Order of things to create my tank.

[illusion54]

Alright so i am redoing my tank and including plants this time. I'm a little curious what the order of things i need to do and buy so i can plan ahead.

I'm right now setting out to build a hood and buy 2 bulbs online for it. Then I'm thinking about buying the substrate (flourite) and putting it in into the bottom of the aquarium. Next, buy the filter (Fluval 204) and water conditioner (aquasafe). I then add water to the aquarium and stabilize and test the water until it reaches proper levels. After that, buy the co2 injector, flourish, and the plants that i want.

Now, how long should i allow the plants to settle in and maybe allow a fishless cycle between the time of the plants and the time of introducing plants? Should I wait awhile or just long enough until the water tests are good enough for fish?

Also, I would like to add the following fish to the aquarium i have, but don't know what order i should introduce them into the tank (30 gallon):

- 4 Cherry Barbs
- Couple of tetras
- 4 Zebra Danios
- 1 Siamese/Chinese Algae eater
- 1 snail
- maybe 1 loach

Hehe, now that you read my essay, please reply.

 

[George Farmer]

Sounds like it could be a great set-up illusion. What lighting do you intend on buying? Here's my advice -

1) Buy good quality tubes i.e. full-spectrum, high output fluorescent. Use reflectors for maximium intensity. Buy as big a tube as you can fit into your hood. Are you intending on getting T8, T5 (PC)? I find there is a better choice of T8s but T5s offer more output. Aim for a minimum of 2 Watts per Gallon (60 Watts) (more if you want to grow more demanding species or want fast growth).

2) Seachem Flourite is an excellent substrate. Go for 3 inches minimum depth and use 100% Flourite if you can afford it. Rinse it thoroughly prior to adding.

3) I use a Fluval 204 - great filters IME. Remove any carbon as this will remove valuable traces from the water i.e. fertilisers. I replaced my carbon with more bio-max.

4) Good to see you plan on using CO2. My big tip for this is to get it running before planting and lighting. Aim for 20 to 30ppm constant. You will need an accurate pH kit and KH kit to test for CO2. Then use a CO2 table. I use this one - http/www.floridadriftwood.com/page.asp?id=16

Once you have your lighting, substrate and CO2 sorted you can add your plants right away. Add your liquid fertiliser too. Run your lighting for 10 hours a day, if you start to get algae then have a 2 hour break in the middle of the photoperiod i.e. 5 on 2 off 5 on.

Plant intitially with fast, easy-growing stem plants. Good examples - Hygrophila, Ludwigia, Ambulia, Water sprite, Hornwort and Egeria. Cover at least 50% of your substrate with these. Don't use any lead weights. Plant each stem approx 1 to 2 inches apart, you may need tweezers.

With good light, CO2 and your substrate you WILL see good growth.

Now for the controversial bit -

Don't use a fishless cycle.

Add your Danios as soon as you see plant growth. Any waste produced will be used by the plants as a source of nitrogen. Test regularly to ensure ammonia, nitrite stay zero - they should as the plants will be using them up.

Gradually add more fish over a few weeks, most sensitive last. Personally I would go for more algae-eaters - Otos and good at eating brown algae that is common in new set-ups. Avoid the Chinese algae-eater, buy 2 SAE instead. You have room for more fish that you mention but they are a safe start. I would add the Danios first, then SAEs, barbs, tetras, loach. Snail can go in any time.

Hope this helps.

 

[zig]

Yeah put the 4 danios in after about a week, have your system up and running lights on and fertiliseing etc but with no fish in the tank, then add the danios, this is exactly what i did, i added 6 danios after about a week to a 42 gallon tank, that was about 3-4 weeks ago and had absolutly no problems since, no ammonia or nitrate spikes no nothing, the plants were useing them all up and therefore it didnt effect the fish, just make absolutly sure that you use fast growing stem plants initially as these will use up any ammonia or nitrites etc from the fish waste quite quickly.

The Zebra Danios are a good idea anyway as these are a hardy fish and would probably survive a tradional cycle.

Just make sure you use fast growing stem plants and lots of them, even if they are not the plants you would choose for your tank they will serve a purpose initially, after a couple of months when your tank has become a little more mature and stabilised you can begin to remove the ones you dont want and add slower growing plants that you would like for your tank.

And as gf said add more fish slowly after you introduced the danios not a whole lot at once or you will have problems, ive only added 6 ottos to my danios but i could have introduced more at this stage, but slowly does it.

 

[illusion54]

Alright thanks guys, as far as the lighting goes, i plan on having 3 appox. 20 watt bulbs with mylar as reflectors.

Bulbs (24"):

1x http/www.petsolutions.com/Arcadia+7500K+...-I-C-34-C-.aspx
2x http/www.petsolutions.com/Ultra+Sun+Bulb...-I-C-34-C-.aspx

Substrate: Yes, i am planning on 3 inch of 100% flourite, problem is petsmart and petco dont have them and I'm waiting on another LFS to answer a call before i make the drive.


Thanks!

 

[George Farmer]

Lighting looks ideal. Both excellent tubes. Good luck.

 

[illusion54]

Alright thanks gf225, I'm sure i might be private messaging you as my tank develops and progresses.