Avocado Man
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Hi folks,
Glad to join the community! I fell into the world of fish-keeping about 4-5 years ago, when someone thought it would be clever to give me a couple of goldfish in a bowl as a gag gift. Big mistake - they died in under a week, and after scouring online to discover why, it was already too late. I also did enough research to want to give it a second try (with other fish).
I eventually got a 20-gallon tank off of craigslist, and stocked it with various compatible critters - never overstocking it. I have been and continue to be diligent with weekly partial water changes, but I was itching for a larger tank.
Now I've upgraded to a 40-gallon, with 8 rummy-nose tetras, a couple of otos, and a single Pakistani loach that survived a previous die-off from my 20-gallon days. My 40-gallon used to look great...it's halfway-planted with eco-complete on the right side and regular old gravel from my 20-gallon on the left side. There is a ray-2 led light (24") along the 36" top, placed to the right-hand side to give my random plants some light. I liked the light/dark sides to the tank, and the cool effect it had. Until I ran into some problems...first, since my t5 HO lights busted, I decided to go LED, which was great until I got a massive algae outbreak
...and now my plants are growing algae on them, getting spotted, and filled with holes.
Checking out the forums on this site, it looks like I have a LOT to learn when it comes to the whole "planted tank."
All I've been using is flourish and flourish excel, but nothing in the way of NPK dosing or CO2 at all.
I also have a lot to learn about quarantining...my last two platys died within weeks of the introduction of the rummy-nose tetras. I thought water changes would solve my problems, but now I'm sold on the idea of quarantining whatever next batch of fish I end up buying.
So place me somewhere in the middle...I can definitely educate a newbie on the basics, but I have a ton to learn from everyone else!
Glad to join the community! I fell into the world of fish-keeping about 4-5 years ago, when someone thought it would be clever to give me a couple of goldfish in a bowl as a gag gift. Big mistake - they died in under a week, and after scouring online to discover why, it was already too late. I also did enough research to want to give it a second try (with other fish).
I eventually got a 20-gallon tank off of craigslist, and stocked it with various compatible critters - never overstocking it. I have been and continue to be diligent with weekly partial water changes, but I was itching for a larger tank.
Now I've upgraded to a 40-gallon, with 8 rummy-nose tetras, a couple of otos, and a single Pakistani loach that survived a previous die-off from my 20-gallon days. My 40-gallon used to look great...it's halfway-planted with eco-complete on the right side and regular old gravel from my 20-gallon on the left side. There is a ray-2 led light (24") along the 36" top, placed to the right-hand side to give my random plants some light. I liked the light/dark sides to the tank, and the cool effect it had. Until I ran into some problems...first, since my t5 HO lights busted, I decided to go LED, which was great until I got a massive algae outbreak
...and now my plants are growing algae on them, getting spotted, and filled with holes.Checking out the forums on this site, it looks like I have a LOT to learn when it comes to the whole "planted tank."
All I've been using is flourish and flourish excel, but nothing in the way of NPK dosing or CO2 at all.I also have a lot to learn about quarantining...my last two platys died within weeks of the introduction of the rummy-nose tetras. I thought water changes would solve my problems, but now I'm sold on the idea of quarantining whatever next batch of fish I end up buying.
So place me somewhere in the middle...I can definitely educate a newbie on the basics, but I have a ton to learn from everyone else!
