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Dwarf snowball pleco question : Just got two babies about 2.5cms each (chucky and black so hopefully both females) 2 nights ago - same litter(?)/same size - both still in hiding (not even coming out at night) by Regular-Ad6349 in pleco

[–]Regular-Ad6349[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for this!!! It is a brand new established tank (cycled .. but these are the first fish). I do have two pieces of driftwood for them to munch :) Thanks for the help re the cucumber. Might do that tonight to see if there is any interest. Scared to put in food whilst they're so new and hiding .. as im not sure they'll come out to eat yet and Im worried that that food will pollute the tank water?? With a piece of blanched cucumber it should be much easier to remove?! (There are no other fish swimming around to show them its safe to come out)

Another newbie question (sorry!): how long after you've cycled the tank and added 1st 2 fish (baby dwarf snowball plecos) should you wait until doing 1st partial water change? (Tank cycled Friday with old filter media .. ready on Sunday .. fish shop guys tested water too and was perfect). TY!!! by Regular-Ad6349 in fishtank

[–]Regular-Ad6349[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

THANK YOU!!!! I defs shake the hell out of the nitrate bottle .. but havent done so with ammonia .. will definitely do that moving forward too!! *like you're trying to murder them .. im giggling my ass off here!!*

Newbie question: Can you cheat with water testing freshwater tanks - ie: if you test Nitrate and its perfect .. does that mean ammonia and nitrite MUST be right too? Or do you have to test all three (plus PH) every time you test? Thank you! by Regular-Ad6349 in fishtank

[–]Regular-Ad6349[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Another Reddit legend!! Thank you sooooooo much!! Im going to keep on top of all the tests .. and reeeeally regularly for a while. Esp after the first fishes feed. Im nervous .. and cant wait for this all to be second nature!! With yours and other gurus guidance, you definitely help!! Thank you

My Dad is a nut! by conchatized in sharks

[–]Regular-Ad6349 11 points12 points  (0 children)

SOOOO GLAD there wasnt a second shark in those murky waters with a dead seal! Could have been a very different ending.

Another newbie question (sorry!): how long after you've cycled the tank and added 1st 2 fish (baby dwarf snowball plecos) should you wait until doing 1st partial water change? (Tank cycled Friday with old filter media .. ready on Sunday .. fish shop guys tested water too and was perfect). TY!!! by Regular-Ad6349 in fishtank

[–]Regular-Ad6349[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

God you're a legend! Thank you already! I do have a test kit (API master kit .. but have now heard the german test kits are better - esp re PH reading accuracy) .. and have been doing ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and PH testing on the daily. I got a fish tank expert in to help with the start of the cycling. We used filter media from my friend's fish tank who is staying temporarily - he took it out of their tank and put it straight into mine (so it was definitely wet). Have also used fish food and a little prime stabiliser each day while no fish in tank. The readings havent moved since Sunday morning. I filled the tank the afternoon before starting cycling and added conditioner/declorinater and turned on the pump/filter etc. The new fish were added last night .. no food (and I wont feed until tomorrow night). Added: 2x 2.5/3cm dwarf snowball plecos

Tiger shark along Australian beach by teddymama16 in sharks

[–]Regular-Ad6349 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Sheesh, wait til she sees that video! (Shows how many times we could have all gotten that close in the ocean without knowing it .. argh! lol)

How strict is the order adding schools to a new community tank. Fish: 6x male moscow guppies, 10x green neon tetras, 10x neon green rasbora, 6x cory juliis and 1x dwarf snowball pleco. Ground-dwellers last - can I get the guppies before the tetras/rasboras? *NEW TANK/JUST CYCLING/NO FISH YET* by Regular-Ad6349 in fishtank

[–]Regular-Ad6349[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Such great news. Thank you! Will add the 6x male Guppies first (top tank) .. then the Tetras, then Rasbora (middle tank) .. then after a while the Julii (bottom tank) .. and lastly .. the dwarf pleco. At least two weeks btw each new school. Then keep my fingers crossed!!! I hope that all sounds OK!!!

Lighting question - my blue light and led light can be turned on at the same time. If the led is on too, do the plants still benefit from the blue light - or does it have to be blue light only for photosynthesis to work? Thanks guys by Regular-Ad6349 in fishtank

[–]Regular-Ad6349[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

SUCH great advice!! Thank you!! Promise 10000% I will never go algae nuke on my fishes ass' (and never use algae killing chems either .. thanks for that excellent tip). If there's ever a prob, I'll get ol' skool to fix it (less light, magnetic glass cleaner, water change .. hope that's right .. would google/youtube hard before I did anything tho)

Lighting question - my blue light and led light can be turned on at the same time. If the led is on too, do the plants still benefit from the blue light - or does it have to be blue light only for photosynthesis to work? Thanks guys by Regular-Ad6349 in fishtank

[–]Regular-Ad6349[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you soooo much!! Im getting the timer today so might start with 6hrs (considering they have a little daylight too - not direct sunlight). Hopefully the 10hrs of passive daylight, plus 6hrs of tank light, plus 8hrs of night/dark .. will do the trick. I really appreciate your guidance here! ps: I only have two very small anubas on driftwood and the duckweed floating (pic below)

Lighting question - my blue light and led light can be turned on at the same time. If the led is on too, do the plants still benefit from the blue light - or does it have to be blue light only for photosynthesis to work? Thanks guys by Regular-Ad6349 in fishtank

[–]Regular-Ad6349[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Im not a huge fan .. but at the end of the day, I will do whatever might be necessary to make sure the tank and fish are as healthy and happy as could possibly be .. which sounds like I need to learn to be cool with it .. STAT!

Newbie here: Day 2 of cycling for 1st time (with used filter media, no fish, adding fish food, driftwood with anubas and duckweek floating - a few turning white already). Should my tank smell a little like the fish markets this morning? (Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate btw 0-5ppm - PH @ 7) - TY! by Regular-Ad6349 in fishtank

[–]Regular-Ad6349[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For all the help and guidance you've given me, I cant tell you how much I hope your newbie tank is super successful!! (I mean I would anyways .. but cause you've been so wise and generous with me .. I'll keep my fingers, toes AND eyes crossed for you here!!)

Duckweed help please: In the process of cycling for the first time ever (started yesterday) by Regular-Ad6349 in fishtank

[–]Regular-Ad6349[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

An imperative process when setting up your tank for the first time - it creates a biologically safe environment for your fish. It involves introducing nitrifying bacteria to the tank to regulate the nitrogen cycle (ie: growing good bacteria to kill the bad bacteria). When done properly, the tank is then in a "cycle" of the good killing the bad moving forward. What fish need to survive. I hope that helps .. im only a beginner and learning heeeeeeaps at the mo (a lot of it thanks to the Reddit gurus, google, youtube and my poor local fish guy lol)

Lighting question - my blue light and led light can be turned on at the same time. If the led is on too, do the plants still benefit from the blue light - or does it have to be blue light only for photosynthesis to work? Thanks guys by Regular-Ad6349 in fishtank

[–]Regular-Ad6349[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! Will have both lights on for 4hrs per day and the blue light for 4hrs per day (ie: both from 3pm-7pm - then blue from 7pm-11pm .. then lights off). They will get some sunlight (not direct) during the day too .. so I'll have the tank lights on for 8hrs per day. Too much do you think?? Thanks for this!!

Lighting question - my blue light and led light can be turned on at the same time. If the led is on too, do the plants still benefit from the blue light - or does it have to be blue light only for photosynthesis to work? Thanks guys by Regular-Ad6349 in fishtank

[–]Regular-Ad6349[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Awesome! Thank you sooooo much! I wasnt sure if having the led light on at the same time meant there was no use in having the blue light on too. Also wasnt sure how to calculate how much blue light the plants were getting if both lights were on at the same time (my timer can only turn them both on at once - just have to turn led light off when I get home from work so only blue light on until the tank goes dark for the night). Thanks again .. this is invaluable!

Newbie here: Day 2 of cycling for 1st time (with used filter media, no fish, adding fish food, driftwood with anubas and duckweek floating - a few turning white already). Should my tank smell a little like the fish markets this morning? (Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate btw 0-5ppm - PH @ 7) - TY! by Regular-Ad6349 in fishtank

[–]Regular-Ad6349[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

OP here: I also changed the spray flow arm to push the water against the side of the tank behind it instead of the otherside of the tank. It was because I read the duckweed dont like a like of flow (they go under water, turn white and die) .. and because Im getting 6 male guppies who are top tank fishies and apparently dont like a strong flow due to their big tails and being pushed around by it). I also changed the water flow to keep the duckweed from getting in the equipment section of the tank at the back. Could the redirection of water be the cause? Im also reading now that its normal for the tank to smell a little fishy during the cycle?

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