Stumbling back into fishkeeping

Hello all happy to be joining this forum, how very cool there's a place on the internet for fishy people to interact.

Quick intro: Had a betta about 6 years back, researched the heck out of fishkeeping but unfortunately after a year and a bit my betta succumbed to dropsy. My mother bought that fish but that fish made me into a fish person.

Two months ago my mother decided ooh pretty fish and bought two bettas, about two weeks ago she gave them to me to take care of over the weekend and I had to jump straight back in and try to save these fish from their living conditions.

I've kept the receipts but I don't want to face how much I spent in 3 days just to take care of these fish. Even though I did research back in the day I realised now how little I knew back then so it's like I'm starting from scratch.
Unfortunately Sir Bluetholomew the 2nd ended up passing, he already had raised scales when I got him home but I did try my hardest.

Now we are left with Sandra (my gf named him), my 30L tank is still far from perfect but I intend to take care of this little fella properly.

Some questions I have for the kind members:

1. I live in Kempton Park, I've made friends with Exotic Aquarium and Pets Woodbridge with how much I initially spent there. Been to Airport Pets a couple of times and Premium Aquatics by Greenstone.
   Where else in this region are there good reputable stores I can go to for good aquarium supplies?
2. I cannot for the life of me find API Freshwater Master Test kits anywhere, can anyone point me to the right direction or at least another test kit that works out quite cheap per test?
3. Root tabs, everywhere I look seems to only stock the expensive Seachem ones, the closest store that seems to stock cheaper ones is Saturn Shrimp in Centurion.
4. Kempton water, is there anything I need to know about it?

Sorry for the wall of text but I hope some helpful members will help me level up my fishkeeping game.
Pictures to follow.

 

First Betta named Lil Blue, initial bowl my mother kept him in.


Eventually upgraded to 30L tank with snail friend (looking back it was not very good)


RIP to Lil Blue in 2018


Surprise sad fish 2024 (during cold front so their water was under 20 degrees)


Quick interim tank that night


Where I currently am with my tank (Still a lot of work but Sandra is energetic and eating well at least)
Is the hardscape rock too jagged for bettas? Thinking maybe covering with java moss in future.


Close up


Next on the to do list:

1. Add more gravel and root tabs (don't want to mess with aquasoil just yet)
2. Plant a whole bunch more plants (going low-tech nature aquascape route)
3. Change up filter config, right now it has activated carbon but I'm thinking to change it to Seachem Matrix and also add an airstone (https://mcmerwe.co.za/shop/antopie-sponge-filter/)
4. Bought a piece of perspex from builders, gonna try to fashion a custom lid
5. Once everything is settled maybe introduce a couple of snails and cherry shrimp
6. I have a smaller 15L tank that I also intend to setup properly and give back to my mother so she hopefully doesn't go and buy more random bettas again (ideas for keeping it as low maintenance as possible are welcome)

Thank you and have a good night

 

Fanies fish room.He has a website. I use a deep substrate sand caped for my plants. It consists of coco peat moss 1\2 cup of dolomatic lime 1\2 cup bone meal and organic compost(soaked to remove floating bits) mix these compounds together and lay in tank then add a layer of pool filter sand over it(atleast 3 or 4 cm). Makes a super cheap alternative to aqua soil. Note adjust the amount of ingredients according to tank size. fill the water with a piece of plastic or plate to not disturb the sand cap...repeat DO NOT DISTURB THE SAND CAP. advantges of this method are great plant growth. Stem plants don't float free as easy as aqua soil and you don't need root tabs or ferts.

 

I did see the api master test kit at exotic pets in oakfields shopping centre Benoni. I think it was around R1200

 

@Nick77 Thank you for recommending Fanie's Fish Room, will check them out, surprised I didn't find them while googling stores near me. I'll also check out Exotic Pets Oakfields, it'd be great if they have the API test kit.
Your substrate sounds very much like a terrarium substrate just capped with sand, very cool application. When I level up my tank maybe I'll give it a try, thanks.

@Whoknows I did come across Rebel Pets online, unfortunately also out of stock but will give them a try.
Oooh I'll keep that in mind, maybe we can Pudo locker it, how much are you selling them for and also how many should I ideally have for a 46x22,5x30cm tank?

 

Thank you @Whoknows I'll PM you and we can hash out details there.

 

Hey there I know I was meant to update when my tank became luscious and beautiful but I seemingly am heading the opposite direction. So I come to the forum once again for some advice, my betta although extremely active and curious has either fin rot or decided to just give themselves a haircut.

I've tried kanaplex, aquarium salt, indian almond leaves but it doesn't look like his fins are growing back. Initially I had shrimp and rock hardscape, took those out too in case the shrimp were chowing the fins or the rocks were causing injuries.



So now my only thought is my fish is bored and perhaps I should upgrade to a larger tank for more fish and more plants. Below is what it currently looks like and you can see how much shorter the fins have become.


I've read some other forums here just to do some research so I just want to double check my thought process with more experienced members.

Goal is 75L low tech planted tank from current 30L tank, I think I saw a Starfire 75L somewhere so going to get that. For substrate I see Langa aquasoil is what is recommended here and ADA for premium, I also read you should cap the aquasoil so the aquasoil can release nutrients slower. I'm thinking of reusing my gravel substrate as just some filler so gravel>aquasoil>sand, or should I go aquasoil>gravel>soil layers? I also need to keep an eye on the pH if it swings too much.

I'm considering doing a carpeted foreground and it seems monte carlo is recommended and also to not add bottom feeders until the carpet has rooted properly. Then cryptocoryne for mid ground and background not sure yet.
I plan to cycle the tank with my sponge filter I'm using in my shrimp tank to hopefully speed up the process. I'm hoping introducing shrimp and snails (nerites/ramshorn/trumpet?) early on can help with any algae outbreak.

Lighting I'm going to see if the current Hygger 45cm (18w) planted aquarium light will suffice. Oh yeah and how are people doing their lidded tanks, my perspex collapses into the tank when it deforms?

Then for tankmates I would like some advice since I've only ever kept a betta, Corydoras Catfish vs Plecos for bottom dwellers and tetras vs guppies for schooling fish? Thoughts?

Then for the liquid fertilisers these confuse me, all I have right now are Seachem Flourish and some root tabs from mr Whoknows. I was thinking of getting Scape complete but not every store stocks them and do I need liquid carbon if not injecting any CO2?

I've got the API master test kit and the GH&KH test kit. My tap water is get is 71.6ppm KH and 125.3ppm GH and pH around 7.5, I'm not too sure if these are good or not but thought I'd get as much data so long.

Sorry for the long post but any advice is appreciated. Thank you

 

Can't help with advice for the bettas fins unfortunately but I can offer some input with a few of the other points you raised.

With regards to substrate: mixing your current gravel with some aquasoil and capping that with pool filter sand would work perfectly. That should be plenty nutrients for a low tech tank, and then you can always add root tabs as needed.

With regards to liquid CO2, that's a "scam". It's useful for spot dosing to treat any algae but wont benefit your plants like a CO2 setup would. Regardless, you can still grow a really beautiful and lush tank without any form of added CO2. Don't waste your money on liquid CO2.

For fertilizers, Flourish is a great option that's affordable. It's all I've used on my low tech tanks and I've been very happy. I'm sure Scape Complete would do a great job too.

With planting, I wouldn't recommend Monte Carlo without CO2 injection. A great alternative would be Micranthemum micromoides ( pearl weed ), you'll need to stay on top of the trimming but it can give you a really lush carpet without CO2. Midground Crypts will be great and background look at something like Hygrophila polysperma. Again, easy plants that will do great without CO2

 

Cory's are a much better option for a 75l than a pleco too. You could add a school of one on the smaller species. One of my favorite types of fish.

For your schooling fish, I'd avoid guppies. The betta might take a liking to those long flashy tails. Just pick something small, short finned and not too boisterous

 

Plecos become HUGE.

 

@Reedfish Thank you kindly, but as with anything in this hobby, it could be better.

@LukeJHB Thank you for all the helpful advice, I think before I get ahead of myself let me secure the tank and substrate first lol.

Hmm so liquid CO2 is just an algecide from the sounds of it, I'm not apposed to CO2 injection but I'll probably experiment with the DIY route first before going the proper setup, we all knew someone that tried the pineapple beer thing so might as well try the yeast sugar thing.

Alright awesome so Flourish should be enough, I read you still need the NPK macro nutrients because Flourish is only trace elements but if I don't need to get more things then all the better.

Ahhh thank you for suggesting Hygrophila polysperma, they the ones that turn red with enough lighting right? I've been looking for those, no idea what to google though lol. Hmm the pearl weed seems really pretty, but if they grow like hornwort then I might be a bit hesitant, I'll do more reading up on it though.

Right now I'm leaning toward pygmy corydoras or otocinclus if I can find them, loaches also look interesting. But yeah let me setup my tank first before I go fish shopping.

@LilMissMurder Thanks for the warning, there's also so many types so it's confusing too.

 

Don't go the DIY CO2 route. Your tank will do better without any CO2 than it will with the fluctuations caused by the diy method. Just my personal opinion.

Yeah, the tops of my Hygrophila are a beautiful pinky colour.

You could do a small school of both the Cory's and otos. Otos will be great clean up crew too

 

DIY Co2 is a major waste of time imo.

 

the only good thing about diy co2 is it makes you want pressurized co2

 

Hmm then I'll stick to the aquasoil and liquid ferts, I do like a science project though so maybe I'll experiment with what will become my spare tank...this is how it starts, from one tank into 3 lol.

I'm actually really excited to get my hands on Hygrophila, which reminds me @LukeJHB where do you do your shopping if I may ask, my pet store near me just says "aquatic plants" so I don't know exactly what I'm buying.

What do you guys reckon a proper CO2 system will cost, I'd like to see how affordable it is if it is affordable

 

try VIP pets in edenvale? or if you up for a road trip, art of aqua in pretoria

for co2 kit you can get a reg for about R2k a bottle for R1k, but if you look in the classifieds, or join any of the whatsapp groups, there are always bargains to be had..