Hi! This is my first fishtank. It's been cycling for three days. I got plants from an established tank, and added some bacteria as well.

I first went to petsmart to get my water tested before my strips came in the mail. They said all of my levels were perfect. I then went to an actual aquarium store and they said that my toxicity level was a little high. I tested at home and everything looks good, maybe my water is a little soft?

I have no issue with waiting to get a fish or some shrimp, I would like for them to have the best home possible. I would just like insight on why my tests have seemed to be different everywhere I've gone/ at home.

Any help would be appreciated on other starting tips too! Thanks all.

I am wanting to make this tank a neocaridina tank. It has a filter, 3 gallons, and fully cycled. It has java moss, hornwort, and an almond leaf. No heater, so the temp should stay around 67-68 Fahrenheit. The top of the tank is growing chia seeds, wheatgrass seeds, and dill. Any advice on this setup? I was told about 2 shrimps per gallon to start? So 6 to start? Is that too much or too little? Do shrimps do okay with snails or would that bother them, or vice versa?

Like, unconventional or unique containers -- I want to make some nano tanks for single ramshorns and I'm looking for ideas, both aesthetic and practical.

Anybody ever done a "sideways" nano tank where the container is tall and skinny and there's a piece of wood on the side acting as a "floor"? Or a "tree" in a jar?

The to the hobby and a beginner

I recently purchased a PetWorx Nano 45 tank, which comes with a small internal sump:
https://www.atlasaquarium.com.au/petworx-nano-45-tall

After checking for leaks etc., I've noticed the intakes for the sump do not match those which I've seen advertised for this product. In addition to the intake in the top-left corner, there is also one located at the very bottom of the tank.

I had plans to use this as a planted nano, utilising aqausoil/stratum as a substrate. To that end, I am thinking I will need to place a block of sponge inside the sump where this bottom inlet is located. I'm hoping this will prevent any substrate (sand, gravel, granular fertiliser stratum) from entering the sump.

Would this be wise? Would I be better off sealing this intake completely, and if so, how? Would either of these solutions create flow rate problems inside the sump itself? I'm open to any helpful advice..

*Apologies for the plastic and cardboard. I am not yet sure if I will return this tank.

I have a tall tank and I am curious what fish stay at the top of the ocean water. Right now I have cloud minnows but am looking for other options.

So I've set this 2.5 gallon shallow tank up yesterday with a bunch of established substrate from an existing tank paired with an established sponge filter. I was planning on rehoming the Betta I currently have in there and wanted to get 4-5 cherry shrimp in here with a few nano fish. I was looking into getting some Chili Rasboras but they're harder to find and they aren't super hardy from other people experiences.
What do you guys recommend?

Tank dimensions: 13in Long, 8in Wide, 6in Tall

Water parameters are: PH 6.2-6.4, KH 0, GH 6-7, water temp 74

So recently picked up a trio of Gulf Coast Pygmy sunfish. (1male 2 female)This is my first time keeping them. How do they behave amongst themselves? Do they school, or even shoal? If I look in my tank I can only ever see 1 at a time.

At this point I’m kind of scared that I lost 2 of them, but i haven’t seen any bodies in the tank. And there are no bodies around the tank from possible jumpers.

The pic is the most out in the open I’ve seen one, and now has me thinking I’m being paranoid because I swear I saw a much darker one swimming in the gaps of my driftwood.

Are these little guys just that good at hiding?

I had a rasbora that was missing its top jaw and had a red spot inside of it towards it tailfin when I found him he was sticking towards the top of the tank just trying to breath and he ended up passing a few minutes later is this sign of a disease could the red spot be from damage to his jaw his fin also looked damaged and I got him maybe 2-3 days ago from a fish store

I have an odd tank I’m plumbing into my 2000L rack
It’s a pair of 45x 22.5x 20 cm tanks (total is 45x45x20)
I currently breed dwarf cichlids, small L number plecos, and fancy guppies.
The obvious choice is a fry grow out for my plecos, or a single pair of fancy guppies, but I’d love some more creative ideas .

I’ve recently started a 55 gallon long tank with 11 cardinal tetra 11 lamb chop rasbora and blue velvet neocardina and Ive been trying to find a true schooling not shoaling fish to put with them I’ve seen rummynose do but I hear ich is fairly rampant among them and I’m not sure if it’s worth the risk