Stocking suggestions??

[cowgirluntamed]

So...If I can get my medical issues sorted out...(migraines...Sinus probs with fluid in ears causing dizziness/naseua....)...I'm going to get my tank project finished and going!!!!

This tank is around 50-55 gallons, not exactly sure.
Playsand substrate.
Fluval aquasky light
SunSun HW 303B canister with lots of diff size sponge material and fluval biomedia.
Driftwood(big piece and stick pieces) with maybe some rocks to attach them to if rocks test OK.
Plants I'm going to try will be amazon swords, anubias types, crypt wendtii (any tall forms of crypts that grow like this??), Maybe dwarf sag or pygmy chain sword. Floating may be amazon frog bit and/or water wisteria.

I'm thinking I may forgo traditional cycling and grow the plants first.....Just to see if I can get them in good shape!! I will also add in Malaysian trumpet snails too though. If that would be a good idea with no fish or food going into the tank??

Anyway...My ideas on stocking...

For sure fish...

One super red calico bristlenose
6 black neon tetras(not upping these, nice fish but no longer interested)
3 glowlight tetras.

What I want.

More glowlights!!! These are my absolutely favorite fish now!!

Other fish...
Harlequin rasboras
Flame tetras
Peppered Cory(ten if I was to get these)

Now, if I got all of these...I would make the schools total 15 each if the plants and filtration can handle it. But then I got to thinking....If I left out say...The flame tetras...Even though I love the looks...How many glowlights and harlequins could I have? I also don't HAVE to have the peppered cories either....So...I was just wondering what everybodys thoughts were on this!! Trying to think of other things other than being sick all the time right now!

Oh and Merry Christmas everybody!

 

[cooledwhip]

I have the same problem as you... so does my mom. Sinus problems, migraines, headaches, sinus pain. It sucks and we've had this for years and doctors can't do anything about it!

 

[cowgirluntamed]

On a new med now for preventing migraine. So far so good. Waiting for appointment Tuesday for ear nose throat doc again.

PM me if you want to know more. That way we can keep this post fishy!!

 

[Zante]

Since you're looking at establishing the plants first and stocking the fish later, have you considered doing a dirt tank? The plants will LOVE it.

 

[cooledwhip]

I am a dirt tank master. If you every plan on planting a tank it should always be dirted. Don't follow the gimmicky "flourite" and "eco complete" substrates.

 

[cooledwhip]

I grow and raise amazon swords from my mother plant.... I have about 30 right now and I need more space. I could sell some to you for cheap.

Some crypts that grow tall, crypt spiralis, crypt wendtii, crypt balansae, crypt blassii.

 

[NickAu]

If you are looking at Rasboras, Trigonostigma hengeli or Glowlight rasbora are great fish.

http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/trigonostigma-hengeli/

 

[cowgirluntamed]

I really don't want to do dirt. Thought about it once but decided against it. I really like the playsand though. I'm going to be using the crypt wendtii more as a midground plant. It doesn't get tall like to fill the back of the tank as far as I know? Could be wrong I suppose. Lol. I've tried some retrospiralis and when it did grow it was just break slow. The wendtii wasnt nearly that slow.

As for the fish, thanks for the suggestions but I have to stick with the species I mentioned already due to having some harder water. (pH of 8.2, oh and the around the 12 and 13 mark.) I need to stay with the more adaptable species.

So, suffice it to say, the species are picked out, I was just curious about the numbers and if you would do all of them or just a couple to have larger shoals?? Like I said....Glowlight tetra is definitely a must have for me as it's my favorite!!

 

[flchamp89]

8.2 little high for tetras imo. The dirt would help little. You mentioned wood. Co2 would help get it down as well.
8 is a great guppy/endler number.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[cooledwhip]

8.2 little high for tetras imo. The dirt would help little. You mentioned wood. Co2 would help get it down as well.
8 is a great guppy/endler number.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

Agreed

 

[Zante]

I really don't want to do dirt. Thought about it once but decided against it. I really like the playsand though

I'd be curious to know what made you decide against dirt.

In any case you can have both dirt and play sand, just use play sand to cover the dirt. If you're afraid of fish mixing up the layers you can lay a fine net between them, something like that stuff that is used for gardening. The plant roots will go through, but it'll stop diggers from messing it up.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

8.2 little high for tetras imo. The dirt would help little. You mentioned wood. Co2 would help get it down as well.
8 is a great guppy/endler number.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

Actually it's more the GH you need to look at than the PH. Then the kh is what keeps things stabilized. Nothing will lower mine without going to great expense. I've actually posted about fish species before with my water parameters and came up with those listed above with Byron's help. They are tank raised and these are more adaptable than other species of tetras/rasboras.

I know my water parameters aren't perfect, but when this tank goes up, everything else WILL be. I love these little fish dearly. I don't like the harder water fish. I had thought of guppies, which I do have a couple, but they aren't nearly as hardy as these tetras I have.

My current glowlights and black neons are all around 2 1/2 years old now. Great color and appetites. The only thing I can see on my water is they don't lay eggs, but I have seen breeding behaviors. I don't want to breed them so I don't care about the eggs.

This is supposed to be an enjoyable hobby after all, and if I can't have fish I love, then how can I enjoy it? Not trying to be hard or mean or stubborn. Just real. Most important of all is stable water conditions and I have that in plenty!!

I'd be curious to know what made you decide against dirt.

In any case you can have both dirt and play sand, just use play sand to cover the dirt. If you're afraid of fish mixing up the layers you can lay a fine net between them, something like that stuff that is used for gardening. The plant roots will go through, but it'll stop diggers from messing it up.

I'm not against dirted tanks themselves, I just don't want to. Too many organics to start out with in my opinion and the dirt eventually will go inert anyway, so why bother? (Not a clue how long it takes...But I'm sure it will. Lol.) I just want a nice simple low tech tank. Playsand substrate. I will dose with flourish comprehensive and flourish root tabs.

Also...I already am fighting algae with new lighting...I think dirt would make it worse!! Not to mention I can't buy a lot of plants at once. Not enough money.


Oh and cooledwhip-- Thanks for the plant offer but I don't have the money quite yet or the space for a bunch of plants. I may hit you up later though!! Lol.

 

[flchamp89]

No problem. Im a big advocate of adaptability and not chasing parameters. Sounds like your on point. Good luck.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[Zante]

In that case I'd suggest you go the riparium route with plenty of emersed plants. Pothos, dieffenbachia, peace lilies, philodendron, all probably cheaper than aquarium plants if you get them small.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

Why why would I need to go the riparium route? I don't have to get all the plants at once. I can be patient. Besides...I have cats and dogs so have to watch what I get. Nothing can be hanging outside of this tank.

Anyway...Please back to the fish...As this is what this post is about.

I'm not asking for suggestions on types or if you think they will do well or not in my water parameters. Please pretend I have perfect water for them since I will do my best in creating everything else perfect for them.....This is mostly is about numbers.

Again, I currently already have
1 super red calico bristlenose
6 black neon tetras(not upping their numbers as I don't want to keep these longer.)
3 glowlight tetras(lost a few due to different reasons but these are my most favorite fish)

I WANT
More glowlights!!!!!

I probably want
Harlequin rasboras

These next fish I like but can do without if you think more numbers of the above fish are better
Von Rio flame tetra
Peppered cories.

My thoughts.....I was thinking either making a school of 15 each of the glowlights, harlequins, and flames with ten of the cories.

OR....Doing just two somewhat bigger schools of the glowlights and harlequins with ten of the cories....

OR...Just doing two huge schools of glowlights and harlequins.

What do you guys think? Number suggestions? Tank size is 50-55 gallons. Hopefully well planted with quite a few faster growing plants. I will adjust numbers if the plants don't seem to grow well.