This is a list of the questions we most commonly get asked. If you need more clarification, feel free to drop us an email.
Why is my aquarium water cloudy?
Your aquarium water may be cloudy for a number of reasons, to begin, it depends on the colour of the water. If it is green then most likely you have green water, an annoying type of algae that is hard to get rid of. We suggest you keep the tank out of direct sunlight, do water changes and maybe try a UV filter.
If it is a cloudy white this can be due to a few reasons. The most likely is you have recently set up this tank, what you are seeing is a bacteria bloom that will soon pass (anywhere from 1 day to a couple of weeks). This bloom or mini cycle can also happen if you change a large amount of the tank water or if you wash the filter media. Overstocking and overfeeding can cause a light haze, maybe reduce both of these.
It could also be dust from a new hardscape you have put in, you may need to do constant water changes to get rid of this. Substrates like Fluorite can make the tank cloudy for the first few weeks but will clear up later on.
How long should I leave my lights on?
For a planted tank 8-10 hours a day will be more than sufficient, be sure to keep the tank out of direct sunlight as this will only promote the growth of algae in the aquarium. Don’t ever leave your lights on for 24hours a day, the fish and plants need their rest and without it they will be stressed and it will surely lead to more problems.
Do fish sleep?
Yes it has been proven that during the night fish do sleep, it is important to let them get their rest by giving them enough dark time to do this. It’s no use having the tank lights off during the day and then on all night, this will not work.
Will fish only grow relative to the tank size?
NO, this is a very big misconception. Larger fish will soon need a larger aquarium to be healthy and happy. Restricting them to a smaller aquarium may stunt their growth and result in physical deformities. Be sure to give the right environment to the fish you look after.
Why are all of my fish starting to die?
This may be due to a number of reasons. If it is a new tank, the tank may be going through the stage of turning ammonia into nitrite, in most tanks this can and will reach toxic levels and may kill your fish, to stop this do small 10-15% water changes each day. Other reasons could be something contaminated being put into the tank recently, a new rock or sculpture. Disease in some species of fish can be common; it is not unknown for a whole species of fish to suddenly die due to a break down in there immune system. Make sure the temperature is still high and you are feeding them a varied diet. Check your water levels, you will probably find spikes of ammonia or nitrite in the water. Sometimes it can be more simple, if you forget to put water conditioner when you do a water change, you have the chance of letting in toxic chlorine and chloramines.
How long do I have to wait for my tank to cycle?
You have to wait until the nitrite spike has gone and nitrates are starting to rise, for a new aquarium this will be anywhere from 2-8 weeks, it is very wise to wait for this to end, because if you add more fish at this stage it will only put more pressure on the bacteria and most likely kill your fish.
How many fish can I keep in my tank?
A good guide for keeping fish in your tank is about 1” of fish per 1 gallon of water. For larger and messier fish it is recommended only 1” of fish for every 3 gallons of water. Just because your tank is 50 gallons capacity, does not mean it holds 50 gallons of water. After gravel, rocks, plants, decor it will be far less so take that into account. It is also wise to make sure you know how big the fish will grow that you are buying so you have an idea of how many fish to stock at this stage. It is no use stocking a 30 gallon tank with 25” of fish and then finding out that the fish will grow to 2” each, leaving you with 50” of fish....
Can I create a planted tank cheaply?
Yes, you do not have to follow the typical convention of high light, substrate, ferts and CO2. Many people have low-tech setups with low lighting and minimal fertilizers. It is recommended that you only use low light plants such as Java Ferns, Amazon Swords, Moss and Anubias. Some stem plants will also do fine.
Does PMDD work? Have you used it?
Yes PMDD work wonders and better yet it is very cheap. Make sure not to use too much as you may overload the system with fertilizers leading to a storm of algae outbreak. Yes we have and still do use this recipe, it gives us the same results as we get from commercial fertilizers. One thing to look out for is copper additives; if you use these in a shrimp tank you can have disastrous effects.
Why are there so much algae in my aquarium?
You may be experiencing algae problems due to a number of reasons: There may be an unbalance of nutrients in the water, you might have too much lighting and not enough CO2 and fertilizers, the plants can only consume these three in an equal ratio. So having an off balance situation will lead to algae feeding off the excess and thriving in your tank. Algae can also grow on slower growing plants like Anubias and Java Fern, this is very common. If you have constant algae problems and are near direct sunlight try to reduce this during the day as it will be a major contributor to the amount of algae. If you feed too much or put in too much fertilizer it will once again cause the imbalance and a rise in algae.