the fish REALLY need to go?

Completed some studies as part of my postgrad. I tested mutiple liquid test kits vs colorimetry. The liquid test kits were notoriously inaccurate. Often giving very wayward readings compared to the more accurate colorimtry. So you are probabaly seeing that here, the liquid test kit gives a rough figure, which can vary dramatically even when you sample the same water! I wouldnt therefore trust the liquid test kits fully. They really struggle to distinguish between nitrate levels, normally they can detect if its low or high but all the concentrations in between are not great. Have a look on your water companies website for the nitrate data. I am a Water Quality Scientist at a water company and they will use colorimtry to analyse nitrate.

Der Test hat gezeigt, dass dein Filter mit sehr gutem Filtermaterial bestückt ist und in Kombination mit den Bakterien im Bodengrund - und natürlich auch dem regelmäßigen Teilwasserwechsel - sogar eine denitrifizierende Wirkung hat und dies trotz des scheinbar zu hohen Fischbesatzes! 👍 Bei dem kranken Weibchen tippe ich auf ein Schwimmblasenproblem....🙄 Abgeben würde ich Fische aus dem Nachwuchs, damit die Rangordnung der Fische im Becken nicht unnötig gestört wird. 😉

Great aquarium! I notice you do a water change, use raw tap water, and throw the conditioner in the tank (rather than treat just the new water). I am always too nervous to do that!

So glad you showed the step of shaking the nitrate indicator bottle before testing. I have done water tests many times and assumed i didn’t need to read the test kit instructions. My hubris led to me getting falsely low nitrate readings while i was trying to dial in fertilizer levels and i lost a couple of fish as a result. Live and learn.

This has always been my favourite tank in the gallery, love the planted aquariums and hardscape but its the fish that just steal the show for me. Proper bucket list fish for me!

I’ve had 2 tanks in my fish keeping history that were balanced. I changed the water monthly not because I had to but because I thought the tank would appreciate some fresh H2O.

I would be interested in testing the nitrite in the tank and the tap water rather than just nitrate.

With the combination of filtration, as well as a deeper Sandbed, and all of that Hardscape, you should have no problem with nitrates because of the biological capacity. I kept African cichlids this way for years and never had any problems. Keeping up on routine maintenance is also a must.

There could be anaerobic bacteria in the wood

I always found some trace nitrate in my water living in the countryside. Seemed to be more so in the spring summer when crop growing was going on. I assumed it’s related to fertilization of the fields. With your filtration and water change regimens I would definitely say there is no worries on excess and while Anubias the plant mass is large so in my opinion that’s probably helping a load with denitrification.

23:16 cook book coming soon 😂

with slow growing plants (anubis) in a well fed ciclid tank = algae. I solved mine with frequent water change but not optimal. Throws the rest of the water params out and bad for ciclid. Instead, I now circulate the ciclid tank water into a secondary holding tank (2 feet tank) in which I plant water hyacinth and other fast growing plants. Now I have ciclid tank and a show tank for plants that eat up the nitrates and phosphates

A lot of tap water conditioners will 'detoxify' nitrates, whatever that means, so you could be seeing the results of that. Definitely worth using full RO in a lot of the UK, helps with algae issues a great deal.

By far my favorite on your collection.. love how you are successful on having an aquascape in a cichlid tank...

I got 9 of these in a 120 liter Juwel. Very hardy fish. I do a water change every 2 months. Definitely no need for weekly water change. It will for sure reduce the algae tho. I give them tropical discus granulaat

Do you not have the synodontis cat’s any longer George?

Hi George! :) I remember you had baby fish born in that tank a couple years ago. Did they live?

The nitrate level may depend on your water source and the time of the year. I have the Walstad book, but it's too big for me to read. Lol

I always think the hard scrapes take up way too much swimming space

Very interesting and as usual relaxing video