Recent content by KiwiWillow

The tank is about 33 gallons, 22 degrees. Moderately planted. Rocks and driftwood, pH around 6.8. KH and GH - sorry, I always forget which way around they test and I don’t have the results to hand, but 3 and 8 drops to turn. It’s got a built in filter. Currently there are 3 honey gourami, 4...

I have a community tank and over the last few years there have been some gradual losses. Nothing that has raised concerns, just very sporadic disappearances for the most part. Only twice has a fish been seen to be unwell beforehand, and most times no evidence is ever found! With a few...

Thanks, and that looks like a lovely plant. I couldn’t remember planting a bulb so I went hunting for a name. It’s a humble old cryptocoryne, which I guess explains the melting. I can’t figure out why though. Obviously some sort of parameter change that everything else took no notice of.

Can anyone identify what’s happening? This is a stable tank and everything is currently ticking along nicely. Except today I noticed the plant at the front right corner seems to have a white coating and leaves are melting away. It’s been in this corner for over two years. About 9 months ago it...

Sounds like things are back on track now. The hobby certainly poses interesting challenges and needs patience!

Excellent detective work to figure out what was causing the weird results. The thread had me following out of curiosity. I have been left wondering how the nitrate got so high initially. How were you going about cycling? Is there anything others can learn from that?

Is there a chance your water is high in phosphate? Some algae seems to like high phosphate, ( Blackbeard for example). If there’s an excess of food, or maybe from your well, it may be stimulating the algae, and with low nitrates the plants can’t out compete the algae?? Just a hypothesis to...

Some source of ammonia is always needed to feed the beneficial bacteria you have shifted over. It’s either supplied by your fish as their waste, or by the Dr Tim’s. The media you shift won’t supply ammonia. There’s a limit to how long the bacteria will survive without ammonia. I have just...

Thanks DaveKS. I am very happy with how it is. Verification that it doesn’t need to be changed and isn’t headed for problems is exactly what I’m delighted to hear ! I know some level of algae is normal - I guess I’m less certain about how much is too much. Everyone’s feedback has been very...

No. They are orange hatchet dadios. Not danios. And there’s currently 9 neons.

Currently there is one hillstream loach. He/she seems very content, but I’d like to get a couple more. I’m wondering about adding a different tetra rather than adding further neons, but not sure on that. Availability really factors into that. Other current inhabitants are 3 honey gourami...

Thanks for the lovely feedback everyone. It’s my first tank, and I don’t have a mentor in “real life” so wanted to check it wasn’t headed for bigger issues developing. The idea of a complete overhaul actually terrifies me! The initial set up went so smoothly that I don’t think I could get that...

My community tank was set up a little over 2 years ago. It’s been ticking along without too many issues. A few fish have come and gone, and some plants thrive, some have been replaced. The hardscape hasn’t been altered - a largish log, several rocks, and gravel substrate. The log is now more...

2 hour aquarist have APT 1 - doesn’t have nitrates. I switched to it a while back and found I could space the water changes out a little more, with no issues on plant growth

Thanks chromedome. Purchased today and in quarantine. Fingers somewhat crossed, as they weren’t the cheapest option in the shop.