lefty o

just thinking out loud again (dangerous, i know). if your lights have blue light setting, try that for an hr or two after running normal white lights. you realize, if you didnt want BBA, you'd have plenty of it.😎

you need an air valve so you can adjust the flow from the pump. costs a couple bucks.

a bunch of plants, and 500 chili rasbora's!😈

welcome to the forum.

havent tried it myself, but id probably try a few blobs of aquarium safe silicone and squish them together, if i was inclined to try.

not absolutely needed. as long as you can maintain good water quality, its not needed.

a schooling tetra of a color they like.

in my experience, pretty much all aquarium heaters are garbage.

it has a neat look, but ive never seen anything like it.

you really cant over filter a tank. what you have to be concerned with is too much water movement. sponge filters dont make a bunch of current in the tank, so you will probably be fine with a sponge or two along with your HOB.

no pleco is a good choice in a 5 gallon. from the underside, it could be a bristlenose ( i have males over 6"), or it could be a common, and they get stupid big.

Buddy Holly's final song he never got to finish.

have no fear, through life you will find things go on sale after you have already bought them, or just have no money. rarely when you have money, and are looking for something specific will it go on sale.

after a short time, platy's and swordtails will probably come tot he front when they thing its feeding time. if you want fish that will absolutely mob the front of the tank, consider guppies. they have no shame getting right up front for food.

welcome to the forum. as far as technical, dont over think things LOL its still a box of water.

it can very well be genetics.

any good calcium source in the tank? for me, besides good genetics, adding crushed coral or wondershell to get good minerals in the water has virtually eliminated bent spines in my guppy's.

i have answers to every question, but you'll still be scratching your head asking why. #1, it depends on who's telling you to do a water change. #2i tend to think people are speaking of clear looking water. #3, i dont know, but we may learn something. #4, i dont have canadian water, so all my test stuff works fine. #5 they might knock themselves silly, but probably wont break their necks. #6 when i had them, tetra pleco wafers #7i dont care who you are, you will find a plant that no matter how hard you try, it dies. all the while someone else just drops it in the tank and its the biggest greenest thing ever.

they definately look cool in large schools.

welcome to the forum.