Dark substrate

[Fiori]

Lots of interesting comments and advice there - I must admit I have just about zilch buffering capacity in my local water, which is very soft and currently have to add some coral sand to prevent a pH crash over time. This time, I'm going to add it to a bag in my filter so it won't mess up the black look. I've found stirring my sand has so far prevented any major problems and the plants are definitely growing like weeds in fairly fine sand. No CO2, cos my pH is pretty acidic anyway and only 1.5 w per gall , but so far so good. And the fishies definitely luurve sand!

rdd1952 - your tank looks gorgeous - it will be absolutely stunning when its all complete with fish n'all. The black definitely looks gooooood with the green foliage Thanks for the pics - they give me a really good idea as to how my tank is going to be. Cheers!

Hope this works (first time I've tried this)- here is a picture of my 40 gall tank - its been running since January and my first biggish tank.

http/img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/aneksi/DSCN0084.jpg

 

[littlefishie]

Fiori, that's gorgeous!

That's the tank so that people don't have to click on the link.

 

[rdd1952]

Thanks fiori. I can't wait till it is fully grown in and full of fish. I have the same water conditions that you do. My KH & GH are 1 and pH of the water from tap is right at 7.0. It generally levels out in my 29 gallon at about 6.6 (the small tanks tend to push down to 6.0 to 6.2). I haven't done anything to try to change it as the tetras, corys and otos I have are fine at 6.6. I plan to go with angels, blue rams, tetras and corys in the 75 gallon so I don't have to doctor the pH. All of those fish are fine with slightly acidic water.

Edit: Fiori, I didn't see the link to your tank. It looks great. That is the look I want where all the equipment and hoses in the tank or on the back of the tank are hidden from view. Tanks like that to me are pretty and look great even if you never put fish in.

 

[Fiori]

Unfortunately my kH is less than 1 and my GH is 1 - my tap water comes out at 7 and plummets in all the tanks, probably because I have bogwood in them. My pH eventually but fairly quickly dropped to 5, which was as low as my test kit would go and although the fish were not showing any problems, I decided to buffer the water a bit in the bigger tank, when I set it up. The pH now sits at 6.6 which is just fine and all the fish are well, new ones as well as some old ones from the other tanks. I too keep similar acidic loving fish, like yourself - angel, tetras, harlequins, otos, corys and my wee plec.


Thanks everyone for your nice comments on my tank - I do like the natural look and even like the tannins in the water

Littlefishie - thanks for putting the picture up for me - I am absolutely clueless with this blooming computer

 

[rdd1952]

My KH & GH are as low as they can get. When I put the first drop in, they both turn to the final color. At first, I though I was doing something wrong because the instructins said it should turn blue and then keep adding drops until it turned yellow. Mine turns yellow as soon as the first drop goes in. I guess the bogwood is the problem. I am afraid that the piece I plan to put in the new 75 gallon may do the same thing to me.

 

[littlefishie]

Littlefishie - thanks for putting the picture up for me - I am absolutely clueless with this blooming computer

No problem.

Next time if you want to do it, use the IMG code.

..the URL to the picture goes inbetween the two.

 

[Fiori]

Thanks, I'll try that

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/aneksi/SSCN0045.jpg

Nope - that did'nt work :-( :grr:

 

[phishluvr]

try adding [/IMG] at the end. this closes the script.

 

[littlefishie]

Ditto to phishluvr's comment.
You need to close the IMG tag for it to work.

 

[Fiori]

Thank you both )

Here goes

Woo hooo - it works!

 

[littlefishie]

Awesome!

Gorgeous betta, I might add.

 

[Fiori]

Thank you. His name is Zorro

 

[littlefishie]

Omg, that's a perfect name for a betta! A fighter, but a lover at heart..

And I thought I was creative naming mine after alcohol..

 

[Fiori]

Good one! I must admit I did'nt think of it quite like that, but I like!! I thought of the black mask and the swirling cape There was something quite flambuoyant about him.

 

[littlefishie]

Well of course that's part of it too.. but if you want to go by masks, capes, and flamboyancy.. why not go with the Phantom of the Opera? [btw, the Phantom is the guy in my avatar incase you don't know.. ]