Setting Up New Tank, 46 G Project.

[l_l_l]

Thank you! I'm really happy about this.
 
I have many plans.
First one: Finish the darn stand.
Second one: Mix the eco complete I have with half of a flourite bag I have, just to add a bit of coloration, and more actual substrate.
Third one: My girlfriend saved a goldfish from a stupid family and now it's in a fish bowl. Not sure what I'm going to do with this. Maybe add it to the tank while it's cycling.. Since I bought my stuff used, from a cycled tank, (substrate is still very very very moist, and inside the filter are the same media that the guy was using, I'm thinking I might get away with it..) I'll test the tank before going in that direction. But I'm sad for the fish, it looks really sad as well
 
More on that later!
Probably will be doing all of that during the next few days+weekend..
 
Question:
How long must I wait before adding plants to the tank?

 

[Ch4rlie]

Ah, what kind of goldfish is it?
 
Most goldfish need massive tanks or better yet, a pond with filtration system.
 
Goldfish are very messy fish, they produce a lot of ammonia and need a better tank than a fish bowl.
Might be best option to re-home the goldfish?
 
You can add plant straightaway if you want to.

 

[l_l_l]

It's just a common goldfish. I don't intend to keep it long term, I told the girlfriend about those fishes and she knows since we did have some a while ago and rehomed them.
I'm actually waiting for my LFS to reopen their doors so I can give it to them..
 
If I can add plants straightaway, fish will go on kijiji free stuff then

 

[Ch4rlie]

Good, seem you have everything in hand and planned out 

 

[l_l_l]

Well, I don't know what kind of plant to get in there. I want to set low tech plants, no CO2 and preferably no ferts but hmm, I want lots of plants in there trying to have a lot of places for fishes to go and shrimp as well!
 
I want to go heavily planted and thinking about having this:
 
Narrow Leaf Java Fern
Java Moss
Brazillian Pennywort
Crypt Balansae
Najas guadalupensis
Anubia barteri
Cryptocoryne spirallis
Monosolenium tenerum** For sure will have this
Bacopa caroliniana** Most likely will get
Bolbitis heudelotii
Cryptocoryne petchii
Tropica Sword
Pogostemon helferi- Would get for front of tank probably.
 
This list is more of a saved for reference.
 
This is one of the designs that is really interesting to me.

 
I am going to incorporate a drifwood or vine in my aquascape, and have the Narrow leaf Java Fern grow around it, have a nice big bush of various plants..
I'm trying to do a "amazon" style forest for my various fish to chill in, trying to make is as natural as possible without going the "biotope" way...
 
If you have suggestions or pictures that would help me create my aquascape, let them come my way!
 
Cheers!

 

[l_l_l]

Update:
 
I have now filled my 46G, waiting for the dust to settle then will plug everything.
 
　
It has been 12 hours since I poured water in there, the dust is really wanting to stay there!
 

 

[l_l_l]

Substrate is still settling, after 48 hours.. I'm wondering if I should turn the filter on..

 

[l_l_l]

I did a few tests just to check the water params: ammonia and nitrites are at 0.25 PPM, nitrates are at 5 ppm. PH of 7.2
 
I am using the same media that the guy had on his tank, it was still wet, and using his old eco complete as well, maybe one month old..
Wondering if that will actually make my cycling faster, probably will.
I'll have to get some ammonia to feed the colony and see if it does any good..
I am also using Cycle+ and there is a goldfish in there while I'm waiting to rehome it.

 

[l_l_l]

Here is my stocking idea so far:
 
______________________
 
7- Five Banded Barbs
9- Rummy nose Tetras
9- Harlequin Rasbora
9- Celestial Pearl Danios
A few Cherry Red Shrimp
Bamboo Shrimp (probably 2)
Nerite Snails (3-4)
A few Malaysian Trumpet snail (about 7?)
 
How is this stocking looking to you guys?
This tank will be a low light, mid to heavy planted btw.

 

[l_l_l]

OH damn I completely forgot about the Panda corries!

 

[l_l_l]

Update: I have finally found some Ammonia in a Montreal store. Nobody had any, I called so many places and most people thought I wanted to make bombs and stuff lol.
The store I bought it from was a Home Hardware on sherbrooke street near Vendome metro.
I purchased the Old Country household ammonia and it cost me a whooping 3$. (1L)
I'm putting this info out there because if someone googles, well, they'll have a really good cue
I shake it, no bubbles, nothing on the label is saying something about additives, so my guess is it's ok.
 
I tried most places that people recommended and the one that came closest to having some was ACE, which only had Ammonia with an additive.. Don't remember the name.. The brand of this ammonia was WIZARD. 
 
A thing that made me really sad was that my LFS all told me to cycle the tank with fishes inside it. When I told them about the ammonia, they frowned at me and it didn't make me feel really comfortable.
 
I have bought a bunch of driftwood and some rocks to finish up my hardscape and I'm almost done with that, I'm missing two rocks and then.. Good to go.
I'm gonna have to buy my plants online because my LFS are all wayyy too expensive.
 
Pictures coming soon.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Update: I have finally found some Ammonia in a Montreal store. Nobody had any, I called so many places and most people thought I wanted to make bombs and stuff lol.
The store I bought it from was a Home Hardware on sherbrooke street near Vendome metro.
I purchased the Old Country household ammonia and it cost me a whooping 3$. (1L)
I'm putting this info out there because if someone googles, well, they'll have a really good cue

I shake it, no bubbles, nothing on the label is saying something about additives, so my guess is it's ok.
 
I tried most places that people recommended and the one that came closest to having some was ACE, which only had Ammonia with an additive.. Don't remember the name.. The brand of this ammonia was WIZARD. 

 
 
Thats good information about that ammonia, gonna add that to one of my threads about ammonia and will help your fellow Canadians hopefully.
 
Hope you don't mind if I use this info?

 

[l_l_l]

 

Update: I have finally found some Ammonia in a Montreal store. Nobody had any, I called so many places and most people thought I wanted to make bombs and stuff lol.
The store I bought it from was a Home Hardware on sherbrooke street near Vendome metro.
I purchased the Old Country household ammonia and it cost me a whooping 3$. (1L)
I'm putting this info out there because if someone googles, well, they'll have a really good cue

I shake it, no bubbles, nothing on the label is saying something about additives, so my guess is it's ok.
 
I tried most places that people recommended and the one that came closest to having some was ACE, which only had Ammonia with an additive.. Don't remember the name.. The brand of this ammonia was WIZARD. 

 
 
Thats good information about that ammonia, gonna add that to one of my threads about ammonia and will help your fellow Canadians hopefully.
 
Hope you don't mind if I use this info?
 

By all means! Spread the information everywhere you can! It took me roughly three hours of constant searching to get this information! If it saves people the frustration, I'm all in!

 

[Ch4rlie]

By all means! Spread the information everywhere you can! It took me roughly three hours of constant searching to get this information!

If it saves people the frustration, I'm all in!

 
Excellent!
 
Thank you, the more people we can help, the better 

 
EDIT - have updated the Ammonia and Bacteria thread, can you check for me if the image I used is the same? If not then can change this. Thanks a lot.
 
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/427161-ammonia-and-bacteria-starter-sources/page-2

 

[l_l_l]

 

By all means! Spread the information everywhere you can! It took me roughly three hours of constant searching to get this information!

If it saves people the frustration, I'm all in!

 
Excellent!
 
Thank you, the more people we can help, the better 

 
EDIT - have updated the Ammonia and Bacteria thread, can you check for me if the image I used is the same? If not then can change this. Thanks a lot.
 
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/427161-ammonia-and-bacteria-starter-sources/page-2
 

My pleasure!
yup, it's that exact bottle there!