Starting fresh. Do I have a sound plan?

[chrono1081]

Hi guys,

I was on another section of the forum earlier with an aquarium of dying fish. The last inhabitant, a little ghost shrimp passed away yesterday so I completely drained the tank and am starting again.

After reading many articles on this site I came up with a plan for my new tank and I'd like some feedback before I start cycling.

I have an 8 gallon tank: (Amazon.com: Aqueon Evolve 8 LED Aquarium Kit, 8 gallons: Pet Supplies

1.I'm going to put sand at the bottom (I had gravel before and the paint on it was chipping off ) Not to mention various articles I read mentioned that fish generally like sand better since some of the cleaner fish can burrow in to it.

2. I have all artificial plants. I'd like real ones but they simply don't sell any where I live for freshwater tanks, and if they do get them in they're usually in poor condition and too big anyway. That being said I'm willing to try plants if I can find a safe place online to buy them. (I assume plants work well in sand?) They have to be fairly small, the tank isn't very big.

3. I'm going to follow the instructions in the fish-less cycling guide since I am sadly, now fish-less.

4. Once my tank is cycled I'm going to stick 3 fancy tailed guppies (or something of similar size) in it, depending what the Petco here gets in (its all we have). And maybe a ghost shrimp again or one of the algae eating fish.

Does this sound like a good plan? Let me know if there is anything I can change/correct along the way.

 

[gmanova]

If your going to use plants, I suggest you use Black Eco Complete Plant Substrate. A small piece of Mopani wood and Anibias Nana plant would pop your tank!

 

[Coursair]

If your going to use plants, I suggest you use Black Eco Complete Plant Substrate. A small piece of Mopani wood and Anibias Nana plant would pop your tank!

Unless you are planting in the substrate, Eco Complete will be a waste of money. IMHO EC is a favorite with many people. BUT some Cory keepers say its too rough ??

I use Sand in all my planted tanks now. Anubias nana is a good choice
Other Low light plants I'd suggest :

Anubias nana "petite" ( i just got some)
Narrow Leaf Java Fern ( love it )
Java Fern ( grows in a bowl next to a lamp for me )
Christmas Moss ( nicer structure than Java Moss )
Bolbitis ( African water fern )

All of the above don't get "planted" tie them to real or fake wood or rocks. I prefer real. Their roots will grow around what you tie them to. I use driftwood and manzanita . By the time the cotton thread rots the roots have taken hold. Or you can use a type of super glue. ( Google it ).

As far as sand, I like Tahitian Moon Sand. It's pretty and my Cories like it. I have 5 Corydoras habrosus in one of my 10g.s I've also used Flourite Black Sand, and Black Blasting Sand in two different tanks.
Both capped with TMS. The Flourite is SUPER dusty when you start, you can read how people deal with it, but my plants are doing great !! I did bury some root caps in both my tanks for my Swords and Crypts.

I love Crypts. You could plant a C. crispus in a back corner or a C. lucens or C. wendtii as centerpiece plants. Just get small plants, they grow slow.

Do not buy any Algae eaters till your tank is well established. I would avoid Plecos. A Pitbull Pleco is the only one that might work. Amano Shrimp would be better. A Mexican dwarf Crayfish ( CPO) might be a good clean up crew. But it will need a hiding spot for molting.

If you want Cories then the dwarf / pygmy varieties are the only ones that would fit.
Corydoras pygmaeus is adorable. C. hastatus and C. habrosus are your other choices. They love to be in groups. The normal Bronze or Peppered Cories get too large for an 8. You could fit 4-5 pygmaeus without a problem once your tank is established. IMHO.

If you want something that looks Guppy like, but different check out Endlers Livebearers. The males are small but great color.

Other nano fish:
Celestial Pearl Danios
others may be harder to find

But I have to say I loved my Guppy boy. He fought too much with my other male, so I separated them and rehomed the red male. I didn't want babies so I just had the one Guppy in with other fish.

If you want to see my tanks, click on my name and look at my pics on my profile.

Enjoy your tank. Check the mart here and at The Planted Tank for quality plants from other hobbyists. Much cheaper and better info.

Tina
Member San Francisco Bay Area Aquatic Plant Society

 

[boadams87]

Hi guys,

I was on another section of the forum earlier with an aquarium of dying fish. The last inhabitant, a little ghost shrimp passed away yesterday so I completely drained the tank and am starting again.

After reading many articles on this site I came up with a plan for my new tank and I'd like some feedback before I start cycling.

I have an 8 gallon tank: (Amazon.com: Aqueon Evolve 8 LED Aquarium Kit, 8 gallons: Pet Supplies

1.I'm going to put sand at the bottom (I had gravel before and the paint on it was chipping off ) Not to mention various articles I read mentioned that fish generally like sand better since some of the cleaner fish can burrow in to it.

2. I have all artificial plants. I'd like real ones but they simply don't sell any where I live for freshwater tanks, and if they do get them in they're usually in poor condition and too big anyway. That being said I'm willing to try plants if I can find a safe place online to buy them. (I assume plants work well in sand?) They have to be fairly small, the tank isn't very big.

3. I'm going to follow the instructions in the fish-less cycling guide since I am sadly, now fish-less.

4. Once my tank is cycled I'm going to stick 3 fancy tailed guppies (or something of similar size) in it, depending what the Petco here gets in (its all we have). And maybe a ghost shrimp again or one of the algae eating fish.

Does this sound like a good plan? Let me know if there is anything I can change/correct along the way.

Just be sure and keep ur used filter media and don't wash it just rinse in old aquarium water.