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I did the water test on the seals about 2 weeks ago and everything worked out, All the equipment worked fine, and for a used tank It was a great buy,(only $150 US). I have cleaned it several times, and set it up where It will best fit. The tank is 48x12.5x20.

Here it is during the water test.

Water Test

The tank substrata and decorations and plants were added in over the last two days and is looking good

full shot

left

middle

right

I still need to add in the driftwood, The Drift wood is soaking and I have to let it get waterlogged, and will go in the clearing you see in the photos in the planted area on the right. Moonlights, and purchase a new heater. I would like to get two 50 watt submersible one's to replace the 100 watt that came with the tank.

For Filtration I have an Aquaclear 300 (70 if you go by the new name), and a Aquaclear Powerhead Quickfilter. They are set at 90 degrees to each other to set up a circular current in the tank

I am using the Nutrafin Natural Plant CO2 system, Jungle Labs Plant tabs, and Plant Gro, by Nutrafin. Biozyme to help kick start the bacterial cycle and adding some fish food to help feed the bacteria. I have added in some gravel from my six month old Ten gallon as well. In a couple of Days I will add in some Zebra Danios Temporarily.

For lighting I am using the hood that came with the tank, the light is a single 40 watt Vit-a-lite. Later on I plan on getting a high output, Any suggestions on what I need?

current plant list is

3x Amazon Swords
2x Anubias Nana
1x Apongeton (Crispus I think)
1x Valisnera Gigantea
a lot of Hornwort
3 Java Fern
1x Some kind of Sword I think, I'm not sure.

Stocking is going to be

5x Australian Checkered Rainbows (Transfered from my existing Tanks)
4x Clown Loaches (Transfered from my existing Tanks)
1x Chinese Algae Eater (Transfered from my existing Tanks)
1x Lake Kutubu Rainbow (Transfered from my existing Tanks)
1x Axelrodi Rainbow (Transfered from my existing Tanks)

And i am planning to add in
4x Bosemani Rainbows
and 10 to 12 Rummeynose Tetras


I don't like the Background but Tammy does and so I can't put the one I like on it, Maybe later on I can switch it after I deal with the Ten Gallons. There are no fish in the tank, the swordtails you see are on the Background

Any Suggestions or Comments would be Welcome.

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Hi there just a heads up the clown loaches will outgrow your tank and put a lot of strain on the bio load of the filter because of their size, which is usually a minimum of 12 inches (16 average). Also the rainbow fish get to a reasonable size themselves. And with the rainbows as well which usually get to about 4 inches a each sometimes bigger, I just start to worry that the tank could get a bit over stocked when they reach adult size.

Nice decorations though i really like the columns ^^

The tank's looking pretty cool!

Comments:
Depending on how cold the room gets during the night or later in the year...100 watts of heating seems pretty light. Two 100 watt or one 250 watt would be better.

If you're using CO2, limit the amount of surface agitation as much as you can so the gas can't escape. The air bubble effects are probably defeating your CO2 system.

Yep, 40 watts is definetly not enough, especially with those swords. Not sure what to tell you to get as far as equipment but with your future lighting aim for a minimum of 2 wpg and your plants will do much better. 3 wpg will let you grow most any kind of plant and they can really take advantage of the extra goodies you are providing. At low light they don't use much CO2 or ferts (more nutrients for the algae!). Are you planning on adding more plants? If you are going to go to the trouble of extra lighting/CO2/ferts than you might as well. You have mostly slow growers in there. Are you thinking about any kind of stem plants?

Also would like to echo the concern on potential overstocking... Your fishes will get big...

Anyway, good start. Like to see the driftwood in there! Keep us posted.

Well If the fish get too big I will just have to get another tank.

Oh on the lighting its a T12 if that means anything.

I have id'd the I dont know plant its a Peace Lily. Not an aquatic one so I will probably replace it later on.


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Ok first batch of Chem tests are in.

Results are
NO3 = 20
NO2 = 0.5
Total Hardness = 120 ppm
Alkalinity = 80ppm
PH = 7.2
Temp = 76-80 degrees Fahrenheit

Still need to run Ammonia test tomorrow.

Also put in 7 Zebra Danios, to help cycle the tank.


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Ammonia is at 1.0. Also What Stem plants do you recommend? I have Hornwort, what would be a good match, that puts out roots?

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Well I have to toss out the Drift wood. It put the ammonia levels of the water it was in at about 8.0 (actually higher but my test kit only goes that high). Back to the drawing board.

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Final fish are transfered in. Now I need to remove the Zebras, that will probably take a few days. thinking of adding in a Hoplo Cat as well.

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wow cool what fish are in now then? I love hoplo catfish , and other fish of that group I like the way they are like bigger cories, I would have got them if I had known about them when I started my tank. Just a few close relatives of the hoplo you could try?
http://www.scotcat.com/factsheets/dianema_urostriatum.html thats the flagtail catfish it stays smaller than the hoplo so you could keep a few perhaps.
http://www.scotcat.com/factsheets/lepthoplosternum_pectorale.html and thats the dwarf hoplo that again you could keep a few of them
http://www.scotcat.com/factsheets/megalechis_thoracata.htm and thats a link for a fact sheet on the regular hoplo.

For a plant suggestion, have you thought of moss balls? They soak up nutrients from algae and I have found that they help with the biological process in my tank as well.

Thanks for the links and the Hoplo was sold before I could get back there. I have the stock arranged this way

1 CAE
4 Clown Loaches
1 Oliver River, Melanotaenia trifasciata
1 Lake Kutubu, Melanotaenia Lacustris
5 Melanotaenia Splendida Splendida

All I am going to add fish wise is
3 to 4 Melanotaenia Bosemani

I am also adding in two or three Cryptocoryne Pletchii, and some more Jave Ferns

I'm not going to add more fish as the fish look good with the tank.

The Zebras have been removed, I spent 45 minutes trying to get the last one out of the tank. A Female that is VERY Smart. When she saw the net she dived for the floor and hid in the plants. Got her in the end though hehehehe

I have considered Moss Balls but they are hard to find. I did add in Java Moss. I think that will do it to, but if not the CAE will be good....

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