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Quick background: my kids live with their father in MI. He recently told them they could get a 20g in the next few months. My middle daughter (9) takes care of their 10g community tank; my oldest son (12) has a 2.5g Mini-Bow with a betta. Both tanks have been running for over a year. These 2 are really into fish...when they're here they constantly ask questions, help with the tanks, read my books and magazines. I'll be purchasing the tank and other supplies and will help with setup.

Now my questions:

-I'd like suggestions for a good, reliable, easy to care for filter.

-I told them it's time to graduate to live plants. I've always used Flourite or a Flourite/gravel combination for my tanks. Is there another good plant substrate that doesn't take as long to rinse?

-I also need suggestions for low light, easy care plants

-As far as stock I know they definitely want a BN and either cories or loaches. They're quite fond of my neons...between neons & cardinals, which are hardier?

-What would be some centerpiece ideas to go along with the above stock?

-And finally (I think ) if anyone from MI can recommend in the Downriver area of MI (Southgate, Allen Park, Wyandotte) or not too far from there I'd appreciate it

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There is water at the bottom of the ocean

I would go with a HOB filter, as it's quite east to clean, but the best would be a cannister filter.

Anubias are low light Plants & you can attach them to Driftwood.

I would get some Cardinals, as i think their hardier than Neons. Bronze Corydoras & a BN would be very nice & as a centre piece i would get a Pearl Gourami or an Angel.


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Any powerfilter would work. Tetra filters tend to quit on me and marinelands filters(penguin, aquatech, emperor) have a very simple cartridge system. Fine if you don't want any options and just to pull out 1 cartridge and slide another in but annoying if say you decide not to use carbon. I haven't used aquaclear filters but they seem highly recommended and have more options.

Eco complete requires no rinsing and will grow plants just as well as flourite. You do have to turn the filter off for 24-48hrs after adding it and let it settle for about a week. After that the small particles are on the bottom and large ones on the top. Even with digging around in the substrate alot I've never clouded a tank after that first week.

Check http://www.tropica.com/default.asp]http://www.tropica.com/default.asp[/link] use advanced search to enter light level, [link=http://azgardens.com/habitats_easy.php]http://azgardens.com/habitats_easy.php[/link], and [link=http://www.plantgeek.net/.

Cardinals seem to be hardier most of the time but it depends on the source you get them from.

Dwarf gourami, honey gourami, possibly a betta if you find a peaceful one or a female betta, any of the other smaller gouramis, or maybe dwarf cichlids.

An angel does not fit in a 20g along with all those other fish. I can't even see mine in a 20g without any other fish.


Last edited by sham at 13-Aug-2005 15:12

I would never ever use AquaClear Filters, the tube fell off mine 3 times, and sucked up some of my fish, i lost 3 guppies!]:|]:|]:|]:|]:|:#(:#(:#(:#(:#(:#(:#(:#(

I would go with an internal Aquaball Eheim filter. They are easy to clean, you just take it out of the tank and get the sponges out and rinse them. they are really reliable too. As for fish I would suggest maybe:
1 bristle nose
6 panda corys (Or any other type really, pandas are the most playfull though!)
6 cardinal tetras
1 lace gourami

For filtration I would go with a cannister, but not eheim They are (generally) easiest to set up, and maintenance isn't all that often

I'd go with Neons, but Cardinals would be fine as welldepends on the fish to who is the hardiest *shrug*

A centerpiece fish? If ya'll could find a nice looking even tempered betta, he would go nicely I know Lucky loves to swim with the neons, and the Harlequin Rasboras.

For type of corries, I've heard that Pandas are rather delicate, try something hardier, my Schwartzis are VERY active and are hardy

Low level lighting plants? Java moss, java fern, anarcharis. They are also very hardy, even I can keep them alive

Did that answer everything? Other than the downriver, which I'm downriver, but wayyyyyyyyy to far downriver, and it's a different river

heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

ok as far as fish go
How about
5 coolie loaches
1 bn
8 lampeye rasboras (awsome fish !!!!!! )
2 cherry barbs
2 honey gurmis

and for plants
Java fern
anubias
crypts
swords
hornwort (floating)

For the filter id use a small cannister




Last edited by Alex at 13-Aug-2005 22:57

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''All the clown fish and yellow tangs in the world cant save you now!''

I have an AquaClear on my 20 gallon, and it has worked wonderfully. All the ACs I've had have worked well; I've never had a problem with them.

I'm not really one to speak about plants, seeing how mine are doing now but some good easy ones are:

java fern
java moss
hornwort and anacharis, but they grow so fast and can be a pain in the butt
crypts, like C. lutea and wendtii
almost all anubias are really easy
many aponogetons
Hygrophilia corymbosa (Giant Hygro) and polysperma
watersprite

I'd go with cories instead of loaches. Cories are smaller and cuter . Cardinals are supposed to be hardier than neons, but the ones sold around here are wild-caught, so acclimating them might be a little tricky. Gouramis make nice centerpiece fish. There are tons of gorgeous kinds, but I'd go with a dwarf, pearl, or honey.

Good luck!

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They shade the glow of it with their mossy-misty costumes,
They wear masks of silk, porcelain, brass, and silver,
So as not to mislead with their own, ordinary faces.

naaaaaa janna loaches over corys any day

i forgot to mention you probably wouldnt want stem plants cause they are a pain to trim.

cardinals are hardier then neons but lamp eyes are way cooler

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''All the clown fish and yellow tangs in the world cant save you now!''