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

[Aquatopia]

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.

I will be doing loads of water changes anyway. Once the fish are here I'm going to be monitoring the Ammonia and doing water changes as necessary to keep it at a safe level. One more water change isn't going to make much difference, plus I have them sorted so they won't be much hassle.

To drain all I have to do is unroll the hose, stick one end in the tank and start siphoning. To refill I just stick the other end of the hose on a pump and turn the pump on. Wait for about 1 hr 45 mins (if it was a 50% water change) and that's it. The hose connections are all quick connects so it's dead easy, just takes a bit of time.

 

[Lcc86]

I will be doing loads of water changes anyway. Once the fish are here I'm going to be monitoring the Ammonia and doing water changes as necessary to keep it at a safe level. One more water change isn't going to make much difference, plus I have them sorted so they won't be much hassle.

To drain all I have to do is unroll the hose, stick one end in the tank and start siphoning. To refill I just stick the other end of the hose on a pump and turn the pump on. Wait for about 1 hr 45 mins (if it was a 50% water change) and that's it. The hose connections are all quick connects so it's dead easy, just takes a bit of time.

You have a much better setup than me! I'm still using buckets, BUT I only have two nano tanks so it's fine. One day I'll get a hose haha

 

[Aquatopia]

There's no sign of anything turning up today yet, looks like things are going to be late.

I have made another change to my fish list. After thinking it over more I decided that 10 of the Roseline Sharks is probably going to be too much so I've dropped it down to 7 of them. Same goes with the Panda Garra, which I have dropped down to 12. I've also added in a group of 10 Cherry Barbs, which I think will add a different dynamic and contrast to the other fish.

So now my fish list looks like this:

150 Cardinal Tetra.
10 Cherry Barbs.
10 Kuhli Loaches
20 Lemon Tetra.
24 Orange Venezuela Corys
12 Panda Garra
7 Roseline Sharks.
2 Red Whiptail Catfish.
15 Kohaku Wagtail Swordtails.

 

[Aquatopia]

After further consideration, and my wife saying she doesn't like the whiptail catfish, I have decided to drop them and go back to the Hillstream Loaches but just 5 of them. I know people have their doubts but I've seen too many people that have kept and bred them without issue, both in low flow and higher temps. I have had one before myself in an average community tank at normal tropical temps, my brother and my nephew both have them without high flow or low temps. I am pretty sure they will be fine.

So my fish list now looks like this:

150 Cardinal Tetra.
10 Cherry Barbs.
5 Hillstream Loaches.
10 Kuhli Loaches.
20 Lemon Tetra.
24 Orange Venezuela Corys.
12 Panda Garra.
7 Roseline Sharks.
15 Kohaku Wagtail Swordtails.

I will be ordering them in two groups:

The first group will be ordered on the 16th of December and should be with me on the 17th:

10 Cherry Barbs.
20 Lemon Tetra.
24 Orange Venezuela Corys.
7 Roseline Sharks.
15 Kohaku Wagtail Swordtails.

The second group will be ordered 3 weeks later on the 5th of January and should be with me on the 6th:

150 Cardinal Tetra.
5 Hillstream Loaches.
10 Kuhli Loaches.
12 Panda Garra.

 

[Aquatopia]

Well I just ordered the first lot of plants, from a few places. It looks like they aren't all going to be arriving at the same time though so I don't think I'll be planting them all in the tank at the same time. For example, the only place that had Cryptocoryne parva in stock has an estimated delivery of between Mon 15 Dec - Mon 22 Dec! So not sure when that is going to get here. I'm just going to have to plant as and when plants arrive.

I've also ordered the frozen food, which should be here in the next 2 days, and some Malaysian Trumpet Snails which should be here Friday.

 

[Aquatopia]

I do have some plants that are supposed to be delivered tomorrow. The hoses for the filters are now out for delivery today. There's no sign of the Seachem Purigen yet though or the tubing for the CO2. If it doesn't arrive before the plants tomorrow then I'm going to have to just put the plants in water with some light until I can get the tank set up.

 

[GaryE]

You have plans for an enormous number of fish. How are you going to handle quarantine for the gradual introduction of that many fish?

 

[Aquatopia]

You have plans for an enormous number of fish. How are you going to handle quarantine for the gradual introduction of that many fish?

No quarantine, no gradual introduction.

The fish are being added in two groups but each group will be added together at the same time without quarantine.

I explained how I panned to introduce them in this post.

 

[Magnum Man]

not to throw a monkey wrench into your fish list again, but Hillstream is a generic term... I have a "Hillstream tank" with at least 15 different varieties ( and I've had more, that didn't work out ) there are 2 basic shapes... I use the term "sting ray shape" for a group of fish that include the reticulated, which is one of the most common, and I assume that is what you were referring to... but there are also "lizard types"....

there are also much size ranges in these fish... I have both blue, and red tail sting ray types that have been in my tank for several years, and have never broken an inch and a half in length... my biggest sting ray type, are gold rings, and they go over 4 inches long...

I have a red saddle back lizard type, that is only 2 inches, and a Vietnamese Tiger, that is 6 inches long...

the good news is, they all seem to get along...

non Hillstream fish in this tank, include a gang of roselines, a gang of panda garas, a single Kisser gourami, and a pair of flying foxes ( foxes only there, as they were the canary's of the new tank, and while I've tried a couple times to move them, I guess they are meant to be, as I can't catch them )

 

[Aquatopia]

not to throw a monkey wrench into your fish list again, but Hillstream is a generic term... I have a "Hillstream tank" with at least 15 different varieties ( and I've had more, that didn't work out ) there are 2 basic shapes... I use the term "sting ray shape" for a group of fish that include the reticulated, which is one of the most common, and I assume that is what you were referring to... but there are also "lizard types"....

there are also much size ranges in these fish... I have both blue, and red tail sting ray types that have been in my tank for several years, and have never broken an inch and a half in length... my biggest sting ray type, are gold rings, and they go over 4 inches long...

I have a red saddle back lizard type, that is only 2 inches, and a Vietnamese Tiger, that is 6 inches long...

the good news is, they all seem to get along...

non Hillstream fish in this tank, include a gang of roselines, a gang of panda garas, a single Kisser gourami, and a pair of flying foxes ( foxes only there, as they were the canary's of the new tank, and while I've tried a couple times to move them, I guess they are meant to be, as I can't catch them )

The species I'm getting is Sewellia lineolata the Reticulated Hillstream Loach.

 

[Aquatopia]

The Seachem Purigen has now arrived, that just leaves the CO2 tubing unaccounted for. According to Royal Mail they've sent it to the wrong mail center, where it arrived this morning and it's now being re-directed.

 

[MattW]

According to Royal Mail they've sent it to the wrong mail center, where it arrived this morning and it's now being re-directed.

I've had that happen to me a few times recently

 

[Aquatopia]

One of the plant suppliers has just been in touch, the Cryptocoryne spiralis red I ordered from them was actually out of stock so i've had to make another order for that at another store now. The fiasco never ends!

 

[MattW]

Have you looked at eBay sellers? I use them quite a bit, and there is a decent selection. Obviously, the price may be more, but I usually find the delivery is free.

 

[Aquatopia]

Have you looked at eBay sellers? I use them quite a bit, and there is a decent selection. Obviously, the price may be more, but I usually find the delivery is free.

Quite a few of the plants are from eBay sellers, mostly K2Aqua.