Aquariums

[xTiGeRx]

Grim,

NTS = New Tank Sydrome.

Yeah, it's a good idea to start the tank off with expendable fish..but..neons aren't very hardy....and once the ammonia and nitrate build up..they start dying off.

i bought 5 and 2 died off in a week. now i only got 3 left.

i also bought 2 swordtails at the same time..1 died too.

but....the tank is slowly stablailizing..once those damn GOOD BACTERIA hurry up and grow!

heheh

i thought i could get it setup for like less than 100..i've already spent 300..

what size u got? what heater? filter?

[grimlock]

i've got a 18inh 60litres tropical

All aqua one stuff, they are good i heard, and the filter has all these mods where you can direct flow so it doesn't break the water surface.

Then i can grow plants better

I got a CO2 maker as well, i reckon it's better to make it.

So far it's been a week and non of my neons are dead, one is going to die from what i can see, it's breathy heavily.

[saintz01]

i've got a 3 footer with tropical fish. so far it's set me back around $800...so far.

filter, heater, lighting: not sure what brand they are but i trust the recommendation by the aquarium guy.

in the tank i've got:

6 dwarf gouramis

2 golden gouramis

3 algae-eating sucker-cat fish

5 guppies

1 swordtal (the femaile died...it jumped out of the tank while i was changing water...and i didnt noticed till3 days later...oops)

2 sailfin gummy (couple)

got the setup for about 7 weeks now, no fatalities cept for the female swordtail.

i've got a mixture of 7 aquatic plants and they're growing really well in the tank.

was going to get some neons but gouramis tend to be a little aggressive towards the neons so i canned the idea, especially when neons are 10 for $15 bucks here (back in singapore, i can get them for 10 for $1.50).

[lucio_libre]

ive got a 150 liter tank with anubias, one amazonian swordplant, plenty of algae and small snails(just to ***** me off), 2 big bristlenose catfish, a couple of columbian tetras, black widow tetras and serpae tetras, im running an ehaim ecco external filter. Had my tank for 3-4 years, id hate to tally up the costs ;) and a 300watt heater, with two 4 foot neons lighting up the canopy.

[grimlock]

lets see pictures.

man i never knew people are into aquariums

i'll post some up of mine in 2 months.

there not much to see, only moss growing losely,

Hey how did you get your plants to grow so well without CO2 injection?

[lucio_libre]

It takes a while because i dont have any laterite(nutrients underneath the gravel). What you need to do it research plants on thier light needs and nutrient needs. Anubias dont need much light or nutrients. I made a home made CO2 injection with yeast, sugar and a 2 liter bottle of coke with some other devices. Ill put up fotos soon. Only problem is algae. I found two tricks. Dont use air stone or any oxygen during the day, the plants supply them. Use CO2 during the day, plants soak them up. Dont used CO2 during the night use Oxygen during the night. Plant heavily at start so tank settles quicker, and plants eat up excess nutrients so you dont get alot of algae. Just do heaps of research, theres a million websites out there.

[xTiGeRx]

saintz01,

i'm really keen on getting gourani's too!!

what's their behaviour like?

i heard the dwarfs are really timid and chickens...

the gold ones shouldn't be too bad.

i'd like to get oscars..but they grow too big..and i don't really wanna fork out for a 400lt tank setup!

i've got a 30l setup and it's already cost me $300!

Chris

[grimlock]

yeah, my tank is too knew, and the CO2 levels were too high yesterday, one of the neons came to surface for oxygen poor little guy.

I had to pump oxygen into the tank now i think his recovering within the plants.

Man i wish it the plants would hurry up and grow.

I've got heaps of 2 species of plants, 1 grass species and 1 moss species.

The tanks is planted out not much more room for any other plants.

I also made that CO2 system with the bottle, it worked but it didnt look very nice,

big airstone and all.

I've got this kit with a stair type diffuser it works and looks pretty good, so i am happy no big deal.

Got some plant supplement as well so i hope they grow fast.

[xTiGeRx]

Grim,

are they like...GASPING for air???

if they are..it's because of the ammonia...way too high.

visit www.aquahobby.com

it helps alot to understand why.

when ammonia is too high..they can't breath properly..sorta like having asthma.

new tanks will have high ammonia..because the beneficial bacteria hasn't grown enough to 'eat' away the ammonia...it takes about 4-6 weeks for the good bacteria to be at full strength..this is when your ammonia and nitrite levels should drop to zero.

(i know...i thought it would be easier!....)

[KoroLa883]

i'm really keen on getting gourani's too!!

what's their behaviour like?

i heard the dwarfs are really timid and chickens...

the gold ones shouldn't be too bad.

All Gouramis are very easy to keep. They are very low maitenance.

They are very territorial sometimes, even the Drawfs. Sometimes they even try to nibble a bigger fish. The Rainbow Dwarf a very pretty.

[saintz01]

yeap, gouramis can be territotrial at times. usually there should be a 'dominant' one in the group but there shouldn't be too much of a fuss.

i've got 2 rainbow dwarfs, 2 blue dwarfs, 2 red dwarfs and the 2 golden gouramis. so far they're pretty good with each other, no fights.

i find them to be quite low maintenance and they seem to get along with the rest of the gang in my tank. :P

[grimlock]

Yeah i read aquahobby articles.

yeah my ammonia is through the roof, i am going to get a test kit.

I've changed the water like they said,

so yeah

the guy that was going to die he is still living, i am going to try and save him.

Plus no feeding for 2 days.

Dam i hate slow growing bacteria.

bunch of loosers.