Who Gives A Fish Forums

I'm with boomer on this one. I've tried a bunch of different substrates - eco complete, flourite, aqua soil, dirt, gravel, sand... you name it. The thing is, stuff like eco complete and dirt just aren't that useful after a couple years. They need to be replaced, which is a real pain. On the other ...

My water's around 5.7 dGH and I've found vallisneria does alright, I think the key is it's a root feeder so it's probably more about the nutrients in the substrate or using root tabs.


Seachem makes a great root tab that's got everything, including calcium, which vallisneria really loves. Vallis ...

I'd like to add that plants absorb nutrients in two ways - through their roots and leaves in the water column. If you have a lot of rooted plants and are only using liquid fertilizers, they're not getting what they need. On the other hand, if you have water column feeders and are only using ...

My brother just set up a 75 gallon tank, and his water pH is 8.3. He hasn't gotten the GH yet, but from what I know, it's pretty hard. I'm pretty sure Africans need a GH of 10-20, right?

I'm looking for some advice on peacocks and other African cichlids that can be tankmates. Any other useful tips ...

On it.

Trim off brown leaves, they're still using up nutrients that could be better spent on healthy leaves and new growth.

Are you referring to the Zorczon sword? In my experience, I wouldn't recommend keeping a sword in a 5-gallon tank, as it's a bit too cramped for them. I'd suggest considering Anubias, Java Fern, or Anacharis instead - all of which are great options for a smaller tank. Anacharis is actually my go ...

Java ferns and anubias are great options for low light tanks, they tend to thrive in those conditions. Java ferns can get pretty big, but some anubias varieties can also grow quite large. However, there are now smaller anubias varieties available. I've also had good luck with java moss in small ...

I've tried the soil route for a "dirted" tank and learned a thing or two. First off, steer clear of anything with wetting agents - they're a no-go. Look for an organic soil and sift out as much of the chunky stuff as you can. I'd avoid soils with poop in them, trust me, it's just asking for ...

I've tried the soil route for a "dirted" tank and learned a thing or two. First off, steer clear of anything with wetting agents - they're a no-go. Look for an organic soil and sift out as much of the chunky stuff as you can. I'd avoid soils with poop in them, trust me, it's just asking for trouble ...