How many gallons/how hard to move

1077

You will want to remove plant's from pot's before planting. (Just in case you weren't aware)

genewitch

what? I wasn't aware... is there a reason for that? I potted it myself.



you can see it's pot just to the left of the heater on the sand there.

Also, i planted a whole bunch of stuff from my 10G sand tank that i am cycling again. and i added the sponge filter. The corydoras like it, i'm a sucker for watching them play in bubbles.

Also, here's the pleco, finally:

Is there a way to stop him from digging out the sand? he makes a huge nest under there and it looks like he's down to the glass at the bottom. Not sure, i haven't moved the log yet. I was thinking of turning the log over till he can hide under it without acting like a daschund.

1077

I thought perhaps by potted , you meant the little plastic pot's that plant's sometimes come in.
Plant's root's need to be able to spread out and draw nutrient's from substrate as well as nutrient's that you may add via liquids, (see flourish comprehensive plant supplement by Seachem).
You can plant in pot's but you might consider either using potting soil in the bottom of pot about 2/3 full ,stick the plant in,and then cover the soil with fine gravel (or sand).
Root tabs can be placed in the pot as well as under plant's placed in sand without pot's.(once a month)
Pleco isn't gonna hurt anything by digging him/herself a place to rest but may uproot plant's while foraging around the tank in search of food after dark (is what they do) and their size alone, can make it hard sometimes keeping plant's rooted . Would see that the pleco has food avaiable regularly and perhaps place a slice of zuchinni ,sweet potato, Romain lettuce, a couple times a week in the tank in addition to foods that it will scavenge that are being offered to other fishes.Might place zuchinni and sweet potato in small dish of water and put it in microwave for 30 to 40 seconds to soften it up a bit before placing it in the aquarium.
If you do this after lights off for the day,, he/she may leave plant's alone.
Research plant's before buying to see what light they may need and whether or not they are true aquatic plant's. some plant's offered at chain stores labeled as.. aquatic may or may not be .
I did note what looks to be Java Fern ? planted in substrate to left of pleco in last photo. This is a easy low light to moderate light plant but will do a bit better by attaching it to the wood or a rock with thread or fishing line as opposed to being planted in substrate. The roots will over time,,attach to the wood or rock (not so much smooth rocks) and draws it's nutrient's from the water which is why product like Flourish comprehensive by Seachem is good idea for it will benefit ALL of the plant's especially...those like Java Fern and or anubia.
I might keep the water level in the tank up to the level of trim on the tank to help prevent CO2 produced by fishes and bacterial activity from escaping the tank too quickly such as happens when there is too much surface disturbance from water returning from filter through spray bar above the surface, or return flow from Hang on the Back filter's in water fall type fashion.
Might run bubbler's and or sponge filter at night when plant's use up oxygen and leave then off during eight to ten hour lighting period during the day when plant's are scavenging CO2 available.
Lastly,, I would buy as many plant's that will thrive in low to moderate light as I could cram in the tank. some will take off and other's maybe not ,but by heavily planting the tank from the outset, (maybe no more than 15 percent of open substrate area) and by placing lights on strict eight or ten hour lighting period,,Algae will have a tougher time taking hold. Waste from fishes can be utilized by plant's and the need for vaccuming the substrate is greatly reduced.

genewitch

thanks 1077. I'll tie the Java Fern to the log, feed the pleco (i dropped a couple algae chips next to him when he was on the glass and he dropped down and sat on them), and poke the sand as everyone has been telling me. I will look in to flourish, and possibly a DIY CO2 system as i want the bubbles from a pump for the corydoras, they dance in it, it's fun to watch.

All in all all the fish look happy, the corydoras from her took to mine really quick, they shoal (that the word?) together and hang out near the plants and pleco when they're resting and swim around with eachother when they're not. There is an odd one out, a slightly green slightly albino corydora that i'd like to get friends for (2 more baby ones) which would put me at 10 cories total. the ones she gave me are 3 years old and they're maybe 10% bigger than my biggest fake julii.

And special thanks to Byron and whoever else said that putting corydoras on gravel was like punishing them... they are the happiest fish ever when they get to sit in the sand on their little fins and sift the sand through their cheeks!

Byron

Corys do like sand, I admit.

I agree the plant (all plants) should be planted directly in the substrate. The plant roots work with the bacteria in the substrate to break down organics into nutrients the plants can use, plus it keeps the substrate much healthier. Using pots will not achieve this. Better to let nature do the work naturally.

As 1077 said, pleco love to dig. They will excavate huge depressions esp at night. If you have a pleco, expect it. Species vary and individuals too, but if this one starts uprooting larger plants, the trick is to place a flat piece of rock on the sand next to the stem. A bit of rock maybe 3-5 inches width usually works. When I recently changed the substrate in my 115g from fine gravel to playsand, I decided to move my pleco (Hypancistrus furunculus) into the 90g which still has fine gravel. I knew from his actions in the 115g with gravel that the sand would be a mess with his digging.

Byron.

genewitch

I may try to find the pleco a new home, my other tank is too small. Won't him digging up everything move the food and waste under the sand, so i can't vacuum it properly?

He's kind of out of place with all the other fish, anyhow.

i should note that he utterly decimated the tank last night, even though i left a few algae wafers around for him.

Byron

Sounds like a pleco...

genewitch

tank is still doing OK, even though i never see the angelfish eat. Also, i was hoping someone could identify the fish that we call "Fancyfins" hopefully i got a good enough angle on it.

Tank now has 19 fish and a couple of snails. 12 Corydoras catfish (4 green, 3 albino, 5 fake julii) 2 tetras, angelfish, fancyfins, 3 opal gouramis. We're going to add more gouramis and bring all the corydora schools to 6-8, so 18-24 corys and maybe 3 or 4 more gouramis. We're really suckers for gouramis and corys, they're the coolest fish we've seen. Tetras are just so boring, at least the corys and the kissing fish have character.

as usual, click for larger:


And here's the one i have no idea what it is, but i want more:

It's bluer in real life. And it has side fins that go along the body a ways, not tiny ones like the gouramis around it. Fancyfins.

Byron

It bears a danio resemblance. Is "Fancyfins" what the store calls it?

genewitch

No, it came with the tank, and that's what we call it. Let me look at pictures of danios.