[duke1978]

hey guys and gals,just a little bit of info on myself and my fish keeping experience.

since i moved outtta my folks place about 10 yrs ago..in every house i've lived in i've always had a tank (whether it be a basic 'gold fish in a bowl or a more elaborate set-up).i've never tried a marine set-up (not until i'm in my own house will i try that) but heaps of tropical set-ups which usually get left behind because the housemates love them so much (it also gives me about an extra week of rent-free living!!:lol and have just set-up yet another tropical tank (just letting it cycle through at the moment,with daily water checks as alkalinity is slightly higher than i'm usually used to!!)...this one may be a little bit more of a challenge as it doesn't get a great deal of light (approx 4-5 hours a day) and i really don't want to use a light hood... here's the stats
2ft x 1ft, partly submersed internal filter (activated carbon as media),heated,gravel substrate (black/blue combo),plastic plants and a few ornaments.
not sure what to run in here, in the past i've had guppies,tetras,angelfish,catfish,bettas,goldfish.gotta be a fairly forgiving as i have little one that i want to give a little bit of responsibility to.
would love to give the angelfish another shot but my filter stream is way to strong (even on low setting)or black neon tetras...but i think the alkalinity is too high....any suggestion folks???

 

[aussieJJDude]

Welcome!
Your tank sounds wonderful, however, don't be afraid to use live plants as you may know, the fish love em!
First thing first, you need an accurate measurement of your pH so we can find suitable fishies, then we have an idea!

 

[duke1978]

ph is sitting at about 7.6-7.7 (it's really high....to me anyway!!)..going to get a nitrate kit in the next couple of days (but our waters usually pretty good)

 

[aussieJJDude]

Here is a list of fish that i think would suit your setup...
- Guppies
- Platies
- blind cave fish
- Three Spot Gourami (Maybe)
- Gold or Opaline Gourami (Maybe)
- Betta
- Snails
- Shrimp
That is all I can think of, any way, isn't there additives that helps raise or lower your pH???

 

[ao]

Hi!!!!!
In my experience, it's better to work with your water than attempt to change it.
That said, you may want to invest in an RO unit and mix your own water somewhere down the road.

Most of the soft water aquarium fish that have been circulating and bred in the hobby for a while, have adapted to a wide variety of water parameters (Bettas were originally from pretty soft water)

Don't forget the shrimps! a couple of amano shrimps in a planted tank is one of my favorites~


Sent from Petguide.com Free App

 

[duke1978]

i can't think of anything that would lower it, i've put ph down in the tank but i think i gotta let the system sort itself out for at least a week (usually i race into it,but this time i want to do it sorta right)..i was thinking about a few snails to start with as they are coming from a friends (cheap!!)...if they die then i know i got real dramas...never tried gouramis...maybe thats the next speicies i should try..back to the snails...what on earth do i feed them??never tried shrimp either......hhhhhmmmmmmm...or even a betta to start with...i know they're fairly hardy and can be very pretty if kept in good conditions......i think snooping around my local pet stores might be in order over the next couple of days!!!

 

[aussieJJDude]

Ohh, just realised you also come from Victoria! (Wow, I am slow!)
In aus, I never seen amano shrimp in aus aokashi but you can get:
- Cherries (any ph for them)
- Crystal Red/Black (soft pH)
- Australian Glass Shrimp
- Riffle Shrimp
So your best bet for shrimp is Cherries, however, I am pretty sure Aus Glass Shrimp and Riffle shrimp also stand high pH!
Snails, it is impossible to kill them! So, like you said, if you kill them it either:
a) Wow, you can kill a snail
b) Wow, how did you do it?
c) *blink* *blink*
d) you used a clown loach did you?

 

[duke1978]

i will check my ph 2moro and hope it has dropped (even it's a little bit..it's a start)..will try to get a nitrate test kit 2moro...but i'm thinking snails might be the go to start with...now..most of the snails i've seen are very plain coloured...like i said earlier i have a dark substrate and would kinda like to have snails that kinda blend in with it (black/blue combo)..but yet going through some of the other forums i keep on seeing this 'mystery snail' (i'm assuming that the mystery is what colour it turns out to be)..but then i also see it being called an apple snail..are these the same???

 

[willow]

just popping in to say hello and welcome.

 

[aussieJJDude]

Yes, Mystery and Apple Snails are the same type Good thing about apples is that there is a dark coloured variety, so it will blend into your sub!
Another one to look at is the Malaysian Trumpet Snails (MTS), I have a few in my hermit crab tank, which houses a 1.5G snail tank! They really good at mixing the sub (which is good, as there will be no stale pockets)....

 

[duke1978]

thank you for the welcome guys....it seems that patience is a virtue!!just tested my water and the alkaline has dropped to 7.0-7.3...WIN!!!!!!!!!heading down to the pet shop now to see what they have in the way of darker shelled snails and i'll probly pick up my nitrate kit while i'm there!!!talk soon!!

 

[duke1978]

just back from the pet stores around my area....ended up with these snails that have a cone for a shell (they're tiny,but the came at the best price... free!!!)...but while one of the owners was perusing a mystery snail site...we saw a dark blue one that would look grouse in my tank (may have to order it in!!)..i also got bacteria starter and a nitrate kit... i remember when u used to be able to get all the fish kits in one....but now u gotta buy them all seperate (in my area anyway..)....and if i can lower the ph just a little more....i think gouramis might be my fish of choice this time around!!!

 

[willow]

happy shopping :-D

 

[aussieJJDude]

Congrats! The snails do sound like the MTS or maybe bladder snails!!!

 

[duke1978]

she's still cycling away,had to clean the filter last night (pretty gunky in there!!) picking up a golden apple snail later on (light in colour..but i'll be able to see it..unlike the other ones..pretty much bury themselves....so hard to see!!!)..and mosey on down to the pet store and see what hes got (sitting at about 7.2 ph)...question for all those out there in fish land.....betta and platy's...good combo??...thinking platy's (for starters)....fairly forgiving...and probly a bit less skittish about noise......(living behind a pizza shop does have its drawbacks!!)and maybe a flying fox as well.......choices!!!choices!!choices!!

 

[duke1978]

ended up with my favourite starter fish....zebra danios (x3)...getting my golden apples in an hour or so....slowly,slowly...
and before you say what about the platy's???tank was in a quarentine phase (?????????)and i've always liked danios as a 'cycler fish'

 

[duke1978]

danios are scooting around like madmen.just put the golden apple snails in and they don't actually look to bad!!will try and put up pics prior to the weekend!!

 

[aussieJJDude]

Zebras and bettas aren't a good mix, as zebras have been known to nip the fins of the males... Maybe females, but not the males!
I pretty sure that platies and bettas will work out well!

 

[duke1978]

may just stick with danios....throw in a siamese fighting fox....saw a rainbow shark 2day..but i just don't have the tank size (bugger!!)anything similar looking out there that may be a little smaller??

 

[duke1978]

about to go and get a few more zebra danios.....they've grown on me!!!i'm gonna see if my supplier can get a few leopard ones in too.....leopards chasing zebras..the way nature intended it!!
apart from that tank is beginning to come together!!