Matt_95

I have an ikea bulb, wrong temperature, the plug fits in but there is a bit that is different which means it doesn't fit properly.

Just soil with no wetting agents or added fertiliser, just topsoil is fine My tank is the one that came third in the link Ness threw up I used this method for that. If you do do it you won't be wasting any time, you will speed up the cycle to a few days, a bio filter can be detrimental to these tanks. Just let me know and I will send down some plants, you will need more than I send though, I recomend Aquagreen for good prices, great quality and great service.

Hey guys, Mum won't let me come I've been sick the past weak and a bit and she says I'm too sick, I tried to hide it so I could come tomorrow to no avail. I hope y'all have a great time and make sure you post piccies for me. I'm so annoyed, my sickness always comes at the worst of times I'll make sure I can make it next time.

Looks great Neffy, it's been great to watch this evolve, you must be proud :)

I would also remove the air stone, splashing at the surface will remove precious CO2, is that a trickle filter on top? I would find an alternative for that too, it also will De-gas CO2, I don't have much success with plants if I have a trickle filter.

Dino Dung definatly won't kill shrimp, it is even used in tanks with crystal shrimp, much more delicate than cherries. If you use soil though root tabs or laterite won't be needed at all and the substrate won't need re-newing for at least a decade.

In Emmersed culture the water level is generaly kept below the substrate level, some crypts like it though, most species benefit from a lower water level, it stops algae competing with the plants too. If your worried about fungus capping the soil with a fine gravel will keep the leaves and crown away from decomposing organics which can grow fungus. Are they wentii Joan?

I just thought I would include the method I use with great success. I can send you some plants if you want, I have a tonne of Val I can give you if you pay shipping. I also have a few chain swords, they are big root feeders too. The ones I have spare need a bit of TLC as they have been floating in a bucket but with a good substrate they will take off. This is the method I use: http://ausaqua.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=11877 it would suit your tank well. It would speed up the cycle and you can ditch the filter you have, it will suck up shrimplets and pre-filters are a pain to keep clean. The trickle filter will de-gas co2 which the plants need to grow, in a small tank circulation isn't critical, the plants will filter the water.

Hi Joan, I was just wondering, is there any mulm in the gravel the crypt is in? They are heavy root feeders so they prefer to take up nutrients via their roots instead of the water. What is the growth rate like? I'm intriqued as your expieriance (spelling?) is the opposite of mine. Mine melted and grew very slowly in low light when they were in plain gravel, but once they had got through the gravel in the pots to the soil under the pots they took off. Also, what is your lighting like? What you call low light may be different to me.

They will be fine with shrimp. Dino Dung, from Aquagreen are great and cheap as chips. It's an online website :)

They arn't really going to cut it sorry. You want 6500K to grow plants well, thats liek the cool white bulbs if you can find them at bunnings or something.

Mosses don't need substrate, just tie them down, how deep is the gravel? The crypts will need root tabs pushed under them in just gravel, vals are good low light plants too, they need root tabs too. Dino Dung from Aquagreen is good.

Can you tell us teh colour temperature (kelvins) and wattage of the light please? That will help us with what plants are suitable. I assume it is low light, if you move the stripey rock forward a little bit,a thicket of vals would look really nice behind it. I would move the anubius in front further back, it throws off the whole scale and makes the tank look small IMO

Here you go Les, this si the one I have seen someone use http://www.google.com.au/imgres?q=sera+snail+trap&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&rlz=1I7ADFA_en&biw=1680&bih=797&tbm=isch&tbnid=AAoPPZQLNoOsvM:&imgrefurl=http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm%253Fpcatid%253D21339&docid=1vXcpwp4RPxF1M&w=432&h=255&ei=otFMTvOfA83SiAKKkPyKAQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=109&page=1&tbnh=128&tbnw=217&start=0&ndsp=33&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&tx=147&ty=66

If you want to keep the trait males have trouble mating, there mating fin thingo is to long and they can't aim the sperm properly. You need to breed heterozygous male to brred with a ribbon fin female to keep the trait, half will be ribbon fin and half normal. You can Cull the normal females.

No I didn't sorry Les, it didn't look like the new arrivals were on the shelves yet, were they AB fish? They wouldn't have been on display if they were.

Hard to judge by the picture, it looks like extensions on the fins? Google swallow tail guppies and ribbon fin guppies :)

I don't mind, if you want to breed her take her. She may be a gold dragon though, she was originally a golden brown colour, now she is more a gold. Perhaps someone could get you in a male? I really want one of those VT's, but I have no room! Don't let me buy any bettas guys, I'm down sizing.

Jarrod, Cadbury died I'm really sorry I can't give him to you now because he's dead. Do you want the female?

That works, I've also seen someone use this other contraption where they can't escape from it.

Cherries don't need heaters, they will survive a frost. They just slow down for the winter.

They should state it on the packet, if you could get top soil that would work better. The cheapest is usually the best for this.

Mine are finally breeding, well one tank I neglect is full off them, they might be breeding, I have no idea. But I have my first berries in my planted tank I didn't think I had a male... Haha, copper wouldn't slow them down, they would all be wiped out she also has snail traps I think, might help with those pesky ones that survive.