My First Tank

[Skins]

Thanks Skins.

WD has already explained the use of carbon in this thread and also the very minimal time the provided carbon last for. So do you think it's better to save it for when i have to remove medication, than to use it now? Also if i dont use the carbon now, will the 3 bags of biomax provided with the 305 be enough to fill all the baskets or do i need to purchase anymore for the initial setup? I'm confirming this as i dont want to purchase more media just to fill the baskets now itself because i cannot justify anymore purchases to my wife ?

Also, is there any specific order as to the types of media in the different levels of baskets?

Thanks

Yes, take the advice from Waterdrop and keep the carbon for after you have used any meds. As for the biomax i would wait for your 305 to come, add u3 media and if there is space left in the baskets then purchase some more biomax. You don't have to buy branded fluval media.

Keep us posted Neo, Skins.

 

[neo83]

Thanks skins for the quick response. Now i need to concentrate on more justification to my wife so as to get the 305 as soon as possible

I might have to get the spray bar for the output nozzle as well, as i have live plants in there. Do you use the spraybar?

 

[Skins]

No, thought about it then decided to go down the air pump route.

Skins.

 

[neo83]

No, thought about it then decided to go down the air pump route.

Skins.

Do you have live plants? If you have them and if 305 is on 125 litre tank, is the flow not too much for the plants? or were you able to adjust the flow enough with the black lever you told me about?

 

[Skins]

I have not got into the live plants yet, concentrating on the fish side of things for the mo.
Try asking in the planted tanks forums, Skins.

 

[waterdrop]

Lots of flow is good for planted tanks.

 

[neo83]

Lots of flow is good for planted tanks.

Thanks WD, could you explain a bit more on this as to what kind of flow? by flow, do u mean just the water circulation? The only thing i was worried about was the pressure of too much water flow (if i'm making sense) from the 305 on the 125litre, which might cause damage to the plants and hence getting the spray bar (only read about it, didn't know about it before). With the 305, can i place the output such that it can face the plants directly or do i need to attach the spray bar and direct it towards the glass of the tank?

Thanks

 

[Skins]

Hi Neo,
The output nozzle on the 305 can be adjusted so that you can direct it where you want. As you know i use the 305 myself and flow is not over powering plus you can reduce it with the adjustible aqua stop lever.

Skins.

 

[neo83]

Hi Neo,
The output nozzle on the 305 can be adjusted so that you can direct it where you want. As you know i use the 305 myself and flow is not over powering plus you can reduce it with the adjustible aqua stop lever.

Skins.

Great, thanks skins. looks like i have asked too much about the 305

BTW, i'm a bit concerned about something. I have a bolivian ram in my tank along with 3 platys, 4 guppies and 10 harlequin rasbora. I absolutely love my bolivian ram and it was very peaceful. I had recently added an apistogramma viejita (male) and since a couple of days, the bolivian ram has become aggressive towards all fish. It just seem to be nudging everyone, especially the apisto. Do you guys think the bolivian ram is trying to define it's territory now that another cichlid is there. I'm planning to get a female apisto viejita for the male and leave the bolivian ram on its own. There is decent space in the tank as they are still dwarfs. Do you think putting in a bit more plants/places to hide will help the situation. Do you think the bolivian will be able to co-exist with the apisto viejita pair?

Thanks

 

[neo83]

Guys i have a quick question about my apistogramma viejita.

I have today seen a black clearly visible blotch on the viejita. It surely wasnt there before and only noticed it today. The only difference today is i have added a female apisto for the male. Is it some sickness or is it part of the show to the female (as it has never left the female till now and been following her showing off all afternoon)? Appreciate any help. The pictures are below:




The video below is of the apisto and there is clearly no big black spot on it.

Thanks

 

[waterdrop]

Sounds like dominance is trying to be established. I don't know about the colorations, perhaps Davo or Wills or somebody will.

Yes, I was just talking about circulation and yes, most of us use spraybars on the output of our external cannisters. When you have a lot of plantings, substrate cleaning gets more difficult and higher flow does help somewhat to get the debris on in to the filter. I won't pretend to know how to describe the best way to go with circulation - still have trouble with it myself and move things around to try different movements.

WD

 

[neo83]

Sounds like dominance is trying to be established. I don't know about the colorations, perhaps Davo or Wills or somebody will.

Yes, I was just talking about circulation and yes, most of us use spraybars on the output of our external cannisters. When you have a lot of plantings, substrate cleaning gets more difficult and higher flow does help somewhat to get the debris on in to the filter. I won't pretend to know how to describe the best way to go with circulation - still have trouble with it myself and move things around to try different movements.

WD

Thanks WD. So do you clean the gravel where the plants are or only clean the visible part of the gravel and leave the rest for the plants to consume? My fluval 305 is still in the post and they cocked up the delivery and had to be redelivered this thursday, but yeah did order a spraybar for £3 (great deal). I would have to mess around as well probably with it to see which suits best. Once i get the filter, the current plan is to put the media in current U3 filter into the external filter along with it's media and run only the external. Hopefully the bacteria will still be able to process the toxins from the external. *fingers crossed*

Would appreciate any advice/thoughts on the black blotch on the apisto. Below is the latest video of the apisto with the black blotch which seems to be internal.

Thanks

 

[waterdrop]

Hi neo83,

If Davo86 or somebody doesn't come along to help you with coloration identity then here are a couple of thoughts. Try using google image etc. to look at larger numbers of photos of your species, watching for other fish that might show similar patterns and help confirm that the patter you're seeing is normal rather than an injury. Also, consider that most injured fish will stay very pale (other than the injury site its self, possibly) so if you see plenty of the red that I see, and/or other nice coloration and well-spread fin behavior then these should turn you in the direction of thinking that your fish is ok and just has the larger dark patch as part of its natural coloration. Hopefully my communication makes sense? Of course, if you are able to luck in to even better photographing of the fish, this will help anyone trying to help diagnose (but the technical aspects of aquarium photography and trying to catch one fish are difficult, I know.)

WD

 

[neo83]

Hi neo83,

If Davo86 or somebody doesn't come along to help you with coloration identity then here are a couple of thoughts. Try using google image etc. to look at larger numbers of photos of your species, watching for other fish that might show similar patterns and help confirm that the patter you're seeing is normal rather than an injury. Also, consider that most injured fish will stay very pale (other than the injury site its self, possibly) so if you see plenty of the red that I see, and/or other nice coloration and well-spread fin behavior then these should turn you in the direction of thinking that your fish is ok and just has the larger dark patch as part of its natural coloration. Hopefully my communication makes sense? Of course, if you are able to luck in to even better photographing of the fish, this will help anyone trying to help diagnose (but the technical aspects of aquarium photography and trying to catch one fish are difficult, I know.)

WD

Thanks WD. I have looked at various images of Viejita and only found a similar (probably i'm trying to make it similar) patch on one image. But as you say, the fish is showing it's colors, well at least not loosing any yet and looks healthy and chasing the female always. So fingers crossed for now. Below is a slightly pixelated (zoomed in) picture of the apisto.



Thanks

 

[neo83]

Right guys, i'm replacing my internal Fluval U3 to external Fluval 305 today on my 125litre tank. Wish me good luck as this is my first time with anything fish related

Currently i'm planning to put the following media into the 305:

Bottom - Sponge from Fluval U3
Medium - New Bio (305) + Fluval U3 Biomedia (cycled media) *fingers crossed*
Top - New Bio (305) + polishing pad (probably)

Advice on anything much appreciated.