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That’s gravel. When I was filling the tank some of it came up when I was old school pouring water into the tank 😆

Yeah that’s moss. Haven’t trimmed it yet but yeah don’t want it that tall going forward. Link is: https://tropica.com/en/plants/plantdetails/Taxiphyllumbarbieri(003TC)/4393

The bits of moss on the rocks and wood? That’s moss, I will get the name for you when I get back home. It’s from tropica, literally super glued onto the rock! The wood is English bogwood, got it from wildwoods in Enfield.

It’s a reflection of the window behind me taking the photo. The tank will be behind a door most of the day with the curtains closed so only about 10cm of the tank on the right has some sunlight through a curtain.

There’s tropica substrate under black gravel, then black Limpopo sand in top. Originally was going to have gravel but the rainbowfish prefer sand so got some black sand to go over. All neutral so no effect on the pH

Right. I spent most of yesterday setting the tank up, filling it and planting. The results are in the pictures. I'm quote pleased as a first attempt. Probably need some more foreground plants and maybe a few pebbles/smaller rocks but wanted to have a larger clear area at the front for...

Well I have just got back from Wildwoods in Enfield and all I can say is wow, what a shop that is! Literally everything you could need and more! Managed to get some nice English driftwood, few large rocks, a few more Tropica plants and got have a good look at all the fish I have considered. Took...

Yeah that’s what I did. The tubes didn’t have a mark for 5ml so I used a api tube and got the correct amount of water. Then did the tests. GH took 12 drops after the first 2 and the KH took 8 drops after the initial drops. I was shocked as well. Don’t know if I should take a sample to an...

Liquid. Aqua Care from Maidenhead aquatics.

Going on from that I managed to get a water hardness test today and its saying that my GH is 12 Degrees and KH is 8 Degrees which is well below what's on the water suppliers site. What do I trust more? As this opens up hundreds of specifies that I had previously ignored. Got even more plants...

Okay so the results of the water in cup for 24 hours are in and they are: pH is still 7.4 Nitrates is between 10ppm and 20ppm which is probably same as yesterday but maybe slightly higher as the colour looks deeper although I did shake the bottle much harder and longer than yesterday so maybe...

It's no problem really. Just nobody answered my question is all :)

Yeah its the API test kit. Read the instructions and did as it said. Shook the bottle for over a minute before using it, I was surprised but someone did mention earlier in the thread that some places in the UK have high Nitrate from the tap.

Okay. Thank you. Got to wait until all the stuff arrives yet, for some reason some shops seem really quick and others still not shipped things I bought Wednesday, strange that some can and some can't. Well I have tested my pH and Nitrates as requested. pH from tap immediately is 7.4 Nitrates...

Don't want to be a party pooper but still kind of my thread and questions :D So would the best option to be to go and get more plants when ready to start and then leave it for a few weeks and test regularly? Seen videos and other posts where people say that doing a fishless cycle with plants in...

That seems like the best option. With the Java bits to go in the bucket, do I just need rocks from a aquatics store? Then gorilla super glue them to the rock and put them in a bucket with some water covering all the plant or just enough to cover the rock? Do I put cling film over the top to...

To get it all started: 1 x Rotala Rotundifolia 1 x Microsorum Pteropus (java fern) 2 x Taxiphyllum Barbieri (java moss) They were mainly slow I believe so should I cancel the order? Edit: Never mind they have already shipped it, talk about good service!!

Ah okay. Literally ordered the plants etc. about 20 minutes ago from Horizon Aquatics with the substrate and gravel. So if I put in the substrate, gravel, plants etc. when it arrives then I don't need to add the ammonia? Just let the tank grow for a couple of weeks? What will the ammonia source...

Yeah I like to know more than I need to know before I start anything so happy I have learnt so much already which is great and down to the people on this forum.

So I have managed to order the ammonia and that should be here tomorrow/Saturday so it looks like the water can go in Saturday for the leak test. Now need to sort out substrate and plants then good to go!

Thanks so much for the advice. I was always going to go with live plants, part of what attracted me to the hobby. I still haven’t got the kit, it is due Friday I think, struggled to get one in store because it’s Christmas and everywhere seems busy and low on stock. Once I have tested all the...

Thanks for the help so far! Appreciate it. Managed to get the tank today, walked into Pets at Home and they had it so I got it. Its setup in situ now, got to leak test it but waiting for my test kit, pump, new bucket etc. before that gets water in it. Went to Wetpets in Romford. They were...

So I've had a look around at some fish that would be suitable for the water and as a group. Would the below be okay? 6 x Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) (4 female and 2 male) 2 x Pearl Gourami (Trichogaster leerii) 8 x White Cloud Mountain Minnow (Tanichthys albonubes) Recommended temperature...

Right so according to my water supplier we are very hard. Calcium Carbonate - 302.5000 Degrees Clarke - 20.8604 French Degrees - 30.2500 German Degrees - 17.1820 So if I'm right that means the water is too hard for the fish I suggested? I will look at some other fish as suggested, the neon...

Hi Everyone. I hope you have had a great Christmas period. Over the last couple of weeks I have become obsessed with Tropical fish and the possibility of keeping them and after a few weeks of research I believe I am now ready to take the plunge but want some confirmation from experienced fish...