Aquatopia - 6x2x2 Low-Med Light, High Tech Nature Aquarium

[GaryE]

Nanacara anomala, the golden eyed dwarf, has been reported to remove the eyeballs of offending corys... so not them.

You have come to a tank philosophy area - the centrepiece. If you love Cichlids, you simply can't believe a tank can work without them until you see it. I have several tanks of dwarf cichlids, but they are single pair, few other fish tanks. It took me a long time to be comfortable with no 'centre piece' fish.
Location
Northumberland, UK

Nov 16, 2025

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#44

I spent today gluing spider roots in the tank. Time consuming but worth it I think.

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That's it for the hardscape now.

I have a floating plant corral to make but the next major thing will be fitting the filters and CO2 stuff but that won't be until 3 weeks time.

I've also changed my fish list again. This time because I've found a breeder of some very nice Swordtails so I'll be getting those instead of the Platies.

Your Fish List now looks like this:

2 Apistogramma macmasteri (pair)
150 Cardinal Tetra.
6 Honeycomb Bristlenose Plecos.
10 Kuhli Loaches
20 Lemon Tetra.
20 Orange Venezuela Corys
10 Panda Garra
10 Roseline Sharks.
1 Royal Farlowella.
15 Kohaku Berlin Swordtails

I see your centrepience as the cardinals. They'll dominate the eye. I wouldn't go for 150, and I can get them wholesale. That's an expense, and maybe an overkill. 50 or 75 will do fine, unless the Roseline barbs eat too many. Have you looked at the full adult size of the denison's/roseline barbs? It's a large fish. They aren't especially predatory, but if they figure it out, you will lose cardinals. They, the lemons, the loracarids and Corys are all rainforest fish.

The misfits are the swordtails.

For comparison, in my 120 gallon, 6 foot tank, I have a group of 5 undescribed corys, and a lone incolicana (only one they had left). There are 30 cardinals, 15 black neons, 6 peugotti, and 15 other assorted less common tetras. I'm going to add some young cardinals that hatched out a couple of weeks ago, some H melanostichos (9) and H margitae (6). Maybe. I'm finding it heavily stocked without the additions.

If I liked roseline barbs, they would be the main fish.

Too many fish look like a subway platform at rush hour...

Again, not a rule, just an approach to consider.

 

[anewbie]

A relatively docile dwarf cichild would be a member of genus such as laetacara araguaiae. While they will breed and guard their frys if possible they will lay the eggs a bit higher than some of the other dwarf cichild - i've kept both wc and tank raised l. araguaiae and l. dorsigera; avoid l. thayeri this fish is in the same genus but are quite a bit larger and more aggressive.

You could also go with one of the smaller mesonauta such as m. egregius. Sadly info on 'official' sites are a bit off on the size of some of these fishes - these are a 'tame' alternative to angelfishes and will exist in a nice size group - i've kept several species in groups of 6 to 8 and major aggression never develop with them but the larger species will definitely eat cardinals and can easily get to 7+ inches (for males); the females are quite a bit smaller.

 

[Aquatopia]

Nanacara anomala, the golden eyed dwarf, has been reported to remove the eyeballs of offending corys... so not them.

You have come to a tank philosophy area - the centrepiece. If you love Cichlids, you simply can't believe a tank can work without them until you see it. I have several tanks of dwarf cichlids, but they are single pair, few other fish tanks. It took me a long time to be comfortable with no 'centre piece' fish.

Your Fish List now looks like this:

2 Apistogramma macmasteri (pair)
150 Cardinal Tetra.
6 Honeycomb Bristlenose Plecos.
10 Kuhli Loaches
20 Lemon Tetra.
20 Orange Venezuela Corys
10 Panda Garra
10 Roseline Sharks.
1 Royal Farlowella.
15 Kohaku Berlin Swordtails

I see your centrepience as the cardinals. They'll dominate the eye. I wouldn't go for 150, and I can get them wholesale. That's an expense, and maybe an overkill. 50 or 75 will do fine, unless the Roseline barbs eat too many. Have you looked at the full adult size of the denison's/roseline barbs? It's a large fish. They aren't especially predatory, but if they figure it out, you will lose cardinals. They, the lemons, the loracarids and Corys are all rainforest fish.

The misfits are the swordtails.

For comparison, in my 120 gallon, 6 foot tank, I have a group of 5 undescribed corys, and a lone incolicana (only one they had left). There are 30 cardinals, 15 black neons, 6 peugotti, and 15 other assorted less common tetras. I'm going to add some young cardinals that hatched out a couple of weeks ago, some H melanostichos (9) and H margitae (6). Maybe. I'm finding it heavily stocked without the additions.

If I liked roseline barbs, they would be the main fish.

Thanks again Gary.

I don't really see a centrepiece or main fish. For me I see different groups of fish that have their own behaviours and attraction. Sure some are more attention demanding than others, if you want to consider that 'centrepiece' then I guess the Apistos would have grabbed the attention when they appeared but the shoal of Cardinals would grab immediate attention as well, as would the Roseline sharks.

All of the fish are attractive, to me, both in appearance and behaviour. I've also tried to combine a variety of colour, activity and behaviour so there are different groups that catch your eye in different places and for different reasons.

I wouldn't say the tank 'needs' a pair but I do think it is a behaviour that is missing and one that would make the tank more interesting if it was there.

An option that I considered before the Apistos was a pair of Bolivian Rams. What would you think of those in my tank? I was dubious about getting them because I've heard a lot of stories about them often carrying worms and I don't have a quarantine tank yet. I could wait to get them until I do have a quarantine tank though.

Too many fish look like a subway platform at rush hour...

Again, not a rule, just an approach to consider.

I know Gary. I do respect your opinion and approach, we just have different views.

From what you just said there it seems a tank with lots of fish that looks like 'a subway platform at rush hour' is something that you find unappealing. For myself I find that same thing very appealing.

On 'a subway platform at rush hour' I could sit and watch all the people for hours. Seeing all their different appearances and behaviour, all buzzing around, it's fascinating to me and relaxing to watch. This is exactly what I want from my aquarium.

 

[GaryE]

Crowded tanks vs uncrowded tanks is always a debate.

I'm a big fan of Bolivian rams. They're hard to sex, and generally, to have a social group, you need six. But the whole centrepiece idea is an old approach I don't buy. My eye goes to the fish that's moving, or to the group on the move.

A lot of Cichlid keepers can't get their heads around not having Cichlids. There's no obligation. This seems especially true if you're going for a crowded set up, as the joy of Cichlids is in their complex behaviour. There's no way they'll be able to act as themselves in such a set up.

My vision of the metro terminus/subway at rush hour is that people are hard to watch. They're stressed and hurried and don't interact. But sit in a park or on a terrasse and people are very entertaining. A shopping mall pre-christmas is my nightmare, but a nice old street with people taking their time and acting like humans is pretty good people watching.

Fishwise, they shoal because a predator has a hard time singling out individuals and hunting them down. There's always a distraction to make the attack miss.

But that's me. If I were you though, I would be concerned about having a great shoal of roselines dominating the tank on size alone. They can hit 6 inches, 15cm, and if you're good at this (which you seem to be), they'll grow to their max. Cardinals at their largest hit 5cm, or just under 2 inches - a serious difference. I try to give metric and inches, btw, for our US friends here.

This is a reader's hobby. I would also consider how kuhli loaches and corys will get along. They share a niche, and loaches can be like meth heads. I've been told it's a jittery combination for the corys, but I haven't kept Asian fish for ages to know for myself. You complicate life with a mix like you intend, and it's always a balance between looks and activity.

It's pleasant talking fish with a strong coffee at 6 AM with a wet dog on my feet and a snowstorm outside... it beats shoveling.

 

[Aquatopia]

I don't think of fish in terms of centrepiece either, as you say the eye goes to whatever catches it, whether that is movement, a splash of colour or just something unusual. All of the fish can catch your eye at different times for different reasons. Like the Kuhli loaches, hardly seen but when you do spot them out and about they grab your attention because you don't often see them.

I undestand what you mean now about the dwarf cichlids. I'm thinking it's probably best not to have any.

With regards to the Roseline sharks - I do realise their full size, 6 inch specimens are usually the females with males more like 4 to 5 inches. You don't think the tank is big enough for them? Would you have less of them or go with something else? I want some fish that are a decent size (4-5 inches?), peaceful, colourful, active and okay in fairly high flow at ~75f, pH 6.8 to 7.2, KH ~6, that will work with my other fish, don't eat plants and don't dig. Not asking much, I know!

It is pleasant but for me it's now 11am, it's tea not coffee, the dog has dried off, the rain has stopped and the sun is now out.

Doggy pic for immersion.

 

[anewbie]

This is a reader's hobby. I would also consider how kuhli loaches and corys will get along. They share a niche, and loaches can be like meth heads. I've been told it's a jittery combination for the corys, but I haven't kept Asian fish for ages to know for myself. You complicate life with a mix like you intend, and it's always a balance between looks and activity.

It isn't really an issue with mixing kuhli and cory; yes they share the same territory but neither are territorial; they will simply crawl over each other and neither will seem particularly concern about the behavior.

 

[GaryE]

The tank is big enough for roselines. My question is- are the tankmates big enough?

I tend not to look at tanks, but at the behaviour of their inhabitants. If you don't mind a water change treadmill, those fish will fit in, but what effect a shoal of large fish will have on dynamics is a question to be considered.

 

[Aquatopia]

The tank is big enough for roselines. My question is- are the tankmates big enough?

I tend not to look at tanks, but at the behaviour of their inhabitants. If you don't mind a water change treadmill, those fish will fit in, but what effect a shoal of large fish will have on dynamics is a question to be considered.

I've not kept the Roseline sharks before but from my (extensive) research people say they should be fine.

This is an example from the Planted Tank forum:

I've kept Denisons for several years. They're great aquarium fish. Pretty hardy, not picky eaters, very active, and their coloration gets even better as they mature.

They do get fairly large, about 5" or 6", and are pretty active swimmers, I wouldn't put them in a tank less than 4 feet wide. They do best in groups of 5 or more.

I've never noticed them exhibiting any aggression from them either. They will eat very small fish or small shrimp, but they are fine with smaller tetras like neons.

I will be doing a water change every week. I have to because of the EI fertiliser I am dosing, it has to be reset every week to keep things balanced.

 

[Aquatopia]

This has just arrived.

 

[Aquatopia]

The gyre has now been tested and is installed in the tank/cabinet. It can certainly throw some water around, I doubt I'll need to run it on high!

 

[Aquatopia]

After recent discussions here and elsewhere I've made some changes to my fish list.

I've decided not to have the Apistos (or any pair of fish at all), this is because they would struggle to behave naturally with the rest of my fish, there are just too many active, shoaling fish and bottom feeders.

I've also decided not to have the Bristlenose Plecos now. For multiple reasons - the number of bottom feeders, competition, size and the amount of waste they produce. I'm also increasing the number of Corydoras and Panda Garra.

Fish:
150 Cardinal Tetra.
10 Kuhli Loaches.
20 Lemon Tetra.
24 Orange Venezuela Corys.
20 Panda Garra.
10 Roseline Sharks.
2 Red Whiptail Catfish.
15 Kohaku Berlin Swordtails.

 

[Aquatopia]

These have just arrived.

Having fun unpacking and installing them now.

With these arriving it's brought me to a point where I have to make a decision on when I fill the tank up.

The filters are here, my biomedia (Matrix) is here, the CO2 reactor is here, so I could set them up and get them running. The first lot of plants are due to be ordered on Tuesday coming, the 9th of December, many of which should be here on Wednesday the 10th of December, though some won't be here until Friday the 12th of December.

I have a few options for how I could do it. Which would you do?

1 - I can set the filters, reactor, etc. up today/tomorrow and get the tank filled up and running. This way has a few advantages, it allows me to test the filters, etc. and make sure everything is working correctly before I order the plants. It allows me time to get the water parameters stabilised. It also allows me to get the biomedia starting to cycle earlier and start to bring the ammonia down. There will be ammonia from the substrate but I can also throw some food in. Then when the plants arrive next week I do a large water change, plant and refill. I will be planting into wet substrate though, although that doesn't bother me.

2 - I can set the filters, reactor, etc. up today/tomorrow but not get the tank filled up and running until the first plants arrive next week (Wednesday probably). This way I can be planting the tank dry before filling it up. Only issue I have with this way is the filters, etc. won't be tested prior to ordering the plants so if there is an issue with them it's kind of too late. I will also have to plant the other plants that arrive after Wednesday with the tank wet anyway.

3 - I can set the filters, reactor, etc. up today/tomorrow but not get the tank filled up and running until all of the plants have arrived next week (Friday). This way I can be planting the tank dry before filling it up. One issue I have with this way is the filters, etc. won't be tested prior to ordering the plants so if there is an issue with them it's kind of too late and it's only a few days before I order the fish so there won't be as much of a chance for bacteria to build up before the fish go in.

The first fish are due to be ordered the following Tuesday (16th of December) and should be here on Wednesday the 17th of December.

I am currently thinking to do option 1, because I can confirm all the equipment is working correctly before ordering the plants, I have time to get the tank parameters stabilised before the plants arrive, I can get the water clear before the plants arrive, the biomedia will have much more time to build bacteria before the fish go in and I will have time to correct any issues/leaks that arise.

I'm just wondering if there's something I'm not seeing? Is there a good reason to go with either of the other two options?

 

[Aquatopia]

The dosing pump has also arrived now.

 

[Aquatopia]

The CO2 Fire Extinguisher's arrived last night. They ended up sending me 3 of the 2Kg CO2 Fire Extinguisher's because they were out of the 5Kg one that I ordered. I guess I have an extra Kg of CO2 for free but I'll have to change the bottle sooner and more often now. Hopefully next time I need one they have the 5Kg in stock.

A TDS meter also arrived today. I tested my tap water and it's ~200 ppm.

I've also moved the surface skimmer to the left hand side of the tank now. It was getting too crowded on the right hand side with the gyre there now.

I installed the Seneye Reef and Seneye Web Server in the tank/cabinet today as well. I haven't activated the slide yet, can't do that until the tank is running, but I have the monitoring working. It's just the only thing being registered at the moment is the temperature.

I took the Aqua Medic 1000 CO2 Reactor apart and got the bactoballs out. What a nightmare to get them out! They were packed in tight so I had to break some of them up to get them out. Anyway I finally got them all out.

I also cut down the hose barbs on both ends of the reactor, so there's now just the barbs for 16/22 hose, and then I drilled out the centre of the barbs to widen the hole, which should keep the flow up as high as possible.

I cut the CO2 inlet airline pipe down inside the reactor as well, so it only goes halfway down the reactor now and not to the bottom. This was recommended as, with the pipe going to the bottom, people were getting some micro bubbles leaving the bottom of the reactor and cutting that pipe down stops it. It's all back together now and all the screw on connections have had PTFE tape on and are nice and tight.

The hoses for the filters did not arrive today so I think they will be here on Monday now. I also realised I'm still waiting for the Seachem Purigen, which I want in both the filters. So both the hoses and the Purigen need to turn up before I can get the tank filled up and running. Hopefully they both turn up on Monday.

 

[Lcc86]

These have just arrived.

View attachment 374631

Having fun unpacking and installing them now.

With these arriving it's brought me to a point where I have to make a decision on when I fill the tank up.

The filters are here, my biomedia (Matrix) is here, the CO2 reactor is here, so I could set them up and get them running. The first lot of plants are due to be ordered on Tuesday coming, the 9th of December, many of which should be here on Wednesday the 10th of December, though some won't be here until Friday the 12th of December.

I have a few options for how I could do it. Which would you do?

1 - I can set the filters, reactor, etc. up today/tomorrow and get the tank filled up and running. This way has a few advantages, it allows me to test the filters, etc. and make sure everything is working correctly before I order the plants. It allows me time to get the water parameters stabilised. It also allows me to get the biomedia starting to cycle earlier and start to bring the ammonia down. There will be ammonia from the substrate but I can also throw some food in. Then when the plants arrive next week I do a large water change, plant and refill. I will be planting into wet substrate though, although that doesn't bother me.

2 - I can set the filters, reactor, etc. up today/tomorrow but not get the tank filled up and running until the first plants arrive next week (Wednesday probably). This way I can be planting the tank dry before filling it up. Only issue I have with this way is the filters, etc. won't be tested prior to ordering the plants so if there is an issue with them it's kind of too late. I will also have to plant the other plants that arrive after Wednesday with the tank wet anyway.

3 - I can set the filters, reactor, etc. up today/tomorrow but not get the tank filled up and running until all of the plants have arrived next week (Friday). This way I can be planting the tank dry before filling it up. One issue I have with this way is the filters, etc. won't be tested prior to ordering the plants so if there is an issue with them it's kind of too late and it's only a few days before I order the fish so there won't be as much of a chance for bacteria to build up before the fish go in.

The first fish are due to be ordered the following Tuesday (16th of December) and should be here on Wednesday the 17th of December.

I am currently thinking to do option 1, because I can confirm all the equipment is working correctly before ordering the plants, I have time to get the tank parameters stabilised before the plants arrive, I can get the water clear before the plants arrive, the biomedia will have much more time to build bacteria before the fish go in and I will have time to correct any issues/leaks that arise.

I'm just wondering if there's something I'm not seeing? Is there a good reason to go with either of the other two options?

I'd go with option 2, mainly because I'm too lazy to fill it up once and then drain it down again to plant! I'm excited to see what you come up with, I've been quietly following along with your thread so far.