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Salty&Onion
Fish Aficionado
@fishjamin go to your water providers page, look for a number and go here:
And see what hardness it is and tell us
Hardness - words vs numbers
We always say to look on your water provider's website for hardness, and to ignore any words, look for a number. These are UK water company definitions of hardness compared to what we consider to be hard, soft and middling in fish keeping. Always look for numbers :) dH ppm Water company...
www.fishforums.net
And see what hardness it is and tell us
Salty&Onion
Fish Aficionado
It seems to me as slightly hard to moderately hard.
I wouldn't get too hung up about this. At least the fish store warned that your water is too soft for guppies which suggests the person you were talking with actually knew what he was talking about. Many fish stroe staff don't even recognise hardness matters.
edit: Just seen your last post. That water is fine for neons and is indeed not fine for guppies
I wouldn't get too hung up about this. At least the fish store warned that your water is too soft for guppies which suggests the person you were talking with actually knew what he was talking about. Many fish stroe staff don't even recognise hardness matters.
edit: Just seen your last post. That water is fine for neons and is indeed not fine for guppies
Yes it's a subtle thing but the fact they did say that, and the fact they warned me off certain other types of tetra, is why I've gone with their advice on the neons but that's obviously not gone down well!
Personally I would keep them. Yes your tank is slighly smaller than ideal but it looks like a good environment. Adding floating plants would make it better for the tetras as they are naturally found in forests so are not great with bright lights. You can probably add another 3 or 4 as long as you jeep up with regular water changes (at least 50% per week. Are you aware of the nitrogen cycle? You can read more about it here https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/
If you are not absolutely certain your tank has successfully cycled do not add any more fish until it has, you may need to be doing daily water changes for the next few weeks. That aside the tetras are probably as much as you would want to keep in this tank, although there may be some options, but lets ensure the cycle has completed first.
In terms of cycling it, ive used a combination of Dr Tim's Ammonium chloride and Tetra Safe Start over about 2 weeks, the LFS has run a few water tests on it, sent me away a couple of times then told me a few days sgo we were up and running. Again, will confirm when I get a better testing kit and won't add any more in for a while.
The water changes are an interesting point and another point of confusion/frustration. Some online sources say don't change water for a few weeks when it's newly cycled, others say do it daily...
EDIT - chloride not sulphate!
The water changes are an interesting point and another point of confusion/frustration. Some online sources say don't change water for a few weeks when it's newly cycled, others say do it daily...
EDIT - chloride not sulphate!
Last edited:
At this stage testing for ammonia and nitrites are the key. These are both poisonous to fish. Test daily and if you have a reading >0 for either you need to change water to dilute it. And in this case the bigger the change the better. If you change 25% you are leaving 75% of the bad stuff in the tank. Change 75% and you are diluting it a lot. Once you have gone two weeks with 0 readings you are safe. At that point it is enough to do a single change a week. (Do this even when you are waiting for 2 weeks of 0 readings ).
I have 4 tanks and routinely change 75% in each of these every week.
).I have 4 tanks and routinely change 75% in each of these every week.
That is a good approach. My only nervousness is that 2 weeks seems very quick. It is worth investing in tests for at least ammonia and nitrite - even if its just for your own peace of mind.
Just to confirm that 8.61 deg Clark = 7 dH and 123 ppm. Your water is soft. UK water companies make it sound harder than it really is.
your tank is also way too small even for a single dwarf gourami. And dwarves should only ever be a single male, never more than one male as theyrs aggressive.
Id keep it neon tetra only at the size it is.
Or, get a second larger tank (20 gallon long at least) for a community, cycle that and move the neons to it, get a single dwarf gourami male (a pair needs a 30 gallon or more due to aggression), and perhaps some corydoras OR kuhli loaches for the bottom level...
Then switch this lovely little scape to a nano tank... happily could house a group of 3 sparkling gourami!
Id keep it neon tetra only at the size it is.
Or, get a second larger tank (20 gallon long at least) for a community, cycle that and move the neons to it, get a single dwarf gourami male (a pair needs a 30 gallon or more due to aggression), and perhaps some corydoras OR kuhli loaches for the bottom level...
Then switch this lovely little scape to a nano tank... happily could house a group of 3 sparkling gourami!
Thank you for the advice guys.
The weight capacity of the furniture limits the tank size so getting a bigger one isn't an option. I'll maybe add 2 or 3 more neons so they have some more friends but leave it as that and just see how they get on. (Alternatively, can you mix tetra types, ie. Add a few amber's or similar to mix it up a bit?)
I think I will swap the light though as the one I have have isn't dimmable and looks like it dazzles them, they seem far happier with it off or set to just the blue LEDs.
For a tank this size, what's the thoughts on snails/shrimps? What's a good way to go? I've inherited a couple of very small baby snails that must have come on the plants but the store seems to think these aren't good news?
The weight capacity of the furniture limits the tank size so getting a bigger one isn't an option. I'll maybe add 2 or 3 more neons so they have some more friends but leave it as that and just see how they get on. (Alternatively, can you mix tetra types, ie. Add a few amber's or similar to mix it up a bit?)
I think I will swap the light though as the one I have have isn't dimmable and looks like it dazzles them, they seem far happier with it off or set to just the blue LEDs.
For a tank this size, what's the thoughts on snails/shrimps? What's a good way to go? I've inherited a couple of very small baby snails that must have come on the plants but the store seems to think these aren't good news?
Salty&Onion
Fish Aficionado
Shrimp or snails won't really thrive in soft water, you'd have to add calcium and other mineral supplements for both which would harden your water I believe so with neons this wouldn't really work IMO.
Don't mix tetra species.
Shrimp would be fine in your water parameters, some cherry shrimp would be fine, though young ones may get eaten by the neons.
Pest snails aren't so bad, depends on what you think. They clean up plant debris and damaged plants, they will usually only breed to match their food supply. So don't overfeed. Yours are bladder snails.
If you dont like them, get an assassin snail, or remove them as you see them now.
Shrimp would be fine in your water parameters, some cherry shrimp would be fine, though young ones may get eaten by the neons.
Pest snails aren't so bad, depends on what you think. They clean up plant debris and damaged plants, they will usually only breed to match their food supply. So don't overfeed. Yours are bladder snails.
If you dont like them, get an assassin snail, or remove them as you see them now.
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