Recent content by Virbius

Really the wet dry filter was an after thought. Well, after a baby bird drowned in the pool, that is. My K1 filter is made from a 20 gallon drum and handles normal bioloads very well, but when I could not the cause of a sudden spike in nitrates and ammonia, I added a homemade paddle wheel made...

You mean no one has invented a shrink-ray and manmade fish for this tank? How about a betta? Really should have a larger tank, but if he does a 50% water change per day and that does not stress the betta too much, it will work. A HOB filter would help actually increase the volume of water...

Canister filters help when HOB filters would be a problem. Also canister filters seem to do a better job.

Excellent point, I use carbon in my hospital tank after completing a treatment and before the fish enter back into their home tank. Otherwise, I have no use for carbon either. In the home tanks, I do 20% water changes two times weekly, but I stock at about 1/2 the normal rate. 100 percent...

If you look at his other posts, his spelling and word usage is either that of a non-English speaker or he is a product of America's Free Appropriate education system. Either way, I address what I can understand of his concerns.

Just google crowded cichlid tank... It is a tried and true solution and so is the target fish solution. Here, try article Reducing Cichlid aggression by Devin Sung - The Cichlid Room Companion

Yes, LFS knows everything and gives the best advice. I am sorry you were put through this. At least someone has a job, at least until you get your replacement fish.

Well, you picked a couple of the lesser aggressive cichlids. Though some individuals can be nasty customers, most are among the most peaceful of the cichlids. I tend to stock light. I assume that power might be out for a day or two sometime in the future. But assuming you are using a hob or...

There is a question about activated carbon. I would agree and disagree with you. Activated carbon has been associate with many mystery deaths in aquariums. When fresh, it tends to remove everything, both good and bad from the water. It is largely used as a chemical filter and not a...

I have used coconut shells. I age them a week in water which is changed every day before putting them in the tank. I use a 3/8's drill bit to create holes for the loaches to poke their heads out of. \

100 percent in agreement with the baking soda route. Just make sure you get all of it out.

LFS always tell the truth.. Yes, LFSs have always been known for their absolute reliability and honesty. Cycle the tank and make sure the lights are bright enough.

Get silk or plastic plants. Save yourself from having to learn two aspects of the hobby at once.

Mollies are very prone to ich especially when not kept in a brackish water tank with hard alkaline water. Without seeing it, I would still hazard a 95% guess for ICH.

Gold sucking loach is just another name for "Chinese" algae eater. Look them up. They have a mixed reputation and it is mostly bad.