46 Gallon Amazon Biotpope Plant And Fish Stocking Questions

[yankz*in*october1121]

hi all, i am beginning a 46 gallon bow front amazon biotope aquarium. i have the Coralife Freshwater Aqualight Double Linear Strip Compact Fluorescent Fixture, 2X96 Watt, 36 inch and a CO2 system that will be installed in the tank. i am not too sure on the the plant stocking list. all i know is that i want there to be carpet plant(s) covering the substrate and a few brazilian pennyworts. as far as the fish i definitley want a shoal of cardinal tetras but i am not sure on the rest. i was thinking of maybe some apistos and some otos j(maybe a brown ghost?). i am open to any and all suggestions!! thank you!!

 

[yankz*in*october1121]

oh and i also will be using aqua soil amazonia I along with the power sand

 

[Mr Bliss]

Echinodorus tenellus would fit the bill for substrate covering, although for an Amazon biotope, covering some areas with leaf litter might be a nice, natural-looking option as well, especially if you're going for a blackwater type biotope.

 

[yankz*in*october1121]

I've heard of using leaf litter but I'm not too sure how that would work. Would I have to purchase leaves or pick em up from outside? Lol. I was also thinking of maybe dwarf hairgrass? what do you think? Thanks for your help

 

[baron von bubba]

thats a LOT of light, even with pressurised CO2.
i'd just run one of those tubes if you can, expensive to replace too aint they?

 

[Mr Bliss]

I've heard of using leaf litter but I'm not too sure how that would work. Would I have to purchase leaves or pick em up from outside? Lol. I was also thinking of maybe dwarf hairgrass? what do you think? Thanks for your help

You can purchase Indian Almond leaves (which supposedly have all kinds of wonderful effects on water quality), or use dried and re-soaked oak leaves. I used to do the latter with my old Apisto tank. You could either have part of the substrate entirely covered, or have a few leaves here and there, like in this colombian biotope tank:

 

[yankz*in*october1121]

what if i add alot of floating plants would that be another alternative to running only one light?
would you be able to tell me a site where i could purchase these leaves?

 

[yankz*in*october1121]

and could someone help me with any ideas about fish stocking?
i was thinking about some apistos and rams but im not too sure how these would behave with eachother
again i am open to any suggestions. thank you

 

[ALW]

You could have something like this:

25 Cardinal Tetras
15 Golden Pencilfish
5 Marbled Hatchetfish
5 Panda Cory
2 Bolivian Rams
2 Keyhole Cichlids
2 Agassizi's Cichlid
1 Bristlenose Pleco
1 King Tiger Pleco
1 Golden Apple Snail

 

[JamieH]

You could have something like this:

25 Cardinal Tetras
15 Golden Pencilfish
5 Marbled Hatchetfish
5 Panda Cory
2 Bolivian Rams
2 Keyhole Cichlids
2 Agassizi's Cichlid
1 Bristlenose Pleco
1 King Tiger Pleco
1 Golden Apple Snail

i second this... it would be an awesome tank

 

[yankz*in*october1121]

You could have something like this:

25 Cardinal Tetras
15 Golden Pencilfish
5 Marbled Hatchetfish
5 Panda Cory
2 Bolivian Rams
2 Keyhole Cichlids
2 Agassizi's Cichlid
1 Bristlenose Pleco
1 King Tiger Pleco
1 Golden Apple Snail

wow thanks that sounds great...i was thinking about maybe switchin the bristlenose for a starry night pleco
what do you think?


and could i get a little more help with the plant stocking? thanks every1

 

[yankz*in*october1121]

You could have something like this:

25 Cardinal Tetras
15 Golden Pencilfish
5 Marbled Hatchetfish
5 Panda Cory
2 Bolivian Rams
2 Keyhole Cichlids
2 Agassizi's Cichlid
1 Bristlenose Pleco
1 King Tiger Pleco
1 Golden Apple Snail

wow thanks that sounds great...i was thinking about maybe switchin the bristlenose for a starry night pleco
what do you think?


and could i get a little more help with the plant stocking? thanks every1

now that i think of it, doesnt this stocking list sound like a bit too much for a 46 gallon
i will be running a rena xp2 canister filter which is rated up to like 75 gallons
and also a 9 watt uv sterilizer

 

[ALW]

That stocking would be fine for a 46G tank

 

[yankz*in*october1121]

That stocking would be fine for a 46G tank

oo ok just making sure
now do you have any ideas for plant stocking?
could i use dwarf hairgrass?

 

[Ben M]

hi i have a 46 g tank and i thought i could only keep 200cm of fish?