55 gallon rescape.

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gemach7

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Apr 21, 2014
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After playing around with C02, fertilizer, fish dying from age related issues; decided to start redesigning my 4 year old setup.

Over the next few days will post my progress.

Day 1: 50% water change and light glass cleaning.
Eventually will be changing the substrate and locations of driftwood and plants.
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Going to add moss for a colony of rcs.

Ancharis or water Sprite for more complete nutrient absorbent.

Currently have swords, micro swords, narrow leaf swords, and Java fern.

Thinking keeping the driftwood in the center, swords and other background plants on each end and getting either the micro swords or narrow leaf to form a carpet.

Day 2
Rinsed 1 bag of play sand and 2 bags for fluorite.
Another 50% water change, keeping water close to my tap parameters.

Cost so far $47.50
For sand, fluorite, aquascaping tools.


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Day 3: tank emptied and ready to be cleaned. Undoing a dirted tank might actually be the worst fish tank smell lol.
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Ready to fill with water and add substrate and plants.


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Following. What kind of lighting do you have?


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Finnex planted + 24/7, it's on a timer now. The 24/7 is a novel feature but not suitable for my bedroom lol.


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Finnex planted + 24/7, it's on a timer now. The 24/7 is a novel feature but not suitable for my bedroom lol.


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It's a glorified night light! I have a 24/7 and was running it in 24/7 mode but that proved to be too much light for my shrimp tank (nasty string algae). I dropped to manual mode at 10-20%.
That is a nice piece of driftwood. Take this only as a suggestion: set it off center a bit. Something about the asymmetry is more relaxing to the eyes than the "this side - that side" situation that would occur if it was dead center.
Can't wait to see the final build.


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Letting the tank clear. Tomorrow going to pick up some moss and some other plants.

After a few weeks will add some shrimp. Not sure if all the work is going to cause a mini cycle. So no new fauna yet.

As stands have
Sterba corys
2 Clown pleco
Bolivian ram
And guppies

1 diamond tetra
4 rasboras
Continuing to let their schools diminish from age before I decide what to add.


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Day 4: going plant shopping today.
Tank after dust settled.
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Attempted to nudge, pretty well locked in place by the flourite and sand. Think will be easier to add another piece to one side to remove the symmetry.


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Added some Java moss and some free stems of wisteria. Not my favorite plant but they were free.


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Would love some input on a school to add after my remaining ones pass.
My Bolivian ram is on the gentler side, never touches even my guppy fry. So was thinking smaller to have a larger school. To this end.
Debating between
CPD
A variety of blue eyed rainbow fish
Or a smaller tetra like rummynose or cardinals. Also open to their suggestions.



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I would go with some Cardinal Tetras, Neon Tetras, or some Ruby Barbs. I have a school of Ruby's in my 15g.


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The CPD have to be one of the most beautiful fish I have seen. BUT they hide ALL the time. At least 5 keepers I know have the same complaint. There is supposed to be a dither fish for them but I will be darned if I can remember what it was - only brushed past that tid bit once and can't remember where either.

At one time I had 18 and I would only see a glimpse of them maybe 2, sometimes 3 at a time in the tank, they stayed hidden all the time if the lights were on. And even when there were floating stems on the top of the tank, to give cover from the light.

If the lights were off they would swim around, but it would be too dim to see them and appreciate their beauty. As soon as I got up to get a closer look it was like there were NO fish in the tank. So frustrating to only see them as dark shadows.

My favorite right now for activity and color is the nano fish Microdevario Kubotai
here are a couple of my pics, not that good but see the violet blue???
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Here is a nice bit of info about them

A couple more options might be the Green Neon a beautiful and under appreciated fish. And the already mentioned the Cardinal (if soft water) or Neon (7+pH) - these are often found on sale and cheap to get a large school say 30-50.

Additional considerations... when selecting your fish for the conditions of your water and compatibility are their shapes, and where they tend to hang out in the tank: bottom, mid or top 1/3.

If you have 3 shoals of all the same torpedo shape to size - say Neon, Green Kubotai, and Ruby Tetras, the look of the tank is less interesting than say, Green Kubotai, Purple Harlequin Rasboras, a group of Congo or Lemon Tetras - all differing shapes and colors which look nice together (only as an example of color and shapes not necessarily a specific combo recommendation).

There are so many amazing fish that are offered in specialty shops and online that you might be researching options for awhile! :fish2:
 
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Will have too look into the micro rasboras.

Was also looking at these. ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1474734848.867932.jpg
Pseudomugil gertrudae

Life expectancy is the main drawback though unless I made temporary breeding and fry tanks.








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First grow in progress photo.


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Those are pretty nice looking, the short life cycle is a downer for sure. It all depends if you want to grow out the eggs/fry to the future generations, and have the time to grow the micro foods and raise them as well. If you are interested in the challenges of raising babies then consider them.

Selecting tank mates carefully and making sure there is diffused lighting and they can get enough to eat could be a challenge, especially to make them comfortable with some of the other community fish in there.
 
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