lefty o

if its a newer tank, it is likely still "cycling", and you may see cloudiness come and go until it has truly grown enough beneficial bacteria.

just leave the HOB running. if the cartridge or sponge in it gets clogged, then just pull it out and leave it run empty.

i just use my finger. +/- a few degrees on a partial water change is fine.

id call it green wendtii.

if they must be presentable in a dining room, hire a finish carpenter to make a stand/shelving for them.

probably the otto's. need to feed them more is my guess.

the first step is admitting you have a problem. the second is seeking help. 3rd, forget 1&2 and just buy another tank, you know you want to. step 4, start over at step 1.

they dont live on perfect smooth sand in the wild. as long as the substrate isnt full of sharp edges, they will be fine.

dang, just losing a few of those sturgeon pictured would be a massive loss.

some crypts as mentioned above, and i would glue some java ferns to the rocks.

if the bait is coming in with fungus, and bruised up, thats a pretty good chance your problems lie with the handling and care of the bait before you get them.

well, its been a long long time. in high school i worked a few summers in a bait shop, that was also one of the largest live bait distributors in the upper midwest. i guess id have to start at where did the minnows come from, how long were they in transit, and how were they shipped. secondly i wonder how much water are you turning over? are your bait tanks constantly fed , or on a timer? we had at the time likely the last functional well in the city, and our tanks both in the store, and the large stock tanks out back were on a constant feed. chlorine/chloramines would be my biggest concern since you are on city water, followed closely by how many gallons an hour are running through the tanks. lastly water temp, as most baitfish sold does best in cooler to cold water. like i said, we were the main distributor for 5 states, and maybe every week and a half we lost a 5 gallon bucket worth of stock. as a side note, this brings back memories, if you ever wondered what the worst smell in the world is, you will find out if you are the guy who has to go out back dig a hole to bury the dead bait in. at the bottom of that week to two week old bucket is the worst smell you can possibly imagine.

really weird tap water coming out at 84degr. i would , until the issue is solved fill 5gal buckets with water to acclimate to room temp before adding to the tanks.

whatever tickles your fancy, whether its gravel, dirt, or any of the fancy substrates. pick one that appeals to you. me, i always go with gravel as it works well, comes in any color under the sun, is easy to clean, and stores well if i decide to take down a tank.

i go for when the baby plant has adequate roots for planting on its own.

that is lightly green. as mentioned, good stuff for fry.

i have a couple decent stores near me, but would be nice to have a co-op caliber store nearby.

29 is a nice size. not too small, not too big.

welcome, lots of knowledge around here.

it is really hard to truly over filter a fish tank.

try crushing up the hikari fancy guppy in your fingers. it will easily turn to powder. they should be able to handle eating that.

definately some good curtains, plants etc. that direct sunlight is going to be an algae growing machine.

first off, not to worry, we have all killed fish. it is part of the learning experience. tons of good info right here on the forum, so dont be afraid to do some reading , and ask questions if you need. what you have listed is a ballpark decent amount of fish. i would choose the pygmy cory's over the pandas in a 10g. once you start moving stuff into the 10gallon, give the 1 guppy a few days in there, then add 1 group of the above fish, and wait a week or two, then add another etc.

amazing isnt it, the older you get the dumber you feel.

5 gallon buckets are your friend.