# OK I think I have been 'conned' .....



## jnrsmum (May 2, 2011)

.... into becoming hooked on fish !!!! :lol2::lol2::lol2:

I only intended to get a fish for my son. Was talked into getting Tropical instead of goldfish. I wasn't given the wrong information, I just wasn't 'sold' the truth ..... I have had to learn the hard way..... but now I find myself reading and reading loads.

my history ....

I bought a 30 ltr starter tank - I am now told bigger is easier :whip: .... I explained to the place I bought the tank that I was totally new to this hobby and how long should I wait until I can add fish ..... I bought it on a Thursday, I was told Saturday. They never mentioned about bacteria, nitrite, nitrate and amonia ... they never mentioned about making sure the tap water is cleansed... lucky I mentioned to a friend and he told me about the tap cleanser and the bacteria... (but never mentioned to wait a bit longer for fish) ... I went back to the place I bought the tank, I bought a pleco, a red tailed shark and 5 neons ..... they never mentioned it would probably too soon too add that many, they also failed to mention that in fact my tank would be too small for the shark eventually :whip: . Got fish home .... let them aclimatise , let them in the tank, all looked fab.... went out to a BBQ came home to find all 5 neon dead ...... how gutted and upset was I :censor::censor: ..... more upset that these poor innocent little buggers had died at my ignorance...... SOOOOOOOOOO now I have been reading lots and lots ..... trying to understand the dynamics ..... today I have purchased a 125ltr tank in preparation to do a fishless cycle so that my shark can be moved into something more appropriate eventually and I am looking forward to getting more ..... I think I might be becoming a little addicted !!!:flrt:

I still have loads to learn and I was kinda hoping that someone on here might take me under their wing and walk me through the process of a fishless cycle (when needed) and also as I hope to have a little time to set it up I would really like to try and get real plants as oppose to plastics (not that there is anything wrong with plastic - I just like the natural look):whistling2:


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## Herp breeder (Jan 8, 2009)

Sorry to hear about that your bad experience glad you havent been put off. 
The shop shouldnt have let buy neons so early there really sensitive fish and i have found shouldnt be added to a tank till at least six months.
in regards to cycling there is two ways to do it the fishless one where you add chemicals (basically fish waste) to the tank to get the bacteria going in the filter.

you can also cycle with fish where you put water in with some water conditioner and add say six hardy fish after 24 hours both ways can take up to six weeks for the tank to be fully matured 

Hopes this helps :2thumb:


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## hippyhaplos (Jan 12, 2010)

Welcome to the dark side 

Sadly your story is not uncommon... good to hear that you're on your way.

You'll have more tanks before you know it

You might want to look at silk plants... look like the real thing, but are hassle free.



Herp breeder said:


> *
> you can also cycle with fish where you put water in with some water conditioner and add say six hardy fish after 24 hours both ways can take up to six weeks for the tank to be fully matured *
> 
> Hopes this helps :2thumb:


Fishless cycling is unnecessary and shouldn't be promoted.

Just because something *can* survive something, doesn't mean to say it should.


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## jnrsmum (May 2, 2011)

hippyhaplos said:


> Welcome to the dark side
> 
> Sadly your story is not uncommon... good to hear that you're on your way.
> 
> ...



Are you suggesting that it may not be a good idea to do a fishless cycle??

My 30 litre tank which at the mo holds my Red and Pleco is still cycling ... I had the water tested and it was not showing signs that the good bacteria was growing at the rate that you would expect after almost 3 weeks, so a better and I feel more explanatory aqua place that I have found suggested that I add a couple of high dose 'filter start' over the next couple of weeks., I was told it wont harm the two fish that are in there and should help the bacteria to speed up a little.

Re the new tank (or secondhand new tank  ) its a 125ltr just over 3 ft long .... if I were to do a cycle with fish, bearing in mind my shark needs to be transfered in there eventually, which fish and how many would you suggest? ... I am concerned that more fish may suffer due to my ignorance:blush: thats why I was thinking a fishless cycle might be better:whistling2:


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

jnrsmum said:


> Are you suggesting that it may not be a good idea to do a fishless cycle??


I think she meant to say that fish-in cycling is unnecessary x


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## jnrsmum (May 2, 2011)

Esfa said:


> I think she meant to say that fish-in cycling is unnecessary x


Phew I was kinda thinking I would rather sort it out without fish in the hope that I will have no (or certainly fewer) casualties :2thumb:


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## wiggywhitetrash (Sep 11, 2010)

I'm still pretty new to fish keeping too but it's going pretty well. From what I hear, doing a fishless cycle is best practice but I must admit - I cheated and used Tetra Safe Start (bottled bacteria that claims to instantly cycle the tank). There's mixed opinions as to whether or not this stuff actually works but it seemed to work just fine for me in a 69 gallon.
Tiger Barbs are a great starter fish - really hardy, adapt to most conditions, will eat pretty much anything, really active and cool to watch. I have 7 of em and they get on with my red tail shark just fine


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## jnrsmum (May 2, 2011)

wiggywhitetrash said:


> I'm still pretty new to fish keeping too but it's going pretty well. From what I hear, doing a fishless cycle is best practice but I must admit - I cheated and used Tetra Safe Start (bottled bacteria that claims to instantly cycle the tank). There's mixed opinions as to whether or not this stuff actually works but it seemed to work just fine for me in a 69 gallon.
> Tiger Barbs are a great starter fish - really hardy, adapt to most conditions, will eat pretty much anything, really active and cool to watch. I have 7 of em and they get on with my red tail shark just fine


:2thumb: brilliant news, well done for a successful tank  ... Just looked up the Tiger Barbs, they look quite kewl, and good that they get on with your shark, certainly one to consider when I get this tank up and running fully


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## daisyman97 (Jul 12, 2010)

To plant more ideas in your head, I suggest in the future turning that 30L tank into a nicely planted shrimp tank... Always a nice addition to a room :2thumb:

And welcome to fish keeping  What pleco have you got? Just a common?


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## jnrsmum (May 2, 2011)

daisyman97 said:


> To plant more ideas in your head, I suggest in the future turning that 30L tank into a nicely planted shrimp tank... Always a nice addition to a room :2thumb:
> 
> And welcome to fish keeping  What pleco have you got? Just a common?


Hi and thanks for the welcome ....... yes a very shy common Pleco :lol2:

I am kinda liking the idea of a shrimp tank they are rather funny to watch 

Well we have had a shift around in our living room this morning ..... poor ol' DH wanted to get to work but I insisted he helped me first :whistling2: .... new tank is in place and it looks good .... will look even better when there is water in it :2thumb:

We are going to wait until we back from our holibobs ...... then we will take this tank outside and fill it to check for leaks ... I am sure it will be fine as the seals all look good. Then it will be time to set it up and start the cycle ...... it looks like a long haul but I guess will be worth it in the end ..... I suspect it will be mid July until we see fish in it :whip:


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## daisyman97 (Jul 12, 2010)

Well if it is a common pleco, remember it can grow to be over a foot long and very bulky. YouTube - Large common plec at tyne valley aquatics

Sounds like the fish have got a very considerate owner and a nice tank awaiting them


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## jnrsmum (May 2, 2011)

O WOW !! Well if he starts getting that big we might have to rethink ..... I really don't think we could ever fit in a bigger tank than this new one !!

I am looking at the possibility of a planted tank ...... I know lots of people keep saying they are hard to keep etc but I am up for a challenge  .... it all depends on the CO2 control as I not sure I could afford a CO2 canister set up etc  ... more reading and asking questions


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## daisyman97 (Jul 12, 2010)

Hmm, I have a small (14L) planted shrimp / snail tank that grows perfectly well without CO2 or any expense laid onto it. I just planted up a grass like plant and a more typical "weed" two sides of a gravel based tank. However both are "low light" plants.

Its filtered by a sponge filter and lit by a standard desk lamp. It would look really good if it wasn't so small (the size limits my chances to prune).


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

you don't need co2 for a fine planted tank...


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## daisyman97 (Jul 12, 2010)

Oh and in regards to the pleco, it would be easier to get rid of him smaller rather than bigger - there are too many big ones at pet shops and the shop may turn it down.

However if you love the pleco, but cant cope with the size look into Bristlenose plecos - they are basically a 5 inch version of the big ones but with a lot of character. I absolutely adore my common male :flrt:


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

my old tank... it's easy...


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## jnrsmum (May 2, 2011)

HABU said:


> image
> 
> 
> my old tank... it's easy...


and this is successful with CO2 canisters :no1: LOVE IT !!!


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## jnrsmum (May 2, 2011)

daisyman97 said:


> Oh and in regards to the pleco, it would be easier to get rid of him smaller rather than bigger - there are too many big ones at pet shops and the shop may turn it down.
> 
> However if you love the pleco, but cant cope with the size look into Bristlenose plecos - they are basically a 5 inch version of the big ones but with a lot of character. I absolutely adore my common male :flrt:


You have me all confused now as I have just looked at images of bristlenose and there are a couple of images that look similar to mine ...... now I am not sure if mine is common or bristlenose ...... if I can catch him out and about I will try and take a picture of him and perhaps you could identify which one he is. If I get a chance I will try and pop back to the shop I purchased him to see if I can see any others in there ..... but I won't be asking for advice in there as they will try and sell me something I don't want or need ..... the reason I ended up with fish in an inappropriate tank grrrrrrr :whip:


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

jnrsmum said:


> and this is successful with CO2 canisters :no1: LOVE IT !!!


 
i guess co2 helps... i've never used co2...


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## daisyman97 (Jul 12, 2010)

jnrsmum said:


> You have me all confused now as I have just looked at images of bristlenose and there are a couple of images that look similar to mine ...... now I am not sure if mine is common or bristlenose ...... if I can catch him out and about I will try and take a picture of him and perhaps you could identify which one he is. If I get a chance I will try and pop back to the shop I purchased him to see if I can see any others in there ..... but I won't be asking for advice in there as they will try and sell me something I don't want or need ..... the reason I ended up with fish in an inappropriate tank grrrrrrr :whip:


Hmm. It could still be a common pleco as they look similar as babies. But sure if you can get a piccy of him (aiming for mostly the face area) I _might_ be able to ID him, and if not I could find people who could ID him on my bristlenose forum. The way to really tell is through the bristles, but these only develop as they get older. If you want any rearing help, feel free to ask as I love all things suckermouth 

And nice tank HABU 

EDIT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzHdHP9CPxw this is what the baby common plecos at my LFS look like (lots of "baby pleco" photos are BNs)


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## HDreptiles (Apr 30, 2011)

Ok, jnrsmum, in regards to the fish-less cycle. It is the best way to go. All you need is a filter bag. It almost looks like a net. Ask your LFS for a filter media bag, they can tell you what it is. Take the bag, get some meaty fish food, such as shrimp or something similar, put it in the bag, and let it stay in the tank water for about a week. Test your water on almost a daily basis. Once you see ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite spike, take the bag out and toss it. Then let nature take its course. In a couple of weeks, your tests should reveal zero levels on all of those. At that point, it is ready for fish. Add them slowly though. Don't put 20 in at a time, do it in twos and threes and space the additions apart. If you add 3 one day, wait a week before you add any more. This will allow the biological filter to keep up with all the fish waste.

As far as plants go, you can do a stunning planted tank without using CO2. Use low light plants. Java Fern, some Anubius, and some Cryptocorn are a few. I have seen some beautiful tanks that never had CO2 in their life. All it will take is some planning and some patience.

Also be careful with that redtail. As he gets older and larger, he will become territorial, and may kill other fish in his tank. Here is a caresheet for what I think you have. Tropical Fish for Freshwater Aquariums: Redtail Shark

Also, it would be a good idea to find a planted tank forum to help with your plant plans. I know quite a bit myself, but most of it I have read and not actually been able to practice as I have only been doing this for a year and a half. I have done the fishless cycle, and I love it. I had 7 tanks up and running at one point though that ranged from all fake to all real in regards to plants and everything in between. I am now down to 3 and I think I am going to stay there for a while. It is addictive to say the least, but an amazing hobby.

Hope your adventure in this hobby is a good one and keep us posted.

Here are a few forums for you to look at. I am cableguy69846 on both of these.
Aquatic Plant Central

The Planted Tank - Articles, Forums, Pictures, Links

Both of these are American forums, but it gives you an idea. If you find any good European ones let me know.

Happy Fish Keeping.


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## jnrsmum (May 2, 2011)

daisyman97 said:


> Hmm. It could still be a common pleco as they look similar as babies. But sure if you can get a piccy of him (aiming for mostly the face area) I _might_ be able to ID him, and if not I could find people who could ID him on my bristlenose forum. The way to really tell is through the bristles, but these only develop as they get older. If you want any rearing help, feel free to ask as I love all things suckermouth
> 
> And nice tank HABU
> 
> EDIT: YouTube - Baby Pleco eating this is what the baby common plecos at my LFS look like (lots of "baby pleco" photos are BNs)


Thanks hun I will take a look at that after supper !!


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## jnrsmum (May 2, 2011)

HDreptiles said:


> Ok, jnrsmum, in regards to the fish-less cycle. It is the best way to go. All you need is a filter bag. It almost looks like a net. Ask your LFS for a filter media bag, they can tell you what it is. Take the bag, get some meaty fish food, such as shrimp or something similar, put it in the bag, and let it stay in the tank water for about a week. Test your water on almost a daily basis. Once you see ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite spike, take the bag out and toss it. Then let nature take its course. In a couple of weeks, your tests should reveal zero levels on all of those. At that point, it is ready for fish. Add them slowly though. Don't put 20 in at a time, do it in twos and threes and space the additions apart. If you add 3 one day, wait a week before you add any more. This will allow the biological filter to keep up with all the fish waste.
> 
> As far as plants go, you can do a stunning planted tank without using CO2. Use low light plants. Java Fern, some Anubius, and some Cryptocorn are a few. I have seen some beautiful tanks that never had CO2 in their life. All it will take is some planning and some patience.
> 
> ...



Thank HDReptiles ..... very useful info for me to digest  .... will take a read of the Red Tailed after supper .... I have heard that they can become territorial .... I am kinda hoping I will be successful with mine as I have become quite attached to the little fellow


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## spike123 (May 8, 2011)

for one a common plec could grow to about a foot long.
secondly guppys or platties are a good first fish for cycling.
thirdly the cycling i have found is not necessary or conditioning.
i have never once conditioned a tank as i personally think that its a waste of money.
quick way
add some nice live plants like java fern (tied to bogwood for good effect) java moss (tied to stone)and some nice amazon swords or a long flowing and quick growing plant for the back of the tank.
if you find this too fast for you personally buy some filter booster to add to the filter sponge which quickly boost the denitrifying bacteria
run the tank for 3 days with the live plants filter and heater running (i never have and had no problems)
then add about 5 male platies and/or guppys (guppys are more bright and colourfull)
the pleco could go in aswell.also a couple of armano/yamoto shrimp are a good idea (algae control)
wait another 2/3 days then add the shark.

this should be absolutely fine for the fish, but i personally think live plants are the way forward and help in controlling the harmfull chemicals in the water which are good for the plants also a bubble stone should be introduced even if its just to add effect the extra oxygenating is helpful.

i hope this helps some and i no some people will probably moan at me for the way i do stuff but it works for me and friends,and have never had any tank condition fatalities or outbursts of high nitrate/nitrite/ammonia.

pm me if you would like any more advice or the odd live plant clipping (to grow on)
and good luck with the fishkeeping seems to me that it wont be long before youhave to move to marine


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## john2708 (Jan 18, 2010)

another good way and quick way to cycle a tank is to ask some one for some cycled filter media and just add it to your filter also i have kept tropical tanks for the past 10 yrs and found a good way to keep the ammonia,nitrates,nitrite down is to add plants they feed on ammonia,nitrite and nitrare this easiest plant would be java fern no co2 needed and do regular water changes i normal do 25% every saturday good for the tank and good for your fish


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## HDreptiles (Apr 30, 2011)

+1 on what Spike said. I don't really agree with the way he cycles his tank, however, I don't see how it would not work. It is a sound plan and you can not argue with results. As far as plants go, I agree with him 100%. The plants will not only make the tank look nice, but it will also act as natural filtration and make the fish feel more at home by adding a natural element to the tank. As far as the air stone, I stopped running mine as I saw it was stunting my plant growth after a while. In the beginning it is an excellent idea. After you have an assortment of established plants in your system, however, the oxygen they put out should be sufficient to the point you will not need the airstone. Another good fish to use in cycling is some zebra dannios. I have used these to great success and kept them in the tank. They are a schooling fish and very social. Male Guppies are pretty and active, but will get territorial in their old age. Same for platies. Nothing wrong with using these fish to cycle a tank as long as you pay close attention to your water chemistry and change out water as needed. As for the pleco, there is the possibility that he will outgrow both tanks. I would bring him back to the LFS you got him at and try to find some for sure bristlenose or some bulldog plecos. I have 3 bulldog plecos and not one spec of algae in my tank. They are amazing.

Also, +1 on what John said. That would be the easiest way to do it. Also I would say that doing weekly water changes like he does is a must. There is no way around it unless you have no fish in the tank. I also do weekly water changes around the same size as he does, and it makes a world of difference. If you have good biological filtration and a light bio load, you can space them farther apart, but you still need to do them.

Hope this all helps. Good luck. Sorry for throwing so much info at you at once, but I really love this hobby and love to see people get into it and do well. I am sure the other people who also gave you info will say the same thing.:2thumb:


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## chalky76 (Aug 23, 2007)

All the advice you have been given has been sound so far. I would suggest however that regarding species selection is not always strait forward. Each species should be researched but you must consider that this is in effect a biological environment and as such the species you add will all effect one another. For example neons and angel fish are community fish but the larger angels may well predate on the neons. Likewise red tailed sharks may have an issue with tiger barbs because if tail coloration etc. Male Siamese fighters may have an issue with species that have long and/or bright fins and so on. Selection of species is very important to success with community fish. And I wholeheartedly would advise you to get a couple of bristle nose catfish. 

All the having been said consider that some fish act out of character. Just as cartain species of tarantulas or snakes are regarded as calm and friendly, some break this mould and are snappy etc. So just remember that fish won't always behave in such a way as they are supposed to.

Good luck.


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## jnrsmum (May 2, 2011)

chalky76 said:


> All the advice you have been given has been sound so far. I would suggest however that regarding species selection is not always strait forward. Each species should be researched but you must consider that this is in effect a biological environment and as such the species you add will all effect one another. For example neons and angel fish are community fish but the larger angels may well predate on the neons. Likewise red tailed sharks may have an issue with tiger barbs because if tail coloration etc. Male Siamese fighters may have an issue with species that have long and/or bright fins and so on. Selection of species is very important to success with community fish. And I wholeheartedly would advise you to get a couple of bristle nose catfish.
> 
> All the having been said consider that some fish act out of character. Just as cartain species of tarantulas or snakes are regarded as calm and friendly, some break this mould and are snappy etc. So just remember that fish won't always behave in such a way as they are supposed to.
> 
> Good luck.


Could I please ask why you would recommend bristle nose catfish??
What would you recommend (or what should I be looking at) that would hopefully be compatible with my Red Tailed and Pleco?? And also I know it depends on what I get in the end but how many fish (roughly) could I possibly expect to get maximum in a 125 ltr tank ?? 

I think I have (sort of) got my head round the cycling that needs to be done and the way in which I need to go about planting but the species are now confusing me :lol:


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## chalky76 (Aug 23, 2007)

jnrsmum said:


> Could I please ask why you would recommend bristle nose catfish??
> What would you recommend (or what should I be looking at) that would hopefully be compatible with my Red Tailed and Pleco?? And also I know it depends on what I get in the end but how many fish (roughly) could I possibly expect to get maximum in a 125 ltr tank ??
> 
> I think I have (sort of) got my head round the cycling that needs to be done and the way in which I need to go about planting but the species are now confusing me :lol:


The plecos will get quite big, too big for your tank anyway. Bristle nose catfish are similar species but jus smaller. I'd get two brise noses in your case and take the Pleco back. It will take a while however to get big. Regarding the amount of fish you should get, have a look at this link Think Fish - The Tropical Fish Keeping Resource - Calculators it's quite handy for this but is only a guide. I personally have Malawis and am able to over stock them (minimises fighting for this species) by agitating the surface water with several power heads. 

Which species to get? Well that really depends on you and what you like. Personally I'd select a species you like and then see if they are compatible with the other species you would like to keep.


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## HDreptiles (Apr 30, 2011)

+1 on everything Chalky said. You can plan and set up your tank and all that, but when it comes down to fish and things, it is going to take a bit of research. You need to see what will get along with what. What you would have to keep a group of, and what water parameters they need. It is going to be a balancing act in the beginning, but once you have been doing it for a while and all your fish are settled in, it will get really easy. I am not happy that the pet store let you walk away with so little info and a tank too small for your fish, but I commend you for looking into it and researching what you would need to do for them. I really hope you have great success in this hobby.

Just wait until the bug really gets you, you will want a bigger tank, and more of them. :2thumb: This is only the beginning.


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## jnrsmum (May 2, 2011)

right, just to let you know where I am at. I am currently looking into fish using the link recommended above ( thanks chalky ) .... I have been choosing all the fish I like, trying to write down all the pros and cons of having them and then hopefully from that list I will be able to eliminate all those totally unsuitable and then maybe I can sort what I can have and numbers and go from there. Its gonna be a while before I get any fish I know but I need to know what I getting into, I don't want to get caught out again. My biggest problem seems to be my Red tail but like I have said I am really quite fond of him now and really don't want to lose him !!

I plan to take my water down to get tested Thursday before I go away, I am sure things are really starting to work now as the brown algae has started to fade and I have been told and read that when that starts to go its a sign that its balancing out ...... is that right???


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## Christie_ZXR (May 14, 2011)

It is a good sign. New tanks generally go through a bloom of brown algae. Sometimes they can go through two so don't worry if you have another. Have you got yourself a test kit? An ammonia and nitrite test is the most useful one. Watch out for the paper strips though, they're often quite inaccurate, liquid tests are better. 
If it helps, your shark is a mid-bottom dwelling fish, so you want to avoid other fish which will want to come into "his space" Gourami are quite good, they're bigger fish which can hold their own and will generally occupy the top level of the tank, there are some really lovely varieties out there. You don't really want to go for little fish like any sort of tetra, which could become lunch! However, anything fast enough to get out of his way which isn't too small is worth looking at. If your plec turns out to be a bristlenose, they're tough little buggers so he should be fine holding his own against the shark. I have a lovely gold marble bristlenose who shares with a particularly aggressiv fighter I've got and she just ignores his advances, so he gives up. A handy rule is 1cm of fish per litre of water when you're looking at how many you can get in a tank. But remember to look up the adult sizes of the fish you're planning to get. (I've made the mistake of not doing in the past!)
Hope that helps!


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## jnrsmum (May 2, 2011)

Could I just ask you good people.... this tank I have purchased has a small amount of scaling on it, what is the best way to get rid of it without using harsh chemicals that may harm the water when its filled ..... or will it be so diluted it wouldn't harm to used limescale remover ...... its not a huge amount and its mainly on the hood !!

Thanks


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## hippyhaplos (Jan 12, 2010)

jnrsmum said:


> Could I just ask you good people.... this tank I have purchased has a small amount of scaling on it, what is the best way to get rid of it without using harsh chemicals that may harm the water when its filled ..... or will it be so diluted it wouldn't harm to used limescale remover ...... its not a huge amount and its mainly on the hood !!
> 
> Thanks


wee bit of vinegar on a cloth.... then just wipe it away


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## jnrsmum (May 2, 2011)

hippyhaplos said:


> wee bit of vinegar on a cloth.... then just wipe it away



Thank you ... stupid me never thought of that ... I used to use white vinegar on an old kettle we had .... should have thought about it really


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## jnrsmum (May 2, 2011)

We are back from holiday...... I have got the water tested in the small tank and was told its perfect, so really pleased about that, although we did come home to a real infestation of snails :devil: ... after a long chat with a really nice chap at the aquatic centre we decided that it would be ok to get a couple of Clown loach to help with the snail issue on the understanding that they too would transfer once bigger tank is up and running.

Regarding the bigger tank, yesterday I put in just under 20 kg of washed sand, followed by 6 kg of washed gravel (not enough in my opinion so I will get some more at a later date).... some rocks and wood hidey holes.... I filled up the tank and put on the heating and allowed to settled a little over night (which is has improved).... my question is how long roughly should I expect to wait until it all settles and water clears a little..... I am struggling to see where to plant the plants properly and so I have just plopped them in in their pots for now and I dare not put the filter on yet as I don't think the water keep moving and won't settle at all if I do ..... if that makes sense !!!

Anyway any advice about planted tanks greatly received


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## hippyhaplos (Jan 12, 2010)

jnrsmum said:


> We are back from holiday...... I have got the water tested in the small tank and was told its perfect, so really pleased about that, although we did come home to a real infestation of snails :devil: ... after a long chat with a really nice chap at the aquatic centre we decided that it would be ok to get a couple of Clown loach to help with the snail issue on the understanding that they too would transfer once bigger tank is up and running.
> 
> Regarding the bigger tank, yesterday I put in just under 20 kg of washed sand, followed by 6 kg of washed gravel (not enough in my opinion so I will get some more at a later date).... some rocks and wood hidey holes.... I filled up the tank and put on the heating and allowed to settled a little over night (which is has improved).... my question is how long roughly should I expect to wait until it all settles and water clears a little..... I am struggling to see where to plant the plants properly and so I have just plopped them in in their pots for now and I dare not put the filter on yet as I don't think the water keep moving and won't settle at all if I do ..... if that makes sense !!!
> 
> Anyway any advice about planted tanks greatly received


Clown loach need a tank at least 4 x 2 feet... they grow BIG, and really do better in larger groups. If you haven't already bought them don't, and if you have then I would find suitable accomadation for them:S 

To get rid of snails, put a wedge of courgette or cucumber in each night... within an hour or so it's usually pretty covered in snails... take it out and bin it

Put the filter on... it should catch all the bits of dirst suspended in the water if there is fine media in the filter. I'd give it a couple of hours personally... after that then I'd look at emptying the tank, and refilling it.

What plants did you get... do you remember names? lol


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