8pm and go off at midnight
means I get to see all my nocturnal fish having a laff
12" black ghost knife fish, clown loach, polka dot loaches
I left my bogwood soaking for a few weeks, with many water changes
also it needs to soak enough water into it, so it doesnt float when you put it in the tank
Its wood, therefore she's a witch, burn her
sorry I meant to say its wood and therefore floatslead weights are useful too
20 January 2007, 08:43 PM
#63
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Thanks Sonic, will have a look. The local fish shop also gave me an ebay name to look up as that where they go theirs from, apparently blue cold cathode tubes work brilliantly.
I use an alternative to bog wood (can't remember its name) that needed no soaking, just a rinse under the tap and in it went, no colouration of the water and the 2 plecs love it.
I use an alternative to bog wood (can't remember its name) that needed no soaking, just a rinse under the tap and in it went, no colouration of the water and the 2 plecs love it.
20 January 2007, 08:50 PM
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I got one of those gravel hoover things - it had the worst instructions I have ever seen! I will have a go next time.
How long should I soak the bogwood for then? Weeks?
How long should I soak the bogwood for then? Weeks?
20 January 2007, 08:53 PM
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Also you will get some 'slight' discolouration once the wood goes in the tank, but afaik, it is tannin, and the fish like it anyway
Plus you dont 'really' notice it unless you got another tank at the side of it without it in (like I have)
Cold Cathode Tubes, thats what I have got, I just got them from maplin, you do need to silicon seal the ends tho, just to make sure the water can't get in
Ebay is a good bet, one of the aquarium forums I used to go and links to the guy who sells them
20 January 2007, 09:13 PM
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The easiest way is to have a bucket sitting below the tank. The idea is to clean the gravel while emptying out 10% of the water. So the hoover part of the pump or what is essentially on mine a big perspex tube sits vertically in the water while you repeatedly squeeze the hand pump with that pump end in the bucket below the tank. After only a couple of squeezes the water should go up and then down into the bucket allowing gravity to continue the flow of water. Once the water starts flowing into the bucket just dig the tube into the gravel so as it sucks the water it turns the gravel over at the same time. To reduce the flow of water and give you time to dig around all the gravel squeeze the thin tubing between the hoover end and the pump end.
20 January 2007, 09:38 PM
#69
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Very nice nugget there 
I really wanted one but after reading up on them they are very prone to dieing within a day or two of being transferred from one tank to another and at £30+ I decided it wasn't worth the risk and effort of having to rip my tank to pieces to pull it out if it died.
I decided on this little fella instead, a broken line panaque:
I really wanted one but after reading up on them they are very prone to dieing within a day or two of being transferred from one tank to another and at £30+ I decided it wasn't worth the risk and effort of having to rip my tank to pieces to pull it out if it died.I decided on this little fella instead, a broken line panaque:
20 January 2007, 09:42 PM
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Very nice panaque
Ive had my nugget for 15 months now, he cost 20 quid, he is only about 3-4 inches even after all this time
My other common plec is much bigger
I liked the nugget as they had a 12 inch one in the main display tank, and I thought he looked cool with his adult colours
Which Jewel is that you have there, mine is a Rekord 180, I have a Rekord 60 with a Galaxy Plec in it, I wanted a Snowball but he was too dear
Ive had my nugget for 15 months now, he cost 20 quid, he is only about 3-4 inches even after all this time
My other common plec is much bigger
I liked the nugget as they had a 12 inch one in the main display tank, and I thought he looked cool with his adult colours
Which Jewel is that you have there, mine is a Rekord 180, I have a Rekord 60 with a Galaxy Plec in it, I wanted a Snowball but he was too dear
20 January 2007, 10:20 PM
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Its a Trigon 190:
I can't take any pics without blur for some reason, tried a couple of different digital cameras and they just don't like all the fish moving.
My original tank, a John Allen 30", is in the garage unused now but kept it for emergencies such as quarantine. If I had the space i'd set it up as a species tank and keep small cichlids.
I can't take any pics without blur for some reason, tried a couple of different digital cameras and they just don't like all the fish moving.
My original tank, a John Allen 30", is in the garage unused now but kept it for emergencies such as quarantine. If I had the space i'd set it up as a species tank and keep small cichlids.
Last edited by Bravo2zero_sps; 20 January 2007 at 10:27 PM.
20 January 2007, 10:28 PM
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Nice tanks those
My budget wouldnt stretch that far, so settled for the 180 which is still a very nice tank
I have that problem too with taking pics, plecs are quite easy as they dont really move
I have tried loads of times to take pics of my tank with the blue lights but they never come out quite right
I wanted to take some pics of my knife fish but not that easy really
here are a few more of my fish
Its very rare I see these little fellas, they live under the filter (about 4 of them )
My Synodontis, dont think he will grow anymore
This is my other tank
only has a small synodontis, 2 polka dot loaches and my galaxy plec
this is my common plec
and my sole remaining clown loach (although twice the size of that pic now )
My budget wouldnt stretch that far, so settled for the 180 which is still a very nice tank
I have that problem too with taking pics, plecs are quite easy as they dont really move
I have tried loads of times to take pics of my tank with the blue lights but they never come out quite right
I wanted to take some pics of my knife fish but not that easy really
here are a few more of my fish
Its very rare I see these little fellas, they live under the filter (about 4 of them )
My Synodontis, dont think he will grow anymore
This is my other tank
only has a small synodontis, 2 polka dot loaches and my galaxy plec
this is my common plec
and my sole remaining clown loach (although twice the size of that pic now )
20 January 2007, 10:30 PM
#73
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The easiest way is to have a bucket sitting below the tank. The idea is to clean the gravel while emptying out 10% of the water. So the hoover part of the pump or what is essentially on mine a big perspex tube sits vertically in the water while you repeatedly squeeze the hand pump with that pump end in the bucket below the tank. After only a couple of squeezes the water should go up and then down into the bucket allowing gravity to continue the flow of water. Once the water starts flowing into the bucket just dig the tube into the gravel so as it sucks the water it turns the gravel over at the same time. To reduce the flow of water and give you time to dig around all the gravel squeeze the thin tubing between the hoover end and the pump end.
20 January 2007, 10:44 PM
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Very nice Sonic Here is one of my Sailfin (again on the move so blurred)
Clare 20% of the water can be changed as a maximum recomended by the majority of fish shops but certainly not daily unless it was an emergency such as very high amonia levels. Again the problem with such a small tank is that the water properites are very volatile, the ph and kh values will fluctuate greatly over a small period of time. The more water there is in a tank the more stable it is and water changes can be done less frequently.
Here is one of my Sailfin (again on the move so blurred)Clare 20% of the water can be changed as a maximum recomended by the majority of fish shops but certainly not daily unless it was an emergency such as very high amonia levels. Again the problem with such a small tank is that the water properites are very volatile, the ph and kh values will fluctuate greatly over a small period of time. The more water there is in a tank the more stable it is and water changes can be done less frequently.
20 January 2007, 10:52 PM
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Very nice B2Z,
My common plec is a tad smaller than yours, going by the gauge of your tank against mine, I did try to get his L number on one of the forums, and the shop I got him from werent sure either.
I usually empty out about 3 domestic b&q buckets out of my tank (180 litres) never really worked out the percentage, but the fish are all seemingly happy, and the tank itself has been stable now for the last year or so
No more fish are going in mine, but I do have an empty Rekord 90 in the back living room, waiting for Donna's two suncats and synodontis to arrive
My common plec is a tad smaller than yours, going by the gauge of your tank against mine, I did try to get his L number on one of the forums, and the shop I got him from werent sure either.
I usually empty out about 3 domestic b&q buckets out of my tank (180 litres) never really worked out the percentage, but the fish are all seemingly happy, and the tank itself has been stable now for the last year or so
No more fish are going in mine, but I do have an empty Rekord 90 in the back living room, waiting for Donna's two suncats and synodontis to arrive
20 January 2007, 11:00 PM
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Cheers, yours look very good too. I take it those are real plants unlike my fake ones? I gave up on real ones in my first tank years ago after they kept getting eaten by all the fish and have stayed with plastic ones ever since. My Sailfin is actually very small for its type as it was stunted by living in the smaller tank for too long and at the time I didn't know what I know now and that it would/should grow to full size (12-18") within 2 years. Its now about 6 years old and only 9" and wont grow anymore and reach its full size. Thats good in a way but bad if it has reduced its lifespan which is a possibility 
I'd like to have got a Trigon 350 but the price was a lot of money and the space it took up meant it wouldn't have fitted where I have the 190. Will go to one of these when I live in a house with a front room that can spare so much space!
I wont be adding any more fish to mine either as I have this lot in there which I think is enough for 190 litres:
4 Clown Loaches
1 Sailfin Pleco
1 Broken Line Panaque
4 Ruby Barbs
4 Dwarf Rams
2 Zebra Danio
1 Rosy Tetra
4 Golden Pristilla Tetra
1 Red Tail Black Shark
I'd like to have got a Trigon 350 but the price was a lot of money and the space it took up meant it wouldn't have fitted where I have the 190. Will go to one of these when I live in a house with a front room that can spare so much space!I wont be adding any more fish to mine either as I have this lot in there which I think is enough for 190 litres:
4 Clown Loaches
1 Sailfin Pleco
1 Broken Line Panaque
4 Ruby Barbs
4 Dwarf Rams
2 Zebra Danio
1 Rosy Tetra
4 Golden Pristilla Tetra
1 Red Tail Black Shark
Last edited by Bravo2zero_sps; 20 January 2007 at 11:03 PM.
20 January 2007, 11:29 PM
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LOL my plants are fake, every one of them
everyone has commented on them looking real, they are attached to heavy stone bases, with a couple of small rocks on them, about 15 quid each from my local supplier
This is one waiting to go in my other tank
I have in my 180
1 Clown Loach (two disappeared)
1 Torpedo (two disappeared)
1 Polka Dot Loach (1 disappeared, seeing a trend here)
4 Kuhli Loaches
1 Golden Nugget
1 Common Plec
1 Black Ghost Knife
1 Synodontis
everyone has commented on them looking real, they are attached to heavy stone bases, with a couple of small rocks on them, about 15 quid each from my local supplier
This is one waiting to go in my other tank
I have in my 180
1 Clown Loach (two disappeared)
1 Torpedo (two disappeared)
1 Polka Dot Loach (1 disappeared, seeing a trend here)
4 Kuhli Loaches
1 Golden Nugget
1 Common Plec
1 Black Ghost Knife
1 Synodontis
20 January 2007, 11:31 PM
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I know what you mean about the 350 I have the room, but not the funds, plus IIRC you need a pair of small stepladders to get into the tank properly due to the extra depth
My dad has a 5 foot tank, but he only has a few fish in there now, he lost all his marines and lost pretty much all interest after that, and set it backup as a tropical
My dad has a 5 foot tank, but he only has a few fish in there now, he lost all his marines and lost pretty much all interest after that, and set it backup as a tropical
20 January 2007, 11:51 PM
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lol well for plastic plants they look fantastic! Mine are just the plastic base that is like a small lipped tray which are supposed to stya in place with the gravel on them. Doesn't work like that when the Sailfin gets lairy and swims throught them at full pelt, literally takes everything with him as he goes 
Yes the 350 does have that problem, I find it a problem getting into the 190 easily so the 350 must be a nightmare to try and reach down to the bottom of it or the back of it.
A marine tank is the holy grail for me but the hassle of keeping one going let alone the expense is just too much for me. I bet that 5' tank with marine fish in looked superb.
Yes the 350 does have that problem, I find it a problem getting into the 190 easily so the 350 must be a nightmare to try and reach down to the bottom of it or the back of it.
A marine tank is the holy grail for me but the hassle of keeping one going let alone the expense is just too much for me. I bet that 5' tank with marine fish in looked superb.
21 January 2007, 12:02 AM
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I think the main thing with the plants I have is that they work well in the water, they are just the right density and weight to move around slowly in the water, they have quite a large range of them in the shop, and all my tanks have them in, as they are much much easier than the usual fake looking plants ive had in the past, i got a few cheap ferns in there too from Wilkinsons @ 60p each LOL
Have you got extra filtration in yours, I have the standard built in unit, plus a fluval 2 and a fluval 4, and luckily in the 18 months or so I have had the tank, i havent had to clean the glass once
I find it hard getting to the back of mine, and just recently the air tube that runs along the back has come away from the glass, but its such a massive job to put it back, plus I believe the synodontis barbs can be poisonous
I love marines, but so costly, time consuming, and spacious to run anything decent, that I doubt I will ever have one
I wished my Dad had got back into it, but he was so disheartened when he lost his fish, that he gave up, the thing was, they died of old age, he had it running for 20 years at least
When he got the 5 foot tank, he only had a few fish in there, a picasso trigger, an angel fish, a coral beauty, cleaner wrasse and a couple of clown fish (long before nemo was even thought of )
such a shame when you see his tank now tho
Have you got extra filtration in yours, I have the standard built in unit, plus a fluval 2 and a fluval 4, and luckily in the 18 months or so I have had the tank, i havent had to clean the glass once
I find it hard getting to the back of mine, and just recently the air tube that runs along the back has come away from the glass, but its such a massive job to put it back, plus I believe the synodontis barbs can be poisonous
I love marines, but so costly, time consuming, and spacious to run anything decent, that I doubt I will ever have one
I wished my Dad had got back into it, but he was so disheartened when he lost his fish, that he gave up, the thing was, they died of old age, he had it running for 20 years at least
When he got the 5 foot tank, he only had a few fish in there, a picasso trigger, an angel fish, a coral beauty, cleaner wrasse and a couple of clown fish (long before nemo was even thought of
)such a shame when you see his tank now tho
21 January 2007, 01:00 AM
#81
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my old 350, added PO4 and Nitrate every day, along with CO2 injection to keep the plants growing (and 3X the standard lighting)
only went to marines as i thought i was spending a similar amount on that planted tank.....errrr, mistake!
21 January 2007, 01:05 AM
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Nice, Snug
I see you also have the obligatory kiddie locks on the front doors
what substrate are you using there ?
Just clicked on the image to see it better
I see you also have the obligatory kiddie locks on the front doors
what substrate are you using there ?
Just clicked on the image to see it better
21 January 2007, 01:19 AM
#84
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i was using 80% sand 10% gravel and 10% fertiliser on a heated base to encourage nutriet fow through the substrate.
kiddie locks as the CO2, twin external filters and phosphate and nitatre dosing system was all in there!
long time ago now - having gone salty i couldnt go back!
kiddie locks as the CO2, twin external filters and phosphate and nitatre dosing system was all in there!
long time ago now - having gone salty i couldnt go back!
21 January 2007, 01:32 AM
#85
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Yep got the standard filtration plus 2 other fluvial pumps going from my original tank to add extra filtration. One has its outlet just above the water so it drops water back in adding extra oxygen to the water plus I have the air stone going 24/7. Since they have gone in I have had as near perfect water quality as achievable according to the local fish shop. Never bothered with doing water tests myself as I get them free at the shop. Only got standard lighting though but want to add to that with those blue cold cathodes
20 years on a marine tank! Bloody hell that must have cost a fortune to run and a hell of a lot of time invested in it. Not surprising once it came to the end of its life your dad didn't start again as the work involved seems so much.
Nice tank Tiggs, I need one of those child locks for mine! I couldn't plant mine that heavily as I need the space on the bottom for the 2 plecs, the Sailfin gets annoyed with the few plants I have in there as it is.
20 years on a marine tank! Bloody hell that must have cost a fortune to run and a hell of a lot of time invested in it. Not surprising once it came to the end of its life your dad didn't start again as the work involved seems so much.
Nice tank Tiggs, I need one of those child locks for mine! I couldn't plant mine that heavily as I need the space on the bottom for the 2 plecs, the Sailfin gets annoyed with the few plants I have in there as it is.
21 January 2007, 02:01 AM
#86
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You need to get those cold cathode tubes setup, the tank looks fantastic, like it is lit with a moonlight sky
My dad had actually been keeping fish from before I was born, and im 38 now
he has built his own tanks in the past, we moved when I was about 4, and he setup a tank and had quite a few fish in there, bred some as well for a while, then he quit for a few years, and got back into it again starting off with a 36" tank and successfully kept 4 marine fish in there for a number of years, until he got his big 5' tank and transferred them over
He used to spend a lot of time on the tank, every weekend he would be doing his water, cleaning etc etc, now I dont think he has done a water change in years, he only cleans the glass when he gets moaned at
I think the only reason he re-stocked was because my mum was moaning that it looked stupid sat there empty, and they hadnt long had a new carpet fitted, and it was fitted around the tank, so it wasnt to come out
I do try and urge him to get a few more fish (he only has a few tetra's in it, and a couple of other fish,) all they do what he has now is hide permanently
Child Locks a must in this house
My dad had actually been keeping fish from before I was born, and im 38 now
he has built his own tanks in the past, we moved when I was about 4, and he setup a tank and had quite a few fish in there, bred some as well for a while, then he quit for a few years, and got back into it again starting off with a 36" tank and successfully kept 4 marine fish in there for a number of years, until he got his big 5' tank and transferred them over
He used to spend a lot of time on the tank, every weekend he would be doing his water, cleaning etc etc, now I dont think he has done a water change in years, he only cleans the glass when he gets moaned at
I think the only reason he re-stocked was because my mum was moaning that it looked stupid sat there empty, and they hadnt long had a new carpet fitted, and it was fitted around the tank, so it wasnt to come out
I do try and urge him to get a few more fish (he only has a few tetra's in it, and a couple of other fish,) all they do what he has now is hide permanently
Child Locks a must in this house
21 January 2007, 06:26 AM
#87
I have 2 tropical tanks + a tank for my rainbow crab.
I've had quiet a few different freshwater/brackish invert's since I started keeping tropicals a few years back; mainly various types of crabs - Uca Sp.(fiddler crabs) being a favourite of mine, although I don't actually have any at the moment - the little guys suffer from serious 'small man syndrome'!!; but the females you can handle quiet happily.
I've also been the middle-man in quite a few cases of crayfish rescue - where people have suddenly panicked after the crayfish have suddenly taken to snacking on their beloved fish. This will inevitably happen I'm afraid - and the only solution I can offer is to rehome him in his own tank. Adulthood brings serious attitude problems - and as with many fish - the advice that many aquatic shops provide regarding them, and almost every other freshwater invert is shockingly bad.
I've had quiet a few different freshwater/brackish invert's since I started keeping tropicals a few years back; mainly various types of crabs - Uca Sp.(fiddler crabs) being a favourite of mine, although I don't actually have any at the moment - the little guys suffer from serious 'small man syndrome'!!; but the females you can handle quiet happily.
I've also been the middle-man in quite a few cases of crayfish rescue - where people have suddenly panicked after the crayfish have suddenly taken to snacking on their beloved fish. This will inevitably happen I'm afraid - and the only solution I can offer is to rehome him in his own tank. Adulthood brings serious attitude problems - and as with many fish - the advice that many aquatic shops provide regarding them, and almost every other freshwater invert is shockingly bad.
Last edited by Prasius; 21 January 2007 at 06:29 AM.
21 January 2007, 08:58 AM
#88
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Yes will have a look on ebay for those tubes today as i'm sure the shop said this guy made them specifically for fish tanks so should be ready to put straight in. If thats not the case I may pay a trip to Maplins today. Just got to work out how to put them in as the current lighting is fitted in the roof of the tank. Want to get them in there now as it means I should see more of the panaque as he generally comes out when the light is off so don't see much of him at the moment.
I bet the crustaceans are entertaining to watch, I couldn't put my hand in the tank with them though as they are something I have an inherent dislike of touching, probably due to being nipped by a crab as a kid when playing in rock pools at the beach
One thing I really don't like are those little white frogs you see at fish shops, they look hideous and have no idea why people would want those in their tank.
I bet the crustaceans are entertaining to watch, I couldn't put my hand in the tank with them though as they are something I have an inherent dislike of touching, probably due to being nipped by a crab as a kid when playing in rock pools at the beach
One thing I really don't like are those little white frogs you see at fish shops, they look hideous and have no idea why people would want those in their tank.
22 January 2007, 04:50 PM
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Well, I joined that BiOrb forum and they say I should only have 1 fish in there!! Something like a Betta whatever that is.
I may be in the market for a bigger tank - apparently, the bigger the tank, the easier to keep the levels right. My 2 remaining fish seem OK. I bought the Clown Loach some bogwood and it loves it! He is sitting under it quite alot, but last night, he came out and swam around for a bit. He's lovely.
Just done a water change - only 10% this time - and I am getting a testing kit through the post tomorrow courtesy of Ebay.
I really am hopeful for the remaining fish now I know a bit more what I am doing
Something like a Betta whatever that is. I may be in the market for a bigger tank - apparently, the bigger the tank, the easier to keep the levels right. My 2 remaining fish seem OK. I bought the Clown Loach some bogwood and it loves it! He is sitting under it quite alot, but last night, he came out and swam around for a bit. He's lovely.
Just done a water change - only 10% this time - and I am getting a testing kit through the post tomorrow courtesy of Ebay.
I really am hopeful for the remaining fish now I know a bit more what I am doing