Newly Set-up 20g log..

[zephyr]

I got a 20 g tank a couple days ago, now I've set it up.

I used a piece of driftwood, a couple of rocks, some new black gravel seeded with a lot more gravel I got second hand from a LFS and from my previous tank (will hopefully be some beneficial bacteria in there!).
I also used some play sand and small pebbles for the path/riverbed effect.

I've planted some hygro varieties, lilaeopsis, dwarf chain sword and some hairgrass.

I need to upgrade the lights when I get paid, plus really put some money aside for a pressurized CO2 system, since these DIY ones don't work too well for me. Unfortunately I'm a student living away from home so I have little spare cash *sighs*

There's a guppy in there to cycle it, basically because I had it left over from my previous tank.
When I filled the tank many many snails I assume are malaysian trumpets emerged from the substrate, so I'm guessing they came with the secondhand gravel from the LFS. If they get out of control I'll look into getting a small loach or try to 'bait' them with lettuce or something.

So I'm planning on a larger shoal of forktail rainbows 'cause they are really gorgeous little fish. I was thinking of a pair of bolivian rams too or apistogramma, and some type of small bottom dweller, but I really haven't decided, maybe some corydoras or kuhlis.
I was also thinking of a couple pairs of dwarf gouramis to scatter up the forktails.
In time I'll potentially get a couple of otos or a bristle-nose for algae if it crops up (which I'm sure it will).
What are people's thoughts on this stocking?

Here's a photo of it on the 2nd day (water not 100% clear yet):


Jus.

[gheitman]

I like what you did with the path of white gravel/sand. You might want to look at attaching some Java fern or moss to the driftwood. Loaches won't really help you with MTS (aka Malaysian trumpet snails) because those snails have very hard shells. I would try the old trick of putting a piece of lettuce in the tank overnight and then remove it in the morning when the snails are snacking. Look at a school of dwarf cories (i.e. C. pygmaeus, C. habrosus or C. hastatus) if available. They go great in a tank that size with dwarf cichlids like apistos or Bolivian rams.