Craigster - 45 ltr freshwater

[craigster]

Just the 1 tank: commenced Aug 2003

OUR AQUARIUM:
("tank" is such a functional word!)

• 45 litre / 10g, octagonal 30cm x 30cm x 45 cm tall
• Naturally planted
• Small riverstone substrate (mostly light coloured)
• Seemingly good external filter (600 liters/hr) (floor standing)
• 75w tube heater, currently at 27C (to reduce fluctuation as Sydney gets very warm)
• 25cm aquarium fluro light (unknown spectrum)
• Air pump Eterna Junior, generally turned off at night

Some pics below

CURRENT RRESIDENTS:

• 2 x neons;
• 3 x glowlights, 2F+M, bottom dwellers
• 1 x Honey Gourami (female partner deceased)
• 1 x Tiger barb (friend deceased)
• 1 x Brisltnose catfish (currently 4-5cm), bottom dw obviously

WATER CHEMISTRY:

• pH = 6.9 - 7.3
• NH3 = nil
• NO2 = nil
• NO3 = 10ppm, reduced over 4 months from 20-40ppm (trying to cut down feeding)
• Ca Carbonate = 140 (or 7-8 german dH) normally

20% water changes weekly, more if required.
Filter clean monthly.

FLORA

• anubias barteri (I think) on tree root, slow steady grower
• a larger, broad leaf plant like echinodorus
• 1 x twisted sord fern, fades and regenerates
• Wisteria, currently floating at surafce
• A small stand of a variegated rush sort of thing, v slow growing
• 2 others unknown (incl broadleaf cabbage?) both fast growers

Fertilised irregularly with SERA Florenette A tablets or liquid.

OUR BEGINNERS REFERENCES:
1: Tropical Fish, a complete pet owners manual (English ed 1991) by Peter Stadelmann. ISBN 0-8120-4700-1 German title Das Aquarium 1990. Great book for beginners; has served us very well.

2: SERA Guide: How to keep your ornamental fish healthy SERA GmbH - which we use to diagnose diseases. See http://www.sera.de/english/start-e.htm