Dr Engelbert Buxbaum wrote:

In an established tank gravel vacuuming can be counterproductive, as the
mud -albeit a bit unsightly- actually contains useful bacteria. You
don't want an operating theater, but a working biological system.

Absolutely, I'm trying to find a balance where there isn't excessive
build up of waste material or too much distubance to the bacteria.

IMHO it is much better to keep fishes that fit the water one has. Second
best option is to alter the water to fit the fishes one likes to keep
(e.g. reversed osmosis). Puting fishes into water with very different
params from what they require may harm them in the long term, for
example there are reports that neons get kidney stones in hard water.

This has always been my approach. My difficulty has been the range of
data available. For example, two of my freshwater tropical aquarium
books state that Corydoras spp are happy in a wide range of water types
and one says that they prefer slightly acidic water. How does one know
who to believe? My LFS said that the 2 corys would be fine in a pair
and would be ideal for a 5G tank, in fact they took me to the tank and
recommended them to go with my betta, but their expert advice appears
to have been quite far out.



I have made bad experiences with pH-lowering chemicals. At least some
contain phosphate as buffering agent, I wonder which homo hebes got that
idea. Better use peat or oak leaves (corys love to play with those!).

The ADA Aquasoil will sit on a bed of peat and mulm. I don't know how
the Aquasoil reduces the pH - maybe it's the peat. My understanding
from folk on an aquatic plant forum (Aquatic Plant Central) is that the
pH comes down and then stays there stable for months and years rather
than days and weeks. Tom Barr might know more details - I believe he's
used Aqua Soil quite a bit. Also, I didn't choose the Aquasoil for
it's pH changing ability but for it's excellent effect on plants. My
intention is to set the tank up, fully plant it, run a fishless cycle
and then add fish which will thrive in the conditions I have. I just
thought that the Cory's might be good candidates.


Do you add CO2 to your tank? That is not realy necessary, plants grow
just fine with the CO2 that the water contains in equilibrium with air.
The money for the CO2 unit is better spend on a larger tank, IMHO

No, I don't have any CO2 in that tank. I was talking about the new
60-65 litre planted tank I'm in the process of setting up. I was
wondering if the Corys might be happier there, especially if I get 3 or
4 little pals for them to school with. They're Corydoras pygmaeus so
they only get to be 2-3 cm long maximum.


Thanks for your comments and insights,

Muddy


(PS: Sorry if this message is duplicated - my little boy was mucking
about with the computer earlier today and I lost my forst attempt to
reply!)