Brandy

As always, Cory is more succinct. But I already typed it, so I am posting it. 🙂 Like this: First connect the pump to the end, and the 2 sponge filters to the first 2 valves. Then be sure to turn OFF the two valves that don't have air hoses on them--cross-wise means "off". Open the first and second valves all the way--in-line means "on". Now, slowly turn OFF the sponge filter that IS RUNNING. When the other filter starts to bubble, adjust the valve until they are balanced. Air takes the path of least resistance, and will "prefer" one line over the other. You use the valve to make the resistance the same so that the flow is the same.

I have some that I let go nuts in the clippings tank. But in display tanks I also wrap it around a rock with thread like @Wes L., and then I prune the dickens out of it so that it looks like topiary or a boxwood hedge almost. It LIKES it. Because the rock anchors it you can move it around and even shake it out a little during water changes if you have too much food in there. Fry and shrimp will zip back to safety, but the dirt isn't as smart. I also just sold a bunch of my trimmings on craigslist, so, you know...Now I get to go shopping? 😎

Ahhh, but the Krib is missing now! Tell that kid he has to wait until he's 14 to get his own phone! 🙂

Thanks @AdamTill, I couldn't remember the specifics, but I remember the blue fantails you mentioned in that thread because I had never seen "goldfish" that color. Sorry to dredge up bad memories.

No I have forunately never had to deal with Fish TB as far as I know. I think @AdamTill might have?? Apologies if I am not remembering that correctly. I remember someone talking about it taking out their goldfish breeding operation. Admittedly it sounded tragic.

I think you will not get enough flow past the coral to do what you need it to. It will work in a very very long time maybe, but you may water change out the minerals faster than they are released. I would test this in an empty tank if I were you, because tearing up a scape in a 75 would make me cry.

No. I have taken care of ich, flukes, and bacterial mysteries in tanks with snails, plants, and shrimp by removing the fish to a hospital tank, and reintroducing after 2 weeks. No issues.

Forunately Fish TB is pretty rare. If it were that, you might actually need a tear down, but it sounds like it was parasites, and then an opportunistic bacterial or fungal infection in the wound.

Just give your tank 3 weeks with no fish and make weekly 50% water changes. Keep feeding the tank lightly to keep the cycle going. With no host, whatever it was will die. Most pathogens do not survive without something to infect.

Maybe I'm just lucky but my guppies are doing astoundingly well, and my water is significantly softer than yours. Mutts are doing fine in water that is like under 30-40ppm with just a random handful of coral added. In fact, my water sounds a lot like @Maggie's. I recently got brave and ordered some guppies from Texas that were likely from Thailand originally--obviously harder water. I used wondershell and coral to bring it up to off-the-charts hard, and I am slowly (very slowly) water changing back to my normal parameters. I have had 2 drops of fry and everyone looks amazing. I will hold the coral for now, and wait on the water to stabilize without wondershell, then start removing tiny bits of coral each week--Hoping that in a year they will be fully adapted to NW Washington water. Recently my teen bought some guppies locally and ignored my advice to test and match the bag water, and he dropped them into very soft water with no adjustment. They were sick inside of 3 days, and it has been touch and go since I took over--added wondershell immediately and started maracyn and ichX. I think the trick is just no sudden moves. They very much will adapt, if you go slowly. So a long story to say I would go with whatever you like to look at, and transition them to your conditions over time.

Well same day at least. I am betting they are just sucking up everything you are putting in, so feed more! 🙂 CO2 and high light accelerates nutrient usage. You definitely have that going on. And that tank is gorgeous, I am jealous of your scarlet temple mini. I have some that is struggling.

thats funny, my otos eat the seed part first!! They leave just the skin at the end, lol.

Yes, that looks like some healthy heavy feeders. You can try increasing your dose--do you find nitrates an hour after dosing?

I hear canned green beans are a favorite, as is repashy, but I would worry less--they generally prefer grazing, and may not eat other things until they run out of their favorites. Also, I have noticed some fish don't "recognize" new food until you offer it once or twice. Presumably he has seen algae wafers before though at ACO, so I am betting he is just enjoying the variety in your tank for now.

This tank, for instance, is a serious struggle to get up to 10 nitrates, and I am not even running CO2.

If your plants are growing, you may actually be using all the Nitrate before it shows up.

How do you get a reading like "8.56" on GH? Not doubting you, I've just never seen a test like that. Usually something like 8 dGH, or 300ppm GH

I would say this is a possibility on Val. Some more fragile plants might be harder to assess. Things I would suggest are removing all potting media, and putting the bare root plant in a clear container (jar, drinking glass, something) in bright lighting and reaaallly look at all the angles. snail eggs are hard to see in the air, but you can see the jelly blob better in the water.

I had a twist of moss in there, and a mini water lettuce. I think my flow was a little too strong on the box which probably burned too much energy and discouraged foraging. There is such a thing as too clean. I have decreased it, and the survivors seem happier and visibly larger.

@Bruce isn't there one in lower manhattan?

Haha, counting down with the microwave totally speeds it up too, doncha know?! Have I mentioned that I'm a touch impatient?

@Tami lower temps and pH will help reduce toxicity, yes. Do you have nitrate? If so you still have bacteria that is active, it just might be overwhelmed. There may be something dead in the tank (snails?) Or it could be in your source water, you could have a really dying plant, or have recently treated and killed a bunch of algae, or accidently over fed a bunch. The trick is to figure out where it is coming from. Usually source water, as @Colusays, or something rotting. Very occasionally some cheaper types of fertilizer contain ammonia.

Sure, I love dragon stone and black sand too, not trying to bash anyone. It does take a little extra effort, but I don't believe it is inherently safer to only buy hardscape. Like anything, you have to do what you are comfortable with. I'm just more comfortable with using my knowledge to choose free sticks and rocks, than using my knowledge to earn money to buy sticks and rocks. I do think heat is better than bleach if you are concerned, but mostly I think the danger is all about marketing.

You have to, basically. That or change the water and re-dose. The med trio is not going to keep your fish healthy in an uncycled tank. This is not going to end well if you do not take action. You would probably have done better to add them to the main tank and just dose it, depending on the size of that tank. The med trio can't cure bad water quality, and you may make perfectly healthy fish sick this way.

I sort of think the better word would be that a tank is ready for fish when it is "seeded" with bacteria. At that point it will continue to respond to the increase and decrease in bioload with an increase or decrease in bacteria population. As long as fish are added slowly, the amount of fish a tank can hold is both higher and lower than we expect. Higher if you want to be a slave to water changes, and your fish are small and not physically crowded or agressive. Lower if you prefer a more hands off method. I have a nearly perfectly balanced small tank that holds snails, shrimp, pea puffers and plants. I could go months with nothing more than tossing in a few pellets for the shrimp every couple of days. The puffers eat the food that the tank makes. The plants handle the nitrates. Some day I may get all my tanks to that point. But probably not.