Continued from >>2162080
Discuss anything aquarium related here, including inhabitants, decor and issues.
Google is your friend.
Feel free to ask questions but know that there are a lot of resources out there that could answer your question a lot faster and accurately than /an/.
Make sure to include these things in your post before asking because we can't help you if we don't have the full picture:
-tank size
-parameters
-any and all inhabitants + how long you've had them
FAQ Section
>How to handle algae, snails, lighting, easy plants for beginners etc:
http://pastebin.com/KcJUJeV7
Links:
>How to cycle your tank: http://pastebin.com/x4WnB0Ah
>General aquarium care sheets - http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/
>Livestock and plants for sale - http://www.petsolutions.com/ http://www.aquabid.com
>FUCKING GOOGLE
We all make mistakes, so don't put anyone down - rather be helpful.
Chances are, you made a similiar mistake when you were starting out.
>Useful & Extensive database for aquatic plants and their parameters:
Flowgrow
http://www.flowgrow.de/db/aquaticplants
>Cool Youtube Channels:
>Aquascaping -
James Findley/The Green Machine
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreenMachineLtd
Dennis Wong
https://www.youtube.com/user/xiaozhuangw
Filipe Oliveira
https://www.youtube.com/user/FaaoStudio
Oliver Knott
https://www.youtube.com/user/amanoshrimp
>Building your own shit/ Fish&Plant talk
King of DIY
https://www.youtube.com/user/uarujoey
Dustin's Fish Tanks
https://www.youtube.com/user/Dustinsfishtanks
Wayne's Fish World
https://www.youtube.com/user/samuelwaynefoleyjr
Aquarium related documentaries (German & English)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtkQ-oVBStx0EYRcwz3bHSA
KGTropicals - Mostly Cichlid Talk
https://www.youtube.com/user/KGTropicals
Anybody have any tips for taking care of Lyretail Swordtails? My mom got two and she's put me in charge of setting up their tank. Right now they're just hanging out in a tank with a filter, light, and gravel at the bottom. I read that they like live plants and warmer water, so I'll pick up those and a tank heater soon.
These Aspie Rasboras are way more active, less shy, and fun to look at than my Sawbwa Barbs, glad I made the switch. Kinda miss my Honey Gouramis though...
>>2165136
look up water hardness requirements
Mollies need a bit of mineral content. Otherwise you start getting shimmies and whatnot
>>2165136
Swordtails are pretty straightforward. What size is the tank and how long has it been set up? Also, if you're looking into live plants, what kind of light do you have?
Livebearers in general aren't very sensitive to temperature. Swordtails will benefit from a stable temp around 76-78 F, but they won't suffer unless the water starts getting colder than 65.
>>2165152
>Mollies
Not even the same genus, dude.
>>2165161
>Not even the same genus, dude.
yeah you're right. I get Mollies and platies mixed sometimes but they both still need harder water
>>2165161
Tank is 10 gallons, just cleaned and set it up today. It has an incandescent bulb, not sure how many watts. The tank can be moved to a place with more natural light if need be. The house thermostat is set to 75 degrees, so I guess that's fine.
We were thinking of putting a few tetras in there if things went well with the swordtails. Don't know if 10 gallons is enough for that though.
>>2165165
did you cycle that tank?
>>2165164
Unless Anon sources his water from a peat swamp it's really unlikely he's going to run into any water hardness issues.
>>2165165
Swap out the incandescent bulbs for CFLs if you want plants. There's a good chance you'll run into issues with ammonia build up since you set the tank up without cycling it, but if you get a lot of live plants, that could help.
>>2165165
The swordtails can get to be around 3 or 4 inches each, so I would advise against adding any more fish unless you get a bigger tank.
>>2165170
ammonia kind of has to sort itself out. Maybe also pick up some stress enzyme/melafix if the fish look ragged later? Many fish will just tank the burns but easing them through it
>>2165170
Tetra SafeStart has a good reputation, just make sure you follow the directions closely (aka shake the living hell out of it).
Ask the store about water testing and their return policy before buying. If it's a pet store, they should be able to test the water for you. If there's still any ammonia or nitrite in the water a few days after using SafeStart, ask for a refund (it was probably a bad bottle).
Another brand that tends to work well is API Quick Start.
Seconding what >>2165169 said, swordtails get just a smidge too large to be really comfortable in a 10 gallon for life, so if at all possible consider getting a larger tank for them in the future, especially if you eventually want to put more fish with them.
I wish wild color livebearers were easier to find. Americans just don't appreciate understated beauty.
>>2165190
Consider yourself lucky.
Normally /aq/ is full of trolls and people spouting blatant lies.
I'm trying to figure out what kind of fish this is, I was told it was a cichlid but I can't find anything on Google, I can't remember the name I belive it started with klap any help?
>>2165233
Forgot pic
>>2165236
I couldn't get a good picture but his mouth is like really long the closest I found was a calvus fish but I can't find one the same color as mine so I'm unsure, let me see if I can get better lighting
Used two different test kits out of interest.
Can someone help me make sense of the results?
>>2165234
red bay snook
>>2165187
Wait some years and we'll have a green tail yellow stripe red eye blue fins gay pride swordtail
>>2165259
That's water alright.
So anyone here have bamboo or vampire shrimp?
where's a good place to get cheap substrate for planting? I have a 60 gallon long and need enough for at least 2 inches on cover
>>2165259
They look kind of the same from the picture. You could've bought a liquid test kit for the price of those two bottles.
>>2165267
I have bamboo, but not the shrimp
>>2165259
Congrats you have soft water with a very slightly acidic pH. It's much easier to harden water than soften it.
>>2165274
Basalt + hammer, Miracle Gro Organic, or steal some mud from a rice field.
>>2165267
Used to. What do you want to know?
why are these fish so based?
>tiny as fuck, a school of 10 could live in a 10 gallon easily
>cute as fuck, because they're so tiny
>have a badass metallic neon green paintjob
>doesn't start shit with tankmates
>can camoflage with bright green plants to avoid punk-ass predators
>>2165285
Only seen them on the Internet
>>2165286
i know, that's literally the worst thing about them
they're also pretty expensive, which makes sense considering how fucking sweet they are.
Anyone have any experience with fighting conchs? Why are they called fighting conchs? also do they eat cyano?
>>2165298
nothing eats cyano. use peroxide
>>2165301
not him but sniles eat cyano.
so do blue legged hermit crabs.
and copepods.
and amphipods.
and fungus.
>>2165304
also, don't UV sterilizers eat cyanobacteria?
Anybody have any experience with stiphodon gobies? I got one for my small community 10gal with a nice rock covered in mature algae and moss. He dug a little burrow under the rock and that's where he lives most of the time, but I've occasionally seen him coming out and perching on his rock to feed and check things out. Really cool and neat little dude.
Pic is him today on his rock
>>2165304
none of those things will eat it all though. They pick at it but wont get rid of it. Use peroxide
Lads my new tank gets here in the next 6 hours
>>2165310
>>2165298
>>2165301
>>2165304
>>2165306
Ill probably end up dosing something to get rid of it, I olnly asked because I like having animals that can help clean problem spots of the tank, for instance I had a hair and bubble algae problem and got two emerald crabs who cleaned it all up in two weeks and are now both about 4 inches across a year later. I try to let livestock fix the tank instead of dosing too much
>>2165151
Oop, thought I attached my tank shot
Also post you are tanks
>>2165310
>none of those things will eat it all though.
ah, I see you've never kept a marine tank.
thanks for sharing your thoughts on them.
>>2165298
>Why are they called fighting conchs?
I can only guess but maybe its be cause they have a fucking switchblade in their shells. If you pick them up theyll start flailing that knife around.
>>2165309
High flow, high O2, cold temps, eat filamentous algae.
They had some for a while at the PetSmart near me, but I didn't have the means to take care of them properly, so I passed.
>>2165320
that sounds like a lack of refutation, friend-o
>>2165318
>kuhlis and skrimps
What are your favorite corals?
I have thing for plating montipora
>>2165331
>forgot pic
So I am trying to grow a carpet for a new planted tank using dwarf hair grass. I currently have fluorescent fixture with plant bulb on top projecting straight into the water. I also have another fixture that I am not using. If I lay it on the outside of the tank directly next to where the carpet will be, will it help growth or do nothing? I understand glass blocks a lot but I am wanting to make sure since I'm new to live plants.
On the morning of Monday 11th July you'll receive a 1 hour delivery time slot and you'll be able to live track your order on its way to you. Please ensure that someone is available to sign for your delivery
wew
My new nerite keeps shoving my buce out of place like a dick.
what do you do when one of your bettas refuses to join the community peacefully? My first 4 got along right away but my newest one is a monster
she flares and nips at all of my girls and even pokes at my male who doesnt tolerate it at all and removed half of her tail for the insolence
do I just bowl her forever? What is the usual thing to do with an uncooperative betta?
>>2165352
Glass blocks UVB, which doesn't affect plants. Placing a fixture so that it's shining on the plants sideways could end up "confusing" them, though.
>>2165352
>. If I lay it on the outside of the tank directly next to where the carpet will be, will it help growth or do nothing
they'll grow toward that light probably. If you dont mind sideways plants then go for it but that probably isnt the type of carpet you want
>>2165365
dude i love your tank so much, every time you post pictures of it, it brightens my day
i have a question, though- how did you keep your moss ball alive? i had pulled one of mine into a couple separate chunks so that it would easier distribute (and i used the rest as a sort of makeshift carpet, no twine, but i buried the edges under gravel), but it died... and, because it's "death" wasn't very obvious, i left it in, and ofc that lead to a outbreak of what appeared to be Ich...... was I just too rough with the moss, or are you taking special measures with yours to keep it alive, now that it's all laid out?
>>2165329
the only possible support is experience which I can't feed you through the internet.
if you don't know this stuff you haven't ever dealt with the problem. Why I should argue about my experience with someone that lacks it is beyond me.
Lads my new tank finally got here, the cabinet was almost impossible to make but here it is.
Bettas much happier in there than he was the 2.5.
>>2165495
Looks good so far, but why do you have the water level so low?
>>2165282
Just wanted to know how they get along with cherrys and if they were shy.
Just how sturdy are these? I visited my brother and his aquarium had one of these in it and the water was mostly diluted with beer, apparently it was in that condition for two more weeks before my brother put it in something livable.
Hey /an/ I've got a question about one of my smaller rainbow sharks.
Pic related, the white blotches in her skin. Those are new and i have never seen it before.
The fish is still extremely active and is eating as normal. No diet changes or anything like that.
Currently residing is a 55gal
What gives?
>>2165590
could be bites from a tankmate.
>>2165594
I thought that too but the scales are still in tact and she doesn't get bullied at all so I ruled that out
>>2165089
Where can I find decent, 30 inch led light setups for a 20 gallon long , that come with a decent warranty? Everything I find online is shit ty adqueon or finnex lights on amazon that are shit quality and have 90 day warranties.
>>2165260
That's the closest iv seen so far, thanks senpai.
>>2165605
Eheim Power Led has like 2-4 years warranty iirc. Just be prepared to spend 150$+ on one that fits your size it, only real drawback.
is growing carpet plants too much for a beginner? I really want to do this but I'm not sure which is the best plant to use. I hear dwarf baby tears and hair grass is common, as well as java moss. Which is easiest to deal? and what should I worry about? Any tips and advice is appreciated
>>2165651
Many carpeting plants need good amounts of co2, flow amd lighting.
From my experience, start off with a hardy, undemanding carpet plant like marsilea hirsuta. Baby tears are very delicate and will let you know when you fucked up and may turn yellow. It's also a bitch when rooting, so many people dry-start it.
My best recipe for carpeting is planting in the number 5 pattern of a dice and have good flow, lighting and co2.
>>2165639
Eheim led seem to be just one big bulb, do they have long strip of led for a long tank?
>>2165661
>5 pattern of a dice
Does this mean a cross? sorry for being dumb
Also thanks for your suggestion, I'll see where i can get them and how much they cost
>>2165669
I think he means offset lines.
o_o_o_o_o_o
_o_o_o_o_o_
o_o_o_o_o_o
>>2165651
Glossostigma, chain swords, and dwarf saggitaria are some other easy carpeting plants.
>>2165669
like the pips on a dice
>>2165697
Thanks a lot im doing research on them rn
im still open to tips and advice for getting an aquarium carpet plant thanks for the feedback guys
>>2165136 here
Here's a pic of the newly renovated tank. Did I do good?
>>2165665
http://www.aquaristikshop.com/aquaristic/EHEIM-Power-LED-daylight/421101/
Its a slim strip with extendable clips, I use the 16 watt myself. With your length, you maybe looking at the 24-30watt.
I've seen it on us retail sites too, this one is just the one that came up first.
>>2165706
Yeah, that's the dice pattern I meant.
>>2165776
Looks fine. I like the very clear and simple design. You could also add some floating plants like frogbite, water lettuce and hornwort. These guys often like it.
>>2165478
>if you don't know this stuff you haven't ever dealt with the problem.
well in MY experience, you're full of shit
>>2165786
Thanks so much friendo, I'll check it out
>>2165786
Jesus, 150 eur for the lights and the power adapter isn't included? Are they trying to fuck me? Eheim wants me to pay 149 eur for the lig hts and another 49.90 eur for a power adapter?
>>2165404
Aw, thanks, Anon.
No, I don't do anything special for it. If you want to try it again I'd suggest tying it to something. Slate and plastic needlepoint mesh both work well. I think maybe having the edges buried under the gravel starved them of light and when the edges dies, the rest of it followed.
The only other thing I can think of is that this tank has a lot of planaria worms and scuds, and they do a really good job of keeping it clean. It doesn't die in my tanks that don't have "pests," but it doesn't stay quite as nice looking.
>>2165776
That looks an awful lot like an Aqueon Minibow 2.5.
>>2165846
You are correct.
Are fairy shrimp, triops, or clam shrimp an easy/cheap thing to grow/breed? Any better alternatives?
If you have experience with them pls tell me about it and where you bought/buy them from.
I want to own them but I would also like to use them as fish treats.
>>2165863
every fish store should have brine shrimp eggs for sale. they are super easy to keep
for triops you could just look for sellers on ebay or something. they aren't worth using as fish treats imo because they don't grow in hundreds like brine shrimps
>>2165089
If a fish isn't eating the food it supposed to eat, should try feeding it something else or might it be having problems?
>>2165950
depends on what the fish is
>>2165951
African rope fish
Needing some advice on getting CO2 into my tank. I *think* my lighting is good enough, a two fluorescent bulb/T5 plant bulbs fixture, good water parameters, substrate, etc.
I have read about making your own with either yeast and sugar or with a CO2 canister. However I have heard horror stories with those blowing up/gassing fish and being not too well-versed in that type of DIY stuff I am looking into the premade ones. I understand it will be more expensive in the long run but if I am only using it on a 20g tank with a carpet and a moss area I feel as if I would be able to get more use out of one tank so the 10$/tank may not be too bad.
I also have little room since I am without a stand for now so a large CO2 tank wouldn't be able to fit.
why are these not sold at pet stores?
>>2165970
Unavailability, high shipping, not worth spending on, plenty of reasons really.
What's a good hiding home for a crayfish?
Are peacock cichlids haps, mbuna, or neither?
>>2165953
What are you trying to feed it?
My mom put 3 guppies and 2 balloon mollies in her 5-gallon aquarium tank. That's around 200% over the bioload. How long do you think they have? Is the tank and the fish even salvageable?
Can someone id this plant for me?
I just bought a 30g from an old German man and there's a hundred of them,
>>2166023
Honestly they'll probably be fine if you change out half the water twice a week and get a big filter.
>>2165377
Take them all out, rearrange your decorations, rearrange everything. Put them back in.
how deeply do you bury glossostigma seeds?
>>2166034
alright. I'll do just that. Thanks.
>>2165839
I only payed 16 for my adapter. Maybe you can find one used, same with the lights
>>2165855
not him, but he might have implied that it will get too small for sword tails. They tend to get rather big and need lots of swimming space, so for two, you might be looking at a 20ish gallon in the future, otherwise they may get too crammed and foul up the water in your 2.5
>>2165377
Do you have a large tank or is keeping a male with multiple females fairly easy?
My Amblyeleotris guttata should arive any moment. Interessted in Pictures?
>>2165545
Got told to fill it up 3/4, because they breath air as well and its nicer for em.
>>2166041
I'll try this, thanks
>>2166067
it depends on your individual fish
I had 4 of them in a ten gallon. 3 females, 1 male.
Before I put my boy in, the 3 girls sort of established a pecking order from biggest to smallest, picking on the smallest on the most but it only lasted for a few seconds at a time
When I added my boy, it was like they complete forgot that they kind of hated eachother and spent all their time for the first few days 'flirting' with him. He flared a bit but mostly just seemed confused. Now they mostly just do their own thing and it's been really peaceful until I introduced my 5th in my new 60 gallon
If you want to try it, I suggest having dividers on hand or backup tanks just in case you get a fish thats super aggressive. Also keep plenty of plants and 'toys' for them to claim
>>2166029
if you mean the bright green one. Looks like a hygrophila. My guess would be polysperma.
>>2166069
Yes.
>>2166080
Who told you that? If you're really worried about the air breathing aspect of the fish, you can leave a little off the top, but you don't have to only fill the tank up 2/3 of the way. And honestly, air breathing is a survival technique. Make sure your water is oxygenated just like you would for any other fish and he'll breath that just fine.
Anyone ever order from CO2art?
Thinking of getting this because I don't trust myself to build it. http://www.co2art.co.uk/collections/complete-co2-systems/products/advance-complete-aquarium-co2-system
I have some red cherry shrimp questions. So I have a five gallon Aqueon Evolve. It ran for over a month and fully cycled; it contains(ed) two white and grey speckled rocks and dwarf hairgrass, which is growing pretty well. A few days ago, I finally bought my shrimp; 10 red cherries. I drip acclimated them and then after the first night, two had died. After the second night (this morning) one more had died. All the others seem healthy and at least one has molted. The deaths were not due to failed molting. I tested my params this morning upon finding the third corpse; PH is around 6.8, nitrites and ammonia are at 0, and nitrates are around 5 ppm. Temperature is ~75. I did some research and it seems that elevated water hardness (which I don't have a test reagent for, KH or GH) can be shrimp killers. I also found a forum in which someone had said that calcareous rocks often elevate hardness. All of the white bits in my rocks are almost definitely calcite (geophysics major) and I suspect that this was the problem. I have removed the rocks and hope that this will stop the fatalities. I was curious if my conclusion seems correct and if anyone has any other ideas as to what the problem could be. None of the shrimp were lethargic or pale before death; they do seem to like hanging out near my filter intake but I've heard this is fairly normal as RCS often like swimming against a gentle current. They do not spend all their time at the filter and seem to explore the tank and are eating the algae that has built up in a few places (not overgrown). Any input would be appreciated, thanks!
>>2166248
Having harder water myself and being oblivious to the fact that certain rocks raise hardness even more at the time, I can attest to the same thing you observed. Happened to me with yellows. Had 20 bought once, added them, and about 3-5 died. Happened everytime, till I removed the rock. So removing the rocks and maybe cutting down your water a bit with RO water would be your best bet. Since its Neocaridina shrimp dont let your water get too soft though.
My catfish arrive tomorrow, how do I add them to my betta tank?
>>2166266
Just acclimatize them like any other fish. Betta dont usually bother catfish, since they don't look like competition. So best bet is just to put them in the tank, when they have been acclimatized.
>>2166080
Even if you filled it up all the way to the top he'd still have access to air. Aquarium hoods aren't airtight seals.
>>2166248
Probably a fluke. If your pH is 6.8 it's really unlikely that the water is all that hard, and water hardness is only really ever an issue with Caridina spp. Some morphs of Neocaridina like yellow and blue are a bit more delicate due to inbreeding, but cherry shrimp can tolerate a huge range of GH and KH.
Dumb question, but if I buy a fixture with 2 bulb slots would it help my plants more than just 1 or does it not really matter.
Also what fluorescent bulbs for plants do you all recommend?
>>2166080
kek
>>2166213
They're fine, just know that you are getting absolutely fucked price-wise if you don't build your own CO2 rig. I understand being nervous about building one, but there are plenty of detailed guides around and it's going to be cheaper that way.
>>2166297
Two bulbs would be good for medium to high light or carpet plants. T5 high output is the best but t8 floramax are good to.
>>2166358
Is there a particular fixture/brand you would recommend?
does anyone here use COB bulbs? Thoughts? Effectiveness?
>>2166382
Aqueon is the most readily avaliable at any pet store and they're pretty good. Light brands don't matter much but there output does if you want cheap easy to get bulbs a t8 fixture is the way to go. If you want high quality lights that are more effective go with t5 fixtures. Both types of bulbs can be bought at home depot or Lowe's. Just look for 6500k or higher rated lights.
>>2166385
COB bulbs? They're just LEDs.
>>2166010
>Unavailability
precisely the point i'm making
>high shipping
???
>not worth spending on
subjective
>plenty of reasons really.
actually, there are very few reasons.
>>2166017
good point, but i think the hobby could benefit from micro fish being more available.
espeically considering most fish are crammed in a tank that's wayyyy to small for them.
>>2166449
no one will buy them. They'd already be in stores if there was a demand
>>2166480
People don't just wake up one morning and decide they really want a specific fish they've never seen or heard of before.
demand is created by placing the unnecessary item in front of people.
the anon may be right, perhaps that is the fish the aquarium hobby deserves.
>>2166451
The hobby will benefit from the education necessary to create a demand for microfish.
The American masses have to learn proper fish care before there's any demand for something like that, though. It'll probably happen eventually, but not anytime soon.
>>2166480
I'd want them to keep even in a fuck huge aquarium
>>2166485
Most people have a general idea of what qualities they want in a fish before buying it. Throughout most of America, that list usually goes "cheap, colorful, big, and impossible to kill." Someone with a 3-5 gallon tank is going to spend $6 on a trio of brightly colored guppies or platies before spending $20 on a school of fish "that I can barely see."
Assuming they don't just get a feeder goldfish.
Also, Americans don't cycle their tanks properly. Putting microrasboras on the market would mostly just result in a lot of dead microrasboras.
>>2166491
Hundreds of tiny fish in fuckhuge aquariums are the best thing ever.
>>2166493
notice that we still have discus in almost every pet shop despite them not meeting any of stereotypical requirements you attribute to americans.
appealing to the common man is a great way to make lots of little sales.
most of the money made in the US isn't from selling to the common man, and it's usually commoners that think it is.
I'm really interested in marine inverts.
So far I have
Emerald crab
Skunk shrimp
Harlequin shrimp
Is there anything rare that I should be on the look out for?
At my LFS I saw a crustacean labeled "red lobster" but it was bright cherry red with white bands on it.
Looking to start a shrimp tank/breeding them. I have a couple of HOB filters that I am not using and heard you can just slip a sponge over the intake to prevent babies from being sucked up.
My question is, what sponge do I put on there? I saw some basic internal filter sponges at the LFS and was wondering if these would be OK or is there a specific type I need?
Also, would a filter rated for 20g be too much for a 10g shrimp tank?
Is there anything that I could put a male betta with in a planted 10 gal?
How do I go about obtaining and caring for a crab? I have no idea what I'm doing but I love crabs in general
>>2166499
>notice that we still have discus in almost every pet shop
>citation needed
I see them in hardcore specialty shops in metropolitan areas and that's about it.
>most of the money made in the US isn't from selling to the common man
>also citation needed
>Ammonia: perfect
>Nitrite: perfect
>Nitrate: might as well have dead fish
So my Ammonia and Nitrite are great, but no matter how many water changes I do my Nitrate is still in the red and I mean red red like redlining that shit. What is up with this?
What are the most popular freshwater genera which hobbyists specialise in?
Also why aren't salt water aquariums more popular here? Too fiddly?
>>2166522
Pic related would be the easiest method, but any filter will work as long as you can cut a hole in the middle and slip it over the intake. If you want to get particular with the hole, fully but barely submerse the sponge in a tray of water, freeze it, then use a drill with a large bit to make a perfectly round hole in the center.
A 20 gallon filter might end up blowing them around the tank. If that's all you have you can look into DIY filter baffles.
>>2166529
Dwarf cories, small tetras, rasboras, platies, wild colored guppies, etc. Depends on the temperament of the betta. If he's a dick he might not tolerate anything else in the tank with him.
>>2166543
What kind of crab? There are fully aquatic, semi aquatic, and "land" (hermit) crabs, and the first two of those come in fresh, brackish, or salt water.
>>2166549
Have you tried testing it right out of the tap? When I was on well water nitrates from the tap were around 80-100.
You could try something like Seachem Purigen if you can't fix it.
>>2166551
My guess would be Malawi cichlids, but killifish and rainbowfish have pretty big followings as well.
/an/ is poor and saltwater tanks are expensive to set up.
>have ghost shrimp in an unfiltered tub
>take two of them out and put them in my filtered tank
>one dies within three hours, while the other is still alive
did i transfer them too fast? something in the water? they've been living in that tub for quite a while but my main tank water apparently killed it?
I want to get a better (2 bulb) hood for my tank. Thinking about HO since I want to start a planted tank. I haven't found a fixture that has good reviews yet so I am thinking about DIY.
This is pretty cheap but the only downside is there is no reflector to focus it down and there is no mounting mechanism but that isn't a big problem since it is an easy fix.
Can someone reccommend me a dual T5 HO fixture or a DIY?
>>2166573
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia-Lighting-2-Light-High-Output-Multi-Volt-T5-Compact-White-Fluorescent-Strip-Light-ZR-2-54T5HO-MVOLT-GEB10PS/203137160
Forgot the link
Ok an, I put some more mopani and copied that marimo carpet with a spare marimo. Thanks to the anons who helped. Suggestions and comments encouraged.
>>2165365
Btw does it really stay green? I unraveled a ball, streched it a little, and sewed them onto the wood with dark green thread.
>>2166566
Bump for this, I did this the other way around and they all died, lol.
>>2166573
http://www.aquatraders.com/48-inch-2x54W-T5-Aquarium-Light-Fixture-p/52123p.htm
A 2-bulb T8 fixture would be cheaper and still good enough for most medium light plants.
>>2166588
Thanks, I am trying to go for T5 HO in case I want to put high light plants or 'future proof' if I want to get a larger tank.
What bulbs would you recommend? Just 2 basic plant bulbs or some other mix of bulbs?
I've been having one hell of a time getting my new 10 gallon appropriated. 2 Amazon Swords, 1 Cabomba plant, a bunch of water wisteria and a mossy rock.
It was cycled prior to me setting it up, I had 2 small fantail goldfish in there temporarily until I could move them into an outdoor pond, but they both ended up dying on me for some unknown reason. No signs of disease or parasites or anything.
Then, I had 2 fancy guppies and their fry in there. They are all actually still in there, they are all doing great and have showed no signs of sickness and are eating well. A male and a female and about 6 fry.
At first, I added a male dwarf gourami and 4 platys, and of course the guppies and their fry. I had one of the platys die on me and I then returned temaining three, as I figured they were kind of overstocking it anyway. The guppies and the gourami are still doing great to this day.
I (stupidly) added a female betta, but she died in two days, unknown reason. I then added 5 neon tetras and some ghost shrimp. I am currently down to 2 tetras, as the others died for some unknown reason, and I only lost 2 shrimp out of 5. Although one of the tetras looked sheisty from the get-go, so I hardly attribute that to my tank.
Oh and I also have a Stiphodon Goby in there, he lives under the mossy rock and eats off of that. He's actually doing very well, under his rock typically but very healthy looking and active when I see him out.
Anyway, what could be going on here? The only stable inhabitants are the gourami, the immortal guppies and the stiphodon goby.
I tested the water, nitrites were 0, nitrates were just ever so slightly up, but still in the safe zone, everything else was fine, other than that my water is pretty hard (well water) but I have been and currently am keeping other fish in it and they're fine. The plants seem to enjoy the extra nutrients and minerals, also.
Do I just have shit luck or is there something I'm missing here?
>>2166566
you probably transferred them way too fast - considering that the unfiltered tub would have had wildly different bacteria and temperature for its water...
>>2166548
>>notice that we still have discus in almost every pet shop
I never see Discus in pet shops. Havent even SEEN a Discus in person in something like a decade. Where the hell do you live?
>>2166581
>Btw does it really stay green?
I've had the tank set up since Christmas and it looks maybe half a shade darker than when I first set it up, but still very green.
What plant(s) should I buy for a shrimp bowl? I've got everything lined up except for them
>>2166596
Thanks!
Your whole setup looks awesome.
>>2166604
Pics? I want a shrimp bowl.
>>2166596
The drawn icons on your spray bottles are adorable.
>>2166284
I dont need to take the betta out first?
>>2166595
>Where the hell do you live?
Colorado.
perhaps we have a wealthier clientele? Even our local Petco has discus.
>>2166548
>>also citation needed
none will be forthcoming, I'm here to laugh at your ignorance, not remedy it.
you actually believe pet shops make their living off of selling goldfish to poor people? I don't think you realize how much that building costs or how little they make off of a goldfish.
>>2166511
If youre not gonna have corals, look into an anenome, also conches(fighting are smaller, queens get huge), nassarius snails (really cool), hermits, urchins, depending on your lighting and water conditions tridacna clams, sea cucumbers, and fan worms. the marine hobby has such an insane selection when it comes to inverts.
>>2166632
Forgot pic, here are some maxima clams
>>2166590
Typical "daylight" (5000-6500K) or "cool white" (8000-10000K) bulbs will do, even ones from Phillips or Sylvania. Supposedly the biggest difference between cheap home improvement bulbs and expensive aquarium ones are that the aquarium bulbs create less glare (the white reflection you see in pictures), so they look better online.
>>2166624
California here. My local zipcodes(San Bernardino and Los Angeles) dont list any of them close. They just arent popular out here, i'm guessing
I have a bag of soil for succulents, could I place that at the bottom of my aquarium for use with shrimp?
>>2166591
Neon tetras are really hit and miss, and they're more sensitive to hard water than a lot of other fish, especially if you rushed acclimating them.
The female betta and platy may have just been bad stock. Quality control isn't exactly great with mass farmed fish like that. Same for the neons, actually.
Keep a close eye on your stiphodon, that's really not an ideal habitat for him and they have a reputation for starving without live algae to eat.
Best of luck, though.
>>2166641
I mean in Petsmart/Petco
Chinatown seems to have them but chinatown always has everything
>>2166595
I was the one saying they're NOT everywhere. I mostly see them in the bay area and the Sacramento.
>>2166647
oh sorry, misquoted
>>2166596
that is such a cute tank!!!!!! oh my gosh!!! can you tell us more about it? Like, co2 flow, it's inhabitants (i've seen a couple cherries but that's it... are the cherries very big?), if it has a heater or what... it's such an adorable little thing, I feel inspired to make one of my own!
Anyone tried Ebay LEDs?
Looking at these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chihiros-A-Series-Aquatic-Aquarium-Fish-Tank-5730-LED-Lamp-12-50W-Light-20-80cm/142002037061?rt=nc&_soffid=200&_soffType=SaleAndClearence&_trksid=p5731.m3795
Really can't beat them at that pricepoint.
>>2166641
LA has pretty hard water, doesn't it? That would make discus difficult to deal with.
>>2166643
Even assuming there are no chemical fertilizers, you're going to have a lot of perlite floating around in your tank.
I've never owned an aquarium before and was looking at some of the kits on amazon and saw this one and was thinking of possibly getting it.
Would it be a bad idea? Should I go completely DIY instead? I'd like to have micro crabs and shrimp together if possible
https://www.amazon.com/Marineland-ML90609-Portrait-Aquarium-5-Gallon/dp/B00O8SZTKQ/ref=sr_1_13?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1468383615&sr=1-13&keywords=aquarium
>>2166657
just got this one for $35 http://www.ebay.com/itm/0-5W-12-18-24-30-36-48-72-Aquarium-LED-Light-Multi-Color-Full-Spec-Plant-Marine-/262204857881?var=&hash=item3d0ca09e19:m:mw1-WCCO6PnJGduCLVpqBlg
it's nice and bright but we'll see if I can actually grow anything with it
>>2166645
Thanks for the reply, man
Like I said, the stiphodon seems to be doing well, and the large rock (like 3+ pounds) is entirely layered with well-established algae and moss for him to eat. I've watched him eating on it on multiple occasions
And would a female betta be fine in the tank? The gourami in there is a super rad guy, he doesn't pick or nag at anybody. Gouramis and bettas are two of my favorite kinds of fish ( i have a separate planted 5.5 gal in my room with my wonderful male beta buddy).
At the pet store where I work (which consequently is where I get all my fish) we have a big 50 gallon display tank with a nice community of tropical fish in there. Only once in a blue moon does a fish die in there because it's maintained so well, but just the other day we had 3 of the 4 female bettas die in one day on us, and they'd all been in there for about 5-6 months, if not more. Don't know if that's relevant but I figured it's worth noting
also, any other stocking recommendations? Right now there's just the gourami, the guppies, 2 meme tetras, the goby and 3 ghost shrimp. And 2.5 ramshorn snails that came in on the wisteria
![P_20160712_214734[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/2HPRjsG.jpg "P_20160712_214734[1].jpg")
>>2166676
fresh setup
![P_20160712_215054[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/22bn2qu.jpg "P_20160712_215054[1].jpg")
>>2166689
light reflecting off of the bottom
>>2166667
The only thing I'd be concerned about is that there's no easy way to put a sponge over the filter intake, which means that smaller shrimp could end up getting sucked into the filter. You could get creative with some fishing line and a needle if you wanted to, though.
A more basic setup from a big box store would be cheaper, but that's more a matter of personal aesthetics.
Five gallons is easily big enough for micro crabs and some shrimp.
>>2166667
These usually have shitty lights, so not great if you want to have plants.
>>2166676
I'm curious why there's not more hype about them.
I've compared them with premium ones (Like Current USA for example) and they seem quite similar. Obviously worse build quality, but they are like 1/4th the price.
>>2166693
probably because it's a no-name light reeking of Made in China stickers
I like it so far though and it fluoresces a rainbow of color across my walls
>>2166552
Is there anyway I can tell he's a dick before putting anything in? I more just want a clean up crew and I heard bettas are less likely to attack things that hang out on the ground. If it makes any difference I noticed he calmly eats his food while the other betta I had would seem to visciously attack whatever I fed him
>>2166698
Errything is made in China.
If it has the correct wattage and color temperature, I don't see what could be bad about it. (Except the previously mentioned inferior build quality)
>>2166700
>Is there anyway I can tell he's a dick before putting anything in?
you can try putting the fish in a floating bag first and see if he goes for it or just ignores it but you wont really know until they're in the same water
>>2166703
>I don't see what could be bad about it.
build quality. Some people just dont trust chinese products even IF most of their stuff is china-made already
>>2166704
Do you suggest I add everything into the tank at the same time? My betta hasnt been introduced to his new tank yet, so if I maybe add the other fish first and then introduce the betta afterward do you think there would be less chance for aggression?
>>2166707
that generally works for females and worked for my male so go for it. Just be swift with your net if things go south
A thing to note is that males are slow as shit due to all the extra finnage so all of your faster fish should never be caught by him. You'll be fine, just be ready to remove him if need be
>>2166581
Your tank looks awesome, I jelly, anon.
>>2166710
Alright thanks I'll give it a try, he's definitely got the big fancy fins.
>>2166596
Oooohhh, I love that shade of blue.
Also, dank tank, yo.
>>2166649
(This ended up being way more long-winded than I planned, whoops)
Anyway, crappy pic, but here's the setup and progress.
No CO2, no heater, the filter is an Azoo Mignon 60 (the sponges were removed and replaced with ceramic rings). The background was done with slate flooring tile from Home Depot siliconed together. I also have a chunk of dead coral near the filter intake (back left section of first pic) to raise GH for the shrimp. I recently put the manzanita branches in the tank.
Current plants are Rotala rotundifolia, corkscrew val, a single dwarf sag, Bucephalandra sp. "brownie ghost," the marimo carpet, susswassertang, Anubias nana "petite," Cryptocoryne wendtii, java fern, giant duckweed (floating), and lucky bamboo (emersed).
I had yellow shrimp in at first, but I moved them to a 10 gallon tank and replaced them with some solid red culls from my red rilli tank (7 shrimp, ranging from half to three quarters of an inch). Other inhabitants are a single ramshorn snail, the nerite I mentioned in >>2165365, and lots of planaria worms and seed shrimp I have no interest in removing.
The lights I started out with are the LEDs from a Top Fin 10 gallon kit (i.ytimg.com/vi/HhvLrAbcXcI/hqdefault.jpg for a pic). I switched after a couple months to a 13W power compact fluorescent hood (it looks like s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/73/d8/89/73d88931ab4c6c5b53c53fd51f8fbc4f.jpg but I don't think they make it anymore). I switched back to the LEDs a couple weeks ago because I prefer the sleeker look. I put some aquarium background on the glass lid to hide the LEDs. Lighting schedule is four hours on, three off, six on.
I... don't think I missed anything....
Is 5 gallons too small for a single clown fish?
>>2166719
For what reason would you keep a clown in such a small tank?
my betta keeps getting thrown around by his filter but only when he slims right under it.
Do I need to get rid off the filter or will he learn to avoid that corner?
>>2166632
I'm having corals, but I'll look into whatt you said. Thanks for the feed back.
>>2166723
you should have a filter with a adjustable flow since betta dont like waterflow at all
getting knocked around shouldnt hurt him (unless you have sharp objects in your tank)but if you think it is then remove it, otherwise just shake your head at his stupidity
>>2166723
Google DIY filter baffle.
>>2166641
>They just arent popular out here, i'm guessing
or the laws are too restrictive. I'd guess a fair number of animals they sell are illegal where you live.
but yeah, California may not be the best environment for that type of chain even if their trade was legal there. I'm not going to say that Californians are shopping snobs, but you guys do seem to have a better quality of store.
>>2166719
depends on your experience level and how lazy you are. But yeah, for most people that's way too small.
>>2166724
If you get nems just watch out, they like to move alot, the last thing you want is an anemone running around your tank getting chopped up by a powerhead or stinging all your expensive corals
does anyone know whether or not this is Oolite?
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rain-Forest-3-in-to-5-in-30-lb-Large-Egg-Rock-Caribbean-Beach-Pebbles-RFERL1/202576848?cm_sp=BazVoice-_-QA_PQRDR-_-202576848-_-x
>>2166385
What kind of reflector could you use that you wouldn't lose half the light output to restrike?
>>2166751
Nah looks like pebbles to me
>>2166016
Bloodworms
Planted my betta tank and am about to add the catfish. They messed up the order and sent me 5 cories pepper and one albino. Bit worried my bettas gonna attack them...
>>2166799
picture
Really scared hes gonna bully the catfish and eat the shrimp lads, hes picking at the bags now. Does that mean I should move him back to his 2.5?
You shouldnt worry too much. Unless your betta is a total psycho, he wont bother catfish.
>>2166807
Hes fine with them, and the shrimp(although he has picked at them a bit). But one of the catfish seems really ill. He swims fine but also keeps going to the top and rolling on his side.
I will see if I can get a picture
I really hope he's ok
>>2166821
you got them via shipping? I hope he adjusts. It's like no normal breathing behaviour though, as some corydoras tend to do?
>>2166834
Yeah I got them via shipping, and hes breathing fine. Not eating though.
Also the shrimp is just laid on his back at the bottom of the tank. I've been sent overpriced dying fish and shrimp.
Really hope they pull through and its just stress
Bought an old planted 30g.
Should I leave the gravel in? And just put sand over it? The water is really hard, 180 and nitrate is 80.
>>2166821
looks pretty dead to me, but could be the lighting
>>2166850
hes still breathing though, would it be nicer to put him out his misery
>>2166852
Give him a chance first. What could it be tho, temperature or food? age?
>>2166718
What kind of substrate? I've been wanting to convert my 10g to a shrimp tank but am stuck on what kind of substrate.
I recently built a sliding acrylic top for my aquarium. Normally I just let my light shine directly on the water for my plants. If I shut the lid and just have the light going through the acrylic will my plants still grow?
>>2166912
yes
>>2166923
(assuming it's not opaque acrylic)
>>2166723
Just rubber band some filter floss media on the outflow. It's what I did for my baby betta tank and he's doing great. The filter still operates at full speed but the filter bag on the out flow breaks up the flow really well.
>>2166799
They should be fine, thankfully peppers and albino are the same species so they'll still school together.
I need to upgrade my lighting for my planted tank.
I wanted to get a dual T5 HO hood but all the reviews for the hoods seem iffy at best.
As for LEDs I have heard they are somewhat disappointing.
What should I get/do?
All 3 corys are now floating on there backs at the top of the tank
>>2166718
Thank you very much!!! This is very informative, and the outcome with your tank is super adorable and well-made! One last question - how many gallons / where did you get the tank? It looks fairly small, and I haven't seen any that small in rectangle form. Is it just a little 5 gallon?
>>2166959
That sucks man, just buy corys at the store next time, yes you'll have to quarantine them, but they'll likely survive better.
>>2166932
Build your own t5 lighting or invest the money in a planted tank led system.
>>2167008
It really does, 2 pulled through and are healthy the other 2 passed away. I don't live near anything which is why I order my fish.
>>2167010
What kind of LED would you say I should look at?
>>2167011
Where did you order them from?
>>2167014
Check out plantedtank.net, and read the forums there. Plenty of LED light reviews.
What freshwater fish can be kept in a 5 gallon tank?
Wanted to get a nice little tank with some qt fishies
>>2166929
Most albino cories sold in the US are bronze cories (C. aeneus), not peppered (C. paleatus), but that could be different in Britain. Care between the two is mostly the same, but peppered cories actually do better at slightly lower temps than most other tropical fish.
>>2167011
Yoy can ask the place if they offer a "dead within 24 hours" guarantee. Send a picture of the fish and some kind of receipt showing when they were delivered.
>>2166627
>I'm not here to make myself seem reputable, just to waggle fingers and scoff at anyone who disagrees with my conjecture
Cool.
>you actually believe pet shops make their living off of selling goldfish to poor people?
I said no such thing.
Pet stores don't make much profit from livestock in general, it's all food and merch.
The one saying that microfish would appeal to the "common man" in the first place was >>2166485.
If they want to "make money" selling microfish to the "uncommon man," they'll special order them just like they would have to begin with.
>>2167065
Some small tetras or rasboras, some guppies, preferably endlers, but you could get away with a small school of fancies. Even a dwarf gourami or a betta. Shrimp are also a good possibility. Google
>>2167090
>The one saying that microfish would appeal to the "common man" in the first place was >>2166485 (You).
yeah, both comments are mine.
I didn't say they'd appeal to the common fish buyer,
I said nobody wants a thing they haven't yet seen or heard of.
Most of the money made in the US doesn't come directly from retail to the public at all. Consumers love to think they're driving forces in the economy and decide the survival of businesses, but that's really only true of retail, and even then most of the money isn't made off of cheap crap that people don't actually need.
In reality most of the money in the US comes from investment and equity. After that there's energy, then business services, and finally retail clear at the bottom. Consumers are individually the least important buyers in the country, though all that investment and business operation ultimately rests on serving them.
but when you split off actual sales from the business cost of making those sales, retail is pointless. It's usually a real estate play- selling crap to the public just pays the mortgage, the real profit comes from owning and selling the building and perhaps the brand.
>>2167094
Thanks anon. Ive been googling and researching is just nice to get different recommendations that might not be on other sites.
>>2167065
>>2167105
My absolute foremost recommendation would be sparkling gourami.
So I found a small crack looking scratch along the bottom center on the inside of my turtle tank (probably caused by a stone decoration that kept being knocked around which I just removed)
How long do I have until I'm possibly fucked up by water? It's a 90 gal.
how exactly is it decided how much room a fish needs? Like 3.5 gallons is fine for a lone betta but 10 gallons is considered luxury space. Why not 30 gallons? or 50? How can you tell if your fish hates every moment of its existence in its tank? or is only slightly disgruntled and would be happy with exactly one more gallon/ 1/2 inch more of space? Why is 10 dwarf shrimp per gallon okay just because they usually dont fight?
is it all guesswork? Genuinely curious
>>2166979
>It looks fairly small
Yes, very small.
I got the tank from a local shop. It's the "3 betta aquarium" here http://www.aquariumindustrial.com/betta-aquariums/
It's about 1.8 gallons. The closest thing you'll find in most stores is a standard 2.5 gallon tank, which is 2 inches taller but the same length and depth.
>>2166887
CaribSea Floramax in that tank, but I actually prefer Fluval Stratum for shrimp. The grains are easier for them to roll over and dig in. I just used FloraMax here because I was given a small amount and wanted to try it out.
Honestly though with these plants I could have just used sand. Most of them aren't even planted in the gravel, just tied to rocks or wedged into cracks.
>>2167119
Minimum tank sizes are generally determined as the smallest size at which the fish won't exhibit signs of stress, will most likely live to its full life expectancy, and which will not necessitate "excessive" maintenance.
"Maximum tank sizes" aren't a thing for the vast majority of fish. There's no reason you can't set up a 55 gallon tank for a lone betta. This woman did just that: http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/threads/55g-betta-palace.220330/
just did my first water change in my nursery tank and a bunch of my fry got trapped in my gravel.
How horrifying
>>2167124
that's a lot of space. And a shitload of snails
>>2167118
If it's a scratch you'll be fine, if it's a Crack you'll have to empty the tank and make a patch using another piece of glass and silicone.
>>2167144
Snails aren't so bad.
>>2167119
one word: bioload
My betta tank and the star of the show himself, Sarge.
Are the green anchored plants in here actually Brazilian swords? Or are the mislabeled Amazon swords? Because I just recently heard that Brazil swords will die completely submerged, but are often mislabeled. I'll move them and get new plants if neccesary, but I want to be sure before.
Otherwise, there's a dwarf lily, a memeball and a bunch of floating water wisteria in there. The only other inhabitants in the 5 gal are 4 ghost shrimp and a small horned nerite snail as of yesterday.
What plant soil stuff should I get for the bottom layer that is safe for the tank and fish in it? I don't want to go and get something bad.
