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Starting up a freshwater tank and need advice

Emperors are lovely, but would need to replace the neons or harleys, not be in addition to them.
 
I know that Seriously Fish recommends 60 cm as the smallest tank length for emperor tetras but I had some several years ago in a 107 cm (42 inch) tank, and watching their behaviour in there I would not keep them in a smaller tank. Mine were hyperactive, and after a few weeks I realised they were upsetting the quieter residents so I exchanged them for pencilfish.
 
essjay said:
I know that Seriously Fish recommends 60 cm as the smallest tank length for emperor tetras but I had some several years ago in a 107 cm (42 inch) tank, and watching their behaviour in there I would not keep them in a smaller tank. Mine were hyperactive, and after a few weeks I realised they were upsetting the quieter residents so I exchanged them for pencilfish.
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Yes, I will have SF corrected. Emperor Tetras can be rather feisty fish; I had to get rid of my group because they would not live peacefully with any other tetras, even in a 5-foot tank. No idea what was going on, but it may have had to do with a mix of both "emperor" species, Nematobrycon palmeri (the "Emperor") and N. lacortei (sometimes called "Rainbow Emperor"). But both are fairly active swimmers so more space is needed and they are not good with sedate fish.
 
Which tank did you get?


You can ignore the last two, chlorine and CO2.

Nitrite is zero. Good
Nitrate is zero. Excellent. We need to keep nitrate below 20 ppm once there are fish in the tank and you should have no trouble with your tap water level.
Total hardness less than 3 - very soft water, but we already knew that :) It fits with that table showing it is 2.05.
Carbonate hardness is 3. This is also low. Low KH can lead to crashes in pH. My KH is also 3 but because I do weekly 50% water changes that is enough to keep my KH topped up
pH less than 6. This is pretty low. How long after you ran the water was it tested? Freshly run water and water that's been allowed to stand often have a different pH.

I notice that there is no ammonia listed. Did you see how they did the test - was it with a strip or liquid testers? It will be interesting to see what your test kit makes of your tap water once you get it.
 
It is an Aquatropic 56 litre I think off the top of my head. So not the big one I had bookmarked. They had it on offer for £67.99 including the filter and LED light and as my Mum liked it and she was buying it she said it was big enough and it is. Have put some plants in and a piece of bogwood and a large stone for the Cory to sit on when they go in eventually. The bottle of water had been done about 10-15 minutes before the test. It was a Tetra test with strips then she took a photo of it and it was all done via app. I took a photo of her phone with the results on it.
 
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Things are progressing. As cories were mentioned earlier, a sand substrate is best. For the three "dwarf" species like C. habrosus, it is mandatory. Regular play sand works very well, and is very inexpensive; I have this in all my tanks now.
 
Sorry, I didn't see your tank size.
I think it's quite crammed for two groups of schooling fish (Black Neon and Harlequin Rasbora).
One group of schooling fish might be better.
 
Nicola Main said:
Hi there. Here's the chest of drawers the tank is going on. My bedroom is part of an extension to the house and up a spiral staircase so there are sloping ceilings on each side. I can still get a good size tank though. Enough for my needs anyway. I've decided I would like black neon tetras (8-10?), harlequin rasboras (8-10) and 4-6 salt and pepper corys. I also like Emperor Tetras which is a possibility too. Would this be OK?
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Your chest of drawers look strong but I am afraid the middle part may sag as there is no support in the middle.(only the sides have support).
So, as Bryon mentioned earlier, get a piece of thick plywood to put in under the tank. The thicker the plywood, the better it is.

Also, take note that the wood may warp when it comes into contact with water.
Use a plastic sheet to cover your wood and your chest of drawers.

Here are some information about wood amd water proofing.

https://www.hunker.com/13416005/what-kind-of-wood-is-waterproof

https://www.displays2go.com/Guide/Comparing-Building-Materials-Particle-Board-MDF-Plywood-17
 
[url=https://ibb.co/PmRHVn8][/URL]

Here it is. Filter back left, heater back right (already set to 25 degrees) little thermometer on left side, sand for the cories, a piece of bogwood and a stone and some plants. Yes I'm thinking one school of Black Neon Tetra will be enough along with 4-5 corys. The Tetras at the store aren't ready yet so was thinking of getting the Corys first then once they're settled in get the Tetras?
 
Hi Nicola,

Did you rinse the sand before use?
The water looks cloudy.
Anyway, I guess the cloudiness will clear up in a short while if it's due to the sand.
Usually I rinsed the sand many times until the water is clear before putting into the aquarium.
And after rinsing, I will pour boiling/hot water into the sand to kill off any bacteria.

I have a question.
Is your bedroom at the upper floor?
It's important to put your tank at a place where you have access to water and you can change the water easily.
Your floor and table will be wet when you do your water change and other maintenance works like cleaning the filter, tanks. So, choose the location of your tank carefully.

All the best.
 
That photo was taken not long after I filled it and was told it'll take a couple of days to clear. It's actually a lot clearer this morning. Yes I cleaned the sand beforehand. Yes it's upstairs and 25 trips up and down 13 steps filling it was a bit of a task but this is where the tank has to go I'm afraid.
 
Wow....must be heavy for you to carry the water up and down....Lol
 
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