cellodaisy
01-16-2009, 12:35 PM
Sorry this is another long post. Once of these days I'll learn how to be brief.
Current setup: One 30g with turtle + 4 feeder guppies.
Goals:
plant 30g
breed Endlers, use culls as feeders
The nearest store with supplies of any kind is an Agway. After that, it's a Petco 40 minutes away. Selection is quite limited at both, so I'm stuck ordering online. That means I should go ahead and order everything I need at once, preferably from only one or two sources to save on shipping.
So: WHAT should I get and WHERE should I get it?
I have:
10g --- emptied, cleaned, dried
Whisper 40 In-Tank filter
5g Eclipse Hex w/built-in (fairly lousy) filter --- emptied, cleaned, dried
API Tap Water Conditioner
API Stress-Zyme
API ammonia test (liquid)
API pH test (liquid)
I need:
nitrite & nitrate tests (liquid)
ammonia (for fishless cycling---can get locally)
java moss (or other moss?)
java fern
anacharis
other plants?
Plants must be hardy, low-light, and floating. I have no substrate and I like it that way. Fry cover and nitrate absorbtion are the primary goals, though I don't want to completely out-compete the algae because it will feed the feeders. I've tried my turtle on one java fern and she isn't eating it but she is "exploring" it, so fragile/shedding plants are not a good option.
"Driftwood" I can pick up outside and boil the heck out of to disinfect and waterlog. I've tried this once and it worked great. I live in NH---plenty of tree branches here.
I also need a tank "first aid kit." Please advise! What should I have on hand? Remember that I can't count on getting ANYTHING locally, but I intend to keep hardy fish and my resources are limited, so it has to be within reason.
I plan to get the Endlers off Aquabid once everything is set up and cycled.
Advice much appreciated. Thank you!
Current setup: One 30g with turtle + 4 feeder guppies.
Goals:
plant 30g
breed Endlers, use culls as feeders
The nearest store with supplies of any kind is an Agway. After that, it's a Petco 40 minutes away. Selection is quite limited at both, so I'm stuck ordering online. That means I should go ahead and order everything I need at once, preferably from only one or two sources to save on shipping.
So: WHAT should I get and WHERE should I get it?
I have:
10g --- emptied, cleaned, dried
Whisper 40 In-Tank filter
5g Eclipse Hex w/built-in (fairly lousy) filter --- emptied, cleaned, dried
API Tap Water Conditioner
API Stress-Zyme
API ammonia test (liquid)
API pH test (liquid)
I need:
nitrite & nitrate tests (liquid)
ammonia (for fishless cycling---can get locally)
java moss (or other moss?)
java fern
anacharis
other plants?
Plants must be hardy, low-light, and floating. I have no substrate and I like it that way. Fry cover and nitrate absorbtion are the primary goals, though I don't want to completely out-compete the algae because it will feed the feeders. I've tried my turtle on one java fern and she isn't eating it but she is "exploring" it, so fragile/shedding plants are not a good option.
"Driftwood" I can pick up outside and boil the heck out of to disinfect and waterlog. I've tried this once and it worked great. I live in NH---plenty of tree branches here.
I also need a tank "first aid kit." Please advise! What should I have on hand? Remember that I can't count on getting ANYTHING locally, but I intend to keep hardy fish and my resources are limited, so it has to be within reason.
I plan to get the Endlers off Aquabid once everything is set up and cycled.
Advice much appreciated. Thank you!