Newbie Start Up
- Thread starter jaquiscorpio
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/i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u411/jaquiline19822/Mobile%20Uploads/20150420_173534_zps3zog4vjw.jpg~original
/i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u411/jaquiline19822/Mobile%20Uploads/20150420_173514_zpsdbqoydve.jpg~original
RyanTheFishGuy64
Fish Fanatic
Beautiful! Good luck on cycling!
Nice! How large is the tank? One suggestion I would have would be to consider a plain backdrop to focus attention on the tank contents. You could see how you like it by just buying cheap poster board and cutting and taping it to the back. I used plain black poster on my 40 gallon...
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jaquiscorpio
Mostly New Member
I just bought a background today until I have more fish etc in its a 110l tank
I saw a few ideas hunting about on YouTube which I am tempted to give a go
I saw a few ideas hunting about on YouTube which I am tempted to give a go
only just spotted this topic ... looking good. Gotta agree on a background ... they make the fish (and often the plants too) stand out - especially if they are plain and dark coloured.
I decided on my aquascape by hunting online and deciding what I liked and what I didn't. I got on google images and saved a few images to refer back to aswell. I found that really useful
I decided on my aquascape by hunting online and deciding what I liked and what I didn't. I got on google images and saved a few images to refer back to aswell. I found that really useful
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jaquiscorpio
Mostly New Member
/i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u411/jaquiline19822/Mobile%20Uploads/20150424_114803_zpszfxbofe2.jpg~original
/i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u411/jaquiline19822/Mobile%20Uploads/20150422_194936_zps3xskba85.jpg~originalkeep an eye on your water stats now as plecs and sucker mouth catfish can be really dirt bags and can foul up your water pretty quicky.
What type of catfish is he? he looks like a young ancistrus in the photo?
What type of catfish is he? he looks like a young ancistrus in the photo?
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jaquiscorpio
Mostly New Member
They are 2 bristlenose pleco
okay, then you'll need to keep an eye on the ammonia and nitrite as BN's can create a LOT of waste and when the filter in still in it's infancy it might cause you some problems.
Also, something for the future - once they reach full maturity (it'll take a couple of years) if they turn out to be two males they may fight. It may be that they turn out to be a male and a female - and until they start getting whiskers we won't know - it may be that they are a pair of females. Time will only tell.
I had two that were bought together and for a while I thought I had a male and a female as one didn't develop any whiskers until much later. It turned out I had two boys. It's only a few weeks since I had to re-home one in a fit of panic as one Sunday afternoon they decided they were going to turn my tank into a cage fight. It was horrible to watch.
My Dad had to come to my flat and take one home to his tank over night as it was obvious they had to be seperated. They'd torn my tank apart aswell and terrified the rest of my stock. In the morning I rang my lfs and they agreed to take him and re-home him as he was too big really for my Dad's 2ft tank.
Keep an eye on them (and your water as already mentioned) and if both grow tufts of whiskers then consider one will have to be re-homed - either into a seperate tank of your own or a friends perhaps.
Also, something for the future - once they reach full maturity (it'll take a couple of years) if they turn out to be two males they may fight. It may be that they turn out to be a male and a female - and until they start getting whiskers we won't know - it may be that they are a pair of females. Time will only tell.
I had two that were bought together and for a while I thought I had a male and a female as one didn't develop any whiskers until much later. It turned out I had two boys. It's only a few weeks since I had to re-home one in a fit of panic as one Sunday afternoon they decided they were going to turn my tank into a cage fight. It was horrible to watch.
My Dad had to come to my flat and take one home to his tank over night as it was obvious they had to be seperated. They'd torn my tank apart aswell and terrified the rest of my stock. In the morning I rang my lfs and they agreed to take him and re-home him as he was too big really for my Dad's 2ft tank.
Keep an eye on them (and your water as already mentioned) and if both grow tufts of whiskers then consider one will have to be re-homed - either into a seperate tank of your own or a friends perhaps.
Nice.
Can see some nice harlequins, it looks like these are these espei? otherwise known as Copper or Lambchop Rasboras / Harlequins
That background poster made all the difference
Akasha has given some good advice regarding keeping an eye on your water parameters as BN's are basically poop factories
Do you have a testing kit for ph, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?
Can see some nice harlequins, it looks like these are these espei? otherwise known as Copper or Lambchop Rasboras / Harlequins
That background poster made all the difference
Akasha has given some good advice regarding keeping an eye on your water parameters as BN's are basically poop factories
Do you have a testing kit for ph, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?
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jaquiscorpio
Mostly New Member
Yeah I have purchased an api master kit as I get it would be easier than taking samples to local aquatics shop
http
/i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u411/jaquiline19822/Mobile%20Uploads/20150422_161509_zpsb12i8fpn.jpg~original
How often do u do water tests?
The above picture were before I did a 37l water change as I felt it needed it with the nitrate being slightly orange tinged
http
/i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u411/jaquiline19822/Mobile%20Uploads/20150422_161509_zpsb12i8fpn.jpg~originalHow often do u do water tests?
The above picture were before I did a 37l water change as I felt it needed it with the nitrate being slightly orange tinged
how often you test depends on the age of the tank ... and I think experience comes into play aswell. For instance
A new tank with a filter that's only just cycled you'd probably air on the side of caution and test daily or every other day. Once you grow in confidence, and tank starts to mature, you'd be more likely to test once a week to check nothing was looking bad - as you say Nitrates. My tank runs at about 40ppm for Nitrates and I don't worry about that. Anything above and I get my buckets out!
Now that I've been keeping a tank for a number of years and have experienced most of the hiccups that come along I tend to test only if I get a feeling something isn't right... call it laziness if you like but I think a lot of experienced keepers will admit to doing the same.
I'm not suggesting that you get lazy about doing your water tests. For now make it a habit to test until experience grows - in a years time it'll be you helping newbies and telling them all of this lol
A new tank with a filter that's only just cycled you'd probably air on the side of caution and test daily or every other day. Once you grow in confidence, and tank starts to mature, you'd be more likely to test once a week to check nothing was looking bad - as you say Nitrates. My tank runs at about 40ppm for Nitrates and I don't worry about that. Anything above and I get my buckets out!
Now that I've been keeping a tank for a number of years and have experienced most of the hiccups that come along I tend to test only if I get a feeling something isn't right... call it laziness if you like but I think a lot of experienced keepers will admit to doing the same.
I'm not suggesting that you get lazy about doing your water tests. For now make it a habit to test until experience grows - in a years time it'll be you helping newbies and telling them all of this lol
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jaquiscorpio
Mostly New Member
I have been doing mine daily I did a 37l water change yesterday so I will test today see how things are.
Also do u use water conditioner when doing changes if so how many drops per bucket do u use ?
Also do u use water conditioner when doing changes if so how many drops per bucket do u use ?
Hi, I use Interpet Tap Safe. It's cheap and cheerful and works fine. I tend to add a bit more than recommended cos I'm paranoid like that! But yes, always dechlorinate ... there's alsorts in this Yorkshire water!
I did have issues with API Stresscoat not doing the job. I don't know if it's to do with the soft water but I lost a load of baby cories due to stresscoat.
I always add the Tap Safe to the buckets. I use a pippette to add it as that's a better way to control it. It's worth noting (in case you didn't know) if you add water back to the tank from a hose (some people use something called a Python and it's basicly a glorified hose system) you need to dechlorinate for the whole tank not just for the amount you've changed. If you do it by buckets though you can just add enough for the amount you've changed and add a bit to each bucket.
Hope that helps
I did have issues with API Stresscoat not doing the job. I don't know if it's to do with the soft water but I lost a load of baby cories due to stresscoat.
I always add the Tap Safe to the buckets. I use a pippette to add it as that's a better way to control it. It's worth noting (in case you didn't know) if you add water back to the tank from a hose (some people use something called a Python and it's basicly a glorified hose system) you need to dechlorinate for the whole tank not just for the amount you've changed. If you do it by buckets though you can just add enough for the amount you've changed and add a bit to each bucket.
Hope that helps
RyanTheFishGuy64
Fish Fanatic
yeah, you should always use water conditioner. If you havent been, then the chlorine has killed the cycle, and you have to start over again. Directions for how much should be on the bottle
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