A quick intro...

[EndlersGame]

Hi All,

A quick introduction... I had a tropical tank set up about 20 years ago, and loved it, but life just hasn't allowed me to invest the time or finances into starting the hobby back up... until recently.

My partner suggested getting a tank for a new set up in our dining room, and I jumped at the opportunity.
As it has been so long I decided to start small, and have a simple set up. I set up the tank, cycled it and added a handful of endlers, zebra danios and Peppered Cory's.

The tank is looking good, fish are happy and I am addicted to all things aquarium again.

The plan is to get a custom built tank to fit the space in our custom built unit in a few months and aquascape it with live plants and a wider selection of fish.

I am already planning this and have incorporated lots live plants in the small tank, including anubias b nano, hygrophila siamensis, and limnophila.
The fish are doing well, water parameters are all good and despite a few early teething problems, all is going well.

I am definitely learning as I go, and happy to be here.

 

[MattW]

Plants are a go-to for me now. I don't think I'd ever have a freshwater tank without them! Any ideas on how you will scape the upcoming tank?

 

[emeraldking]

Well, welcome to our forum...
We wouldn't mind to see some pictures of your set up...

 

[EndlersGame]

Plants are a go-to for me now. I don't think I'd ever have a freshwater tank without them! Any ideas on how you will scape the upcoming tank?

TBH it's very much a design in progress, the more I learn the more I want to do it.
I have a few ornaments in the current set up, which incorporate hiding places and shelter, I have configured them as a series of caves and the fish seem to enjoy them, so I am thinking of using these and surrounding them with a variety of plants at varying levels.
I have never really done live plants before so just taking my time planning it.

It doesn't help that the only shops local to me are pets at home (limited choice) and maidenhead (where there's a ton of dead fish in the tanks and snails in the plants ).
I am having a good experience with the Tropica 1-2 grow range at the moment, so may stick with them.

 

[MattW]

TBH it's very much a design in progress, the more I learn the more I want to do it.
I have a few ornaments in the current set up, which incorporate hiding places and shelter, I have configured them as a series of caves and the fish seem to enjoy them, so I am thinking of using these and surrounding them with a variety of plants at varying levels.

Sounds like a solid plan

It doesn't help that the only shops local to me are pets at home (limited choice) and maidenhead (where there's a ton of dead fish in the tanks and snails in the plants ).

Yea for me personally pets at home have been a no-go. Madienheads around my way are kept in good nick. Never have bought plants from them though only fish/shrimp.

These 3 are all online but are used by UK members here a lot. I have used both Proshrimp and Horizon and never had any problems. I've heard good things about AE, but the distance for me to Manchester has put me off, especially in winter.

Aqua Essentials - Proshrimp - Horizon Aquatics

I am having a good experience with the Tropica 1-2 grow range at the moment, so may stick with them.

Tissue culture plants always do well for me also, especially with the added knowledge that they aren't contaminated with snails, pests, or algae. Horizon Aquatics has 118 tissue culture plants currently listed so if you prefer them, a look at their site would be a good idea.


edit - Have you been here? looks like a decent shop

Northampton Reptile & Fish Centre – Welcome to Northampton Reptile & Fish Centre

fishcentre.com

 

[EndlersGame]

Sounds like a solid plan


Yea for me personally pets at home have been a no-go. Madienheads around my way are kept in good nick. Never have bought plants from them though only fish/shrimp.

These 3 are all online but are used by UK members here a lot. I have used both Proshrimp and Horizon and never had any problems. I've heard good things about AE, but the distance for me to Manchester has put me off, especially in winter.

Aqua Essentials - Proshrimp - Horizon Aquatics


Tissue culture plants always do well for me also, especially with the added knowledge that they aren't contaminated with snails, pests, or algae. Horizon Aquatics has 118 tissue culture plants currently listed so if you prefer them, a look at their site would be a good idea.


edit - Have you been here? looks like a decent shop

Northampton Reptile & Fish Centre – Welcome to Northampton Reptile & Fish Centre

fishcentre.com

Thanks for the shop suggestions, I will definitely check these out.
I haven't been over to the Fish Centre recently, last time I was over that way I think it was just after covid and stock was low. I do plan on visiting soon though.
Pets at Home have given a lot of bad advice to others I know, and myself in the past, so I do try and avoid listening to them. I do have some Endlers from there who are doing great, so that's a bonus.

Maidenhead has just had a shop refit, and is an absolute tip at the moment. Shame because I always rated them before. But I had a look at the weekend and lost count of the dead fish in the tanks.

 

[MuddyWaters]

Welcome to the forum! I would love to follow a journal for your new build if you decide to do one. I'm especially interested in the custom built tank, etc.- that sound amazing.

I have found that, in general, the plants take more work than the fish but are equally rewarding! Sometimes I find myself staring at the plants more than the fish .

 

[davros]

Props for the user name! Welcome!

 

[EndlersGame]

Welcome to the forum! I would love to follow a journal for your new build if you decide to do one. I'm especially interested in the custom built tank, etc.- that sound amazing.

I have found that, in general, the plants take more work than the fish but are equally rewarding! Sometimes I find myself staring at the plants more than the fish .

It is all very transfixing isn't it.
It's one of the reason I want to aquascape the large tank, as I really enjoy watching the way the plants move and the fish play in them.
I will likely keep a journal of the new tank as and when, and am just getting quotes for the custom tank at the moment. I will probably think about setting it up in autumn to keep me busy through winter .

 

[Slaphppy7]

Welcome to TFF

 

[Sir Guppy]

Nice Username, Andrew Wiggins

 

[TC33]

It doesn't help that the only shops local to me are pets at home (limited choice) and maidenhead (where there's a ton of dead fish in the tanks and snails in the plants ).
I am having a good experience with the Tropica 1-2 grow range at the moment, so may stick with them.

I have been to lots of pets at home around my way, think we have 3-4. I have never seen a healthy fish so would certainly avoid, they also can rarely answer any of my questions.

Maidenhead seems a bit hit or miss, I do hear some bad things but again got 3 of them in my vicinity, only visited two and they both have seemed pretty well run. What I really like is that they interrogate the hell out of you when you buy a fish and won't sell to you if they think your setup is not appropriate. The staff at mine are also extreamly knowledgeable. So I think it really depends what kind of person is running the store.

I would also say in my local Maidenhead they do quarantine the fish for a good period too.