Hi. I normally post over on the bettafish side of the site, but I figured I might be a better response for this one over here, since I'm planning a community tank that probably won't have a betta.
So I've been poking at the idea for a community planted tank for a while, and I think I've settled on a 20gal npt for my last big purchase/project before the semester starts and I forget the outside world for three months. My budget is going to be around 200 all total(fish, plants, tank, stand, heater/filter/whatever), but I'd prefer not to spend more than 150. I have a sinking feeling that at least half of that is going to go to the friggin stand, unless I can find something on the cheap somewhere that'll bear the weight.
but that's not the point for this post. The point here is, pretty much my only experience with fish is the one pain-in-the-everything betta currently residing on my desk, and I'm not 100% sure where to even start looking for the types of fish to stock. I know I want to avoid neon tetras and similar (long story, don't ask) I've considered guppies possibly, or potentially a betta sorority, but that sounds like trouble waiting to happen when I won't be able to monitor the tank closely for quite some time. I'm thinking of cories or Otos for algae control along with my displaced mystery snail, but past that I'm drawing a blank. Any suggestions, (or even just your personal favorite fish?)
The tank will be heavily planted (following the npt guide on the betta side of the site) but plants+ heaters/filters has always made me wary. It seems like heavy planting would block water circulation and interfere with the efficiency of the heater/filter working?
I want to experiment with semi-aquatic plants, if that's a thing that's possible; mostly lucky bamboo? I kinda like the idea of the plants not being confined to the tank itself, but I'm unsure how well it would work re:accommodating the lights, heat retention, and keeping snails/shrimp/fish from jumping/escaping.
Other than that, again, I'd really appreciate suggestions for fast-growing plants, bulbs, floating plants, especially plants that are pretty easy to find, or just your absolute favorite plant. I'm really looking more for opinion than hard fact here.
Also, if by some miracle anyone is in the Austin TX area, I'm heading up there this weekend in search of fish stores that actually have useful things, and if anyone could suggest a place that carries Malaysian trumpet snails, or a wide selection of plants, then I'd be eternally grateful.
So I've been poking at the idea for a community planted tank for a while, and I think I've settled on a 20gal npt for my last big purchase/project before the semester starts and I forget the outside world for three months. My budget is going to be around 200 all total(fish, plants, tank, stand, heater/filter/whatever), but I'd prefer not to spend more than 150. I have a sinking feeling that at least half of that is going to go to the friggin stand, unless I can find something on the cheap somewhere that'll bear the weight.
but that's not the point for this post. The point here is, pretty much my only experience with fish is the one pain-in-the-everything betta currently residing on my desk, and I'm not 100% sure where to even start looking for the types of fish to stock. I know I want to avoid neon tetras and similar (long story, don't ask) I've considered guppies possibly, or potentially a betta sorority, but that sounds like trouble waiting to happen when I won't be able to monitor the tank closely for quite some time. I'm thinking of cories or Otos for algae control along with my displaced mystery snail, but past that I'm drawing a blank. Any suggestions, (or even just your personal favorite fish?)
The tank will be heavily planted (following the npt guide on the betta side of the site) but plants+ heaters/filters has always made me wary. It seems like heavy planting would block water circulation and interfere with the efficiency of the heater/filter working?
I want to experiment with semi-aquatic plants, if that's a thing that's possible; mostly lucky bamboo? I kinda like the idea of the plants not being confined to the tank itself, but I'm unsure how well it would work re:accommodating the lights, heat retention, and keeping snails/shrimp/fish from jumping/escaping.
Other than that, again, I'd really appreciate suggestions for fast-growing plants, bulbs, floating plants, especially plants that are pretty easy to find, or just your absolute favorite plant. I'm really looking more for opinion than hard fact here.
Also, if by some miracle anyone is in the Austin TX area, I'm heading up there this weekend in search of fish stores that actually have useful things, and if anyone could suggest a place that carries Malaysian trumpet snails, or a wide selection of plants, then I'd be eternally grateful.