Advice please on tanks

[Lonnyfox]

Hi all,

So I have 2 tanks.. a 56L with 8 zebra danios (who will move to big tank) and 3 zebra nerite snails.. running for 9 months and cycled the pic with the better test results

And a 300L running for 3 weeks now but with filter media and subrate from previous owner.. almost cycled.. nitrate and ph still a bit high.. 2 weather loaches, one is about 10cm..and was a stowaway in the sump when I got the tank the other is a smaller one I bought to be his friend...
3 male mollies (I bought 4 but the 4th looked sick so kept him separate and he died)
And 3 zebra nerite snails

Temp of both tanks 22/23.
Gh in big tank yesterday was 20dh. (We have hard water..
Sump of big tank has cushion filling and sponge type things in.

OK questions
- Bacopa plant has leaves going translucent.. will root tabs help i need to order some.. have been putting in flourish.. how often should I put flourish in?
-nitrate still a bit high in big tank.. doing water change today.. I assume this is the end of the cycling process.
-ph is a bit higher in the big tank.. I'm going to take the stones all out today to test them when I do the water change.. I plan to get mainly fish that like hard water anyway.. but it's a little harder than my other tank and tap water..
- I plan to pop the zebra danios into the big tank... and keep the smaller tank as an isolation for new fish initially.. then maybe have a betta in at some stage..
- I am looking for any and all suggestions on what to do with both tanks.. what fish would you add.. keeping in mind the hard water.. any more plants?
-suggestions on feeding.. currently feeding sinking pellets or frozen food.. how often should I feed? We are doing every second day at the moment but i wonder if thats too little...I will be getting better quality pellets as suggested I need to order them and postage was costly..
- the light on my big tank has different colours.. suggestions for use? I like the warmer white

Thanks a mill for all help.. really enjoying the tanks now some problems are ironed out

 

[Whiskyfish]

How deep is the substrate on both and of what are they composed?

 

[Lonnyfox]

How deep is the substrate on both and of what are they composed?

Substrate is sand on big tank and I think there was some soil under but its probably all.mixed now after being moved.

Gravel in the small tank.. I actually have sand bought for it but I want to move the danios first.. I have no live plants in the small one yet..

 

[Lonnyfox]

How deep is the substrate on both and of what are they composed?

Oh and it's probably about 2 cm in small tank.. more like 4 or 5 in the big tank but its different in different places depending on where the loaches have moved it too

 

[Whiskyfish]

Understood.

Honestly I think the best thing you could do (especially with live plants) is give them a decent amount of dirt to root into. Unfortunately that would mean redo-ing the tank but it would be beneficial not only for the plants but for the filtration of your tank.

In fact, you'll find the need for water changes goes way down as your substrate and plants will filter the water.

One inch of dirt (bonus points if you add a large handful of mud and crud from the bottom of a local pond or river) then 2 inches of sand on top.

Double those numbers if you like.

With a completely inert substrate like gravel or sand (on its own), you will need to chase parameters for ever, as you are working with a very sterile environment in which you yourself are mother nature.

That large tank already looks great. With better substrate and maybe 5 more plants (and some of those floaters you have) I bet you're fish would be happy to be dumped straight back in. You'd have less work to do for sure.

 

[Lonnyfox]

Thanks so much.. I have one huge issue.. even standing on the top of our step latter I can't reach the bottom of the big tank so I'm not sure fully redoing will be an option.. but I could possibly move some sand out of the way and put in some mud/soil and cap it again..

 

[Whiskyfish]

Siphon all the water out and then recruit someone to help lift it down.

Once you've redone the ground, lift it back up and fill it.

Be careful!

 

[Lonnyfox]

Thanks a mill

 

[Naughts]

With a completely inert substrate like gravel or sand (on its own), you will need to chase parameters for ever

I disagree with this statement. Sand is perfectly adequate for growing plants if fertilisers are added.

Parameters (which is temp, GH, KH and pH) remain stable, unless you don’t change water regularly, then the conditions (ammonia, nitrite and nitrate) deteriorate and the pH can fall. The substrate choice is irrelevant here, the water quality will deteriorate with a lack of water changes regardless.

Soil will make a mess and add pathogens.

 

[Naughts]

I agree you should test the rocks to see if they are changing the parameters. Some look like they would. To be frank, the combination of different rock types is jarring on the aesthetic, so it will be better to reduce them anyway.

If you intend a betta for the small tank you need to be sure that the water is soft enough for it. If it is betta splendens, be resigned to the fact that you can’t add tank mates as it is not a community fish.

 

[Lonnyfox]

I agree you should test the rocks to see if they are changing the parameters. Some look like they would. To be frank, the combination of different rock types is jarring on the aesthetic, so it will be better to reduce them anyway.

If you intend a betta for the small tank you need to be sure that the water is soft enough for it. If it is betta splendens, be resigned to the fact that you can’t add tank mates as it is not a community fish.

Thank you.. some great information

What fertilisers do you recommend for plants..I'm worried about the translucent leaves on the bacopa..

You know I actually didn't think about the water being too hard for a betta.. any other suggestions for the small tank once we have the big tank stocked. I'll use it as an isolation tank initially.. also suggestions for big tank.. i would prefer not be constantly chasing ph as we have hard water anyway.. our tap water is similar to the testing in the small tank.. big tank is higher at the moment

The rocks came with the tank from the previous owner.. I actually like the aesthetics but certainly need to see if its impacting ph.. I have loads more of the lava rock but it wouldn't be my favourite. I prefer the smooth round stones but they are probably more base.. there is also stones in the sump I need to test

 

[Whiskyfish]

I disagree with this statement. Sand is perfectly adequate for growing plants if fertilisers are added.

Parameters (which is temp, GH, KH and pH) remain stable, unless you don’t change water regularly, then the conditions (ammonia, nitrite and nitrate) deteriorate and the pH can fall. The substrate choice is irrelevant here, the water quality will deteriorate with a lack of water changes regardless.

Soil will make a mess and add pathogens.

I think you're just talking past me. I doubt we have any major disagreement.

Sand will work but not 'on its own' (ferts for instance are one way of supporting it) and certainly not at a shallow depth. Some carpeting plants for instance may not be very good at taking from the water column.

As for soil making a mess, if you cap it with Sand it won't. As for pathogens, dirted tanks are a thing and do very well.

As for water quality deteriorating without water changes, that again is type-of-tank specific and there are other, less effort, ways of addressing it.

Different approaches.

 

[Lcc86]

I use an inch or so of sand with root tabs every few months and I dose with liquid fertiliser every time I do a water change (which I would do either way regardless of substrate). I think you'd be fine just adding a thicker layer of sand to what you already have and adding some root tabs. I also have plants that don't need substrate like java fern, that could be another easy win for you if you just tie or glue them to a rock or bit of wood.

 

[Naughts]

Thank you.. some great information

What fertilisers do you recommend for plants..I'm worried about the translucent leaves on the bacopa..

You know I actually didn't think about the water being too hard for a betta.. any other suggestions for the small tank once we have the big tank stocked. I'll use it as an isolation tank initially.. also suggestions for big tank.. i would prefer not be constantly chasing ph as we have hard water anyway.. our tap water is similar to the testing in the small tank.. big tank is higher at the moment

The rocks came with the tank from the previous owner.. I actually like the aesthetics but certainly need to see if its impacting ph.. I have loads more of the lava rock but it wouldn't be my favourite. I prefer the smooth round stones but they are probably more base.. there is also stones in the sump I need to test

Although I have heavily planted tanks, I keep fish and the plants are there to create a natural environment, improve the water quality and give the fish places to explore/ hide/ breed. I don’t keep bacopa, if a plant doesn’t do well I try another. There are plants that thrive in different conditions so if it’s not working, I move along.

My GH is moderate at 8dGH and I find Vallis, swords, elodea and Crypts do well. I have had success with most floating plants. I use flourish root tabs and flourish comprehensive fertiliser, and sand substrate.

I have a planted tank with a layered substrate and no fish that I treat differently but that is not the only way and I certainly don’t believe it is appropriate for your set ups and circumstances.

 

[Naughts]

What fish do you like? @Wills posts have some wonderful information for alternative species ideas in harder water.

Obvious hard water choices would be livebearers, cichlids, rainbows, X-ray tetra but you need to research their ranges, some need softer/ harder than others and your temperature range will significantly limit your choices.

Let us know the exact GH/KH and pH of your tap water and we can make better suggestions. Seriouslyfish.com is a good resource for species information.