Newbie Hello

I have had a reply from API

Yes, you can use the Saltwater master kit for freshwater, however you would require the freshwater master test kit color chart because it will produce a different colors than freshwater.

I think I would return it if possible. Although you may be able to get a set of freshwater colour charts from API if you ask them.
http://www.apifishcare.co.uk/help-resource-center.php

I lost my instructions to the API master kit once:
http://www.myaquariumclub.com/lost-your-api-freshwater-master-test-kit-color-chart-8633.html
http://www.apifishcare.com/pdf/34_Test_Kit_WEB_Instructions-1.pdf

Sounds like it's coming together nicely @Aquarius Barbara .

Take 11.
Nope, I cant even attach a 39k jpeg this is annoying! 
If you would like the images IM me and I will send them to you directly

Ed.
I have just seen that the Nitrate that did get through wasn't the correct file... I give up, as above if anybody wants the images IM me GRRRR!

Yippee Hubby Taking me to Maidenhead aquariums in Gosforth see you soon he, he.

My Lovely Hubby came home with the PFK mag and in there is an article about acquiring a diploma

I'm signed up 

Snails don't add much bioload to a tank. Not something you need to worry about as they will probably do more harm than good 

However, Endlers need hard water,as do most livebearing fish I'm afraid...

I think Matt might have written that backwards 

Snails are a useful part of the ecosystem of a tank, as long as they don't multiply out of control. The way to stop that is by not overfeeding the fish once you have them.
Malaysian trumpet snails spend the day in the substrate looking for bits of food, though they do come out in the dark, and they turn stir up sand. They are also a useful early warning system - if you ever see them climbing the tank walls in daylight, test your tank water. Snails don't like ammonia and nitrite so if that appears in the water they try to get away from it by climbing out of the tank.

I have MTS as well as other snails in my tanks. Some I have bought, other's came with live plants.



Once, decades ago, fishkeepers killed every snail they saw. The out of date books I got from the library in the 1990s said snail were bad because they brought diseases into the tank. We now know different. I suppose if we went and collected snails from the local pond, that wouldn't be a good idea, but then using anything else from the local pond is not recommended.

I have not set tank up yet will be in the next week waiting for the water testing kit to arrive, slight delay due to me ordering wrong kit. But should be here by the end of the week. But I will contact you as soon as I am ready for them if that is still ok. Thank You. Bx

Yes I was going to wait until I was ready to stock, just watching some you tube videos which are helping a lot as I can see what they are doing and making notes as I go. Thanks.

Most filters do aerate the water properly

Gas exchange takes place at the surface of the water. Oxygen dissolves in the water to replace that taken up by the fish. Carbon dioxide which is made by fish respiring leaves the water (live plants do make things more complex, but that's the basic idea). If the water did not move around, the same water would be at the surface all the time so that oxygen would have to diffuse down into the water before more could dissolve and carbon dioxide would have to diffuse to the surface for more to leave. If the water is churned up, carbon dioxide rich water from lower down in the tank is brought to the surface so carbon dioxide can be lost faster than still water; oxygen rich oxygenated waster is pushed down in the tank faster than it can can diffuse down.
Filters churn the water up by 'blowing' water through the tank. With air pumps, the bubbles churn up the water.

But the air pump is not a waste.

There are two occasions when using both a filter and an air pump can be useful, and these are when the water is warmer than usual. The warmer the water the less oxygen it can hold, so the more it is churned up the better. If your fish ever get whitespot part of the treatment is to turn the heater up, so air filters help get more oxygen into the water. And during a heatwave, they also help.

And should you ever develop multiple tank syndrome you may decide to get fish that like less water flow, and for this type of fish a sponge filter powered by an air pump is ideal. This is what I use in my betta's tank.