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Happily doing well lately with my bogwood-catfish-planted tank hobby, thanks to many helpful bits of information on this site... New issue; Being very low-tech and somewhat afraid of electricity+water, I'd really appreciate others' opinions... I bought a 40breeder tank (brand new) in July...

Hi, Silly question here...If you don't have fish in QT do you keep the tank up and running to preserve the cycle, etc? I guess the bacteria would die without food, so...it sounds like a lot of trouble...I otherwise have a 40B cycled tank with fish and plants... thanks, JD

:-? For everyone who's helped with advice for me in the past, just a quick update re Ottawa (canada) tapwater pH according to the city management: raised to 8.4 via caustic soda to reduce lead leaching into the water due to lead pipes. My question is: is 8.4 reasonable for keeping acid-pool...

Having struggled for what seems like forever with high pH (all premium brand liquid reagent test kits I had used), I just bought a new wide range pH I had never seen sold here before (went to a different store than usual). Low range pH test, my tapwater reads as way above 8 (off the chart...

As an FYI, Some experts (e.g., Walsted) recommend using vinegar as an easy way to lower pH in a planted tank--but a caution from my own accidental use with non-planted tank: vinegar breaks down into acetic acid which plants eventually can use as carbon dioxide as it further breaks down...

I have very poor tapwater for which I will be probably getting an ro unit ($ holdup). I had already mail ordered plants and they are arriving very soon. As my water has 0 hardness, etc, I wondered if I should try some Right in my water before I get the ro unit--to keep my plants alive til all...

Once again, when I have put my fish into my large and cycled tank, my fish have gone into respiratory distress, and I lost one--I have no idea what the problem is, but am frankly afraid to try again without fixing the problem. Recap: first time: 40B tank cycled x 2 months with plants only, to...

I have a couple of questions concerning mail-delivered plants. Some background, I live in Ottawa (Ontario), and have ordered some warm-water plants from AquariumPlants warehouse in Alberta. They are said to arrive in less than 2 days, and they are being delivered to my workplace...

Hi, Had a recent problem with my tank, and am starting over cycling, this time need to do it with fish in (5 surviving corys). I have no plants at this time but will acquire some ASAP as I really like how it cycles the tank very gently.... Two questions: One: What is the impact on cycling (and...

well recent discovery of tiny filament, zig-zagging small creatures in my tank as well as small dragonfly type creatures on my plants so I assumed these were nematodes and possibly midges of some sort. Fish were in respiratory distress, but confusing because ammonia appeared to be reading 0...

I'm struggling to get my water parameters stable, and am having trouble reading my NH3/NH4 results. Not sure if I have the wrong card, of all things!! My previous tester was a single bottle AP ammonia test--card ranged from 0 to 7 or so, with lowest being invisible reading, and highest colour...

well after multiple partial water changes trying to get to the bottom of my fish's distress, and sudden ammonia problems, I finally thought to check the tap water ammonia levels; 2!!! I'm annoyed with myself at not thinking to check this. We take tapwater for granted, don't we? Yet here, pH is...

Are there guidelines for what to do with a fish that has been severely stressed/shock generally? I haven't run across this anywhere and it would have been handy with my distressed rasboras (that have since died)... thanks, jd

I have some questions concerning pH. Most postings here warn against using commercial buffers, but my pH is 9 and I think it would be cruel to keep fish in this (mine is an acid pool FW 40B)--I've tried to use vinegar (Halstad's suggestion), but fear problems...the water does seem cloudy and...

Yikes, unwelcome visitors! And just when I thought we were off to a good start...so just how concerned (and how much actionis needed) with respect to changes in my 2 month old tank. stats that may be helpful: 40B tank, 2 40w Cool White, weak co2 Injection (about 1 drop--12 seconds) pH 7...

After only 2 months of use it appears my regulator is leaking +++ around the cylinder pressure gauge, so is currently useless and disconnected. Anyone else run into this? Any alternative but to replace it ($$)? I had it hooked up to a solenoid bought separately, using a length of silicone...

setup debugging... first some background: 40b tank, cycled with lots of plants over several weeks. Lots of natural bogwood. Eheim canister with mostly mechanical filtration, and some minimal smaller filtration pads. (Had to buy a new one, old one was indeed broken.) Current status: 2...

Hi, I just purchased and am setting up a 40B tank, to use for aquascaping and small fish load. I also purchased a classic Eheim external canister good for 40 gal tank to about ? 120 g if I recall (writing this at work). Cycling with plants and co2 injector currently. Thing is, the water flow...

I'd appreciate others' views or advice on this... I bought two pumps about 5 years ago, one for 39g, one for 30g. They were kept in their boxes, stored in my apartment in a dry area, and never used. I've recently tried to use them, and they both appear to be kaput. This seems incredibly...

I have an unexpected situation that needs maximum emergency planning... I have been reflecting on my aquarium plans for months, and finally decided to purchase a 40 or 50 g tank, to cycle with plants, and in 2 months or so, I would add a minimum of small community fish. Well, I saw an...

:D I'm about to select a new tank and lighting system, with Big Plans for an acid pool type arrangement with low fish load, high planting, relatively low tech, based rather heavily on my reading of Ecology of the Planted Aquarium by D. Walstad (excellent in my view but radical in some ways, or...

Love the site! My question: What I've read of optimal water conditions for best plant growth is that plants in fact do better in harder water--even those found in acid pools, flooded forests, etc. that those plants apparently just don't compete well anywhere else... How then do you decide...