My tank is 50 gallons. I have the following plants:
Taiwan Moss (Medium light)
Dwarf Sagittaria (medium light)
Riccia Fluitan (high light) -this is floating at the top of the tank.
Leopard Valisneria: (moderate light)
Seachem Flourish Excel 250ml -I use 1 cap a day
So far for fish I have 6 bristlenose plecos. I want to get a pair of Cockatoo dwarf cichlids but I want to make sure I have what I need for them. My substrate won't bother them will it? I know some have told me the substrate I have is sharp but I think that only effects bottom feeders which is why I chose the plecos I have.
Substrate: CaribSea Eco Complete Black Planted Aquarium Substrate
-I realize this can be sharp so I don't plan on having any bottom feeders.
I also have a Azoo Oxygen Sponge filter #7
Marina Air Pump
Coralife 80412 6700K T-5 High Output Fluorescent Lamp, 31-Watt
Water levels need to be re checked but before I put all the plants in the tank the levels were:
PH is around a 6
Ammonia is present (hard to tell the number, maybe at a 1?)-this may be taken care of now that I have cleaned a lot of the "crap" out of the tank
Nitrate is pretty darn high, between 20 and 80 (hard to tell it's so dark red)
NItrite is zero
My tap water is :
PH for the tap is 6.4
Nitrate for the tap is zero
My GH and KH in the tap is around: 7 and 14 MC (?) per liter.
I will re test my water this week and can update my levels.
The Cockatoo Cichlid seem to like soft water and that's what I have so I think it would be a good fit. Thoughts?
Is there anything I need that I don't have? Will the filter I have be fine? I have nothing else running.
My plants started turning brown right after I put them in the tank. (especially the amazon sword). they are starting to come back around though so I think that's a good sign.
I'm also thinking of getting some tetra's or other fish that would be good "tank mates" with the Cockatoo's.
Am I missing anything? I don't want to spend $70 on a pair of fish then have them die.
I also know they like low light so I have a big piece of driftwood that offers cover. I'm also going to wait till the Ricca gets thicker and provides more low light for them.
I'm not home right now but I can post a picture later.
Any suggestions on a back drop for the tank? Right now it's clear and you can see the wall behind it.
Taiwan Moss (Medium light)
Dwarf Sagittaria (medium light)
Riccia Fluitan (high light) -this is floating at the top of the tank.
Leopard Valisneria: (moderate light)
Seachem Flourish Excel 250ml -I use 1 cap a day
So far for fish I have 6 bristlenose plecos. I want to get a pair of Cockatoo dwarf cichlids but I want to make sure I have what I need for them. My substrate won't bother them will it? I know some have told me the substrate I have is sharp but I think that only effects bottom feeders which is why I chose the plecos I have.
Substrate: CaribSea Eco Complete Black Planted Aquarium Substrate
-I realize this can be sharp so I don't plan on having any bottom feeders.
I also have a Azoo Oxygen Sponge filter #7
Marina Air Pump
Coralife 80412 6700K T-5 High Output Fluorescent Lamp, 31-Watt
Water levels need to be re checked but before I put all the plants in the tank the levels were:
PH is around a 6
Ammonia is present (hard to tell the number, maybe at a 1?)-this may be taken care of now that I have cleaned a lot of the "crap" out of the tank
Nitrate is pretty darn high, between 20 and 80 (hard to tell it's so dark red)
NItrite is zero
My tap water is :
PH for the tap is 6.4
Nitrate for the tap is zero
My GH and KH in the tap is around: 7 and 14 MC (?) per liter.
I will re test my water this week and can update my levels.
The Cockatoo Cichlid seem to like soft water and that's what I have so I think it would be a good fit. Thoughts?
Is there anything I need that I don't have? Will the filter I have be fine? I have nothing else running.
My plants started turning brown right after I put them in the tank. (especially the amazon sword). they are starting to come back around though so I think that's a good sign.
I'm also thinking of getting some tetra's or other fish that would be good "tank mates" with the Cockatoo's.
Am I missing anything? I don't want to spend $70 on a pair of fish then have them die.
I also know they like low light so I have a big piece of driftwood that offers cover. I'm also going to wait till the Ricca gets thicker and provides more low light for them.
I'm not home right now but I can post a picture later.
Any suggestions on a back drop for the tank? Right now it's clear and you can see the wall behind it.