foxie
New Member
You lot probably don't realise, but you've helped me enormously over the last couple of weeks. I've been lurking on the forum absorbing and learning as much as i can take in. The result is IMHO a cool looking planted aquarium, (well not bad for a newbie), and i have plans for development too.
i only wish i'd started years ago; i remember when i was a toddler spending hours in front of my dad's aquarium. Now that I'm set up i'm finding the aquarium is getting more attention than the tele. Who'd have thought half dozen danios and couple of corys could be as interesting as whats happening in Eastenders!?
I'll get a couple of pics up if anyones interested, but my aquarium photography is crap!
Tank is a 80x45x35cm which i think is about 125litres. Anyways, i've set up with sand substrate with gravel running from rear corner diagnally through to the middle. Slate cave emerging from the gravel and some kind of sandstone like stripey rock coming out of the sand. It all looks pretty natural which is what i was hoping for. I've dropped in a few random plants to see what survives best, although due to poor advice from my lfs i haven't put any kind of base substrate with nutrients in for the plants. TBH i find it hard to get excited about the plants but didn't want any plastic. After reading a few threads i may also have filled the sand a bit deep. But hey, it's a learning curve and i can always take some out.
I've not done the fishless cycle, mostly due to my lack of patience and finding it impossible to find ammonia near me (tried local boots, homebase and hardware store!). But i've taken a filter media from a relative and run it in my filter for a couple of days as well as trying "cycle" to raise the toxins slightly to feed the bacteria. A couple of my lfs didn't know what a fishless cycle was, which kind of p*ssed me off as I've only just started this hobby and expected a lfs to know more than me in all aspects of fishkeeping!
I have a feeling i have fallen into the trap of buying too much stock too soon. I have 7 of the ever popular zebra danios, and bought a pair of albino corys. I probably should've waited to buy the corys but they're doing a great job of turning the sand over and i just hope they are hardy enough to stick out the first couple of months.
Wow, ranted on a bit there but as you can tell i'm full of enthusiasm and no doubt i shall continue to lurk on the forum and i may even contribute now and again, and when i can't find what i need from the search function (yes - a newbie that uses the search function!) i shall be picking your brains for knowledge.
I've already got another tank on the way courtesy of the PFK subscription offer! Already got MTS!
ciao for now
i only wish i'd started years ago; i remember when i was a toddler spending hours in front of my dad's aquarium. Now that I'm set up i'm finding the aquarium is getting more attention than the tele. Who'd have thought half dozen danios and couple of corys could be as interesting as whats happening in Eastenders!?
I'll get a couple of pics up if anyones interested, but my aquarium photography is crap!
Tank is a 80x45x35cm which i think is about 125litres. Anyways, i've set up with sand substrate with gravel running from rear corner diagnally through to the middle. Slate cave emerging from the gravel and some kind of sandstone like stripey rock coming out of the sand. It all looks pretty natural which is what i was hoping for. I've dropped in a few random plants to see what survives best, although due to poor advice from my lfs i haven't put any kind of base substrate with nutrients in for the plants. TBH i find it hard to get excited about the plants but didn't want any plastic. After reading a few threads i may also have filled the sand a bit deep. But hey, it's a learning curve and i can always take some out.
I've not done the fishless cycle, mostly due to my lack of patience and finding it impossible to find ammonia near me (tried local boots, homebase and hardware store!). But i've taken a filter media from a relative and run it in my filter for a couple of days as well as trying "cycle" to raise the toxins slightly to feed the bacteria. A couple of my lfs didn't know what a fishless cycle was, which kind of p*ssed me off as I've only just started this hobby and expected a lfs to know more than me in all aspects of fishkeeping!
I have a feeling i have fallen into the trap of buying too much stock too soon. I have 7 of the ever popular zebra danios, and bought a pair of albino corys. I probably should've waited to buy the corys but they're doing a great job of turning the sand over and i just hope they are hardy enough to stick out the first couple of months.
Wow, ranted on a bit there but as you can tell i'm full of enthusiasm and no doubt i shall continue to lurk on the forum and i may even contribute now and again, and when i can't find what i need from the search function (yes - a newbie that uses the search function!) i shall be picking your brains for knowledge.
I've already got another tank on the way courtesy of the PFK subscription offer! Already got MTS!
ciao for now
