Our tank has begun....All natural no chemicals.

[Retired Viking]

I think your tank looks great I also have the underwater forest/jungle theme for my tetra thank. I have been adding more anubias in little pots lately.

 

[Metalman]

Now Viking I look at your tank and I see pillars of a sunken city and the plant pots as old urns scattered about. I really need to stop watching lord of the rings films......lurve it

 

[Retired Viking]

I have a 30 gallon guppy tank with a castle that I call my LOTR tank, I am also a big fan of J.R.R. Tolkien

 

[mbsqw1d]

When you state chem free.. does that mean you're not dechlorinating your tap water? And are you not adding macro fertilizer for your plants at all?

 

[Metalman]

I have a 30 gallon guppy tank with a castle that I call my LOTR tank, I am also a big fan of J.R.R. Tolkien

Ok that is more like the fortress of borromir father in Gondor.....not sure I’d have it in a tank as is....when the flora grows more it will add to the ambiance so keep me posted sir

 

[Metalman]

When you state chem free.. does that mean you're not dechlorinating your tap water? And are you not adding macro fertilizer for your plants at all?

No chemicals at all unless a fish is sick or tank needs medicating. Chlorine is natural and will evaporate from the bucket if left over night. I am from the age where undergravel filters were king and the cultured bacteria in the gravel cleaned water and it’s associated ammonia nitrates nitrites......and all other floating detrimental to fish crud.
Filters are sooooo much more powerful than 20 plus yrs ago (whisper) air pumps. They have added mediums to them that I can barely say let alone type out......heck why do I need chemicals?

 

[mbsqw1d]

No chemicals at all unless a fish is sick or tank needs medicating. Chlorine is natural and will evaporate from the bucket if left over night. I am from the age where undergravel filters were king and the cultured bacteria in the gravel cleaned water and it’s associated ammonia nitrates nitrites......and all other floating detrimental to fish crud.
Filters are sooooo much more powerful than 20 plus yrs ago (whisper) air pumps. They have added mediums to them that I can barely say let alone type out......heck why do I need chemicals?

Yeh I'd be happy to not dechlor if Severn Trent only added chlorine to the water but chloramine is another matter as it doesnt gas off like chlorine does. Do you know if chloramine is used in your water supply or if it's still just chlorine?

 

[Slaphppy7]

Yeh I'd be happy to not dechlor if Severn Trent only added chlorine to the water but chloramine is another matter as it doesnt gas off like chlorine does. Do you know if chloramine is used in your water supply or if it's still just chlorine?

+1 to this, if it's chloramine in your tap water (which I'm betting it is, chlorine is rarely used anymore), it will not gas off, and it will kill your fish and beneficial bacteria.

 

[Metalman]

Wessex water still use chlorine not chloromine so I will leave as is....I spent 35 yrs dealing with Severn’s Trent and their lies about leaks blowouts and trying to force customers to install meters.
On top of being natural the new filter will be delivered next week and I can then cycle this one to the other tank to get that set up. New filter is the fluval u4 so will give me over 3x the water change ph required to keep it running tickety boo ?

 

[Metalman]

Been busy doing site visits and quotes so not been on too much, so quick update.
1. New filter (fluval u4) arrived and installed I ran this for 24hrs next to existing filter to help new filter start its biological side.
2. Basic tank maintenance done as in removing debris and glass cleaned, also persuaded wifey to use a test kit even though we are on all natural it can help with diagnostic side if probs.
3. Free tank setup in spare room with heat light filter etc etc.

 

[Metalman]

Boooom Mrs came back with a load of diff plants and 4 leopard cory’s.......ok so her logic was these pygmy fish will be offset by the additional 8-9 plants she bought. Also some live water fleas to get them a bit active.......searching for grub

 

[mbsqw1d]

Are you considering changing to sand substrate, or maybe adding a section of sand for the cories and kribs?

 

[Metalman]

Are you considering changing to sand substrate, or maybe adding a section of sand for the cories and kribs?

Yes of course, wife just doesn’t know it yet ?. One thing I have learnt in my age is don’t battle when you can convince mrs she was correct in thinking that we need sand for the fish and of course plants to thrive.

 

[Metalman]

The kribensis I got with that free tank I was after a female for it and showed a pic to guy runs the aquatics centre in warminster and as I was a bit concerned about the cloudy eyes still I decided to see if I could isolate and treat him in new tank upstairs.
He checked pic and said oh wow he’s a real old boy and don’t often see them this age. So I have decided to let him see out his time with all of his mates he grew up with and the new kids on the block.

 

[itiwhetu]

I have never used dechlorinator, I believe that even with chloromine in the water it would be possible to do water changes without dechlorinator. With Chlorine I know that with an acid tank and planted to about 50% it is possible to do 25% water changes weekly with out any problems. There will be a level that the same is possible with chloromine in the water. What that combination is I have no idea and have no way of figuring it out. But I would love someone to figure out the combination that works. As aquarists we tend to throw way to much stuff into our tanks. Fish don't need or want to live in a chemical soup.