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Many thanks Byron for the comprehensive and detailed reply. Yes, Flourish Comprehensive Supplement. The frog bit is thriving. I could let it grow to cover the whole surface - that'd be the only practical way of shielding all the java fern. Is that a good idea? It's the java fern that's most...

Thanks Bryon. I don't really mind the look, and don't have this algae on plants (beyond a bit of hair algae amongst some of the java fern). I'm only on 5 hours of light as it is (plus an hour of a fairly low light orange setting on a multicolour LED). To the extent there are issues with my...

I've a fair bit of algae on my driftwood, particularly where it's not sheltered from direct light by floating frogbit on the surface (I have about 50-65% surface coverage). There's no algae anywhere else (save for some hairgrass growing around the java moss, also on the driftwood). I'd dropped...

My java fern (and to a lesser extent) anubias seem unhappy (see pics - some yellowing and discolouration / BBA?), and I've a fair bit of algae on my driftwood (but none elsewhere) where it's not sheltered from direct light by floating frogbit on the surface. Could this be caused by insufficient...

Thanks Bryon! Nice to hear the backstory to your lovely looking tank. That's quite a community. I'm also expect the corys will appreciate being kept together after all that history. Having been working from home and isolating with the family for two weeks now (with thankfully only mild...

Thanks both! I spent an unhealthy amount of time in the Aquatic Design Centre choosing the driftwood (3 pieces). I think subconsciously I was trying to find a bit (the tallest bit on the left) that looked like part of this...! (One for fellow Alien fans!) The reflection of the light off...

@Byron - Out of curiosity, do you have anything else in your 40g tank with the corys, and if so - what? @the world! If you have any thoughts on what else might be good in this tank (DH14, 25'C, 125L/33 US gallons/sand over soil, low-tech planted), they'd be welcome.

Wow! That's a lot of corys! That gives me some hope as my 125L works out around 33g. Selfishly, I'd be inclined to have more of a mix than more of the same - though I'd also like happy fish! Since overall number seems most crucial, I'd be inclined to get 4 more at some point so the existing crew...

Aha - thanks! Hadn't realised the fish would appreciate it! I'll give the black backing a go when I get the chance. Will also help the filter section blend in better (though the vallis, indian fern and water wisteria should pretty much cover it in time).

Thanks Byron. Yes, agreed. I wanted to take your advice over theirs. But they really only seemed comfortable selling 8, and since this was against their own self-interest, I didn't want to push it with them. I might add another 4 next time I go though ;) I assume a 4/4/4 split - rather than...

Thanks Colin. Will have a think about a picture, though I quite like the minimalist look - plus there's a lot of vallis to grow up along most of the back, and I may add a red plant in the gap. So I'll see how it goes but will experiment a bit. Floating plants I already have frog bit (starting...

Just to update, I now have: 3 pearl gourami (hopefully 1M, 2F - but they're young so perhaps a little hard to tell, though that's what it looks like to my untrained eye). Lovely, beautiful, calming, and graceful - save that the male can be a bit aggressive to the females! 8 corys (shop...

I promised an update, so here's the new tank. I'm afraid I lost a couple of glowlights in the transfer (I think I should've done a big water change just before adding them as - despite readings being fine - there was probably some adverse stuff in the water from plants having died - see other...

Planting (and any other) suggestions please for my first tank (well, save for an inherited 19L)! New low tech 125L setup. Plants have been in for between 1 and 7 days: frog bit, java moss on rocks and driftwood, straight vallis (along the back- save for gap in the middle - and covering filter)...

Plants replaced and so far so good, using Seachem Flourish. They've only between in for between 1 and 7 days though, depending on the plant, but doing much better than the original lot (all of which died, save for a few new shoots of vallis, after the original leaves disintegrated). I've also...

P.S. Just read up that corys in tank rarely get anything like as long as their max potentially of 6.5-7.5cm, so having say 12-15 makes much more sense if they're unlikely to end up more than say 4-5cm each. 15 x 7.5cm of fish seemed quite a different proposition!

Thanks again Bryon. Sounds like loaches are off, corys on, en masse. Might needs to get my rocks off! ;) Frustrating as I'd only bought the lava rock about a month ago when setting up the tank and won't have any other use for it (unless I re-scape at some point and use it to create hills)...

Thanks all - as always, much appreciated. The pond snails will live for another day! :) There are multiplying at an alarming rate - the driftwood (azelea root - boiled first to remove tanins) is covered in hundreds of tiny babies! Having had a few plants disintegrate I'm guessing has fueled...

Unfortunately I lost a couple of the tetras. Water parameters have been fine and stable, no spikes. So I suspect this is due to plants decaying in the tank (I was hoping they'd rejuvinate...) - or possible . I've removed them and I've done few water changes. Since that I've - for the first time...

Thanks - good tips, particularly on the lights. I'd forgotten that but do remember reading it! Must resist the temptation to watch the fish settle in with them on...! As always with this hobby, patience patience patience!

Thanks Bryon - as always, helpful, pragmatic and advice, no doubt based on much experience and wisdom. And provided remarkably quickly! You're a star! Numbered for easy of reply: 1. I'm tempted to add, say, 5 glowlights to the main tank directly and the assassin snails too (along with new...

Hi, Whist I've kept a pond for c. 30 years, and was gifted a small (Fluvial Spec 19L/5g) tropical aquarium maybe 8 months ago, I'd not come across quarantining before. I have set up, cycled and planted a Juwel Rio 125. I have moved across my glowlight tetras* from the 19L - which has been...

Thanks all. Comforting to hear that about Seachem Flourist. I guess I'll aim for a dose once a week (rather than once to twice a week as it suggests), and err on the side of under dosing (averaging somewhere between a half and a full dose). The LED light will be used (if needed) to boost light...

Thanks all. Love the knowledge and helpfulness on here! Given above, I strongly suspect the problem was the bicarb solution. I have the extra LED light now - which does add a reasonable boost, and has colour modes as a night light. Seachem Flourish (which I already have) is derived from...

I've transferred the filter media and all 9 of the glowlight tetras. So far so good. They seemed very happy about the extra space and to settle quickly. It's amazing how lovely it is to see them in the bigger tank, and how much it's brought it to life. I'll test the water daily or every other...

Thanks. I'll probably stick to (at most) weekly half doses with the liquid fertilizer, rather than (as per packet) a full dose once to twice a week.

Thanks Bryon - that'd make sense. The water is pretty hard, but the bicarb pre-soak may have done for them. Shame - I was following the vendors advice and am now down £40-50 odd worth of plants. Hopefully some of the vallis will regrow, but I think the indian fern and water wysteria are gone for...

Hi Coloursfly, One dose of Seachem Flourish so far (yesterday morning), which didn't stop the vallis disappearing by this morning. Topica soil with sand over the top - so should be plenty of plant fuel. The lights could be an issue - though I would've thought/hoped the T5 unit would do the...

The java fern's wedged into rocks/driftwood, not planted. What's perhaps strange is that I've not had any issues (on the contrary!) growing plants in my nano tank (Fluvial Spec 19L) with the glowlights and the amano shrimp. But the LED light on that appears to be a fair bit brighter. Kinda...