50 Gallon Stocking (Juwel Trigon 190)

[Ahmed dada]

Hey!

I finally set up the tank but it is not filled with water yet neither does it have any gravel. I just want to finalize the stocking. Would the following be OK?


10 Neons/Cardinals (whichever looks healthier or better in the shop!)
10 Harlequin Rasboras
5 Glowlights (I already have in the 8 Gallon)
1 pair of Powder Blue Dwarf Gourami (1M 1F)
2 pairs of GBR's (2M 2F)

And I'm thinking of maybe adding 2 platys and a trio of guppies (1M 2F) so that they can breed and the other fish can eat the fry for some extra health (cruel, I know but it's natural selection at the end of the day!) All fry that make it through will be taken to my lfs and sold. There will be one of those shipwreck ornaments (a large one), driftwood and plants. Substrate is black gravel. Plants only Java Fern and Anubias because all others die on me!

Does this sound like a happy tank for my fishie friends?

Thanks!

(PS: This is reported because my last thread got no replies

 

[Samzter]

Hey!

I finally set up the tank but it is not filled with water yet neither does it have any gravel. I just want to finalize the stocking. Would the following be OK?

10 Neons/Cardinals (whichever looks healthier or better in the shop!)
10 Harlequin Rasboras
5 Glowlights (I already have in the 8 Gallon)
1 pair of Powder Blue Dwarf Gourami (1M 1F)
2 pairs of GBR's (2M 2F)

And I'm thinking of maybe adding 2 platys and a trio of guppies (1M 2F) so that they can breed and the other fish can eat the fry for some extra health (cruel, I know but it's natural selection at the end of the day!) All fry that make it through will be taken to my lfs and sold. There will be one of those shipwreck ornaments (a large one), driftwood and plants. Substrate is black gravel. Plants only Java Fern and Anubias because all others die on me!

Does this sound like a happy tank for my fishie friends?

Thanks!

(PS: This is reported because my last thread got no replies

You would be better sticking to one thread
I see issues with the dwarf gourami. Just get one male because females are hard to find in the aquarium trade due to their lack of colour. They also need to have 1m 2+f. IMO people don't need females unless they're for breeding purposes. 2 males most probably wouldn't work.

 

[Ahmed dada]

You would be better sticking to one thread
I see issues with the dwarf gourami. Just get one male because females are hard to find in the aquarium trade due to their lack of colour. They also need to have 1m 2+f. IMO people don't need females unless they're for breeding purposes. 2 males most probably wouldn't work.

Thanks for the quick reply! I've been waiting for days with the other thread. I'll try deleting it soon!

Thanks for your advice! Ill just keep the 1 male DG.

Any advice concerning the others?

 

[Samzter]

Thanks for the quick reply! I've been waiting for days with the other thread. I'll try deleting it soon!

Thanks for your advice! Ill just keep the 1 male DG.

Any advice concerning the others?

Hmmm. If lots of hiding places are provided, then I don't see why you can't keep rams. Just remember that they do better in a established aquariums. So I would wait for the tank to be running for 4 months before adding them.
Ps. Pm a moderator to delete a thread since we can't.

 

[Ahmed dada]

Oh! Silly me, I forgot to add that there will also be 6 Corys in the tank! I'm new to them too, any advice with them?

 

[Samzter]

If the gravel isnt sharp edged, they ought to be okay.

 

[Ahmed dada]

Hmmm. If lots of hiding places are provided, then I don't see why you can't keep rams. Just remember that they do better in a established aquariums. So I would wait for the tank to be running for 4 months before adding them.
Ps. Pm a moderator to delete a thread since we can't.

I intend on adding the Rams in last (6 months in) because I read the same thing online. Thanks!

 

[Ahmed dada]

If the gravel isnt sharp edged, they ought to be okay.

Definitely! I have also researched that and will go to my LFS and buy some black fine sand if I can! Otherwise it will have to be gravel but I will definitely judge beforehand if it is OK for them

 

[bluzepher1]

I have Tahitian Moon. Very fine black color. Love it

 

[Ahmed dada]

I have Tahitian Moon. Very fine black color. Love it

Great! I'll look for that!

So to finalize:

5 Glowlights (they're already 3 years old)
10 Harlequin Rasboras
10 Neon/Cardinals (or other small Tetras, I really can't choose!)
1 Powder Blue Dwarf Gourami
4 German Blue Rams (2M 2F)
6 Cory's
3 Guppies (1M 2F)

Heavily planted with Java Fern, Anubias, and that one that grows tall with thin leaves (forgot the name) and all other beginners and low tech plants. There will also b some fake plants initially just to fill the tank in until the live ones grow in. I will buy lots of Driftwood if the LFS has any, otherwise it will be fake wood and ornaments to suffice as caves such as ship wrecks and other ornaments like that.

Substrate is sand (if they have any! - LFS's are very limited in regards to Aquaria in South Africa unfortunately ) or gravel with no sharp edges. The colour will be black.

I will use my filter media and other sponges which I placed under the gravel for now (to soak up that good bacteria!) to speed along my cycle and help with that.

The first fish I'll add when the cycle is over will the the 5 Glowlights, they seem the hardiest to me and survived some tough times!

I will then add the rest at 2 week intervals until I add the GBR's last at 6 months in to ensure that my tank is properly established.
Will the Cory's require a special food or will they just eat the waste at the bottom? How do I feed them? I have frozen brine shrimp, how often should I treat the fish to it? Currently my Glowlights don't seem to like the BS for some reason, my betta used to go crazy over it though!

With regard to maintenance, there will be a 30% PWC every 10 days. Is this OK?

Sorry that this is so long and has so many annoying and silly questions, I just want to get it right this time and avoid a disaster and the torture of our fishie friends like I did with my DieOrb!

I really do appreciate all the help I've gotten from this Forum, keep it up guys!

 

[ktomminello]

Glow light tetra that won't eat or become finicky usually have a reason... Considering you've added to your tank you are going to want to do water changes more frequently until you are stocked, IMO, to avoid rapid fluctuations in water quality. I, personally, do a 50% change when I add fish, a 25% change a week and once a month after fully established a 75% water change along with filter cleaning, and pruning.... That's just me though

 

[Ahmed dada]

Glow light tetra that won't eat or become finicky usually have a reason... Considering you've added to your tank you are going to want to do water changes more frequently until you are stocked, IMO, to avoid rapid fluctuations in water quality. I, personally, do a 50% change when I add fish, a 25% change a week and once a month after fully established a 75% water change along with filter cleaning, and pruning.... That's just me though

Thanks for the advice! Concerning to Glowlights, they greedily devour all other rood except for the frozen Brine Shrimp! They are perfectly healthy though. The tank isn't set up yet, I'm hoping I can visit the LFS today to buy all my supplies like substrate and plants! . Any other hints? The tank is a new Juwel Trigon 190.

 

[ktomminello]

I'm not familiar with the tank you have, but I can give you a couple tips that I have discovered through my experience.

Start with a good inch thick layer of planted substrate like floramax or ecocomplete built up in the back lowered in front, fill in sandy play areas place decorations next.

Push in root tabs and time release fert tabs, add about an inch of water and then plant your plants.

Make sure to remove dead/ questionable vegetation and roots before planting. Don't cover rhizomes secure roots over rooting tab using a stone or some pebbles.

A well planted tank usually requires 2-4 wpg and a daily CO2 + comprehensive liquid ferts.

Float stemmed cuttings while adding ferts rich in iron to help them with rooting.

Have you thought about any types of plants you want to get?

 

[Ahmed dada]

I'm not familiar with the tank you have, but I can give you a couple tips that I have discovered through my experience.

Start with a good inch thick layer of planted substrate like floramax or ecocomplete built up in the back lowered in front, fill in sandy play areas place decorations next.

Push in root tabs and time release fert tabs, add about an inch of water and then plant your plants.

Make sure to remove dead/ questionable vegetation and roots before planting. Don't cover rhizomes secure roots over rooting tab using a stone or some pebbles.

A well planted tank usually requires 2-4 wpg and a daily CO2 + comprehensive liquid ferts.

Float stemmed cuttings while adding ferts rich in iron to help them with rooting.

Have you thought about any types of plants you want to get?

Hey, thanks for your reply!

So I made it to the LFS and went a little over my budget!

I purchased the LAST 3 bags of black sand. I believe it is called Hawaii Black. It is a very deep black sand and I am currently taking a break from cleaning the 15kg's of sand!

I also purchased a few plants (they were really pricey!) I have no idea of the names and will post a picture once they are planted for tips with them. I also purchased Tetra root tablets and Tetra liquid fertilizer. I don't plan on using CO2 because I am really, really bad with that stuff and will only be growing plants like Java Fern and Moss, as well as Anubias and the ones I purchased. I assumed that the root tabs and liquid fertilizer would provide enough nutrition?

I also bought a new bigger gravel vacuum, backround and ornaments that look like caves for the GBR's. And my favourite buy from the shop is my DRIFTWOOD! It is extremely rare here in SA to find driftwood, when it is it usually isn't for sale! (we have strict import laws to get the wood so it's hard). I am so thrilled to have some but it was so expensive that I only bought one piece as it was R200 a piece! ($25)

Total I spent: R1300 ($180)
Not too bad, considering I bought everything for the tank excluding the tank and fish, of course!

So is the CO2 absolutely necessary for my low tech setup?

 

[Ahmed dada]

Hey everyone!

So after a very, very, very long and expensive day I have set up my tank!

It is now planted, root tabs are in, liquid fertilizer dosed, dechlorinated and filled. The sand was easy to wash and pretty much came clean and didn't need alot of effort (thank god!). I then added the gravel, half filled the tank and then aquascaped for the first time! I had very few plants but it still came out better than I expected for my first time. I will obviously be buying more plants later on.

For the back round I bought one of those double sided Juwel blue ones and I must say that it looks really good!

Now the tank is at that "bubbles" stage where bubbles are settled everywhere.

The temperature of the tank is now 19 degrees C because I used my hose pipe through the window to fill the tank. The heater is on full and will be for the night. (it's now 8:30pm in RSA). The T5 lighting is AMAZING and much better than anything I've seen or had before! I can imagine the plants loving the lighting!

Is there anything else I need to do? Is the CO2 absolutely necessary? Thanks!

 

[ktomminello]

You really do kind of need co2 for a tank that you want to be fully planted, there is flourish excel by seachem or co2 boost by API that you can use that are in liquid form, along with a comprehensive liquid fert (NPK)...

 

[Ahmed dada]

You really do kind of need co2 for a tank that you want to be fully planted, there is flourish excel by seachem or co2 boost by API that you can use that are in liquid form, along with a comprehensive liquid fert (NPK)...

When I was at the LFS I asked about CO2 and the guy (a very knowledgable and trusted man) told me that you can get it in liquid form but it is expensive and was unnecessary if you're using the root tabs and dosing liquid fert. I guess he was wrong. He told me that if I wanted it I would need to order in and he'd receive it with his next batch of products shipping (3 weeks!)

Should I order it and pay the price? Will they be fine for the 3 weeks? So far my tank has about 10 plants in it, a red one with long-ish leaves x3. Java fern from the biorb x4 (more to be added because it takes long to tie it onto the ornaments!). There's also one with really long stems and roundish green leaves in the back. I'll try to post a picture soon!

Thanks guys, I know my questions are really silly but I want to get this one right!

 

[Betta Platy Addict]

I had the same plants as you before with no co2. They lived, but didn't grow. If they don't grow, they don't use up ammonia or nitrates.

Also, if you have good lights and ferts, but no co2, you are likely to have algae problems.

Where in ZA are you? I am in the States but was born in ZA. Have family in the West Transvaal and in Cape Town

 

[Ahmed dada]

I had the same plants as you before with no co2. They lived, but didn't grow. If they don't grow, they don't use up ammonia or nitrates.

Also, if you have good lights and ferts, but no co2, you are likely to have algae problems.

Where in ZA are you? I am in the States but was born in ZA. Have family in the West Transvaal and in Cape Town

I NEED HELP ASAP

Hey!

So today I come home from a long day and guess what - THE WATER IS CLOUDY

I proceeded to seed the aquarium anyways with a handful of gravel and the filter sponge from my 3 year old tank. Hopefully that will speed up the cycle! The water was crystal clear this morning! Any idea on why it got cloudy? It wasn't touched during the day at all and the only things in it are the plants and driftwood? This is so weird? Help please!

PS: I live in Durban, ZA

 

[bluzepher1]

Most likely Bloom, expected during cycling