my 20gallon tank

75litre, 4 yellow lab's, 1 dawf Gourami, 2 black mollies, 2 guppies, 1 sucker catfish, 1 redtailed shark, 1 apple snail, dead Live rock (just for the look).

 

Very nice! I love how clean it looks!!

 

looking good

 

thanks guys but i must give the credit to the sucker catfish and the snail (G)
just let me know if there's anything else i can do to this tank to make it better. any ideas would be much appreciated.

 

Looks nice and clean/plain.. try to maybe get some live plants instead of the plastic ones.

 

I don't think plants will survive the malawis...

 

that is true . oops

 

i agree wityh slagter coz i already put a piece of lettuce for the snail but it luks like the malawi's took over it

 

Really looks good.
If I remember correctly there is a thread on here were they show malawi's in a planted tank... I will go have a look for it

 

real plants, plants, plants....get them into the tank asap!

 

hey im learning alot on this forum in such a short tym. gna go chek that planted tank out 4 malawi's

 

"Hear hear".... I second that one old chap!
If you can't have real plants, flush the malawi!

 

Amen to that!

 

wat is the main significance of real plants?

 

Water clarity and equilibrium. You take care of the water and it'll then take care of your fish

D

 

can anyone be technical as to what solex69 just said? i would like to know how live plants provide clarity and equilibrium?

 

They consume the Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates and help to reduce what is held in the water. These are toxic to fish in high doses, so the more plants you have the more that is consumed! Hence better water quality!

The ammonia, nitrite and nitrate come from yur fishes poop and any organic matter that is breaking down. This is also the reason why it is recommended that you do water changes every so often, to reduce this build up!

Hope that makes a litlle more sense??

Cheers
Big G

 

:withstupid: I'm with what he said. (Sorry Big G... it's the only pic I could find with the correct arrow in the correct direction.)

I was going to reply to your quetion last night, but ran out of time. This morning I had a few minutes, but Big G beat me to the answer!

I use to be all for plastic/silk plants too. But I promis, once you have put the real ones in, your tank will become a little bit more easier to control the Nitrates.


Ammonia is converted to Nitrites
Nitrites is converted to Nitrates.
This is done by the bachteria colony in your filter... hence the need to cycle a tank before addin fish.
Ammonia comes from uneaten fish food and fish poop.

Nitrates is deadly poison to fishes in high levels, hence the need to remove through water changes. It's the only way we can take nitrates out the water.

BUT plants USE nitrates to assist them grow... so if you have plants, you don't have to do water changes as regularily. I've recently planted my tank with new plants, and fairly heavily, then fertilized very heavy, and my tanks nitrates have been a 0ppm for 3 weeks!

Again, plants bring in another story... you need to make sure the light is suitable, also, certain more difficult species of plant need CO2 added. And I would reccomend liquid plant fertilizer to all plants. Certain plants need to be attached to rocks/wood, certain plants need to be planted in the substrate. The finer the substrate, the better. And if you prepared to spend the extra money, and extra work, your LPS will be able to sell you a good mixture of ferts and sand etc to put UNDER the grave for the roots to take up the nutrients.

That's it in a nutshell!

P.S Big G--- how can you be online so much when you have a baby to look after! (Or is baby and mommy still in the hospital?)

 

Hey Zoom!

Who told you my middle name?? I think my wife struggle to remember it, as she keeps asking me 'Are you STUPID?' Haha!

Yer, my wifey is still at the Hosi! Hopefully she will be coming home tomorrow!?

I'm at home with the first boy!

Cheers
Big G!

 

hey guys sorry 4 the late reply, i was outa cape town 4 a while. Thanx BigG and Zoom for the excelent reply's. you just wna make a man wise nuh?lol think ima get sum live plants. and bigG, all the best wit the baby...may the baby bring lotsa joy in ur life! peace