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Fish food is pretty unreliable as far as cycling goes unfortunately as it's so hard to get the ammonia levels to where you need them to be consistently. The best thing to use is pure ammonia and follow a good guide - like the one found on this forum. Fishless cycling takes 6-8 weeks, if done...

What were you using as an ammonia source before adding the Mollies? Is there a Molly in there now? Prime is to protect the fish, but it will stall a cycle as it neutralises the ammonia so the bacteria can't feed on it and establish the way they are meant to. If there is still a fish in there...

There's a lot of questions we are going to have to try and help you work out what's ging on, and if you're new to fishkeeping this may seem a bit overwhelming. But it's an opportunity to learn a bit more about the complex needs of fish and how the tank system works, so hang in there :)...

I much prefer the wood like this, think it looks great and flows left to right much better. I agree with not making separate piles of rocks like that, as it looks quite artificial. I would keep some at the base, but then also spread some around the tank to tie everything together - keeping them...

I was also thinking you should try flipping the wood over to make roots coming down, creating different territories within the tank for the fish to hide and explore. I also think tanks look best when the scape draws the eye from left to right, rather than right to left. I think it's probably...

That corner shot looks awesome!

Bolivian rams, Honey or Pearl gouramis?

Three main issues I see: 1) Initially tried to do a fish in cycle, but doesn't sound like you were doing the daily water testing and water changes required to keep fish safe from the build up of ammonia & nitrite. 2) When doing the fishless cycle, you were still adding prime (which...

What plan have you been following to cycle the tank? Can you do a quick rundown of your process from start to now incl products used, water changes, parameter readings at the start and each week etc

That seems to be a common belief unfortuantely - a cycle is basically when the beneficial bacteria that deal to toxic ammonia & nitrite become established within a tank. To do this, you need to feed them an ammonia source to encourage them to grow and reproduce - this will be fish food and fish...

Firstly, don't beat yourself up - you did what you thought was right, and you came here for more advice as soon as you realised something wasn't good. You're doing the best you can for your fish now, and that's the main thing :) With nitrites that high, I agree with AdoraBelle that it sounds...

Beautiful tank set up!! That looks great. Definitely won't need the CO2, Seachem Flourish (just the standard one) is a popular liquid fertiliser you could look into, they do root tabs as well for heavy root feeders such as swords. You say you'll add fish once the tank is cycled - how are you...

Duckweed (floating) and pearl weed (planted). Both live up to their name of being weeds - chances are if you can find a local FB aquarist group there will be someone who is overrun with the stuff and more than happy to get rid of a bunch for cheap/free. Also look into various stem plants as...

Where has your betta been living for the past 2 months, and what filtration was with it? That'll probably already be cycled by now, so just use that filter or its media in the new tank. Unfortunately cycling is science, so if you don't follow a solid plan, like the one shared to you, then...

Looked into the Hillstream Loach? They are small, and like the temperate waters and fast flow. As for the oxygen, just angle the filter outlet so you get some nice rippling on the surface of the water, this will allow for the gas exchange between water and air.

Personally, I wouldn't keep any fish in anything less than a 10 gallon. IMO it just isn't humane, even for nano fish or a single betta.

The only way to learn what you truly like or don't like in life is to give things a try and see - so don't feel bad, even though it hasn't worked out as you hoped this time, it's given you lots of insight into the direction you want to go in the future :) I haven't read your previous posts...

Apologies, the dog got onto the laptop :blink: As I was saying .... surely anyone who botheres to go to forums to learn about better fishkeeping wouldn't be naive enough to create or try and sell that sort of discus/cory set up... But they sure need to get their butt onto this forum, for the...

I wouldn't think so, surely anyone w gy6u7ik

Saw this posted on the Tropical Fish Keepers NZ Facebook page. They got an absolute grilling from everyone and seems they just chose to remove the post and chuck it on TM rather than opening their eyes to what they were doing :mad:

Agree with Wills. Up the cory and oto to 8 each, and the cardinals to 12-15 - they're all schooling fish who should be in groups which makes them much cooler to watch too. You could add another couple of honey gourami so they pop a bit more in that mid and upper levels. That'll probably be the...

Was the tank cycled before you put the fish in? How often have you been checking water parameters? What sort of filter is on the tank? What test kit are you using? What water conditioner are you using? Definitely don't get any more fish until you work out what's causing the deaths.

I know the brand I'm looking at has flow adjustment options, I believe on both their internal and HOB filters. Makes sense that even these small filters could create too much flow in a small tank, so good to find ways to modify that for filters which don't have the flow adjust option. I believe...

Yep, 100% agree. Far too much spoilt teenage bratty behaviour going on and a serious lack of manners to the people putting in the time and effort in an attempt to help - which is impossible due to the terrible attitude we get in response. I'm out too - good luck to all your fish :)

WOW!! That looks awesome, definitely makes me want to do this. The wire is a great idea

Ohh, I never thought about my snake plants! Have you got a photo of it in your HOB? I hydro a lot of plants anyway, and some that I'm propogating in water simply never leave their watered life because I'm too lazy to pot them up haha. So I know all these plants can thrive in water, and I...

Did the wide part ever leave the water when you were lifting it up and down? If so, that's why it isn't working - the end you're siphoning FROM (in this case the bucket, during a water change the tank) must stay submerged so the host can fill with water. I've personally never liked that method...

Bumping for more ideas on how to hold the plants in the rank to ensure just their roots are in the water and stem out without collapsing. Would love to see some photos of everyone's setup!

If the cycle doesn't work, it's because it isn't being done right. In your last post about the cycle I gave you the link to the instructions on how to cycle as it was clear you werent getting ammonia to where it needed to be or adding it consistently enough to allow the cycle to keep going -...

#1 - That it is NOT just a cheap, easy hobby to have as a side thought #2 - Nitrogen cycle. Everything about it - how to cycle, how to monitor issues, why spikes happen and what to do about them #3 - Water parameters and fish compatibility #4 - Addiction

They've trained you well 🤣

Yea. Would a combination of the two work? So you have the substrate that does the job in the tank, and then just one of the products on hand for water changes to prepare the new water to match the tank water?

Firstly I just wanted to make sure the plants I've got are safe for fish, and secondly I'm looking for ideas on how to hold them in position through the top of the aquarium. Won't know yet what the lid set up will be, so keen to hear all ideas. These are the plants I currently have in hydro: -...

Thanks, I'll have a look at all those products and see what I can possibly get here in NZ or what our best equivalent may be. I guess there's positives and negatives for both a liquid product and substrate/filter media. While possibly the liquid might be more fiddly with dosing, I do worry...

We have very soft water - 45ppm CaCO3, with a pH of 7.8 (yes having soft alkaline water is a real thing). I've always liked Platys and would like to keep them again, but obviously my tap water isn't ideal for their health. Are there any simple/easy ways to increase the hardness of your water...

Seachem Flourish is probably one of the best rated fertilisers in the hobby. You can get the standard Seachem Flourish liquid to dose your water column - this will especially help plants like java fern, moss and the anubius which all take their nutrients from the water (also make sure these...

Sounds like you're pretty onto it with the water testing, water changes and using dechlorinator & safestart :) Feed them every other day to help keep ammonia down. I would personally do a 50% water change any time you get an ammonia level reading above 0, that will possibly be daily. Better safe...

I definitely wouldn't be doing a fish-in cycle without adding beneficial bacteria. Considering it takes around 6 weeks for them to naturally colonise properly, that's a long time for fish to be exposed to the ammonia & nitrite before bacteria levels are adequate enough to detox them fully. And I...

Yep, add the SafeStart at the recommended dose any time you do a water change for a week or until the bottle is empty - so basically every day. I wouldn't try to feed him for a couple of days. The uneaten food will add to your problems, but in 3 or so days he may be feeling better again with...

Definitely lots of confusing info online! The guide on this forum is easy to follow, so have a read through that and probably best to start at the beginning of it: https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/