Show me your aquarium
Discussion
otolith said:
Caddyshack said:
I highly recommend growing devils ivy (pothos) on the lid with the roots in the water, being terrestrial it takes co2 from the air and not the water and it thrives on nitrate rich water….grows like mad. Loads of us stingray keepers use it. I also have a constant drip with heavy metal axe HMA filter and nitrate resin on the way in so I have about 10 gallons per day over flow out of the tank and in to the garden.
Yes, I have been considering pothos since you mentioned it previously - we have some I can take cuttings from. We've got it growing out of our fancy goldfish tank, works wonders.
Indeed, I'll be taking a similar approach for my new marine setup - planning both a refugium in the sump for chaeto, as well as a red mangrove or two breaching the surface. Just need to figure out the mesh lid arrangement as I'm going to have a few fish well known for being jumpers...
HustleRussell said:
Caddyshack said:
test the tap water…if the tap is below 10-25ppm then some large water changes will help, if the tap is high then you will need to consider ro or ion exchange resins.
With my lightly stocked planted bowl, the tap water goes in at 35ppm and by the time I think about changing it, it’s 0ppm 
wilbo83 said:
Thoughts on a Qubi Q 30 LED as a starter aquarium?
Haven't had a look at it but I guess '30' will be the capacity in litres?If so, your success with this aquarium will depend on what kind of animals you want to keep?
ETA: 'Animals' rather than 'fish', because it's quite popular to keep freshwater shrimp in small aquaria like these nowadays.
Edited by HustleRussell on Monday 13th December 16:51
Caddyshack said:
Lovely tank.. Nicely done and not over stocked. Will look even better when the plant growth hides the spray bar.
haha yes need to get some new suckers as it keeps slipping down! Or find a way of securing it nearer the top of the tank.I did have a load of vallis along the back of the tank but it kind of migrated round to the front of the tank then disappeared over the course of a year or so. I think with these low tech setups its a case of trying different plants until you find ones that work the the amount of light and nutrients in the tank and accepting that some plants won't like it.
Want to get a nice shoal of small dither fish but don't want neons. Any suggestions for something that will get on ok with the rainbows and do ok in slightly hard water?
Edited by lufbramatt on Wednesday 15th December 13:25
lufbramatt said:
Want to get a nice shoal of small dither fish but don't want neons. Any suggestions for something that will get on ok with the rainbows and do ok in slightly hard water?
I've recently added metallic golden barbs and harlequin rasboras to my planted tank to give a bit of midwater activity. The rasboras prefer soft/acidic, but I don't think they are difficult about it within reason. They seem to have settled in well, and have brought the five band barbs out of hiding.
lufbramatt said:
Caddyshack said:
Lovely tank.. Nicely done and not over stocked. Will look even better when the plant growth hides the spray bar.
haha yes need to get some new suckers as it keeps slipping down! Or find a way of securing it nearer the top of the tank.I did have a load of vallis along the back of the tank but it kind of migrated round to the front of the tank then disappeared over the course of a year or so. I think with these low tech setups its a case of trying different plants until you find ones that work the the amount of light and nutrients in the tank and accepting that some plants won't like it.
Want to get a nice shoal of small dither fish but don't want neons. Any suggestions for something that will get on ok with the rainbows and do ok in slightly hard water?
Edited by lufbramatt on Wednesday 15th December 13:25
Harlequins are a good shout by Otolith IMO
Taking the plunge back into the Marine world this week, went to a store yesterday and scoped out some tank options. Probably going to start small with some soft corals and some clowns/maybe a Goby as well. I'm doing this under the guise that it's great thing for for my kids to learn about....It was interesting the guy said how much the price of tanks had gone up due to Covid, yay! That's here in the States mind so not sure if it's the same back home.
Oakey said:
What are thoughts on spray bars going along the narrower edge of a tank?
I guess it depends what you want the spray bar to do. To me a spray bar is to simply ripple the surface to ensure gas exchange (oxygenate the water) so width of tank (front to back) is perfect; but in a planted tank they are often used to dissipate the flow of water so as not to push the plants around and even not ripple the surface as the gas exchange then depletes the Co2 which is beneficial to plants.Breeks said:
Sway said:
Absolutely agree Russell.
Breeks, we're with you every step buddy!
First step being deciding where it's going to live, and how big - remembering water is heavy!
It's a great thing for a child your daughter's age to get into, and a great opportunity to develop a shared hobby to spend quality time together with.
Where are you located in the country? A good local fish store is worth it's weight in gold, and will absolutely help break it down into simple, easy steps (we can help too!).
Only two absolutes I'd say at this point - first, never enter a Pets at Home for anything related to fish keeping (also holds true for the majority of Maidenhead Aquatics unfortunately in my experience). Second, do not even consider for a second saltwater/marine!
As an initial starting point for the 'present', you're going to need a glass box/stand, a filter, and about £50ish of 'decor' and initial 'ancilliaries'. From your perspective, you're not 'keeping fish' - you're 'keeping water' that the fish then live in...
Fluval do great aquaria for beginner fish keepers at a whole range of shapes and sizes.
Thanks everyone for your words of encouragement!Breeks, we're with you every step buddy!
First step being deciding where it's going to live, and how big - remembering water is heavy!
It's a great thing for a child your daughter's age to get into, and a great opportunity to develop a shared hobby to spend quality time together with.
Where are you located in the country? A good local fish store is worth it's weight in gold, and will absolutely help break it down into simple, easy steps (we can help too!).
Only two absolutes I'd say at this point - first, never enter a Pets at Home for anything related to fish keeping (also holds true for the majority of Maidenhead Aquatics unfortunately in my experience). Second, do not even consider for a second saltwater/marine!
As an initial starting point for the 'present', you're going to need a glass box/stand, a filter, and about £50ish of 'decor' and initial 'ancilliaries'. From your perspective, you're not 'keeping fish' - you're 'keeping water' that the fish then live in...
Fluval do great aquaria for beginner fish keepers at a whole range of shapes and sizes.
I'm near Glasgow and had visited a couple of shops two weeks back - one of which (Coral Reef) was very well stocked with everything except helpful staff. The other place was less well stocked (pretty run down) but had very enthusiastic staff - so bummer really!
I'd been working on the basis that cold water fish are easier to keep but seems, according to helpful staff mentioned above, that tropical are feasible as starting fish and are maybe more "interesting" in that more can be added to the tank and there's a bit more variety and colour.
So now I'm screwed as I have a daughter with ideas of shoals of colourful fish in her mind and me worrying that if we get a power cut it'll be carnage!
Anyhow, thinking at the moment is that the tank will be situated in her bedroom away from a radiator and opposite a south facing window so a decent amount of natural light.
As for fish she is flipping between Black Moors but from what I can read they are a bit delicate and may outgrow the tank - although not sure how long it takes them to mature to full size......she's also got her eye on guppies because basically they are pretty - any pros / cons of the fish mentioned? Anything else worth considering?
I'm heading to the aquarium shop tomorrow to get stuff for the tank to get it ready, here's my shopping list - a sanity check would be most welcome:
1) Gravel - anything to look out for here.....?
2) Declorinator
3) Bacteria "additive" / starter
4) Water tester
5) Plants - should I go false or the real thing for a beginner?
6) Some ornaments / hidey holes
7) A net
8) Heater - depending on the Guppy vs. Moor battle
Edited by Breeks on Sunday 26th December 21:46
Breeks said:
Breeks said:
Sway said:
Absolutely agree Russell.
Breeks, we're with you every step buddy!
First step being deciding where it's going to live, and how big - remembering water is heavy!
It's a great thing for a child your daughter's age to get into, and a great opportunity to develop a shared hobby to spend quality time together with.
Where are you located in the country? A good local fish store is worth it's weight in gold, and will absolutely help break it down into simple, easy steps (we can help too!).
Only two absolutes I'd say at this point - first, never enter a Pets at Home for anything related to fish keeping (also holds true for the majority of Maidenhead Aquatics unfortunately in my experience). Second, do not even consider for a second saltwater/marine!
As an initial starting point for the 'present', you're going to need a glass box/stand, a filter, and about £50ish of 'decor' and initial 'ancilliaries'. From your perspective, you're not 'keeping fish' - you're 'keeping water' that the fish then live in...
Fluval do great aquaria for beginner fish keepers at a whole range of shapes and sizes.
Thanks everyone for your words of encouragement!Breeks, we're with you every step buddy!
First step being deciding where it's going to live, and how big - remembering water is heavy!
It's a great thing for a child your daughter's age to get into, and a great opportunity to develop a shared hobby to spend quality time together with.
Where are you located in the country? A good local fish store is worth it's weight in gold, and will absolutely help break it down into simple, easy steps (we can help too!).
Only two absolutes I'd say at this point - first, never enter a Pets at Home for anything related to fish keeping (also holds true for the majority of Maidenhead Aquatics unfortunately in my experience). Second, do not even consider for a second saltwater/marine!
As an initial starting point for the 'present', you're going to need a glass box/stand, a filter, and about £50ish of 'decor' and initial 'ancilliaries'. From your perspective, you're not 'keeping fish' - you're 'keeping water' that the fish then live in...
Fluval do great aquaria for beginner fish keepers at a whole range of shapes and sizes.
I'm near Glasgow and had visited a couple of shops two weeks back - one of which (Coral Reef) was very well stocked with everything except helpful staff. The other place was less well stocked (pretty run down) but had very enthusiastic staff - so bummer really!
I'd been working on the basis that cold water fish are easier to keep but seems, according to helpful staff mentioned above, that tropical are feasible as starting fish and are maybe more "interesting" in that more can be added to the tank and there's a bit more variety and colour.
So now I'm screwed as I have a daughter with ideas of shoals of colourful fish in her mind and me worrying that if we get a power cut it'll be carnage!
Anyhow, thinking at the moment is that the tank will be situated in her bedroom away from a radiator and opposite a south facing window so a decent amount of natural light.
As for fish she is flipping between Black Moors but from what I can read they are a bit delicate and may outgrow the tank - although not sure how long it takes them to mature to full size......she's also got her eye on guppies because basically they are pretty - any pros / cons of the fish mentioned? Anything else worth considering?
I'm heading to the aquarium shop tomorrow to get stuff for the tank to get it ready, here's my shopping list - a sanity check would be most welcome:
1) Gravel - anything to look out for here.....?
2) Declorinator
3) Bacteria "additive" / starter
4) Water tester
5) Plants - should I go false or the real thing for a beginner?
6) Some ornaments / hidey holes
7) A net
8) Heater - depending on the Guppy vs. Moor battle
You don’t really need a net.
Just wash the gravel before use or it takes ages to clear.
HustleRussell said:
We can help, Breeks!
Does your daughter have any preference of what sort of fish she wants? From the sounds of it you need to be hoping that she doesn't want a 'Nemo'
Otolith has nailed the most important piece single of advice in response to your original post. If I was to add one of my own it would be that a larger tank will be more stable and less maintenance intensive than a small one. The lower limit entry level for a beginner with small fish is about 60L in my opinion, but 90+ is a better target.
I have a 'coldwater' (room temperature) tank at the moment, the sort which many assume could only house goldfish, but I'm keeping small fish like Danios or Minnows- I feel that this is a route which is often overlooked. This is probably the easiest kind of tank to keep- unheated but with small fish species which won't make a lot of mess and ultimately outgrow the tank.
It's worth considering that the traditional Goldfish, if you are a successful fishkeeper, can live to the age of 20 years and to 12" in length.
Heat the water and for minimal additional effort you can keep a much broader range of fish and plants from tropical climes including very appealing and classic tropical fish such as Angel Fish and Neon Tetras.
Not really on PH much these days, don't know why I didn't think to check the font of all knowledge before diving in. Does your daughter have any preference of what sort of fish she wants? From the sounds of it you need to be hoping that she doesn't want a 'Nemo'
Otolith has nailed the most important piece single of advice in response to your original post. If I was to add one of my own it would be that a larger tank will be more stable and less maintenance intensive than a small one. The lower limit entry level for a beginner with small fish is about 60L in my opinion, but 90+ is a better target.
I have a 'coldwater' (room temperature) tank at the moment, the sort which many assume could only house goldfish, but I'm keeping small fish like Danios or Minnows- I feel that this is a route which is often overlooked. This is probably the easiest kind of tank to keep- unheated but with small fish species which won't make a lot of mess and ultimately outgrow the tank.
It's worth considering that the traditional Goldfish, if you are a successful fishkeeper, can live to the age of 20 years and to 12" in length.
Heat the water and for minimal additional effort you can keep a much broader range of fish and plants from tropical climes including very appealing and classic tropical fish such as Angel Fish and Neon Tetras.
Edited by HustleRussell on Friday 10th December 12:38
I've ended up with a 30l tank (from Pets at Home) as that would fit on the IKEA unit in the boy's bedroom, with a light & filter but no heater as the OH has the heating on pretty much full time as she WFH.
I've not bought fish yet as knew I needed to cycle the tank so have used tap safe & filter boost in the filter Xmas eve and placed away from radiator, plan is to not get goldfish but Danio or Tetras as read that these are ok in a temperate tank, seems from the above that this will be ok? Was thinking only a few as the tank is small
So a few more beginner Qs from me if you wouldn't mind helping
Will this be ok for 5 or 6 small fish as a starter, if they do well (& son looks after them!) then can move up a tank size?
I haven't bought any water testing kits as think takes a while for the tank to settle, what would be recommended, one of the other posts mentioned dip strip tests are useless? Also should I be changing any water before the tank has settled, think 20% change every 2 weeks once fish are in - do I need to treat with tapsafe before putting in the tank?
Office_Monkey said:
Not really on PH much these days, don't know why I didn't think to check the font of all knowledge before diving in.
I've ended up with a 30l tank (from Pets at Home) as that would fit on the IKEA unit in the boy's bedroom, with a light & filter but no heater as the OH has the heating on pretty much full time as she WFH.
I've not bought fish yet as knew I needed to cycle the tank so have used tap safe & filter boost in the filter Xmas eve and placed away from radiator, plan is to not get goldfish but Danio or Tetras as read that these are ok in a temperate tank, seems from the above that this will be ok? Was thinking only a few as the tank is small
So a few more beginner Qs from me if you wouldn't mind helping
Will this be ok for 5 or 6 small fish as a starter, if they do well (& son looks after them!) then can move up a tank size?
I haven't bought any water testing kits as think takes a while for the tank to settle, what would be recommended, one of the other posts mentioned dip strip tests are useless? Also should I be changing any water before the tank has settled, think 20% change every 2 weeks once fish are in - do I need to treat with tapsafe before putting in the tank?
The liquid dropper tests are better, everyone recommends the API ones. You need Ammonia and Nitrite tests as a minimum, but by the time you’ve bought those you may as well have got the Master test kit.I've ended up with a 30l tank (from Pets at Home) as that would fit on the IKEA unit in the boy's bedroom, with a light & filter but no heater as the OH has the heating on pretty much full time as she WFH.
I've not bought fish yet as knew I needed to cycle the tank so have used tap safe & filter boost in the filter Xmas eve and placed away from radiator, plan is to not get goldfish but Danio or Tetras as read that these are ok in a temperate tank, seems from the above that this will be ok? Was thinking only a few as the tank is small
So a few more beginner Qs from me if you wouldn't mind helping
Will this be ok for 5 or 6 small fish as a starter, if they do well (& son looks after them!) then can move up a tank size?
I haven't bought any water testing kits as think takes a while for the tank to settle, what would be recommended, one of the other posts mentioned dip strip tests are useless? Also should I be changing any water before the tank has settled, think 20% change every 2 weeks once fish are in - do I need to treat with tapsafe before putting in the tank?
You’ve done the right thing in getting it running and waiting before adding fish. However you’re not just waiting for it to settle- your tank needs to establish and support colonies of bacteria which will break down the pollutants. It’s important to familiarise yourself with the Nitrogen cycle. It won’t just do it on its own. Your test kit will enable you to measure levels and observe it. If you are patient and get this right at the start you are setting yourself up for a healthy and predictable aquarium rather than a series of stressful rescue efforts.
You should continue to treat any new water going in with tapsafe. When the time comes to clean the filter media you should clean it in the used aquarium water not in tap water. The chlorine in tap water is in there specifically to kill bacteria so it won’t do your colony any favours.
Fish wise you’ll need small sub-tropical species- this includes some Danios and Minnows but not all. Possibly some Tetras and guppies as well as rice fish. If the filter flow can be reduced you could alternatively keep Bettas. I noticed that a fish store near me keeps some Zebra Danios in the cold water section so they’ll be acclimated to temperate already. A lot of places keep them in tropical temperatures so you can imagine the trouble you’ll have relocating those as well as putting them in much cooler water.
Get a shoal of White Cloud Minnows and create some current, they will love the movement and dont need a heater....
https://www.fishkeepingworld.com/white-cloud-mount...
https://www.fishkeepingworld.com/white-cloud-mount...
Looking really great, I have a similar looking scape in my tank.
You may want to consider moving the rock slightly further from the glass to allow easier cleaning.
You may want to consider moving the rock slightly further from the glass to allow easier cleaning.
Boozy said:
We’ve just started a nano tank with a biocube 32. First fish in today which are a pair of snowflake clowns. Only going to add another sand goby with a paired pistol shrimp and maybe one other fish then load up on coral and cleanup crew. Happy with it so far.
OkEdited by Hoonigan on Sunday 2nd January 23:14
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