New 16 Gallon Tank Plans

[Fishy friend2]

Here are my plans for my new 16 gallon tank, and I was wondering if they sounded okay

Dimensions
2 feet long by 1 foot wide by 1 foot tall

Heater
One 50 watt aquarium heater

Filteration
One PF10 5 to 10 aquarium filter
One aqua tech 5 to 15 aquarium filter

stocking
6 neon tetras
2 to 3 kuhli loaches
3 endlers
3 male guppys

Planting
4 sword plants
2 to 3 bunches of hornwort
One clump of java moss
2 bunches of moneywort
1 bunch of Cardamine Lyrata
1 small bunch of anacharis
6 to 7 stems of bacopa carolinia

Substrate
Quick Crete playsand

Feeding
A mix of tropical fish food, Betta food and goldfish food flakes 2 times a day every day
Mosquito larvae and brine shrimp as a treat every week once a week
Fasting on Sunday

Water changes

1 25 percent water Change weekly
1 50 percent water change monthly
1 100 percent water change annually

 

[Cossie1111]

Well I dont really know much but...

I think you should get a 100W heater because 50W might struggle with a 16gal.

Also dont you think you could increase your stocking? Especially with all those plants...

 

[KittyKat]

stocking
6 neon tetras
2 to 3 kuhli loaches
3 endlers
3 male guppys

I am assuming you mean male endlers too? It would not work to have any females in that setup.
While all of these fish would work in neutral water, I would personally prefer to see more neons and khulis (at least 10 each), I consider the tank to be too small for khulis and the tank probably cannot support the number of fish that I suggest in the long term. So, I would aim for stocking along the lines of 10 neons, 8-10 dwarf Corys or rosy loaches, 3 male endlers and 3 male guppies.

Planting
4 sword plants

Which species of swords? In general, they tend to be greedy plants… too greedy for a small tank to support that many.

Feeding
A mix of tropical fish food, Betta food and goldfish food flakes 2 times a day every day
Mosquito larvae and brine shrimp as a treat every week once a week
Fasting on Sunday

Looks fine, I find that treats up to twice per week work well.

Water changes
1 25 percent water Change weekly
1 50 percent water change monthly
1 100 percent water change annually

What is your reasoning for the 50% and 100% ones? They could, in theory, cause problems.

 

[KittyKat]

I think you should get a 100W heater because 50W might struggle with a 16gal.

A 50 watt heater should be able to keep a 16 gallon tank warm enough in the average house. The crossover temperature between the livebearers and the others is 23-24 C, so not particularly high. If the house does get very cold (so if the air temperature drops below 16 C), then I would recommend a 75 watt heater as a maximum, because heaters tend to break in the "on" position, which means that they can boil the fish alive, so I prefer to have the extra time that the difference between 50 W and 100 W or between 75 W and 100 W allows to find the problem.

Also dont you think you could increase your stocking? Especially with all those plants...

The tank *might* take more fish, but it's generally not a good idea to push it to the limit because higher stocking is more likely to cause problems. Plants generally decrease the likelihood of problems occurring, but they don't prevent them.

Fish also appreciate not being packed into the tank like sardines

 

[creeker]

Well I dont really know much but...

I think you should get a 100W heater because 50W might struggle with a 16gal.

Also dont you think you could increase your stocking? Especially with all those plants...

I was thinking the same thing about the heater.

 

[minnnt]

A 50 watt heater should be able to keep a 16 gallon tank warm enough in the average house. The crossover temperature between the livebearers and the others is 23-24 C, so not particularly high. If the house does get very cold (so if the air temperature drops below 16 C), then I would recommend a 75 watt heater as a maximum, because heaters tend to break in the "on" position, which means that they can boil the fish alive, so I prefer to have the extra time that the difference between 50 W and 100 W or between 75 W and 100 W allows to find the problem.

That is actually a very good piece of advice! Never looked at it from that perspective. Thankyou KK!

If it was my tank i would be tempted to just fill it with shrimp and have a group of Endlers. Endlers are a lot easier to shift on than Guppies are imo. Even if you had to sell them for 50p each, at least you are getting a little bit of money back and having fun whilst doing it.

I would say 20 Shrimp (maybe something different to Cherries?) and 10 (8/2 or 7/3) Endlers. That could actually be quite a productive tank that would more than likely earn its keep.

Just my opinion though

 

[Fishy friend2]

stocking
6 neon tetras
2 to 3 kuhli loaches
3 endlers
3 male guppys

I am assuming you mean male endlers too? It would not work to have any females in that setup.
While all of these fish would work in neutral water, I would personally prefer to see more neons and khulis (at least 10 each), I consider the tank to be too small for khulis and the tank probably cannot support the number of fish that I suggest in the long term. So, I would aim for stocking along the lines of 10 neons, 8-10 dwarf Corys or rosy loaches, 3 male endlers and 3 male guppies.

Planting
4 sword plants

Which species of swords? In general, they tend to be greedy plants… too greedy for a small tank to support that many.

Feeding
A mix of tropical fish food, Betta food and goldfish food flakes 2 times a day every day
Mosquito larvae and brine shrimp as a treat every week once a week
Fasting on Sunday

Looks fine, I find that treats up to twice per week work well.

Water changes
1 25 percent water Change weekly
1 50 percent water change monthly
1 100 percent water change annually

What is your reasoning for the 50% and 100% ones? They could, in theory, cause problems.

Yeah I meant male endlers, and I like the look of that stocking that you listed, I was wondering if i could have 5 to 6 panda Cory's instead of pygmie Cory's, because they dont sell them where I live

I have three argentine swords and one amazon sword

I will make sure that I Feed the treats twice a week

I will not do the 50 and 100 percent water change

I think you should get a 100W heater because 50W might struggle with a 16gal.

A 50 watt heater should be able to keep a 16 gallon tank warm enough in the average house. The crossover temperature between the livebearers and the others is 23-24 C, so not particularly high. If the house does get very cold (so if the air temperature drops below 16 C), then I would recommend a 75 watt heater as a maximum, because heaters tend to break in the "on" position, which means that they can boil the fish alive, so I prefer to have the extra time that the difference between 50 W and 100 W or between 75 W and 100 W allows to find the problem.

Also dont you think you could increase your stocking? Especially with all those plants...

The tank *might* take more fish, but it's generally not a good idea to push it to the limit because higher stocking is more likely to cause problems. Plants generally decrease the likelihood of problems occurring, but they don't prevent them.

Fish also appreciate not being packed into the tank like sardines

thanks for all that info KK it was really helpful

 

[Fishy friend2]

For stocking I decided to get 12 neons, 6 Pygmy cories ( I finally found them ) 3 guppies. 3 endlers, and one male betta

 

[Fishy friend2]

Here is a pic

 

[thereverendturtle]

Don't feed your tropicals goldfish food, its to high in fat for tropical fish.

 

[Fishy friend2]

I put just like 2 or 3 small finches in the can of fish food

 

[thereverendturtle]

I'm curious as to why? Your bettas are beautiful btw.

 

[Fishy friend2]

Just to vary the diet, and thanks for the compliment

 

[Fishy friend2]

here are some of the pics of some of the fish that i picked out