Recent content by glyn

Are they right, though?

Intrigued by this thread. A nitrate level of 30ppm is giving you cause for concern. What problems is that nitrate level causing?

I've kept tropical tanks, freshwater and also marine, since 1977. I'm not surprised that the original poster's foam media has done so well. My experiences with different kinds of filter media over that time has convinced me that coarse, unclogged foam is pretty hot stuff. OK, plastic media...

Agree that Cardinals take some beating; they're the main tetras in my tank, with some rummy-noses to keep them company. Would like to try a relatively new tetra; the Hyphessobrycon amapaensis, sometimes called the scarlet tetra, sometimes the red-line tetra. It looks to me like a more...

Last year I sold my 500 litre sumped marine tank [soft corals, copperband butterfly, flame angel, etc] and replaced it with an Aquael 240 litre freshwater tank, filtered by a Oase 600 Thermofilter canister. This had nothing to do with preferring freshwater to marines, just downsizing now that...

I have a Oase 600 Thermofilter on my heavily planted Aquael 240 litre tank. That's all. No wavemakers or additional filtration, or CO2 injection. It's heavily stocked with tetras and corydoras. [About 60 in all so far!] I don't think you necessarily need more water volume turnover for the...

As mentioned above, MD Fish Tanks is exceptional; cheerful, very active, prolific, explanatory whilst doing things, very little talking head boredom, attractive tank set-ups, honest when things go wrong. You do have to put up with cheeky-chappy male banter, but it's a small price to pay, and...

If you're going to add plants, can I suggest that you do that first, especially fast-growing stem plants. Get them established for at least a couple of weeks, then add the fish. That way there'll be less disruption, and some bottom dwellers [Octocinclus catfish, for example], will have both...

Spot-on! Words of South American piscatorial wisdom!

I think you're spot-on to be suspicious about ceramic media. I'm also very cautious about claims for it when it goes hand-in-hand with anyone selling such media. Claims as to anaerobic filtration are out there, but the evidence for that happening via ceramic media is sparse. If anyone knows...

Agree with the earlier comment that providing the right habitat is crucial. And, of course, South Asian Harlequins can live in the same aquarium habitats as some Amazonian tetras. However, some of us may suffer from what might be called "geographical over-sensitivity". That is to say, when I...

Envious of your soft Scots water! Down here at the foot of the chalky South Downs the water's always hard, and high in nitrates from the agricultural fertiliser run-off. Tetra-friendly it ain't. The suggestions above are very useful. Without knowing your filtration set-up, or your water change...

Back in the 1960s, the now-defunct Aquarist & Pondkeeper here in the UK reported on a fish-feeding trial. Guppies were fed a variety of foods, and the number of babies born was carefully counted. Flake food, white worms and chopped earthworms were amongst the foods trialed. The very clear winner...