Setting up a planted tank?

[Videl]

How to set up a 12 gallon planted tank to house cardinal tetras?
How many tetras do i need?
What sort of plants are great to use?
THANKYOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE.

 

[emma12321]

Hi Videl,

For a 12 gallon tank i would go with 6-7 cardinals and 3-4 pygmy tetras or amano shrimp. That way you have something of interest at the bottom of the tank also.

Is the tank already cycled? Cardinals can be a bit delicate if added to a tank that isn't fully cycled.

There isn't a lot of room for an algae eater but you could add an apple snail (these come in all kinds of colours) or failing that the shrimp would eat some algae.

As for the rest of the tank i would have a sand bottom (this is good for the corys to root around in) then i would have some bog wood with plants growing on it (jave fern, Java moss, anubis nana). These are all plants that will grow in low / medium light without problems.

Hope this helps

Emma

 

[Videl]

This is Videl. I have a tank already with fish in it. Already cycled. I was thinking ahead to when all my fish are gone to add new fish such as cardinals and other tetras. When all my fish are gone, should i clean the tank 100% scrubbing all the glass sides plus thouroughly cleaning the gravel, changing to new filter content etc before i add any new fish and plants in? Is the elodea plant species alright?
Once again, thankyou for any response.

 

[zig]

Hi videl

Its not a good idea to leave your tank empty of fish for any length of time as any benificial bacteria that has built up in your filter will die off quickly and you will have to recycle your tank again.

The plant elodea will do fine for most aquariums.