Hi everyone, just starting up tanks again after a fee years away from the hobby. I have been reading about starting a new tank, and have read that only seachem stability is proven to work. I ordered some API products, one being quick start, to start off the process (only to establish the tabk, won't use routinely once established).

Thoughts on API vs Seachem?

Thanks

Other photo below

Hi folks,

Recently lost a female betta, and now another is going the same way. Photos below.

She isn't eating, hiding or either laying.on the bottom or floating at the top. Shares her tank with tetra, shrimp, and ottos. 60litre planted tank, water parameters fine.

Any ideas? There isn't an open wound etc.

Thanks in advance

My female betta has been very still for a few days now, not eating, and hiding etc. This afternoon I found her dead. She is housed with two other female bettas, and black.phantom Tetra, plus some algae eaters.

On fishing her out, I noticed a white lump on her her side that I hadn't seen earlier.

Has something bitten her or is it something to do with how she died?

Any advice welcome.

Thanks.

Hi folks,

Just wondering what people are using for water testing. Currently use the API master test kit, and feel sometimes.the results aren't overly accurate (ran the same test 3 times with 3 separate results)

Suggestions welcome:)

My tap water is only around 20ppm, I've just completed a large water change and will retest tomorrow. Thabks for for reply :)

Hi folks,

I've a well planted, cycled tank. A mix of tetras, female bettas and ottos. I added ferts capsules and its caused a huge nitrate spike. I've carried out water changes and removed the capsules but cannot get the levels below 80ppm.

I know levels should be below 40ppm but is there allowance for the ferts?

I've not used the capsules before but tried them for some of my thick rooted plants.

I also dose Flourish excell and neutro T, which I was told to do in addition.

Guidance welcome and appreciated.

Are you adding bacteria? I used seachem stability and it supported the system to cycle within a few days. I dosed it for 7 days. I now have two.well cycled tanks.. however like an idiot, I added the wrong ferts and now have a nice nitrate spike..

Good luck!

Hiya,

Thanks for the chart, really useful useful. Neutro T was recommended to me, but it doesn't have a list of what it has, so investigating that to figure out what's missing. I do use liquid CO2 and I have used a plant substrate.

My water parameters are fine, so presume diatoms are because the tank is still new..

Thanks again

Other photo below