Debating aquarium layout...

[Guru]

Hi all,

I thought I would post this here too to get some more feedback from people...please this is by far the most populated forum I'm on so I thought I might get some quick opinions in here

Thought I would make my own thread to keep from taking over the current fish tank thread with all my questions when I don't even have a tank setup to show off lol.

I am looking to setup a planted tank, and I have bought everything I need aside from fish plants and substrate.

I've got a Fluval Roma 200, an Aquamanta EFX 1000u and various pieces of wood/rock...

I am looking to chose one of 4 designs at the moment. All pictures were taken of the actual hard scape I'm putting in in and coloured in on my ipad lol

I have narrowed it down to these 4 different designs...

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Option 4

I'm debating which of the above to use and would love to know which people prefer...



Also... I'm going to seperate the differnt substrates using some plastic canvas from hobbycraft to make barriers, but I am wondering what height I should do the barriers? In other words what depth to do the substrate.

The barriers will look a little something like this, but all stuck together with aquarium sealant:

I have not yet decided what to use for the "sand" coloured substrante and would like some suggestions... (possibly just sand I guess? lol) But for the planted portions of the tank I intend to use JBL Aquabasis topped with JBL Manado. But I don't know how deep each should be and guidance would be appreciated.

I am also interested to know which plants people would recommend to achieve this look.

Thanks all

G

 

[Guru]

I'm really hoping the barriers and pebbles will prevent that.

 

[Guru]

Thanks for the replies

I'm wondering if I would be better to use a light coloured gravel, that's small, but not small enough to fit through the gaps in the barriers.

I'm considering a home made co2 setup using a demijohn with some yeast and sugar in. But undecided.

I still have the T8 lights that came with the tank at the moment, but wouldn't rule out LED lights. The tank is near a large window so will get a lot of day light.

What do you mean by get a powerhead? as in what for? I don't know what the normal use for them is, but I have ordered one of these already:

PH121 EMPEROR 9000 POWERHEAD 900 L/H

I was initially just getting it to use as a powered syphon to pump water back into the tank when I do water changes lol. It has a head height of 1.2m which is sufficient for my requirements.

Whan you say I would be limited in choice for carpeting plants, did you have some specific ones which would be more suitable than others in mind?

Also... are any of the T8 lights better than others? I've noticed they do lots of different ones.

Thanks very much

G

 

[Guru]

That Hobbit one is awesome!

 

[Guru]

Don't place the tank where it will get a lot of sunlight, you will be destroyed by algae in the longer summer days!

I will either close the curtains or cover one side of the tank with some kind of shade lol

Really didn't have anywhere else it would fit sadly.

Luckily it's ont a sid of the house where although it will get a lot of light it shouldn't get too much actual direct sunlight. (Hopefully)

 

[Guru]

I went for option 3 in the end, built my barriers:

Needed much more pebbles than previously planned to hide it though.... Went for gravel instead of sand in the end...

Happy with it so far though

All the wood is still soaking.


G

 

[Guru]

Added a couple of plants.... Hoping the ones on the left will grow in a fashion that doesn't make their placement look so forced but still allow a fairly clear pass through the rocks.

Cheers,

G

 

[Guru]

Few more plants....

 

[Guru]

Moss...

From where I sit...

I will see how I get on with this moss (Java), if I'm not happy after its properly established I will start again after I source some Phoenix moss.

(ignore the bit of wood covered in moss on the left...I had too much and kept it just incase)

Cheers,

G

 

[Guru]

Added 3 tiger shrimp today, they are so funny! lol

Did a water test and confusingly everything reads zero, I expected some nitrate.

So far I have in there...

2x platy
3x White Cloud Mountain Minnow
1x Hong Kong/Butterfly plec
3x red spotted snail
3x Tiger Shrimp


Next I am considering adding (in stages) 3 shoals of contrasting small fish, 7 to 10 of each...

Thinking...

10x Cardinal Tetras (do they shoal?)
10x Penguin Tetras

Then 10 of something else but undecided as yet. Any suggestions?

I really don't want to over stock but would also like...

2x ottos
and a couple more different coloured snails




That would be 38 fish 3 shrimp and 5 or 6 snails.

The mrs then wants an African Dwarf frog, but I need to research that more before making a decision.

Any opinions on this lot? Or what my third shoal should be?

Cheers,

G

 

[Guru]

I put the water, filter and ornaments etc in from their old tank until the water readings went to the same as their old tank.

I'm hoping they will be ok, would be gutted if I lost any!

 

[Guru]

OP - I'm not the biggest 'unnatural' aquascape fan but I like what you've done. I would just ensure that your plastic dividers don't jut out much/at all but any areas that can be exposed through general fishy antics that angles and lengths are smoothed down, especially for your bottom feeders.

Only slight concern I have would be to perhaps raise your caniser filter inflow an inch or two or angle it slightly as judging from your spraybar you may not be catching as much as you could be if it was a little higher.

How big is your tank - sorry I looked but couldn't see it stated.

I presume you're going by the 1" of fully grown fish per 1x UK gallon rule? (Include filter's water capacity in there as well at a push).

I would avoid those frogs, especially with any kind of tetra in your tank - they can be nippy little blighters!

As far as other shoaling fish, I really like zebra danios. Some have electric blue eyes and they are really hardy and great community tank-mates.

Thanks for the reply.

It's a 200 litre tank, I'm not sure what you mean by raising the intake? and what I'm not catching?

The 6 fish I have I've had for months and months and months, they seem much happier in their new tank the 3 shrimp are new, but also seem to be loving it

/edit the plastic was meticulously smoothed off, huge ballache, but can't be too careful.

Cheers,

G

 

[Guru]

Went down the the LFS last night to take a sample of water and have a chat about my fish choices. They said my water is impecible so I'm pleased with that. They knew straight away that the tank was planted and seemed quite impressed when I showed them a picture

I thought this was weird because I haven't had to do a single water change yet! (planning to do one this weekend)

They said that the penguin tetra's get larger than I'd thought and that they can become a little rowdy and potentially fight. So I think I've decided to get Harlequin Rasbora's instead.

Going to pick up 10 of them OR 10 Cardinals tonight.

Will see what I like the look of when I go down there.

Any other suggestions for something a completely contrasting colour to the Cardinals and Harlequins?

Cheers,

G

 

[Guru]

Initially I wanted schooling, but I don't want the fish to feel threatened in any way so I'm no longer looking for that.

Are you saying the 10 would be too many? I wasn't going to add 20 at once.

There are 6 fish in there right now, been in for maybe 10 days. Also 3 snails and 3 shrimp. I feed tham a pinch every 2 days. (like I always have)

Would I be better to just add say 3-5 Endlers for now?

/edit the tank has had water and plants and amonia in since the 17th of Feb (ish).

Cheers,

G

 

[Guru]

Thanks for the reply.

The tank is at 24.4c. Under the advice of the LFS I was told that the fish I have would be fine to adapt to this temperature. You post makes me think otherwise though

Should I re-home the WCMM? They seem very happy, but if they don't like that temperature then that's not cool.

I don't plan to get any bottom dwelling fish, only a couple of Ottos (not sure if they are classed as such?)

Also will the plants not increase the oxygen levels in the tank for me? If not my powerhead can if I chose to attach the air line it has.

 

[Guru]

Is the tank ~24C because you have a heater keeping that warm?
What happens if you lower the thermostat to 20C?

Bare in mind heater thermostats are very crude and not calibrated, in my collection of heaters I have some that when set at 20C will try and maintain 25C and others set at 32C can only maintain ~25C.

Otos are very social fish, they live in 1000+ groups in the wild, if you get them you should be looking at 6+ but ideally 10+. Check out PlanetCatfish to read about the various species in the hobby.

Your WCMM may well "appear happy" at 24C, they will be hyperactive and depending upon age may try and breed. Keeping them that warm all year round will knock chunks off their lifespan, these fish can cope with a very gradual cooling to ~5C and would be perfectly fine with an average temp of ~15C. Most fishkeepers can put this species in an unheated tank without issues.

Your "Hong Kong Plec" comes from a very specialist environment, with a lot of water current and loads of surface rippling that keep the oxygen levels well above 8mg/l, these "hillstream loaches" have evolved to live in conditions similar to you having ~6000lph of water movement in your 200l (note this would be overkill for your WCMM ). You should be aiming for ~2500lph in your 200l as a compromise
Fish like these are thrive in tank setups far from "run of the mill," just like Chaetostoma spp. (Rubbernose Plecs) and the many fish that come from the Malebo Pool area of the Congo River like Steatocranus spp.; Synodontis brichardi; Euchilichthys spp. etc.

Hi thanks for the reply.

I thought the temperature range for the WCMM was 18-26 (although they can handle lower). They don't seem hyperactive, they are pretty chilled most of the time. Although they do seem to like to get caught in the flow of the powerhead and whizz about a little. When they went from the room temperature tank to the heated one they were whizzing about more, but I just put that down to them having much more flow than before and enjoying the new environment. (Possibly nievely)

I think they are all the same sex, so breeding won't be an issue.

The tank is that warm because I have a heater in there set to 24, but the tank is at 24.4-24.8 depending how long the lights have been on.

With the plec, or spotty as my son calls him lol, I have the spray bar angled up and pointed at the surface so probably 1/4 to 1/3 of the surface is constantly rippling.

The filter pushes 1000lph and the powerhead 900, but I have one that pushes 1200 that I use for water changes which I could put in instead if it is preferable?

I went down for another chat to my LFS after work and they advised against getting the cardinals now and instead recommended the harlequins which I wanted anyways so I brought 6 home with me and they are exploring the tank now after a couple of hours they look much more colourful than they did in the shop and when I first put them in.

Ideally I want more, but don't want an ammonia spike.

I fed my existing fish before I put them in and waited for the food to go.

Will feed them all again on Sunday.

CO2 arriving Monday

Cheers,

G

 

[Guru]

Quick couple of questions about a water change, firstly, if my water parameters are perfect shall I just do one anyway for the sake of it?

Also... I am going to change 50 litres of my 200 litres.

I have had the 50 litres sat over night with a pump and a heater in it in a 50 litre barrel. My question is regards to temperature.... I have the heat at 20.1c at the moment, but the heat in my tank is 24.6c right now.

I have been checking the temperature on the barrel all morning and it seems to have topped out at 20.1c so I have turned the thermostat up to 26 from 24 to see if it will increase.

My question is, if I'm changing just over 1/4 of the tank, will a 3-4 degree temperature different be all good or should I wait and hope this cheapo heater will get it to 24.6c?

Cheers,

G

 

[Guru]

I waited for it to hit 21.9c and then pumped it back into the tank. General temperature dropped to 23.7c so that's all good I feel

Was the easiest water change I have ever done! Didn't even have to get my hands wet

Syphoned the old water right out the window and the powehead pumped the contents of the barrel into the tank for me then I just shoved everything in the empty barrel and put it in the garage

Job done.

 

[Guru]

Thanks for the reply would 22c be good for all my fish?

Including if I get ottos, penguin tetras, cardinals and endlers?

Cheers,

G

 

[Guru]

I did 100% want some Cardinals, but it looks like I can't. May just leave it as is if I'm in danger of overstocking.