Recent content by aquabadger

I didn't know it could take 3 weeks for the gravel to have an effect! I'll try that test again then. I was reading one of the other threads on here and something has occured to me. http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...mp;#entry960125 This says that there can be a lot of CO2 in tap water...

Thanks for everyones responses so far, but I'm still puzzled by the problems with my tank. People responding at first said the problems in my tank were due to bad water quality. However, I do test the water and I've never seen nitrates above 20. I've taken the advice to do 50% water changes and...

Cool, thanks for getting back to me. Has anyone got any ideas for what I could try instead of praecox rainbowfish? Maybe a tetra or barb that is hardy, about 6-8cm and won't fin nip?

I'll try testing it next time I do water change. I'm using the API de-chlorinator. Which one did you notice raised the pH?

I have started doing the weekly 50% water changes. The rainbowfish I was worried about has definitely perked up and is eating enthusiastically at every feeding time. Unfortunately one of the other ones died quite suddenly 4 days after the first big water change. I'm now down to 2 rainbows...

OK, but I haven't actually tested the substrate is the cause yet. I'm going to do the first of my 50% water changes tonight. When I've finished that I'll leave some gravel and water in a bucket and test it once a day.

OK, I'll try weekly 50% water changes from now on. I'll try testing the substrate in a bucket too. I think I just bought the cheapest aquarium gravel in my LFS, so god knows whats in it. You just don't think about these things when you have a new tank. If it is changing the pH is it worth trying...

I haven't seen any stringy stuff since I added 2 more rainbowfish in July and they got it within a week. Interpet no8 did sort that out though. Since October though I have lost 3 rainbows and another one is ill now. They don't get the stringy stuff. Two of them started hanging near the surface...

I've never noticed the flow rate drop. I guess I thought cleaning the filter every week was the right thing to do. Do you think I should just do it once a month? To rinse it out I just rub off the debris in a bucket of aquarium water while I'm doing the water changes.

I have a nutrafin test kit for the first 4 tests and a Waterlife kit for the hardness. I clean the gravel and filter every week. I don't get round the whole tank with the gravel cleaner every week so I try to do different areas every week. The filter only has foam pads in it. There is space for...

I started my tank in November 2007. My idea was to have 6 praecox rainbowfish, 5 cherry barbs and 2 thick lipped gouramis. I cycled the tank OK with the 5 cherry barbs and did not lose any of them. In December I added the 6 rainbowfish. Two of them died shortly after. I am pretty sure this was...

Can anyone on this forum give me advice on floating plants? I have dwarf neon rainbow fish and thick-lipped gouramis and I have read a few profiles that say they are best kept with floating plants to make them feel more secure and also improve their coloration because the lighting is more...

I had a feeling it might be a much for my tank. I am beginning to see why people have so many tanks now! There's always another fish you want...

Thanks for all the advice, but I have one more question. I like the look of the red finned sharks (aka rainbow sharks). Would one of them get on with what I have now? I got the thick lipped gouramis so I now have: 6 cherry barbs 6 dwarf neon (praecox) rainbowfish 2 thick lipped gouramis 5 amano...

Sorry, whats columnaris?