Show me your aquarium

[Chester draws]

After I'd put the Cardinal Tetras in, I came across this article.

https://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/fishkeeping...

"Undercover survey reveals aquarium retailer filter cycling advice".

Admittedly, I think it's from around 2008, but says only 4% of surveyed shops advise full fishless cycle. The rest a mixture of fish in, and fish in with a bottle of bacteria.

My local Maidenhead Aquatics recommended similar to the shop I initially got the fish from, albeit with more info on the Nitrogen cycle explained. With the suggestion that to be cycled we needed to see 8 or 10ppm ammonia with fish in the tank. (No mention of any ammonia blocking chemical to be used).

[Sway]

Chester draws said:

After I'd put the Cardinal Tetras in, I came across this article.

https://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/fishkeeping...

"Undercover survey reveals aquarium retailer filter cycling advice".

Admittedly, I think it's from around 2008, but says only 4% of surveyed shops advise full fishless cycle. The rest a mixture of fish in, and fish in with a bottle of bacteria.

My local Maidenhead Aquatics recommended similar
to the shop I initially got the fish from, albeit with more info on the Nitrogen cycle explained. With the suggestion that to be cycled we needed to see 8 or 10ppm ammonia with fish in the tank. (No mention of any ammonia blocking chemical to be used).

That is fking disgusting...

[otolith]

They should have to wear a pissy nappy round their neck for a bit, see how they like it.

[Chester draws]

I was quite happy to have had it without fish for a few weeks... I certainly wasn't the one pushing to have them.

Anyway, back to the thread title!



(Lights only for photo, and actual temperature 27°C while cycling - not the 30°C it looks like due to parralax).

[Sway]

Cracking.

[Turn7]

Sway said:

Chester draws said:

After I'd put the Cardinal Tetras in, I came across this article.

https://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/fishkeeping...

"Undercover survey reveals aquarium retailer filter cycling advice".

Admittedly, I think it's from around 2008, but says only 4% of surveyed shops advise full fishless cycle. The rest a mixture of fish in, and fish in with a bottle of bacteria.

My local Maidenhead Aquatics recommended similar
to the shop I initially got the fish from, albeit with more info on the Nitrogen cycle explained. With the suggestion that to be cycled we needed to see 8 or 10ppm ammonia with fish in the tank. (No mention of any ammonia blocking chemical to be used).

That is fking disgusting...

You cant be surprised surely ? MA are shockingly poor in my opinion......

[anonymous-user]

I’ve just bought my first tank!

80L
Should arrive next week
Plan is to have a little tropical aquarium
It’ll be based on the office so lots of light but not direct sunlight

I’ve bought all sorts of additives and tests kits to get things up and running ...

There seems to be a mixed bag re substrate, I want a few live plants and was planning to just have a mix of small and medium gravel as the base without any organic material. Is that acceptable if I dose with liquid plant food?

Plan to add fish eventually too, maybe 2 weeks until plants and then 2-4 weeks after that for fish, dependent upon tests even with safe start.

Any handy guides I can read too?

I have access to Practical fish keeping via Readly.

Not sure if I’ve everything i need but I sold some MotoX gear that wasn’t being used!

Edited by Lord.Vader on Thursday 22 April 17:26

[Turn7]

Nice to see Prime on the list, best vlaue dechlorinator out there.....

Other than that...its...er......quite Piratey...

[Sway]

Lord Vader - couple of thoughts...

Bin off the 6in1 test strips, they're worse than useless, as they're misleading and inconsistent. Get a 'proper' titration/dropper test kit with individual tests...

Also, the evolution aqua filter balls - they're a tad niche, and really unnecessary.

I'd also not bother personally with the plastic plants, and just get nice and easy real ones (I am an immense fan of the tropica '1-2 grow' series, incredibly good quality and if it says its easy - it really is!). George Farmer has a great set of vids setting up a simple low maintenance planted aquarium using them.

Otherwise, all looking good!

[otolith]

Turn7 said:

You cant be surprised surely ? MA are shockingly poor in my opinion......

They seem variable, suspect that they're a franchise setup?

I did once get blasé about quarantine because my LFS was brilliant, and then bought clown loaches from MA when the LFS didn't have any and treated them with the same trust. They looked fine. Catastrophic ich outbreak.

[Sway]

otolith said:

Turn7 said:

You cant be surprised surely ? MA are shockingly poor in my opinion......

They seem variable, suspect that they're a franchise setup?

I did once get blasé about quarantine because my LFS was brilliant, and then bought clown loaches from MA when the LFS didn't have any and treated them with the same trust. They looked fine. Catastrophic ich outbreak.

They're hugely variable...

For example the "Windsor MA" (just renamed) is one of the most respected marine specialists in the country, with incredible stock across marine and freshwater and utterly superb staff. As an example, a little while ago they bought and sold four of the rarest, most expensive marine fish in the hobby. All gone in three days at £25k a pop...

[anonymous-user]

I was a bit worried about the accuracy of the testing things, so that’s good to know, I will get a proper one.

The plastic plants are just to get a feel for the size / height / style before buying real ones, but thanks for the suggestion as I’d no idea where to get them and I do want easy / starter stuff.

Pirates ... well I’d like to say it’s for the kids (but I don’t have any) ... it appeals to my childish nature

The water here is very soft - soft, any recommendations on fish? Or somewhere I can read about it?

Thanks for the helps, pictures to follow! (Form the 29th).

ETA; any recommendations on a test kit?

Edited by Lord.Vader on Thursday 22 April 18:14

[otolith]

Soft water is easy - it's a lot easier to make soft water hard than it is to make hard water soft. Fish from the Amazon basin would be the obvious choice.

[Chester draws]

Lord.Vader said:

[...]

ETA; any recommendations on a test kit?

API Master 800 liquid test kit.

RRP is like £50.

Try not to pay more than £26 or £27 delivered.

I think the same quantity of ammonia test drops (also sold separately around £13 alone) gives 130-odd Ammonia tests.

[Sway]

Lord.Vader said:

I was a bit worried about the accuracy of the testing things, so that’s good to know, I will get a proper one.

The plastic plants are just to get a feel for the size / height / style before buying real ones, but thanks for the suggestion as I’d no idea where to get them and I do want easy / starter stuff.

Pirates ... well I’d like to say it’s for the kids (but I don’t have any) ... it appeals to my childish nature

The water here is very soft - soft, any recommendations on fish? Or somewhere I can read about it?

Thanks for the helps, pictures to follow! (Form the 29th).

ETA; any recommendations on a test kit?

Edited by Lord.Vader on Thursday 22 April 18:14

Oh you lucky bugger... Most of 'us' have to put up with horrifically hard water.

There's a whole range of Amazonian fish that absolutely adore soft water - the softer the better. Many of the popular easy plants are also from this region.

So, there's a whole range of tetras (I'm a big fan of lemon tetras if you have the water, they'll 'survive' quite well in hard water but their gorgeous colours really come out in soft water).

Corydoras are great little dudes.

Tank might be a little small, but a pair of kribensis are gorgeous, and stupidly interesting behaviour whilst breeding. Smaller 'equivalents' are 'Dutch rams', or the various apistogramma species. Apistos run cool 'hareems', with a few females each with a cave/hole (your pirate decor will likely provide these) and a single male cruising around protecting/'servicing' them...

Just some ideas to explore - don't get all of them!

[HustleRussell]

Lord Vader, with soft water and an 80l tank I think I’d agree with the others that an Amazon style tank would be nice. Personally I’d pick a species of small Tetra and build up a nice little group all alike. Perhaps pick a pair of Dwarf cichlids.

IMO tropical tanks look more natural with only a handful of carefully chosen fish species but in good numbers.

There are plenty of appealing plants which can be grown in small / medium gravel perhaps with the help of some root tabs. Vallisneria looks great in any river type tank. I also love Java Fern, it is very tough, doesn’t need a lot of light and the leaves are a great colour and texture. Also you don’t plant it into the gravel but attach it to a piece of porous rock or wood. This means you can also move it about as you refine your layout.

[Turn7]

Sway said:

otolith said:

Turn7 said:

You cant be surprised surely ? MA are shockingly poor in my opinion......

They seem variable, suspect that they're a franchise setup?

I did once get blasé about quarantine because my LFS was brilliant, and then bought clown loaches from MA when the LFS didn't have any and treated them with the same trust. They looked fine. Catastrophic ich outbreak.

They're hugely variable...

For example the "Windsor MA" (just renamed) is one of the most respected marine specialists in the country, with incredible stock across marine and freshwater and utterly superb staff. As an example, a little while ago they bought and sold four of the rarest, most expensive marine fish in the hobby. All gone in three days at £25k a pop...

Windsor pretty much distanced themselves by
Running with the Reedkeeper moniker tho...
And agree,one of the best Salty shops around....

Barring AAC obvs....

[HustleRussell]

Whilst we’re on subject, would anyone like to make fish store recommendations which are not so far from Surrey? Already noted;

Sway said:

The Fish Barn just outside Crawley

My tank will be freshwater planted.

[Sway]

HustleRussell said:

Whilst we’re on subject, would anyone like to make fish store recommendations which are not so far from Surrey? Already noted;

Sway said:

The Fish Barn just outside Crawley

My tank will be freshwater planted.

If you're in Surrey, then seriously just see Elliot. Tell him Sam sent you (oh, and that his head is too big... ). I'm certainly not aware of a comparable quality shop anywhere close.

Add them on Facebook, you'll see the sort of stock they have in, and he's very responsive so you could do a lot of prep before going in to get your plants/stock.

[Caddyshack]

otolith said:

Turn7 said:

You cant be surprised surely ? MA are shockingly poor in my opinion......

They seem variable, suspect that they're a franchise setup?

I did once get blasé about quarantine because my LFS was brilliant, and then bought clown loaches from MA when the LFS didn't have any and treated them with the same trust. They looked fine. Catastrophic ich outbreak.

That is very standard for clown loaches in stress, not likely anything to do with MA. Generally, MA are very well trained and most often carefully selected staff. All of the ones I have visited have been very good and I have run 2 fish shops a long time ago and could write a book on fish keeping.

Having been in the trade and heard "I bought fish from xyz shop and they made mine sick" sooo many times. When adding new fish to your tank the new fish are stressed and the filter system has to adapt to the new bio load. Often when people add new fish they have a good clean up which can have filters being over cleaned (often in tap water) or chloramine introduced with a large water change. Clown loaches are very, very prone to white spot outbreaks.