Recent content by P J

Sponge filters are way more effective than ceramics, just leave it be don’t clean unless clogged, leave it be for at least four months to obtain good bio filtration. Changing filter media is a marketing ploy to get your cash.

Be patient it can take four to six weeks to cycle, the cloudiness is normal. Just leave it absolutely no need for water changes at this stage you are just delaying a full cycle. Too many fish too soon but they should survive.

If there is no obvious need just leave it be.

Hi, Have you been cleaning your existing filters excessively? If so you may have compromised their efficacy, best leave them be unless clogged to a point that affects flow. What type and brand are the new filters?

Partly fill the hang on filter and turn it on - continue filling until water runs over the spillway, wait a few seconds until there is a constant flow, add more water if required. Remember if you have a power cut or turn off the filter it will not self prime you’ll need to manually prime again.

Minimise feeding, ensure good filtration, get a small filter with an algaecide pad. Limit lights on to about 8 hrs day if you have plants.

You have a number of choices: Ask a friend with an aquarium to look after the fish until yours is mature. Leave the fish in the tank and hope for the best it survives the cycle. Take the fish back to where you bought it. If badly injured, put the fish to sleep, or let it end its days in the...

This looks remarkably like a planaria worm, there should be two black dots at the head, they the eyes. If it is treat the water with fenbendazole. This can normally be found in cat or dog worming powder such as Panacur C. Search the internet for dosage.

If you keep changing the water the cycle time is most likely to be extended, to cycle the tank water needs to go through the peak nitrite curve maybe in the order of 3ppm. Always aim to mature a tank without fish, there is no need to add chemicals.

It’s always easier to take from the top of the tank, but it’s all the same.

Yes get a timer, the electronic versions are about £5.

Or place the aquarium in the lounge on the ground floor?

Getting a tad technical the most likely failure mode is the joist hanger built into the internal wall these are typically capable of holding a force of 6.4kilo Newtons (kN) which is equivalent to 650kg force, divide by a safety factor of say two means a joist hanger will support 350 kg easily...

That’s equivalent to three large adults hugging.

Hi Mummy, floors are designed to take considerable dead weight and live weight of people in a room, just think of eight people in the room you wouldn’t expect the floor to give way. As long as the house is well built it’s safe, new houses normally have 20 mm boarding on the floor this spreads...