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Fish tank advice

wildlife, gardening, environment, Rural living, Pets and Vets
JessUK98
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Fish tank advice

#558941

Postby JessUK98 » January 4th, 2023, 9:27 am

Are there any experienced fish owners about that can give me some advice please?

My son got some money for Christmas and has been obsessed with getting a goldfish (he loves watching fish).
In our naivety we went to Pets at Home, let him choose a tank (this one :roll: https://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets ... t-15-litre). Got some “Tap safe” to remove the chlorine and set it up.

Went back to get our fish to be told we weren’t allowed a goldfish as the tank was too small (it’s a 15 litre), but we could have 6 little White Cloud Mountain Minnows or 2 platy fish. He chose the WCMM and off home we went.

They’ve seemingly settled in well, but I have concerns about the water quality. We are on our 4th day and it’s starting to not look crystal cear.

Do I need to get some kind of ammonia cleaner?

What about the filter? I’m not sure if the flow is too strong. Not sure what it is but it is branded “PENN-PLAX”. How often do I need to change the filter? It’s a sponge filter from what I can see. I was thinking every 2 weeks, along with half the water but think that might not be soon enough.

Going back to the water, do I add the tap safe before I put the new water in the tank, or add it after?

Was also thinking of replacing the plastic plant with a real oxygenating plant?

Any other advice appreciated. I’m obviously going to be the main carer so I’d like to get it right, and hopefully they will be quite low maintenance for me once I get the tank set up properly.

Jess

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Re: Fish tank advice

#558971

Postby redsturgeon » January 4th, 2023, 10:51 am

JessUK98 wrote:Are there any experienced fish owners about that can give me some advice please?

My son got some money for Christmas and has been obsessed with getting a goldfish (he loves watching fish).
In our naivety we went to Pets at Home, let him choose a tank (this one :roll: https://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets ... t-15-litre). Got some “Tap safe” to remove the chlorine and set it up.

Went back to get our fish to be told we weren’t allowed a goldfish as the tank was too small (it’s a 15 litre), but we could have 6 little White Cloud Mountain Minnows or 2 platy fish. He chose the WCMM and off home we went.

They’ve seemingly settled in well, but I have concerns about the water quality. We are on our 4th day and it’s starting to not look crystal cear.

Do I need to get some kind of ammonia cleaner?

What about the filter? I’m not sure if the flow is too strong. Not sure what it is but it is branded “PENN-PLAX”. How often do I need to change the filter? It’s a sponge filter from what I can see. I was thinking every 2 weeks, along with half the water but think that might not be soon enough.

Going back to the water, do I add the tap safe before I put the new water in the tank, or add it after?

Was also thinking of replacing the plastic plant with a real oxygenating plant?

Any other advice appreciated. I’m obviously going to be the main carer so I’d like to get it right, and hopefully they will be quite low maintenance for me once I get the tank set up properly.

Jess



Not an expert but I used to keep tropical fish.

A new tank will take time to settle down. The main issue you will get will be overfeeding since any uneaten food will pollute the water so be very careful to only feed what is eaten straight away.
You should not need to change water that often if you have things set up well but add any water conditioner first before adding water to tank.
The filter should have a nice strong flow rather than a weak one. Filters should be able to be washed out when dirty.
Real plants would be better than plastic for many reasons.
The idea is to get everything in equilibrium then it should not need to much maintenance.

John

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Re: Fish tank advice

#558977

Postby DrFfybes » January 4th, 2023, 11:01 am

AiY will be along soon (if he hasn't typed faster than me) but John is correct...

First advice is too late - I'd avoid Pets At Home for Fish - they are a generic pet superstore that happens to sell fish. I think their only saving grace is they don't deal in birds, but small mammals are their main focus. You might have an independant near you, or a Maidenhead Aquatics concession in a garden centre, but find someone who specialises in fish.

Your tank is apparently 4 gallon, and a rough rule of thumb is 1 inch of fish per gallon. 15L is fine for one goldfish, not sure why they suggested 6 minnows unless they expect some attrition and you'll end up with 4.

Too late now, but tanks need to settle - generally set them up and leave them a week or so before adding fish - this allows the chlorine to go from the water without wasting £7 on diluted EDTA :) Add a couple of flakes of food, and if possible get some water (or a plant in water) from a working aquarium as the water transferred will contain some of the bacteria needed for the filter to establish. However the water your fish came in should do it.

The water will often go cloudy/hazy for a few days, but it will take a lot longer than that for Ammonia to build up to a dangerous level, even in a small tank like yours. Feed little, perhaps once a day, and only what they eat in about a minute. They won't starve, and it will keep their waste products down until the filter gets populated with bacteria.

JessUK98 wrote:What about the filter? I’m not sure if the flow is too strong. Not sure what it is but it is branded “PENN-PLAX”. How often do I need to change the filter? It’s a sponge filter from what I can see. I was thinking every 2 weeks, along with half the water but think that might not be soon enough.


Presumably the filter came with the tank, so should be correctly sized. You can usually aim the outflow somewhere, but the minnows should be fine in fast flowing water.

NEVER change the sponge filter element unless it is crumbling - that is where the bacteria live that break down the Nitrites and ammonia. You can rinse it out every few weeks to get the crud from it, but don't clean it fully.. Also do not do large water changes, 20% max but preferably less, perhaps every week or 2.

The thing to avoid is doing too much too soon. It is very easy to get overenthused or panic and start doing 50% water changes twice a week etc, the thing that most upsets fish is rapid changes, they can generally cope pretty well with a range of conditions as long as it is constant.

You can take the water to be tested, or get a pack of 'dip testers' for under a tenner, which can be useful, but the best thing is to keep an eye of Gumtree or local Facebook pages and you'll get a lovely 6 month old tank for about half price in June.

Paul

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Re: Fish tank advice

#559081

Postby JessUK98 » January 4th, 2023, 3:12 pm

Thanks both. Looks like I’m panicking too soon then :D

Unfortunately there are no other pet shops locally. There used to be one independent but it closed down many years ago.

I’ll see how things go for another week or so then. I’ll pick up some water testing sticks at some point. The water they came in is also in the tank. Did the float on top of water 15 ish mins, then cut the top off the bag and left them for another 15ish mins before then emptying the bag, and did a happy dance when they were all still alive the morning after :lol:

Will definitely replace the plastic plant with a real one. Have been looking at easy plants and maybe something like java moss or anubias? I don’t want anything too big, as I don’t want to overcrowd the tank, he already has Marshall and Chase decorations in there as well and would not be impressed if they had to come out…….

The boy has been giving a tiny pinch of food once a day after nursery. The majority seems to float on the surface and gets eaten or sucked up by the filter. Does this sound about right? I was worried maybe I wasn’t feeding them enough, as there’s never anything left really (apart from one flake that wasn’t crushed enough and is stuck in the filter and another I can see in the gravel).


Ty,

Jess

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Re: Fish tank advice

#559129

Postby AsleepInYorkshire » January 4th, 2023, 5:26 pm

JessUK98 wrote:Are there any experienced fish owners about that can give me some advice please?

My son got some money for Christmas and has been obsessed with getting a goldfish (he loves watching fish).
In our naivety we went to Pets at Home, let him choose a tank (this one :roll: https://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets ... t-15-litre). Got some “Tap safe” to remove the chlorine and set it up.

Went back to get our fish to be told we weren’t allowed a goldfish as the tank was too small (it’s a 15 litre), but we could have 6 little White Cloud Mountain Minnows or 2 platy fish. He chose the WCMM and off home we went.

They’ve seemingly settled in well, but I have concerns about the water quality. We are on our 4th day and it’s starting to not look crystal cear.

Do I need to get some kind of ammonia cleaner?

What about the filter? I’m not sure if the flow is too strong. Not sure what it is but it is branded “PENN-PLAX”. How often do I need to change the filter? It’s a sponge filter from what I can see. I was thinking every 2 weeks, along with half the water but think that might not be soon enough.

Going back to the water, do I add the tap safe before I put the new water in the tank, or add it after?

Was also thinking of replacing the plastic plant with a real oxygenating plant?

Any other advice appreciated. I’m obviously going to be the main carer so I’d like to get it right, and hopefully they will be quite low maintenance for me once I get the tank set up properly.

Jess

Hi Jess,

My daughter has two fish tanks. She's had them for about 2 and 3 years now. Here are some photographs & also here.

Image
I already knew quite a lot about fish keeping when she got them, but we have both enjoyed learning more together. Water quality is the key to keeping your fish healthy and alive. Effectively when we keep fish in a fish tank, they are swimming about in their own waste. You need to change 10% of your water weekly. So I'd suggest a 2L jug will do the trick. Add the dechlorinator to the water before it is put in the tank. If you go on holiday for, say two weeks and can't change the water don't worry. Carry out a 25% or 4L water change before you leave and the same on your return.

The cloudy water is nothing to worry about. Your new sponge filter is “cycling”. Don’t add live plants. It’s a small tank and you need to add fertiliser as a bare minimum to keep the plants growing and healthy.

You will get algae growth if the tank is in a window with strong sunlight or exposed to strong natural light from an artificial light.

Finally your sponge filter. I won’t bore you with all the tedious stuff as to why. But don’t clean your sponge filter in tap water. The filter acts on biological waste and physical waste. Take 4L out of your tank, wash the filter out in that water and put it back. Then replace the water you’ve removed with new dechlorinated water. You won’t need to do this often. Start with once a month and if the water quality remains good then do it less often.

Right, before you ask me how you know if the water quality is good I’ll say get some of these

Keep your nitrates below 10 and your pH between 6.8 and 7.2.

So when you get some test strips test your tap water (once only) first, after dechlorination, and before adding it to the tank. If the pH is wildly different from the parameters above, please let me know and I’ll show you how to sort that. It shouldn’t be as we have to drink the stuff. Test your water as often as you need to understand how quickly the nitrates increase. But always - always change your water once a week as this reduces bacteria too.

You don’t need to worry about all the other test results on these strips. I suggested these strips as per strip they are cost effective even just for the two tests you want to carry out.

I hope that helps but please do ask if there are any other questions you have.

I hope your son enjoys watching his fish.

Take care

AiY(D)

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Re: Fish tank advice

#559165

Postby JessUK98 » January 4th, 2023, 6:19 pm

Brill, thanks AiY, the advice about the water change has been very helpful.
I'll pick up some of those test strips and forget the idea of getting a plant.

Our tank is not quite as grand as your daughters:

https://flic.kr/ps/3Pwdfr

Is the filter too low?

Jess

PS sorry can't figure out how to post the image

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Re: Fish tank advice

#559187

Postby AsleepInYorkshire » January 4th, 2023, 7:15 pm

JessUK98 wrote:Brill, thanks AiY, the advice about the water change has been very helpful.
I'll pick up some of those test strips and forget the idea of getting a plant.

Our tank is not quite as grand as your daughters:

https://flic.kr/ps/3Pwdfr

Is the filter too low?

Jess

PS sorry can't figure out how to post the image

Hi Jess,

You're more than welcome, although I only really repeated the excellent advice from John and DrFfybes. And please don't get me started on my daughter’s fish tanks as I will just not stop :lol: .

The filter is fine anywhere in the tank. However, if possible, I'd suggest you place it much nearer to the water surface. I can't quite see in the picture, but it looks as if it has a "power jet exit"? If you point this at the surface of the water, it will cause the water to ripple more (agitate it) and the amount of oxygen exchange will increase dramatically. But don't get hung up on this. If you can do it then fine, if not put the filter anywhere you want. Smaller fish do like the safety of plants. If you have time have a look for some additional plants (plastic of course) and see if you can plant a corner of the tank up. The fish will spend their time in this area on a night when sleeping/resting and it will reduce stress. Stressed fish can be susceptible to illness.

This sort of thing

And this

Fish tank plants

Obviously shop around. Tall at the back and small at the front. You’ll know better than I how to plant it to look interesting and give the fish an area of the tank to swim into for some cover, which is a naturally instinctive behaviour for these kind of small fish.

Hope that helps

AiY(D)
PS - I assumed you had a "sponge filter" based on your opening post. Can you let me have the model name or number for the Penn-Plax that you have please. A sponge filter is different to a cannister filter and I'd like to determine which you have so I can update my earlier advice. Thank you.

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Re: Fish tank advice

#559193

Postby DrFfybes » January 4th, 2023, 7:37 pm

I would agree with most of whay AiY says, except regarding plants then as long as you avoid Java Mess balls most other live plants should be fine. Anubis are slow growing and tend to stay quite compact, but with small minnows even the thin 'strandy' ones should survive OK and not break up and get in the filter.

Sure, they won't thrive, but they will help oxygenate the water, and use up some of the nitrates, and look a LOT better than the lurid coloured plastic ones.

Paul

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Re: Fish tank advice

#559206

Postby AsleepInYorkshire » January 4th, 2023, 8:49 pm

DrFfybes wrote:I would agree with most of whay AiY says, except regarding plants then as long as you avoid Java Mess balls most other live plants should be fine. Anubis are slow growing and tend to stay quite compact, but with small minnows even the thin 'strandy' ones should survive OK and not break up and get in the filter.

Sure, they won't thrive, but they will help oxygenate the water, and use up some of the nitrates, and look a LOT better than the lurid coloured plastic ones.

Paul

Hi Paul,

I think live plants is a good suggestion, but I'd make a couple of points all the same, if I may please. Plastic plants will be an easier option for beginners and Jess has a gravel substrate not sand. The gravel will need cleaning, albeit infrequently and I would suggest this would be difficult with live plants. I agree with you that some plastic plants can look a bit over the top or lurid as you point out, but I have also seen some that are reasonably authentic. However, that option is there for Jess if she feels confident and it has to be something that meets with her sons tastes.

My daughter has live plants in her aquarium but has a sand substrate, Co2, and high end plant lighting. She also uses fertiliser. All which vastly increase the cost of the hobby.

It should also be noted that plants only produce oxygen during the day if in sunlight or (as in my daughters case) a light that simulates sunlight. At night plants will produce Co2. I couldn't say with any degree of confidence that the amount of oxygen they create during the day when not near sunlight would be remarkably significant.

All that aside if this is a choice that Jess prefers I'm more than happy to offer some suggestions on the easier plants that she can consider and offer my thoughts on how to support their growth. And if she does go down the route of live plants she will have to ensure that she doesn't introduce snails with them, which, frustratingly, nowadays is almost guaranteed.

AiY(D)

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Re: Fish tank advice

#559223

Postby JessUK98 » January 4th, 2023, 10:29 pm

AsleepInYorkshire wrote:
JessUK98 wrote:Brill, thanks AiY, the advice about the water change has been very helpful.
I'll pick up some of those test strips and forget the idea of getting a plant.

Our tank is not quite as grand as your daughters:

https://flic.kr/ps/3Pwdfr

Is the filter too low?

Jess

PS sorry can't figure out how to post the image

Hi Jess,

You're more than welcome, although I only really repeated the excellent advice from John and DrFfybes. And please don't get me started on my daughter’s fish tanks as I will just not stop :lol: .

The filter is fine anywhere in the tank. However, if possible, I'd suggest you place it much nearer to the water surface. I can't quite see in the picture, but it looks as if it has a "power jet exit"? If you point this at the surface of the water, it will cause the water to ripple more (agitate it) and the amount of oxygen exchange will increase dramatically. But don't get hung up on this. If you can do it then fine, if not put the filter anywhere you want. Smaller fish do like the safety of plants. If you have time have a look for some additional plants (plastic of course) and see if you can plant a corner of the tank up. The fish will spend their time in this area on a night when sleeping/resting and it will reduce stress. Stressed fish can be susceptible to illness.

This sort of thing

And this

Fish tank plants

Obviously shop around. Tall at the back and small at the front. You’ll know better than I how to plant it to look interesting and give the fish an area of the tank to swim into for some cover, which is a naturally instinctive behaviour for these kind of small fish.

Hope that helps

AiY(D)
PS - I assumed you had a "sponge filter" based on your opening post. Can you let me have the model name or number for the Penn-Plax that you have please. A sponge filter is different to a cannister filter and I'd like to determine which you have so I can update my earlier advice. Thank you.



Not 100% sure what model the filter is - on the documentation that came with it said it was for a Cascade CIF4 / B / UK and Reptology REP45 / B / UK I think it's the Cascade as, from memory, it said CIF4 on the filter. I just moved it further up the tank so there's probably about an inch of water above the top of it.
It's like this one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155297890100?hash=item242879bf34:g:d68AAOSwsqxjkVtn&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAsJKv5OZ5nyISAlF237i8iHrIXUiPiEY4IhgH0ylWnszKVaiPbQjowvG4Zk0W8MKymVIeYHq4k8ICQjL1qvf8QaErANy0sm2wSCwhtNsWeRgI6r%2FyDXKuEDrQZiQYXpro2i%2BLgOmtB4%2FNmcUbYxKlbKlm5pV1%2BzPGUa2PMwIbLHN3mpqPZe%2Fgmn3YHfwUOKkezylcM1SlxzzX1hJehL5IcrxuHfvFBmH3tolXIeIvZXB0%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR-qglu2vYQ

The documentation shows a diagram with a sponge and sponge housing.

For the plants I think I'll take a look to see if I can find nice looking plastic ones and maybe brave a live one at a later date. The tank is on a table away from the window so doesn't get any direct sunlight, so don't think a live one would necessarily thrive if they need lots of light.

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Re: Fish tank advice

#559229

Postby AsleepInYorkshire » January 4th, 2023, 11:09 pm

JessUK98 wrote:Not 100% sure what model the filter is - on the documentation that came with it said it was for a Cascade CIF4 / B / UK and Reptology REP45 / B / UK I think it's the Cascade as, from memory, it said CIF4 on the filter. I just moved it further up the tank so there's probably about an inch of water above the top of it.
It's like this one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155297890100?hash=item242879bf34:g:d68AAOSwsqxjkVtn&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAsJKv5OZ5nyISAlF237i8iHrIXUiPiEY4IhgH0ylWnszKVaiPbQjowvG4Zk0W8MKymVIeYHq4k8ICQjL1qvf8QaErANy0sm2wSCwhtNsWeRgI6r%2FyDXKuEDrQZiQYXpro2i%2BLgOmtB4%2FNmcUbYxKlbKlm5pV1%2BzPGUa2PMwIbLHN3mpqPZe%2Fgmn3YHfwUOKkezylcM1SlxzzX1hJehL5IcrxuHfvFBmH3tolXIeIvZXB0%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR-qglu2vYQ

The documentation shows a diagram with a sponge and sponge housing.

For the plants I think I'll take a look to see if I can find nice looking plastic ones and maybe brave a live one at a later date. The tank is on a table away from the window so doesn't get any direct sunlight, so don't think a live one would necessarily thrive if they need lots of light.

Hi Jess,

This is it here too ...

From the information in the above

  1. Fully submersible aquarium filter quietly delivers 45 gallons per hour of crystal clear water for your small aquarium or terrarium up to 10 gallons in size. Suitable for both freshwater and saltwater environments.
  2. Pump head with adjustable and directional water flow. Cascade internal filters provide better filtration; physical, chemical and biological while also aerating water.
  3. Spray bar option allows you to distribute water evenly helping aerate your tank. Fish tank filter can be placed horizontally and is easily hidden.
A useful video on YouTube

Just confirming what I said in my earlier post was correct, regarding cleaning the filter material.

AiY(D)

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Re: Fish tank advice

#559275

Postby JessUK98 » January 5th, 2023, 10:08 am

Another question if I may. Electric being switched off in the village for essential works in a fornight from 9:00 - 14:00 (wouldn’t surprise me if it ended up being longer). Presume the filter being off for 5 or so hours won’t be too much of an issue?

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Re: Fish tank advice

#559278

Postby servodude » January 5th, 2023, 10:17 am

JessUK98 wrote:Another question if I may. Electric being switched off in the village for essential works in a fornight from 9:00 - 14:00 (wouldn’t surprise me if it ended up being longer). Presume the filter being off for 5 or so hours won’t be too much of an issue?


That won't be a problem (or it really shouldn't be)

When my daughter first got her goldfish(es) about 6 years back we didn't realise the filter/pump needed opening at the top to allow the exit flow - and the fish were fine until we noticed at the next water change :D
- one of the wee sods (George) is still going strong - his twin (Fred) left us about 4mths back (he never looked right to be honest though)... George has grown noticeably since

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Re: Fish tank advice

#559283

Postby JessUK98 » January 5th, 2023, 10:46 am

servodude wrote:
JessUK98 wrote:Another question if I may. Electric being switched off in the village for essential works in a fornight from 9:00 - 14:00 (wouldn’t surprise me if it ended up being longer). Presume the filter being off for 5 or so hours won’t be too much of an issue?


That won't be a problem (or it really shouldn't be)

When my daughter first got her goldfish(es) about 6 years back we didn't realise the filter/pump needed opening at the top to allow the exit flow - and the fish were fine until we noticed at the next water change :D
- one of the wee sods (George) is still going strong - his twin (Fred) left us about 4mths back (he never looked right to be honest though)... George has grown noticeably since


Wow, that’s good going. Apparently the White Cloud Minnows can live to about 7 years.

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Re: Fish tank advice

#559623

Postby JessUK98 » January 6th, 2023, 2:10 pm

So, had my test strips delivered (https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0B ... UTF8&psc=1).
Tap water looks the same colour as the first row (so 0 on everything and 6.4 for pH.
Fish tank for Nitrate, Nitrite, chlorine and hardness both look like 0. Alkaline, carbonate and pH look darker, but not as dark as 2nd row so Alkaline and carbonate must be somewhere between 0 - 40, and the pH somewhere between 6-8 - 7.2.

So I think all looks OK at the moment. Will do a test at least once a week for a bit to keep an eye on things.

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Re: Fish tank advice

#559636

Postby DrFfybes » January 6th, 2023, 3:31 pm

Tap water looks the same colour as the first row (so 0 on everything and 6.4 for pH.
Fish tank for Nitrate, Nitrite, chlorine and hardness both look like 0. Alkaline, carbonate and pH look darker, but not as dark as 2nd row so Alkaline and carbonate must be somewhere between 0 - 40, and the pH somewhere between 6-8 - 7.2.


That sounds good. Ammonia and Nitrite is the big issue, you can get Ammonia buildup without it turning to Nitrite, so an Ammonia test is IMO a better one. If it is being converted to Nitrite, then the bacteria have established so it willl nearly always then be converted to Nitrate. Check the date as the strips do expire.

It is strange - water testing, Tapsafe additives, CO2 balancers, plant fertilizer, water changes, all these are things i've only encountered in the last 20 years or so, CO2 and fertiliser is something I'd only really been aware of since AiY posted about them.

When I were a lad plants lived in the bottom of the tank and ate fish poo, the stuff that sank because the undergravel filter (powered by a column of rising bubbles in the corner from an airpump!) dragged everything down where it decomposed naurally. OK I did succumb to the fad of the Gro-lux bulb in one of the tanks in the late 1970s, but monitoring anyting but pH and changing water was unheard of unless things went wrong. If we wanted water we filled a bucket and left it overnight for the chlorine to come out.

However back then many of the fish were wild caught, and were much more hardy than the inbred stock we get now. Commercial breeding was not profitable, retails of 20p for a neon tetra, 6 for a quid, and sell your molly/platty/guppy babies back to the petshop for 5p a fish. We even bred Blue Acaras in a 4 foot community tank, with an Oscar and a few Gourami in there, before sucking them out with a hose to put them in a nursery tank.

People kept a couple of goldfish they won at the fair in a 5L bowl and changed the water when it got cloudy. Sometimes.

Now I'm not saying all this is a good thing, animal welfare and knowledge has come on leaps and bounds since then, equipment has improved, and with the internet access to a wider range than that stocked locally has opened a whole world of options. But with this availability and information comes worry, obsession with details, concern that detracts from enjoyment. Rather like that quiet ticking that you sometimes hear in the car but would normally ignore for the 6 years you owned it, now you can look online and find it is a portent of imminent catastrophic engine failure, then pH strips that go to 0.1 units (rather than the old universal paper which was a best estimate) means people agonise over their pH being 6.2 rather than 6.7, or gaze at the Nitrate test squinting to see if the pale pink colour is nearer 25 than 10.

By all means test the water every week or so in a new tank, but if it tests OK, then leave it. An ideal setup is one that self regulates, that needs no maintenance, where the plants use the fish waste, and the fish nibble on the plants. I know AiY won't agree with this, but you don't need to add chemicals or buy fancy lights to help plants grow - they're here for the benefit of the fish, not the other way around, and if they start to fade just pull them up and replace them.

So relax, watch the fish, they're supposed to relax you, not stress you :)

Paul

JessUK98
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Re: Fish tank advice

#559685

Postby JessUK98 » January 6th, 2023, 7:55 pm

We stopped off on the way home from nursery to get some plastic plants. Appreciate these are probably based on tropical plants though :lol:

Hopefully this isn't too over crowded now?

Before:
Image

After with the plants:
Image

I'm finding them quite entertaining to watch, especially when they get a pinch of food. They seem to be getting braver now and at least 4 of them go right to the top of the tank and pick off the food. They used to just dart after the food that floated down. I'll probably worry about the 2 littler ones not getting their share now :lol:

AsleepInYorkshire
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Re: Fish tank advice

#559751

Postby AsleepInYorkshire » January 7th, 2023, 10:28 am

Apologies I didn't catch up with you yesterday. I am decorating my daughters Lego room. She got some for Christmas. It all looks good, and the plants are fine. The pH is good as White Cloud Minnows will tolerate 6-8 pH.

You can test as often as you like or as little as you like. Don't worry about anything. Go at your own speed and do what makes you feel comfortable. The weekly water change is your best friend. No less than 10% per week. You may still get algae growth, but it should be very slight and you can clean it off by wiping it. If you put your hands in the tank, ensure you have no perfume or the like on them.

The plants, be they plastic or live, will reduce stress in this particular fish as in the wild it will use plants to avoid predation. If fish shoal in a fish tank it tends to suggest they are feeling stressed, although some species will shoal regardless. We often pop out to a small family owned and run garden centre that dabbles in tropical fish. They have a beautiful fish tank all fully planted. The Harlequin Rasbora still shoal. They are probably not happy with all the people walking by or could simply just prefer this.

I’d like to add a small note for Paul please. I am not disagreeing with you regarding live plants. I am aligning my advice with Jess’s budget, knowledge, and concerns. The photographs I’ve shown of my daughter’s aquariums set up are mere examples of fish tanks. Each cost an arm and a leg to purchase. They have been set up to minimise the amount of time she spends keeping them. They have automatic water changes, phosphate reactors, internal and external filters, high end filtration media, Co2 for the plants, expensive automatic plant lighting and RODI water is returned to the tank at each water change. She adds fertiliser and food and when testing the water she will add GH, KH and if needed acid buffers. She tests regularly with strips and has a schedule of the water quality parameters she needs to stay within.
These are

  1. Nitrates 0
  2. pH 6.8-7.2
  3. GH 6-12
  4. KH 6-12
  5. Phosphates 0.1-0.2
All that aside Jess has shown great interest in the well being of her sons fish. Perhaps with time I can turn her to the dark side and she too can become more involved with fish keeping ;) My bad :lol:

AiY(D)

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Re: Fish tank advice

#559768

Postby DrFfybes » January 7th, 2023, 11:11 am

AsleepInYorkshire wrote:Apologies I didn't catch up with you yesterday. I am decorating my daughters Lego room.
AiY(D)


You have a "Lego Room"??

I assume this is a normal room dedicated to Lego, rather than a shonky extension :)

servodude
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Re: Fish tank advice

#559791

Postby servodude » January 7th, 2023, 12:00 pm

DrFfybes wrote:
AsleepInYorkshire wrote:Apologies I didn't catch up with you yesterday. I am decorating my daughters Lego room.
AiY(D)


You have a "Lego Room"??

I assume this is a normal room dedicated to Lego, rather than a shonky extension :)


Perhaps AiY is actually James May?


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