Quote:
Originally Posted by Pearl2011  I think I would want the amazon in general. More species available to put in. The length is 24 inches, but is is 20 inches tall.
From the tap:
pH: 6.4
GH: 75 (according to the city-website-thing-a-ma-bob). I believe that is soft?
Is the Siamese Algae Eater form the amazon? Was thinking about that now and realized the amazon isn't Siamese. Or is it? 2 25 watts screw in bulbs are too bright, even with floating plants, right? This is the list of plants: Pygmy chain sword Amazon Sword
Large Leaf Amazon Sword
Amazon frog bit and Duckweed Red Melon Sword |
Water is very good. Yes, 75 must be ppm (or mg/liter) which equates with 4 dGH which is perfect as it is very soft but just enough hard mineral for the plants. The pH is excellent too; it will likely lower as the biology settles, so when the tank is set up test the pH periodically--maybe prior to the first water change, then 3-4 days later, then just before the next water change. See where this gets you. Don't worry about a lowering pH, but you do want to know what it does.
The tank size is ideal for quiet fish, so this means no active swimmers but rather cruising browsers.
Cardinal Tetra are such, and with your water these will be at their best. Pencilfish, any species except
Nannostomus beckfordi which is too active; the others are all quiet browsers. And the small hatchetfish in the genus
Carnegiella, the
Marble Hatchetfish or the
Black-Winged Hatchetfish are best. Check the profiles.
Ember Tetra are fine, no problem with the other suggested fish here. And you could do the
Blue Ram, but here you need warm water, 82F, and not all fish or plants will last. Before I get into breaking this down, give the ram some thought; myself, I wold prefer more smaller fish rather than a pair of rams that will limit other fish--and when they spawn, look out, the catfish will be targets.
Siamese Algae is Asian, and gets too large and feisty for this tank. The
Bristlenose Pleco is fine, or for something different and because you have the perfect water for it,
Twig Catfish. Check profile. The
Whiptail Catfish and related
Red Lizard Whiptail are other possibilities, all peaceful, quiet fish, good algae eaters, with interest (looking rather "prehistoric") as well.
Plants. Forget the
Echinodorus cordifolius, it is much too large. The
Pygmy chain sword or the
Chain Sword, ideal. One
Amazon Sword as a display plant.
Dwarf Sword if you can find them.
Amazon Frogbit is a nice plant, but i cannot keep it in my tanks, and I have decided it is either the closed top or the soft water, or both. And as you will have this too (with hatchets you must have a good cover) you can try it and see, but be prepared.
Water Sprite grows very well in all my tanks. Or
Brazilian Pennywort left floating works too.
Filter. I would suggest something else to minimize water movement. This is where a simple sponge filter connected to a small air[pump works fine. I use this on my smaller (under 50g) tanks. Or an internal sponge-type, such as the Fluval U series if you don't want an air pump; air pumps are noisy, so if that is an issue, go with the Fluval U1 or U2.
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