My Tank-sanity Check Me

[tenohfive]

Over the last 3 or 4 month's I've set up a 65L community tank, and I'm close to having it the way I want it. I just want to check that I'm not making any obvious blunders, so I thought I'd post up. I've made a few mistakes along the way and theres probably a few I'm unaware of.

It was cycled with fish in (had to rescue some WCCM's.)

Right, the basic's:

65L planted tank - mostly java fern with some other kind of prolific plant that I don't know the name of, and some rocks/slate caves and plain black backing. Situated in a place I walk past alot. Fluval 3 internal filter and a tetratec bubbler that I turn on for 12 hours every 2-3 days. Unknown lighting, tank established nearly 4 months now. Average temp 25-26 celsius. Water changes 10-30% every 3 days or so. Can't post stats as I can't afford a test kit until payday, I've tried to compensate by doing regular water changes.

Feeding: Tropical flake food once daily, 2 mixed catfish wafers daily, freeze dried bloodworm every 3 days (cutting that down to once a week now,) crushed snails every week or so, vegetable matter every week (only just started that though.)

Fish-in the order they were added (less those fish I've rehomed.)

5 x Pearl Danios
2 x Peppered Corys (I know they should be kept in a bigger numbers but they died quickly-am waiting until the tank is more mature before I add more.)
4 x Otocinclus
2 x Blue Rams (1 male, one female.)

Planned additions: 1 x male Dwarf Gourami. Depending on his temperment towards tank mates, female to be added.

I also have a 25L betta tank, a coldwater 60L tank and a small quarantine tank (filter left running in coldwater tank for instant cycle when QT tank needed.) I use these tanks for rehoming when I realise I've made a bad decision.


Basically what I want to know is if theres anything I'm doing that I shouldn't be or should be doing differently? I don't want to change things for the sake of it but if I'm doing something fundamentally wrong I'd appreciate finding out now.

I'll post some pic's up in a couple of days once I've replanted - alot of the plants are too closely clumped for my liking at the moment.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

sounds fine to me but water test results are often the best indicator of how things are going, without them we can't really say much more.

i'd make sure your weekly changes are more at the 30% end of the scale than the 10% end.

 

[TetraLinz]

I wouldn't recommend adding the gourami at all just yet Lately, they're really poor quality - coming in with all manner of diseases.

What's your pH level and nitrate reading? Blue Rams NEED soft water of pH 6-6.5 and in spite of what Rabbut thinks, they are nitrate sensitive.

 

[Rooster]

I wouldn't recommend adding the gourami at all just yet Lately, they're really poor quality - coming in with all manner of diseases.

What's your pH level and nitrate reading? Blue Rams NEED soft water of pH 6-6.5 and in spite of what Rabbut thinks, they are nitrate sensitive.

HERE HERE.... this has been the case for a year, or more - a couple of LFS seem to think that we want diseased, swim at weird angles fish !

Fluval 3 internal filter and a tetratec bubbler that I turn on for 12 hours every 2-3 days

Does this mean the filter is on 12 hours a day ? (it needs to be on 24/7)

I know it seems like a false economy, but a water test kit really should be at the top of everyones priorities - more so when setting up

 

[vinylman]

Yes, I'd definitely avoid the Dwarf Gourami. Perhaps a couple of Honey Gouramis instead?. They won't get too large, but still an eye-catcher.

 

[waterdrop]

I wouldn't recommend adding the gourami at all just yet Lately, they're really poor quality - coming in with all manner of diseases.

What's your pH level and nitrate reading? Blue Rams NEED soft water of pH 6-6.5 and in spite of what Rabbut thinks, they are nitrate sensitive.

HERE HERE.... this has been the case for a year, or more - a couple of LFS seem to think that we want diseased, swim at weird angles fish !

Fluval 3 internal filter and a tetratec bubbler that I turn on for 12 hours every 2-3 days

Does this mean the filter is on 12 hours a day ? (it needs to be on 24/7)

I know it seems like a false economy, but a water test kit really should be at the top of everyones priorities - more so when setting up

I'm guessing of course, but tenohfive's been a pretty good commentator and I'd presume he/she has been using a good test kit all along. Probably also meant just that the bubbler is put on periodically, not the filter - I can't imagine that the filter isn't on 24/7.

 

[tenohfive]

Filter is on 24/7, the bubbler I switch on and off.

And I've had my heart set on dwarves since before I set up my tropical tank. I'm going to quarantine it for a couple of weeks and I'm aware of the risks with dwarves-I've done my research. I know theres a good chance he won't survive but he's got a better chance and quality of life in my tank than staying in the LFS.