KittenFishMom

I'm trying to figure out UGF because I am trying to set up a drink dispenser scud colony, like Torrey's. I have a round UGF, but the bottom of my drink dispenser is domed up in the middle. Twice the area under the plastic canvas has filled with crud and clogged the spout. I think I need a flat bottom under the UGF, but am not sure. @Guppysnail From what I can figure out so far, the dirty water flows down through the gravel and then clean water flows across under the filter and up the uplift pipe. It seems like there might not be enough mulm coming up the lift tube to feed the BBs in the sponge filter attached to the top of the uplift, but I'm not fully understanding the UGF so don't take my word for it.

Recently I bought several young peppered corys to help with cleaning the tanks. As they are growing, it is clean some are have normal fins and some have very long/high fins. Is they any difference other than the fins between the 2 varieties? Is one more aggressive or hardy? Should I keep they in different tanks when they get older?

@Pepere Can you PM the place you got the flagfish that were fasted and survived?

I am hoping to buy some flagfish when my 55 tank is built. I remember reading about someone who had bad luck with the for batch they bought and was hoping the second batch would be OK. I am trying to find that thread to see hoe the second batch of flagfish arrived, and to find out how the seller was found. aquabit completely confuses me. Thanks for any info on where to buy flagfish and where to avoid buying them.

@TheSwissAquarist My rushing around with a 55 gallon bucket of rain water are behind me, way behind me 8-) <- those are my reading glasses. The pureset rain water is on the southwest coast of South America. (My neighbor use to fly down there to study it). The rain water in the northeast north america isn't so clean.

After looking at so many test strips and test tubes. We have decided to get an RO water system for the fish. I think we want something small, probably portable because there is no place to set it up long term in the cottage. Our water system pressure is about 35 , not 60 like most homes. So we need a system that will work with lower pressure. Tomorrow I will call the town and / or county to find out if the RO waste water has to go in our holding tank or if we can just run it outside someplace. Temp tonight is 28f, so we need to figure out how to deal with the waste water when there is snow and ice everywhere too. I welcome all opinions and advice of how to approach getting an RO system that will produce enough water for a 55 gallon tank and 2 03 3 10 gallon tanks.

Correction: the ACO water test strips show my well water to be off the top of the scale for GH and KH. The API tube water test show the GH and Ca to both be at zero and If I deluter the well water w1:1 with distilled water and double the results, the KH is 286.4 or dKH of 16. I think this means my magnesium is off the scale in the high direction. I was debating adding Seachem Equilibrium, but am not sure if this will raise the magnesium or other things I can not test for to levels that are not good for plants and fish.

@nabokovfan87 I've been studying the tests and noticed that with the ACO test strips, my GH is off the high end of the scale, and with the API test tube tests the GH and Ca and at zero. I am pretty sure this means my water has a large quantity of magnesium. Seachem's Equilibrium is 8.06% calcium and 2.41% water soluble magnesium, along with other things I can not test for. It is supposed to make RO water just right for plants and fish. I guess my next step, before trying it in my tanks, is to find out the hazards of too much magnesium. I might give Seachem a call tomorrow too. I can buy a magnesium test kit, but I don't recognize the manufacturers. I can also pay twice the price and have the water lab test for magnesium, but I'm not sure if they give the concentration or just if they do or do not find magnesium.

I am getting ready to build my 55 gallon tank and am about to order plants. Most plant descriptions talk about lighting needs and fertilizer. I haven't found any that talk about pH, GH or KH. My well water has no calcium or magnesium, but the HK is twice the max recommended for fish. I always have driftwood, and IAL in the tanks, as well as extra air stones. I plan to stock with the fish I have: peppered corys, neon tetras, kuhli loaches, yoyo loaches, maybe some male guppies and maybe a male betta, and scuds and snails. I want some low carpeting plants for the front. I have a few tall ones for the background. I am running a air test on my water in an open bucket with an air stone. and another with an active sponge filter and a heater. Second test is to see If I can lower the 0.5 Ammonia before adding it to the tank. ACO is running a plant sale, so I would like to buy the carpeting plants there before the sale ends. Any ideas, suggestions or advice are welcome.

@nabokovfan87 I have 4 gallon of well water in a 5 gallon bucket with a heater and a sponge filter I just took out of an active fish tank. I also have 3 gallons in a 5 gallon bucket with an air stone. I took readings and will check them again in about 24 hours.

@nabokovfan87 I measure GH with strips and API tests. Water system people also say our water has no calcium or magnesium, but lots of carbonate., KH. I have tried using wondershells and crushed coral, but the pH goes higher. Made I should try a bit of the Equilibrium before I give it away. The person I gave the guppies to had a 50 gallon tank with 3 fish in it. He wasn't familiar with the idea of adding anything to the RO water he was getting from the RO tap. I think the guppies will need calcium if they are reproducing. My husband and I are tossing around the idea of getting an RO system for the water here. No one at our end of the lake drinks their well water.

@nabokovfan87 I have plants and IAL in my tanks. The water does have a tannin tint to it, but I think it is good for the fish. I never use carbon/charcoal in my tanks because I read it can remove trace elements that the fish need. I have a very high KH and a zero for GH so the pH is very high. I need to do the 24 hour water test with an air stone. Found that bucket to use and the air pump, just need to clean the bucket well and get it started. I might try a second bucket with a active sponge filter, to see how long it takes to bring the ammonia to zero. I wish I could figure out a way to increase calcium without upping the pH. Trying to pick some carpeting plants that will grow in my water. The plant descriptions talk about light levels, but don't mention pH or KH. I'm going to sleep on it and maybe post a question in the plant forum. Thanks so much for all your help.

I'm doing some shopping for my 55 gallon tank set up and came across Seachem Purigen. Its features say it removes tannins. I thought tannins were good for fish tanks, which is why I keep adding IALs as the snails eat them. Something that removes tannins sounds like a problem, not a feature. What am I misunderstanding?

@OceanTruth Before I knew it was illegal, I kept native fish. Last summer I had a 120 gallon tank full of native fish and mudpuppies. In the fall I gave them to a nature center to display because my garage wasn't heated. I then stocked my indoor 55 gallon tank with all kinds small fish I caught in my minnow traps. In February, I gave them to someone in the fish and wildlife department to display. He told me he didn't agree with the law, and was part of a group that was trying to get it changed, but that it was illegal to keep native fish. He said he kept native fish as a kid and that lead him to his current career. I don't know if you might be able to order them from an out of state breeder, so they are not native, but you could check. I'm sure you would need to keep documentation that they came from out of state. if you are fishing with minnows you have to be able to produce the receipt were you bought them. I'm not sure if you can even catch minnows for bait because you won't have a receipt. Invasive species are a huge problem in New York State.

@nabokovfan87 I'm on it.

@nabokovfan87 I haven't done that. Is that leaving the water uncover at room temp for 24 hours?

That is my well water: pH of 8.4, GH of 0 and KH of 286.4 ppm (dKH 16). It just about match the lake water. In New York State, it is illegal to keep native fish. (We are from the government, we are here to help you, right?) Any ideas on how to best stock my tanks for my well water? I'm really stumped on this one. Thanks in advance.

@gardenman I think what I want to do is lower the pH and increase the calcium. I just tested the calcium and it is <20 ppm Ca superscript 2. The water is already completely soft with no measurable GH, and the pH is already high at 8.4. Making the water harder with a lower pH has me stumped. I see how using Prime or a cycled sponge filter can deal with the ammonia. Adding crushed coral raises the calcium and the pH which is already too high at 8.4 I seem to be missing something to get the calcium up so the snails don't have spots, and the pH down and stable to a level most fish like it.

I just did a more accurate test on KH. I got 286.4 ppm. The GH looks to be less than 17.9 ppm. I am getting a calcium test in the mail today. I might buy a n Mg test kit too. If these numbers are stable. What could I stock in a 55 gallon tank that would like the water coming out of the tap, after dealing with the ammonia? Is there much that can handle the water out of the tap if I have the BB in the tank handle the ammonia? I do use IAL and crushed coral at the same time in the tanks. Thanks for your help !!!!!!!!!!! Here are the numbers from the first post so you don't have to scroll up: pH 8.4 Ammonia 0.5 ppm Nitrite 0 ppm Nitrate 0 ppm GH <17.9 ppm 1<dGH KH 286.4 ppm dKH = 16

@ColuShould I dose him with his tank mates, or set up a different 10 gallon tank just for him?

@colu I just found a home for the last of my female guppies. That is the tank he came from. I'm worried if I put him in the tank, they will keep pecking him and they will get sick. After I said he looked tired, he dashed around the container, trying to get out. He is resting under the IAL now. @Colu I don't see any redness anywhere on him. The pale patch might be part of his markings.

@Colu my husband says the spot under the fin is fuzzy. It might be from the guppies pecking at it, or might be why they were pecking. I can't find anything on any other fish in that tank. I put new warm water from the tank into his container. He is not interested in the blood worms I thawed in my finger tips. He looks very tired. I have the container on my leg to keep it warm.

@Colu It is very hard to tell on the fish in person. The fish is about 1/8 wide. I was looking with a magnifying glass, a few minutes ago, but was not sure what to look for. I'll go look for redness and or fuzziness. I'm also going to see if it will be tempted by frozen blood worms. back in a few minutes.

@Fish Folk thanks that was so fast !!!!

@Colu and everyone else, I think about 1 year ago, Colu put together a great post about medicines that should be kept on hand and common illnesses. I'm looking for it, but can not find it. Does anyone remember where it is, or what it's title was? Thanks so much !