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Noobs questions/tips

justjason88

Member
Joined
4 Dec 2011
Messages
108
Location
South London
Firstly i'm sorry for the following questions, you guys probably answered these thousands of times but i can't find any definitive answers and i really am stuck! Secondly, weren't too sure where to post them because they are all general questions and don't fit to 1 topic.

My pH is still 8, i'm trying to get it down to at least 7 with the help of bogwood but so far no luck, are there any solutions i can add to the tank that will keep it at 7 without it constantly fluctuating? (I haven't looked into adding peat to the filter yet)

Do i need an air stone? Or is this only to boost oxygen levels so i can keep more fish

I've written down a number of fish i'd like to have, what are the minimum numbers i should keep them in?
Zebra Danios (i've read minimum of 4-8)
Lemon or Bleeding heart tetras (i've read minimum 4-8)
Neon tetras (i've read minimum 4-10)
Adolfo's or Julii Corydoras (i've read minimum 4)
Harlequins (i've read minimum 6)
Maybe a red tailed black shark depending on if enough room or if it's compatible with the others (i know minimum is 1 for this guy due to behaviour against other RTBS')

I plan to keep some corys, must they be kept in a school of 4 of the same type or can i mix 2 types together with 2 of each?

How many fish can you keep to a tank, i've read 1 inch of fish per 1 gallon of water? However, a lot of journals i've seen have about 40" of total fish to 20 or so gallons in the tank

Should i remove the carbon sponge in my juwel filter seeing as i have a number of plants in the tank, or leave it in?

How much should you feed your fish, my tetra flakes tub says 3 times a day and only as much as they can eat within 2 minutes, but this seems very excessive and there's no way i'd be able to do this with work?

Thanks a lot for your help, it's much appreciated and once again sorry for all the questions.

Jason
 
I'd not bother too much about adding an airstone mate. I don't use one. Carbon is good for keeping water nice and yellow few from tannins etc but after a few weeks will dump what ever nasties it's absorbed back into the tank and just become another bit if foam for biological benefit.
Corys will be fine with 2 different groups of 2 yes. I have 2 panda corys and 2 albino, and they regularly swim with one another anyway.
I would ignore the feeding recommendations too, 3 times a day seems excessive. Fish in their normal habitat don't come across that every day, they can go a day or so with out. I feed mine alternate days. Water change day they get nothing. Sunday they get fed twice, Monday once, Tuesday twice, Wednesday nothing Thursday once m Friday twice. That's just how i do it anyway. Also limits the amount of uneaten food too that could lead to any possible build up
 
Stop worrying about you ph mate :)

Nothing you do other than getting an RO system will give you your desired ph level
If you really feel the need That is the way forward

Personally unless your looking to breed some rare or expensive shrimp or wild soft water fish I wouldn't bother :)
 
After much looking around the consensus seemed to be RO or getting pressurised CO2 would be the best bets for lowering pH long term. I'll be trying the CO2 soon so will see! RO wasn't really an option for me but may be for you?

Personally I think red-tailed black sharks are too aggressive and territorial to share the bottom with cory's. Cory's are too peaceful I would've thought, they might end up being hassled and hiding all the time.

The 1" per gallon rule of thumb(or 1cm per litre if you want metric :D ) is for new tanks. Once its been running for 6 months or so you can up it to 2" per gallon. How often you feed has a lot to do with personal preference. I feed small amounts twice a day, others do it once a day or every other day. One person I know of routinely feeds once a week. See what works for you and the fish you choose. I'd definitely go for less while your cycling though.

Viv
 
Carbon is good for keeping water nice and yellow few from tannins etc but after a few weeks will dump what ever nasties it's absorbed back into the tank and just become another bit if foam for biological benefit.

Someone correct me on this but i'm sure that carbon doesnt release stuff back into the water once it is loaded, it just cant hold any more stuff!
 
I always thought that you replace it every few months because it gets loaded to the point that it can't hold any more waste. It won't be effective after a few months which is why you replace it, not because it dumps everything back in the tank.
 
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