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My proposed tank

2K views 12 replies 5 participants last post by  iamntbatman 
#1 ·
Ok guys, here's the deal. I've kept fish for a long time. Starting off with goldfish, moving onto a community tank or 2, then marine and now i'm going back to freshwater again.

Here's my plan.

This is what I have already, equipment wise:

Tank = 610mm x 280mm x 300mm
Filter = Boyu canister filter (210 l/h)
Gravel= Pool filter sand (quite course)
Lights= 2 x T8's (1 x lifeglo 15w, 1 x sunglo 10w) Got ballists
Heater= 50watt
Thermometer

Will get:

PH test kit

Possible livestock:

2 x Rams (electric blue) or keyhole cichlids ( I really like these guys)
7 x neon tetra's
3 x peppered cory's
2 x otocinlis

2 x amazon swords

not sure what other plants to put in.

All help will be appreciated :)
Thanks guys.
 
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#2 ·
Tank = 610mm x 280mm x 300mm
What he/ she means is a 51 liters aka 13 gallon ;-) (just in case anyone else also started at the mm and wondered how many gallon that is:)

Going down your list: I'd strongly suggest to get a whole liquid test kit, not only pH. You'll over time need to measure your pH & KH regularly, specially in the begging. For cycling and afterward to ensure fish health, you'll need to measure: Ammonia, NO2, NO3

Ram's I'd def not recommend for anything smaller then a 20g.
Neon's are school fish and ideally kept in groups of 8, rather 10's; the very same apply's to the cory's housing only 3 will make them feel extremely insecure, which will stress them out, permanent stress in fish just like for us will cause early death.
Oto's are EXTREMELY sensible fish and should absolutely not go into a newly cycled tank. Let the tank establish for several months before you add them, otherwise you're pretty much guaranteed to loose them.
Some of the fish you've chosen require to have soft acid water, unless you can test your water and see what you have, I'd bee a fool to tell you to get these fish for your tank.
I'm not saying any of this to upset yu, but I don't want for you to run into the wrong direction, loose fish, get upset and quit the hobby again ;-)

2 Swords sound good for starters, but I'd add many many more then that to a 13g. Maybe something like Vallis, various Cryptocoryne, Ludwigia, Hygrophilia....Look throught my tanks under my name to the left under "Aquariums" you'll find a variety of plants within these tanks, maybe you'll see a set up you like too.
 
#3 ·
Many more plants I would get if you I were! (That's my Yoda impression for you ... :) ).

I like the keyholes too but I think they'll get too cramped in a 13g before long. Same for the Rams. I feel like you're trying to mix peaceful cichlids with other freshwater fish that may be compatible in the end... if you had a bigger tank. I would advise you to either forget the cichlids, or if you're deadset on them, go with only a pair of cichlids and forget all other fish... until you get a bigger tank.

Just my 2 cents...
 
#5 ·
Thanks for all the advice guys, I really do appreciate it. I am actually thinking of building a bigger tank now that you mention the cichlids would not be happy in there. Maybe build a 100litre tank. The only thing I would need to change in that case would be to add a stronger heater, maybe a 75 watt or keep the 50 watt and add another 50 watt.
 
#6 ·
:shock: you're building the the actual tank yourself???

Dep what room your tank is in, eg living room/ more heated area's a 75w on 100l will do fine. If its in the basement/ unheated area's I'd get a 200w;-)
 
#10 ·
Bigger is always better in the fish world :)
Heck if you built them yourselves..ever considered building a cube like 2ft by 2ft by 2ft? I think that gotta look real awesome.
 
#12 ·
Howzit okes.

I've had my tank running for a few weeks now and I'm struggling a bit, my mind is baffled.

I've noticed that my angels have been breathing very fast and my one bronze cory is gulping air at the surface.

I have a 60 litre tank with:

a canister doing 200 litres per hour
an airstone blowing air into the tank

Livestock:

2 x angels (still very small)
5 x corys
5 x flame tetras
5 x glolite tetras
1 x miniature pleco (very small)

Plants:

1 x java fern
4 pieces of another aquatic plant

Substrate:

pool filter sand

Light:

1 x 15watt aquaglo

Temp:

26

Please i'm worried about the fish. Had them 3 weeks now, haven't lost one yet and they are eating like pigs. What could be the problem?
 
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