Your current Fish tank Setups!

[b0rn2sk8]

Couldn't find TNC compete but went with Evol Aqua. Take it I can use both in conjunction at the same time?

Fertiliser and carbon supplement? Yes absolutely.

Really nice setup. What's the substrate you using? Sand?

I think the poster said its JBL Mando with JBL Aquabasis under it. Its a clay based 'aqua soil', there are lots of different brands out there are various prices, I have the Tropica version which is a dark brown rather than a light brown of the above.

 

[Kyo]

To be honest i missed that part and didnt know what Mando and Aquabasis was. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Pants]

That's right. I had my heart set on a dark brown proscape type soil when I went into the shop, but now I'm pleased that they didn't have any!

Apparently the soil underneath and clay on top arrangement can provide the roots nutrients for years which I like the sound of.

 

[Kyo]

With that type of substrate, how to do you maintain it? Do you need to gravel vac etc? Also will any of the fine substrate get sucked up into your external filter?

 

[Pants]

Yeah I'll be using a gravel vac, but I have shrimp and nerite snails which often seem to take care of the leftovers.

I'll have to get back to you on how well the gravel vac works with this stuff, going to try for the first time this weekend. I had a few floaters get into the filter but it was easy to clean out. The expanded clay (top layer) take a while to settle down.

I think the proscape stuff would be easier to work with, and probably easier to rearrange if you ever wanted to do that. If I wanted to change things up I image the tank will turn into a cloudy mess again! No regrets now it's settled though.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

Don’t gravel vac that stuff, it’s so light weight it will just end up in your bucket or down the sink.

When you have live plants you don’t tend to do gravel vacs. You want the nutrients to get down to the roots. Normally you would just wave it over the top to pick any surface detritus.

There is very little opportunity for gas build up in that kind of substrate because it’s very loose and light. It’s moves around quite a lot on its own.

 

[Nasher]

Most of the crap just sits on top of sand/fine substrate.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

Most of the crap just sits on top of sand/fine substrate.

But it doesn’t on an aqua soil product which is what is being discussed

 

[Kyo]

Don’t gravel vac that stuff, it’s so light weight it will just end up in your bucket or down the sink.

When you have live plants you don’t tend to do gravel vacs. You want the nutrients to get down to the roots. Normally you would just wave it over the top to pick any surface detritus.

There is very little opportunity for gas build up in that kind of substrate because it’s very loose and light. It’s moves around quite a lot on its own.

If you dont vac then wont ammonia spike up? Left over food is one thing but all the fish waste needs to be cleaned away?

 

[Nasher]

As long as it has a good amount of rooted plants it shouldn't. I had a shrimp tank running for 2 years and never touched the soil (or sponge filter). The water never got polluted and they bred like crazy.

With shrimp there won't be left over food though. Plus I only ever use pellets which are much cleaner.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

If you dont vac then wont ammonia spike up? Left over food is one thing but all the fish waste needs to be cleaned away?

No, those soil substrates are very loose and allow the water and oxygen (and therefore bacteria) to slowly circulate down there. I have had mine set up with soil for years, its rarely agitated by me let alone doing something like a gravel vac.

Gravel vac is more about removing physical detritus which you can see more than anything else which isn't really necessary or desirable in a planted tank, you don't want to disturb the roots of plants. It also stops the substrate from becoming compacted which can cause anaerobic conditions which are low/no oxygen pockets which house a type of bacteria that gives off toxic gas (sulphur smell). That's not really an issue with these soil types because they are too light and the shape means they don't compact easily.

 

[Kyo]

Thanks for the explanation. Had no idea how soil substrate worked. So the water change is enough to cleanse it.

Quick question, started using Seachem flourish excel this week. All fish seem fine thankfully.

So I got roughly 80 litres total volume of water. So following the instructions. My regiment

After water change >40%, 5ml per 40ltr = 10ml total.
Per Day 1ml per 40ltr = 2ml total.

I perform 50% water change weekly so for my next, i use the full 10ml again for full 80ltr volume of water in the tank right? Rather than just 5ml for the new water I am adding in.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

The volumes are based on the whole tank volume, not the water change amount.

 

[Kyo]

The volumes are based on the whole tank volume, not the water change amount.

Just wanted to avoid overdosing but i forget SFE expires after 24 hours so it would make sense to dose the entire tank after a large water change again. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[LiE]

My son has wanted to have a fish for some time so I've started to get a tank together for a Betta. Tank has been setup now for just over 2 weeks, just waiting for the ammonia and nitrite levels to come down before we can add a nice Betta. I did add a bio booster initially.

It's only a small 25ltr tank, wondering if I should consider any other fish along side the Betta?

Complete novice so any advice is welcome!

Gone with live plants, sand and a rock. Dropped some root tabs into the sand which I've read are needed. It's positioned in an alcove on the landing so no windows near it.

 

[BeeP]

Well my Plec went to the big tank in the sky after around 15 years, I hadn't put any new fish in the tank beside him for a few years as I got kind of bored with it after all these years.

I really miss sitting on the sofa just watching Bob bobbing around, quite often better than the telly.

Just got to drain the tank now and we get a bit of living-room back again.

 

[Crizzy]

I did a water change on the weekend, everything looked good until Monday night and I've got a fish missing. Couldn't find him anywhere.

Since then the water has gone really cloudy to the point you can't see through it... Any ideas?

 

[b0rn2sk8]

The fish may have died and your now having an ammonia spike, hence the cloudy water.

My advise is test and change water.

 

[Crizzy]

Sounds most likely, thanks

 

[Nasher]

"Need a peaceful top dwelling fish"

...Comes home with Golden Panchax :|

How long before it needs to go in my spare tank?