[Is this anubias rot?]

If the rhizome is melting, that's anubias rot.  If the newer end of the rhizome isn't involved, you can try sharply cutting that off along with its leaves and floating it until it develops roots (or if it's big enough, gluing or tying it onto whatever you eventually want it to attach to).  Then get rid of the part of the plant that rotted.

Anubias in the wild grow partly emersed not completely submerged (someone correct me if that's wrong - every picture of them in nature I have been able to find online shows them on banks of streams or partly sticking out of a marsh or something), so we're asking them to live in conditions they're not really designed for.

Good luck, they're lovely plants -

[Sterbai corydoras too small]

Maybe you have a variant or subspecies that is just naturally smaller?  They look healthy and happy from your pictures -

[Green spot algae and green hair algae, I'm getting tired...]

riioKen, hang in there - it takes the better part of a year for a planted tank to mature.  Successive waves of different algaes are part of the process.  Next spring when your plants are established and thriving this will be a thing of the past.  I love how you set up your tank, it's going to look great -

One thing you might try to get through this early phase - Add in a big mass of floaters (anacharis has worked for me) which can start competing out the algae right away without having to take time to root and start growing.  You can always remove them down the road if you don't like them -

Good luck and enjoy -

[White bump on side of CPD]

Could just be a cyst.  One of my glowlight tetras has had something that looks just like that for over a year, it hasn't changed, he seems healthy, no one else in the tank has one.

[Leech in my tank?]

Hi Allan please keep us updated on whether the febendazole ends up working - I didn't try that one when I had my leech infestation last summer so I would love to know.  Also - What kind of fish was it that you found dead with leech attached?  Do you think the leech killed it, or just fed on it after it died?

[Snails don't like tank]

Nerites do that - seems they like to breath air.  

[Anyone with experience breeding Ember Tetras?]

Bought some Ember Tetras ~ 6 months ago (originally 8, now 6 but they all look healthy), was hoping they would colony-breed a bit but they haven't.  Tank is heavily-planted 40 breeder with lots of floating plants for cover.  Temp 74F, pH 6.8, GH 6-8, nitrates ~ 20, nitrates and ammonia 0.  Fish get fed twice a day (Xtreme nano pellets which they seem to like, also anything floating off what the Corys get).  Just the Embers, Corys, and snails in the tank.

Any suggestions much appreciated!  

Not looking to breed for profit or anything, just to maintain the colony -

Thanks -

[Corydoras breeding cycle?]

I have noticed the same thing with my corys (trilineatus and pygmy).  Spawned a lot during the fall/winter, now nothing.  No change in light cycle (other than obviously the outside light cycle), temp, water change schedule, water parameters, or feeding.

[For 20 Gallon Long Fans -- What Should My Setup Be?]

For a lid - the Aqueon glass lid sized for the 20L works perfectly and is easy to use - sturdy but not too heavy.  I have a Tidal 55 HOB on my 20L (bit of overkill but that's what I got) and it fits with the Aqueon lid (on the back of the tank obviously not the side!).

Re the pygmy corys, once they're comfortable in the tank, big enough and you have enough (dozen or so) they will be all over the tank and are just delightful.  When they're young or you only have a few, they're shy and stick close to the substrate.

Re your plants, everything you have listed is great but especially to start with consider something fast growing to help compete with algae - maybe pogostemon stellatus octopus or anacharis, both of which can be grown as floaters to start.

Good luck and have fun!  20L is a great choice -

[My rekindled love of Repashy Community Plus]

If you just have a tank or two and want a quick batch:  Put a tablespoon of Repashy powder into a mug, add three tablespoons boiling water, stir, let cool, and spoon right into the tanks.

Easy-peasy!

[Nerite Snails]

My nerites love Wonder Shells.

[What types of snails are these?]

MTS - Great cleaners, totally peaceful, aerate the substrate, don't eat healthy plants, but boy do they make babies ...

On balance, I think they're a positive addition to planted tank ecosystem and have them in both my tanks - They're also fun to watch - 

[Suggestions for online fish store]

I have gotten fish from AquaticArts and The Wet Spot in past couple of years, both good experiences for me -

[Help ! I found a leech in my leech-free tank. I WANT TO GET RID OF ALL THE LEECHES !!!]

Asian Freshwater Leaches can come in with plants from any vendor.  Eggs/wormlets are tiny and can slip through any inspection process.  I learned this the hard way.

[Is this detritus work or something else and should I be worried?!?!!?]

Anyone have any experience with what fish species will eat leaches?  I had Asian Freshwater Leaches in a tank with pygmy and trilineatus corys and never saw them eat the leaches.  Someone recommended gouramis to me but I never tried that (ended up tearing down the tank cause the leaches were proliferating in my HOB filter and grossing me out .....).

[What type of algae is this?]

Assuming this is a low tech tank (no added CO2) try scheduling a "siesta" of four hours or so off-time in the middle of your lights-on period.  That may help your plants by giving the CO2 level time to recover after a few hours of photosynthesis, and enable them to compete better against the algae.  Also maybe try putting in a fast-growing floater like anacharis or hornwort at least while the tank matures.  I was struggling with algae in a new-ish tank and things got better with those interventions.  Good luck!  Sometimes it's just a question of time ...

[Pest snails eating plants. Assassin snails to the rescue?]

Unfortunately there isn't a readily-available test for potassium - at least I don't know of one.

If you use Easy Green and your tank nitrates are less than 40, agree with increasing your Easy Green dosing and see if that helps (Easy Green contains potassium).  If your nitrates are high, rather than more Easy Green (which contains nitrate) maybe try Seachem Flourish Potassium which is just potassium (not plain Seachem Flourish which contains very little potassium).

[What is this?]

If it "inch-worms" when moving across the glass, or if it can swim freely, its an Asian Freshwater Leach.  Controversial whether or not they will prey on shrimp (I had these in one of my tanks a while back, reasearched the question up the wazoo, couldn't find consistent answer).

[Pest snails eating plants. Assassin snails to the rescue?]

The pinholes on your java fern leaves look like potassium deficiency.

[jungle vals Vallisneria grow very slow]

Time.  Mine did nothing for over a year, then took off as the tank "matured."  If you're struggling with algae out-competing plants, consider scheduling a "siesta" (four hours or so of lights off) in the middle of your lights-on period.  That allows the CO2 level in the tank to build up again to support plant photosynthesis - might let you keep the lights on for longer overall each day which might benefit the vals.   Maybe also add some fast growing floaters like anacharis.  Those two interventions helped me.

Make sure also you aren't deficient in any nutrients for the plants - ie use a full-spectrum fertilizer, keep nitrates 20-40 range etc.

Have fun and good luck!  Once vals get going they're beautiful.  

[Java moss - not so simple?]

Agree it's finicky.  I have very soft water and mine wouldn't grow for the first year, but then when nitrate level in the tank got up to 20-40 (as fish multiplied) it took off.  Also, when the tank was newer and there was a lot of algae, that really seemed to inhibit the java moss.  

Do you have hornwort in your tank?  There used to be a lot in mine but I removed it because I didn't like it, and also read it can produce chemicals that inhibit other plants.  The java moss (and also other plants) took off after I removed the hornwort.  Could have been coincidence, but food for thought.

[Worm ID please?]

I had Asian Freshwater Leeches in my tank and this doesn't look or move like them.  Mine clearly "inchwormed" when moving over a surface, and also swam freely.

[what dirt for dirted tank?]

Your pearlweed is beautiful - sounds like you grew this without CO2?

[Mechanical filter filling very fast ! Is it the cory fry?Also Is it possible to cycle a bare bottom tank?]

If you have a thick layer of soft detritus on top of your sand, you can try "wafting" your siphon over it a couple of inches away from the surface.  That should lift up the loose stuff that sounds like it's getting kicked up and then clogging your filter.  Just don't suck up any of those cory fry!

[Corydoras sick and dying]

Maybe an issue with oxygen level in the tank?  The water lettuce is covering a lot of the surface -