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March 4th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| Hi!
Rose, it's the male gouramis who like to take over. Female dwarfs are very placid, and so are males IF they are given females. It's what my experience tells me, I don't know if you've had different.
Here's my plan of what you should do:
1) Get the tank cycled, and get your head around water chemistry.
2) Add 2 female dwarf gouramis,
3) 3 weeks later, add the entire school of Cardinals,
4) 3 weeks later, add 3 Julii's,
5) 2 weeks later, add 3 Julii's,
6) 2 weeks later, add 1 Male dwarf gourami.
Don't worry - all donations are appreciated but not neccesary!
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March 4th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| you know what..i'm do exactly that Hatchet my nitrites are on the rise oh when I win the lottery i'll buy you the perfect set up of your wish  | |
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March 4th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
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March 6th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| I read the post on the method you are using and it makes perfect sense up until the last sentence  so you are safe to go ahead with your plan. I will keep an eye out here and you can always let us know if you NEED help but I think you are doing very well on your own and maybe would like for us to bow out and let you have this accomplishment on your own.
Good luck and keep us informed of your progress, okay?
Some pictures would be nice sometime too, okay? 
Rose  | |
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March 6th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| yeah sure, i've added a little to much ammonia so i think the cycle may take a bit longer than i would have liked have to stay patient problem is my mind set for fish stock changes by the hour!!!!!! | |
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March 7th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| Hi!
Stocking a tank is difficult... Tell you what, post up a thread and ask what other people's suggestions would be. That's a great way to stock a tank I find - get half the forum involved!
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March 8th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| hiya hatchet i just read your reply to one of my threads, am i reading you right? does a decrease in flow speed up the cycle cos if it does im gonna laugh at myself 'cos i,ve increased the flow thinking i'll be able to process more water that way hmmm  its like a scene from Niagra in my tank Marlyn Monroe would be proud!!! as to stocking I think i'd best wait and see, as you know i've still got along way to go.....I was thinking of starting a school of lakemalawiupsidedownglowlightdwarftbettabarbs but i just cant find any! know any one who's got some? 
Last edited by richard7467; March 8th, 2008 at 07:46 PM.
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March 9th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| Hi!
Hmm, would that be Randomfishus thatdontexistus? I think I know someone who used to have them! Um, I don't think increasing in flow of current would speed up the cycle...(?)
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March 10th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| you metioned attaching a wool like filter to the out out going side of my power heads I imagine this would give me another place for bacteria to form is that the idea? im binning the idea of cardinals...gone of them replacing with long finned Zebras they seem a little more active. Do snails,crabs,shrimps etc count enter the fish stock calculations?
Last edited by richard7467; March 10th, 2008 at 04:10 AM.
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March 10th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| Hi!
Zebras would seriously freak out the Gouramis. Cherry barbs and Harlequin rasboras are active, pretty and don't tend to scare gouramis to their graves!
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March 13th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| im gonna bin the gouramis with maybe some gold barbs | |
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March 13th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| Snails are monstrous waste producers and crabs eat fish and shrimp can be lunch for some fish when they molt and lose their shells and yes they do count to a varying degree. Mostly by a lot. I would not plan on the first two at all and the latter is up to you but be prepared to need to replace them occasionally.
The flow of the water is not going to make a great change unless you have a torrent going and then it may make it hard for the bacteria to settle on anything. It may keep everything stirred to the point of keeping everything too unstable. I am not sure but it makes sense to me. A bit of movement should not hurt though as I know some tanks need movement to satisfy some of the inhabitants and it does not appear to upset the cycle but this is after the cycle is completed so you may want a steady flow but not a rapid one.
The filter wool on the power head thing as far as I have ever used it was to cut down on the amount of flow current to make it more manageable for the fish. This helps them get their "tank legs" so to speak in front of the filter outflow. It keeps them from being thrown when they swim in the direct line of the filter. Depending on the fish you choose for the tank though, the fish my enjoy the flow. This is done most often for fish who do not like strong flow. If Hatchet was referring to another purpose he will have to explain it. I do not know of another.
How are your readings coming? Is the cycle progressing to your satisfaction?
Rose  | |
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March 14th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| Hi!
Gold barbs are 3" - and need a school. I think not... I think keep the gouramis, as they are really pretty and fill up the 6" you have left after the Corys and Cardinals. Alternatively, you could get 3 Platys or 3 Guppys, but you could only get males.
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March 15th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| rose thanks for the advice I decreased the flow a couple of days ago by slowing the air out put on the air wand,throttled back on the power heads and placed the out put of the cannister filter on top of the glass ledges inside the tank to create a slow flowing water fall instead of it belting out underwater and the result (this may be a coincidence) is the ammonia is now being processed nicely with the nitrites naturally increasing proportionally so im getting there steadily, i'm doing the add and wait method once again thanks for the in put.
Hatchet I was considering Mollies/Guppies in place of the Gourami's as I have definatly made my mind up with the Zebra's as they seem like an ideal starter fish for a newbie. | |
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March 15th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| Hi!
OK, swap Cardinals for Zebras. Mollies aren't as hardy as other livebearers. Platys are really handy to have around, exactly the same needs as guppies - and they are the biggest pig in the world! I have had numerous fish of both species and I'd choose Platys over gups anyday. Lol, I could never be without the platys bottomless stomach!
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March 15th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| Just looked at my tank and yeah I can see a few Platys in there cheers Hatchet with your patience but we are getting there so now its going to be 6 Zebras 3 Platys 5 Julii's could I fit a clown pleco in there as well or a kuhli. | |
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March 16th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| Hi!
Yes, you could fit a Clown pleco in there! I advice against the khuli, as they prefer a sand substrate and in small numbers are really elusive and not really worth it most of the time.
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March 17th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| Okay first day when all the ammonia has processed. Ntrites through the roof Nitrates through the roof now raising ammonia to 4-5ppm to feed the bacteria keep adding ammonia daily til all the Nitrites have cleared and ammonia is being processed in 12 hours then do a 90% water to deal with the Nitates......am I on the right lines?
Last edited by richard7467; March 17th, 2008 at 12:23 PM.
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March 17th, 2008
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| | Fish Keeper
| Between the platys and clown pleco, you will have 4 heavy biolode producers. Just be sure of that and ready to vacuum a little more often as a result. | |
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March 17th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| Quote:
Originally Posted by FL CommunityFans  Between the platys and clown pleco, you will have 4 heavy biolode producers. Just be sure of that and ready to vacuum a little more often as a result. | Hi!
Yeah, platys do produce a fair amount of waste. Probably to do with the amount they eat!
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March 17th, 2008
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| | Fish Keeper
| If you have any driftwood in for the clown, his biolode will be nuts too! I feed 2 algae wafers to our BN and clown every other day, and let them eat off the tank and ornaments between wafer feeds.. clown comes out on that day, perches on the wood then proceeds to poop for about 2 hours! My daughter thinks it's hilarious. I think it's a chore! lol. | |
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March 17th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| Quote:
Originally Posted by FL CommunityFans If you have any driftwood in for the clown, his biolode will be nuts too! I feed 2 algae wafers to our BN and clown every other day, and let them eat off the tank and ornaments between wafer feeds.. clown comes out on that day, perches on the wood then proceeds to poop for about 2 hours! My daughter thinks it's hilarious. I think it's a chore! lol. | Hi!
My BN gets a small amount of a wafer/pellet every other day, and cuccumber when I remember to remind mum to buy it.
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March 17th, 2008
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| | Fish Keeper
| We do Zucc a few times a week. They don't seem to like it on a regular basis. I put it in every other day it won't get touched. I do it once - twice a week and it's usually gone. I have to put 2 wafers, broken in to 8 total pieces ( 1 wafer = 4 quartered pieces) and scatter some on oneside of the tank as a distraction. The gouramis and guppys love the stuff, as well as the corys and yoyos!!!!! Even if I turn the lights off, come and check on things in an hour, gouramis, corys and yoyos are all piggin out on some wafer. I feed those hungry fools bloodworms every other day and flakes in between but they are ALWAYS hungry lol.
At any rate, Richard, you'll have fun watching the juliis and clown eat together | |
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March 17th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| Yes you are on exactly the right track and I am sorry the folks have been goofing and not answering your questions here. The Clown Pleco is going to be fine. I have one and he is a darling and not that big a nuisance at all.
Yes I am so happy for you that the ammonia is at the stage that it is and the Nitrites are doing well and the Nitrates are sounding like they are just where they should be. Now you just follow the example you are planning that you stated and you should be fine.
Rose  | |
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March 17th, 2008
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| | Fish Keeper
| Didn't realize I was goofing off? If it came through that way, sorry Richard. I was in no place to answer that question as I have only done the Bio-Spira route and that's all I know. | |
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March 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| No worries I was picking up on the feeding tips any how, just been down my LFS and he advised me to do a 20% water change to dilute my tank a bit well as my Nitrates and Nitrites are very high, my tank has been processing 5ppm Ammonia in 6 hours!....hope his right and I havent messed the cycle up. | |
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March 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| No I think it hasnt made much of an effect i've still got very high Nitrites and Nitrates and the Ammonia is being processed well....a bit to well I suspect though im processing 5ppm in under 6 hours is this okay? | |
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March 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| Hi!
Sounds good!
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