Recent content by Samdog

You certainly can have a beautiful "low-tech" tank. Some of us old timers successfully maintained beautifully planted tanks for decades before the "hi-tech" concept took hold. Like any kind of garden, some experimentation may be in order to find out what plants work best in your situation, but...

Neither will grow in the dark, but if there is enough light for any plant, either should be okay. They do better in good light, though, so try to give them more than the minimum needed for survival. Neither has any substrate requirements. In fact, they don't need any substrate at all. The...

Too bad I can't change my vote in the poll. I'm a TFH reader on my iPad now, but still listed as "neither".

Thanks for the heads up!

Interesting. Not only is that contrary to conventional wisdom and to what many aquarium fertilizer distributors say, it is contrary to my personal experience as well. (Not that any of those is necessarily reliable.) I have seven planted tanks. Every time I have had a hair algae outbreak in any...

From 1948 to 2007, a range chosen to verify that these size estimates have been consistent for decades. Lots of things have been learned over the years, but published size rarely changes as authors commonly use the official descriptions of wild caught species. If anything, captive bred...

Maybe they can, but I haven't seen one. Authors such as Innes, Axelrod, Vierke, and Baensch list them at 7-8", which jibes with my experience. The latter specifically suggests a 35" aquarium for them, about the size of a 30 long.

7-8" is more typical, which is how most reference books list them. That shouldn't be a problem in a 30 long. (OP didn't state dimensions.) Not that I'm pushing them; I only meant to cite examples of some often overlooked, tough, personality fish that a child might enjoy, which can often be...

Any of several South/Central American cichlids would fit the bill, at least if the tank is not planted. Jack Dempsey, Firemouth, etc, as well as the aforementioned Angelfish and Bloody Red Parrots. All have personalities that can make them seem like pets, are hardy, and adapt well to living...

I was. I do prefer the daylight type which are less common, but avaiable at home improvement stores.

The problem with household fertizers (and some older aquarium ones as well) is that they contain lots of nitrogen and phospherus, both of which occur in abundance in aquariums. Too much of these elements will encourage algae. Yes, the aquarium specific fertilzers are overpriced, but you'll be...

I've used them for a few years in my 6 gal. hex, and the plants do very well. I'm only growing Crypts, Anubis Nanas, and Sunset Hygo, so I'm not dealing with anything very challenging, but then neither are you. You should have no trouble with hornwort and java moss. Some of the newer CF's are...

I used to subscribe to TFH, but got tired of all the self promotion back then. I haven't read them recently. I'm really waiting for someone to publish an iPad tropical fish magazine.

12 I had goldfish in a bowl when I was 5 or so, but I don't think that counts. My first "real" tank was inspired by a visit to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago when I was 12. I got it after I returned to Minneapolis and have kept them continiously ever since. 2 1/2 gal., guppies and probably a...