Aquarium updates and intended fish.

[Animallover😍]

This is my aquarium at the moment...

Almost setup with white gravel(black gravel on top to minimize stress), driftwood(which had to be weighted), fake plants, Dophin H200 filter, aquarium light, glass cover(one is not proportional) and thermometer. Will be adding live plants soon. Btw my aquarium is outside under the shade where it won't get wet(for certain), and the temperature is pretty steady. Have just got my GH and KH test kit.
Source water parameters:
pH: 8(will be lowered to suit the fish)
GH: 5-6 dGH
KH 2-3 dkH
Intended fish:
Cardinal Tetras(getting 10 from the pet store and breeding here)
Rummynose Tetras: 10
Black Phantom Tetras: 7
Blue Diamond/Fire red Shrimp: will be getting a 2 of each species and breeding)
Penguin Tetras: 10

 

[Fishmanic]

Looks promising. What size is the tank.
Enter it in our Tank of the Month contest
Sept - 16 gallons and smaller
Oct- 17 to 30 gallons
Nov - 31 gallons and larger

 

[Animallover😍]

it's 50 gallons. Sure, I'll enter it in November.

 

[itiwhetu]

You will need to have acid water before you add your intended fish. Live plants and drift wood or adding peat is the best way to do this. If you are going to keep Cardinal Tetras please have live plants.

 

[Animallover😍]

Have mentioned that this is going to be a planted aquarium, and I did state I will be lowering the pH with peat moss.

 

[itiwhetu]

Just don't understand why the fake plants. Why don't you just buy the live plants that are needed to establish this tank.

 

[Essjay]

Blue Diamond/Fire red Shrimp: will be getting a 2 of each species and breeding)

These shrimps are the same species and will breed together. It may take a few generations but you could well end up with a group of brown shrimps.

 

[Animallover😍]

Just don't understand why the fake plants. Why don't you just buy the live plants that are needed to establish this tank.

I didn't buy the fake plants. They came with the aquarium and I thought it looked nice.

These shrimps are the same species and will breed together. It may take a few generations but you could well end up with a group of brown shrimps.

In that case, I'll just get the blue diamond shrimp.

Actually, today I set up my quarantine tank and tested the water, amazingly the pH was 6.8(the results have never been this), so I tested the big aquarium to see if I made a mistake, no, still 8. I retested the quarantine aquarium and still the same. They both come from the same water source so why?
Quarantine tank parameters:
3 dGH
2 dkH
6.8 pH

 

[Essjay]

What are the white stones and substrate made of? White is often coral or limestone which are calcium carbonate, and these will increase GH and pH (and KH).

Try testing a bit of the substrate with vinegar - outside the tank. If tiny bubbles form, it's something made of calcium carbonate.

 

[Animallover😍]

ok, I will test it as I do not know what it is made of.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Looking good so far! I recommend you add a black background to the tank, and also try to get taller plants for the back.

 

[Animallover😍]

What are the white stones and substrate made of? White is often coral or limestone which are calcium carbonate, and these will increase GH and pH (and KH).

Try testing a bit of the substrate with vinegar - outside the tank. If tiny bubbles form, it's something made of calcium carbonate.

Tested the substrate... did not bubble. will do a water change and see if it helps.

 

[Corypower]

Fake plants I feel are the greatest sin in a hobby ,they add nothing to the tanks health,get some Java fern would fill up the top of the tank

 

[Animallover😍]

Fake plants I feel are the greatest sin in a hobby ,they add nothing to the tanks health, get some Java fern would fill up the top of the tank

I am getting real plants, the fake plants is just a small addition I just didn't want to waste (I didn't buy it the original seller did) and I will add Java fern.

 

[Corypower]

I am getting real plants, the fake plants is just a small addition I just didn't want to waste (I didn't buy it the original seller did) and I will add Java fern.

That great