Aquarium Hobby

[Jean Claude Vaaldamme]

I don't see a heater in your tank.
It is probably OK in the summer although the change in temps during evenings are not ideal. But when the colder temps come surely you going to need a heater for the tropical fish.

 

[B-1]

I'll get the proper name for these silver tetra, 5 of them with 5 glow tetra's seems to work very well. Both are small and schooling fish. Been observing them sometimes separated and most of the times, swimming together in a single school. They seem very happy together.

I love tetras they are such fun active fish and have great colours. They can be a bit of a hastle with fin nipping on slower fish and its sometimes hard to find well bred ones but they are great.

 

[Binary_Bark]

I don't see a heater in your tank.
It is probably OK in the summer although the change in temps during evenings are not ideal. But when the colder temps come surely you going to need a heater for the tropical fish.

Tropical fish likes water at a certain temperature yes, you are correct. But this is Durban, we don't know what winter is. But I'll take it into consideration and monitor water temperatures.

 

[Binary_Bark]

I love tetras they are such fun active fish and have great colours. They can be a bit of a hastle with fin nipping on slower fish and its sometimes hard to find well bred ones but they are great.

Luckily, the specialty store I go to knows what I currently have and helps me choose the right fish.
For newbies like me: Yes, tetras are hardy, almost impossible to kill, and super active swimmers, but that’s exactly why you don’t want them with slow, placid fish. Their constant movement can stress out calmer species, and as mentioned, fin-nipping can happen, making things worse for slower fish.

They’re amazing, but definitely better in a tank with other active fish that can keep up with them.

 

[Binary_Bark]

 

[B-1]

Luckily, the specialty store I go to knows what I currently have and helps me choose the right fish.
For newbies like me: Yes, tetras are hardy, almost impossible to kill, and super active swimmers, but that’s exactly why you don’t want them with slow, placid fish. Their constant movement can stress out calmer species, and as mentioned, fin-nipping can happen, making things worse for slower fish.

They’re amazing, but definitely better in a tank with other active fish that can keep up with them.

I currently have some yellow shrimp, cherry barb and a bristlenose. I'd love a nice school of tetras but even the dwarf ones will eat the small shrimp and I'll eventually have none.

My choices are quite limited unfortunately with shrimp around.

 

[Binary_Bark]

I currently have some yellow shrimp, cherry barb and a bristlenose. I'd love a nice school of tetras but even the dwarf ones will eat the small shrimp and I'll eventually have none.

My choices are quite limited unfortunately with shrimp around.

Been planning to add some bristle shrimp later in the cycle, because this is a low maintenance planted tank build. Think with the small tetra, the shrimp will be okay?

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

@BadBoyGP

 

[B-1]

Been planning to add some bristle shrimp later in the cycle, because this is a low maintenance planted tank build. Think with the small tetra, the shrimp will be okay?

They will do their best to eat them. A healthy adult shrimp should be OK but very few of the baby shrimp will survive even with lots of hiding space. My Cherry Barbs eat a fair share of them as well and I have them in a 5foot tank.

 

[Binary_Bark]

 

[_Jakes_]

Anyone shopping for tropical fish or plants should have a look at 4mfish, they have an auction every Friday night. https://4mfish.co.za/ (Boksburg and Bruma stores)

Some of the prices from last week:
10 x red cherry shrimp R120
10 x neon tetra R140
10 x Cherry barbs R150
6 x Rummynose tetra R150
4 x golden Khuli loach R80

 

[Binary_Bark]

The two Tetra and plants have been doing very well. The Tetra has grown and lots of new shoots on the plants.
It is a bit difficult to get a good focus of the Tetra, they are vey active and move quite quickly.
Was removing some dead leaves, putting my hand in the tank released a lot of debris from the hornwort, surprised at how much "crap" these plants collect.
Glow and X-ray(Pristella), Tetra

 

[Binary_Bark]

 

[Binary_Bark]

 

[Binary_Bark]

 

[Ecco]

Nice thread, i look forward to your updates

 

[Binary_Bark]

About 5 Weeks In

Things are going really well with the tank. Had a bit of bio-film forming on the surface when the pump was off, but I scooped that out and topped up the water. The plants have really taken off, and the tetras are looking healthy and active.

I did notice some algae build-up on the glass, but cleaned that out. Based on advice from some of you here and the experts at the store, I’ve reduced the light cycle from about 6 hours down to 3 hours to help keep algae under control. Adding duckweed has also helped keep ammonia levels low.

The plastic ornamental ship and a lava rock in the tank. Plan is to give it another month, then remove the ship and add some natural logs and more rocks for better scaping. Want to give the tank at least 60 days in total to properly settle before making big changes. Overall, really happy with the progress so far.

 

[Binary_Bark]

 

[B-1]

I’ve reduced the light cycle from about 6 hours down to 3 hours to help keep algae under control. Adding duckweed has also helped keep ammonia levels low.

Careful of dropping the light too low as that also removes the light from your other plants. A few days at 3 hours is fine but then it should go back to normal.
The duckweed is a better idea that will shade the tank a bit and they will chew through the ammonia pretty quickly.

What other plants do you have?

 

[Binary_Bark]

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Careful of dropping the light too low as that also removes the light from your other plants. A few days at 3 hours is fine but then it should go back to normal.
The duckweed is a better idea that will shade the tank a bit and they will chew through the ammonia pretty quickly.

What other plants do you have?

Thanks for that, great advice!
Open the curtains for now, but there are not much natural sun light coming through because of the awning over the window.
So far the plants that I do have is one large and one small Amazon Sword Plant, Duckweed, Hornworth and two broad leaf Vallisneria (Basically fresh water Grass). Planning to reduce the Hornworth and add more other plants later on, once the ecosystem has stabilized itself. I want to get some more plants and driftwood from our local reservoir dam.
Really want to add some catfish and assassin snails(to keep the brown snails in check) But alas, it's going to be another 4 weeks before introducing more fish and others to the system. Remember this is a fresh start tank, no seasoned filters from another tank to get a healthy bacteria grow going, just some store gravel, top soil from the garden, a scoop of soil from the dam and plants from the dam