Help stocking BiOrb

[Emma and the angelfishes]

I have a 30L BiOrb halo and need some stocking help I have no decor in there yet as I will adjust to what fish I get I am thinking livebearers like guppies and swordtails but I don’t know what will be best I also am thinking more of a livebearers community rather than a species only tank any ideas welcome

 

[kwi]

With such a small tank a species only may be better as you'll likely get shoaling fish, also the shape of the tank lends itself better to those fish that hang out in the middle of the tank.
Also with the lack of backdrop optionsI would go quite heavy on the planting, something like wisteria or hornwort will give fish something to hide in.
We would also need to know your waters pH, GH and KH. It's easier to match fish to water than water to fish.

 

[Emma and the angelfishes]

With such a small tank a species only may be better as you'll likely get shoaling fish, also the shape of the tank lends itself better to those fish that hang out in the middle of the tank.
Also with the lack of backdrop optionsI would go quite heavy on the planting, something like wisteria or hornwort will give fish something to hide in.
We would also need to know your waters pH, GH and KH. It's easier to match fish to water than water to fish.

Ok thank you I don’t know if you can plant BiOrb because of the filtration system but I have shown my parameters in a different post on this thread

 

[kwi]

Isn't your water quite soft? The fish you mention prefer harder water. Have you looked at Celestial Pearl Danios or Chili Rasbora? Though both like well planted tanks......
With the smaller surface area on the water I would also lean to not stocking as a 30l tank but aim to understock.

 

[kwi]

The question has been asked before.

Biorb 30Litre Stocking?

Hi guys My girlfriend has decided she wants her first tank but only a small one. She likes the look of the BiOrb 30 litre sphere tank to go on the bedside table. First off, does anybody else own one of these and are they any good? Secondly, what stocking options are available for such a small...

www.fishforums.net

I like the idea of turning it into a tropical greenhouse.........

 

[Emma and the angelfishes]

Isn't your water quite soft? The fish you mention prefer harder water. Have you looked at Celestial Pearl Danios or Chili Rasbora? Though both like well planted tanks......
With the smaller surface area on the water I would also lean to not stocking as a 30l tank but aim to understock.

I think I am going to add some baking soda to make the pH higher as for hardness how can I make the hardness harder ?

 

[Emma and the angelfishes]

Isn't your water quite soft? The fish you mention prefer harder water. Have you looked at Celestial Pearl Danios or Chili Rasbora? Though both like well planted tanks......
With the smaller surface area on the water I would also lean to not stocking as a 30l tank but aim to understock.

 

[kwi]

Have you the tank cycled?

 

[Emma and the angelfishes]

Have you the tank cycled?

Not yet only got water in it yesterday still got at least week before I add fish

 

[kwi]

Not yet only got water in it yesterday still got at least week before I add fish

Have a read of this.

Cycling Your New Fresh Water Tank: Read This First!

Cycling Your First Fresh Water Tank What is Cycling and Why is it Important? Fish waste, and especially fish breathing, plus uneaten food and other organic matter breaking down in a tank all produce Ammonia. This can quickly become toxic to fish if it is allowed to build up to any measurable...

www.fishforums.net

 

[Emma and the angelfishes]

Have a read of this.

Cycling Your New Fresh Water Tank: Read This First!

Cycling Your First Fresh Water Tank What is Cycling and Why is it Important? Fish waste, and especially fish breathing, plus uneaten food and other organic matter breaking down in a tank all produce Ammonia. This can quickly become toxic to fish if it is allowed to build up to any measurable...

www.fishforums.net

Very interesting at the fish place I bought the tank which are very knowledgeable about fish or so I thought told me to wait three days and I would be fine but it seems that is not good at all I will put some flake food ( not a lot)into the tank weekly and then test every few days until ammonia and nitrite read 0 ppm then I will think about fish I will also put in my heater now rather than later on and I will look at how I can make my pH higher

 

[kwi]

A lot of fish shops are all about selling fish, if they told you to buy a tank today and come back in three months for livestock would you?
I dosed a tank with ammonia on the 1st of this month, and still no nitrites yet.

 

[kwi]

I think I am going to add some baking soda to make the pH higher as for hardness how can I make the hardness harder ?

The big issue with adjusting pH and hardness is having to monitor and ensure you don't cause a big pH swing when doing water changes. Especially with such a small volume tank and planing to add a powdered product, a spoon isn't an accurate measure in these cases.

 

[AilyNC]

I'm terrible at reading those charts but if you post your water hardness, ph & dimensions it helps with finding appropriate fish.

For example the Swordtail is a hard water fish that needs ph range of 7.0-8.0 and GH of 179-447ppm, and the need a tank base dimensions of 120cm x 30cm (47" x 12") to have enough swimming space.

While the Guppy needs a 45cm x 30cm (18" x 12") base & ph 7.0-8.5 and GH 143-536ppm.

Both these livebearers need hard water but different tank sizes.

 

[HoldenOn]

Shrimp tank