Hi guys, looking for a little bit of advice,
I've tried googling for some answers but wasn't really getting anything.
I've got a 60 gallon tank which is well planted but has had very few fish in it for some time, It's had a lonely gold tetra, who has been on his own forever mainly because I've never been able to track down anywhere stocking them. But he seems happy enough in himself haha. 2 Harlequin Rasbora and 2 small bristlenose plecs.
The tank have about 3 times the filtration it needs, but given the small fish load and number of plants I've been concerned about how much bacteria is surviving in the filters, as a biologist I'd have thought as mature but deleted colonies they really shouldn’t' take any time to multiple when more food becomes available for them.
A week ago I added 10 more Harlequin Rasbora.
I’m going for an roughly Asian theme so I’m planning on adding 7 Red Torpedo Barbs and 7 Polka-dot loaches to complete the stocking. The Bristlenose plecs will eventually be moved into another tank which has been sitting brand new in a box for 2 years because a electrician needs to fit extra sockets before it can be set up.
I’ve been monitoring the water conditions carefully, I’ve never had ammonia readings, or Nitrite readings and today is the first time I’ve got any nitrate reading, at 5ppm.
So my question is, do you think it’s safe to add more fish, it appears to me that everything is functioning as it should be. Also if anyone wants to comment on my stocking please feel free.
Here is a (not very good) picture to give you an idea of the set-up.
I've tried googling for some answers but wasn't really getting anything.
I've got a 60 gallon tank which is well planted but has had very few fish in it for some time, It's had a lonely gold tetra, who has been on his own forever mainly because I've never been able to track down anywhere stocking them. But he seems happy enough in himself haha. 2 Harlequin Rasbora and 2 small bristlenose plecs.
The tank have about 3 times the filtration it needs, but given the small fish load and number of plants I've been concerned about how much bacteria is surviving in the filters, as a biologist I'd have thought as mature but deleted colonies they really shouldn’t' take any time to multiple when more food becomes available for them.
A week ago I added 10 more Harlequin Rasbora.
I’m going for an roughly Asian theme so I’m planning on adding 7 Red Torpedo Barbs and 7 Polka-dot loaches to complete the stocking. The Bristlenose plecs will eventually be moved into another tank which has been sitting brand new in a box for 2 years because a electrician needs to fit extra sockets before it can be set up.
I’ve been monitoring the water conditions carefully, I’ve never had ammonia readings, or Nitrite readings and today is the first time I’ve got any nitrate reading, at 5ppm.
So my question is, do you think it’s safe to add more fish, it appears to me that everything is functioning as it should be. Also if anyone wants to comment on my stocking please feel free.
Here is a (not very good) picture to give you an idea of the set-up.
