GuppyGal85
Aquarium Advice Newbie
Several years ago, a friend dumped a 10 gallon tank on me full of feeder guppies. I researched as fast as I could and saved the tank (ammonia levels were insane), and fell in love with it. I added some plants and got some blue pearl shrimp (which came with some kind of moss and some pesky snails), and then added a few otos and clown loaches (I know, I shouldn't have, but they helped in keeping the guppy and snail population down). I loved that tank. I had to give it to an aquarium junkie friend when I moved.
This past weekend, I found a 20 gallon tank at a garage sale with a few accessories for $25. This is going to be my new project and I want to do the research and prepare BEFORE getting it set up. It needs a filter, a heater, and a new hood & light. I want it to be a planted, tropical community tank. I've fallen for guppies, so I will definitely have them. I will need fish who will help keep the population down. Since I want plants, I'll probably have algea (at least I hope I do), so I want some otos as well.
My requests for advice are on:
1) Type of lighting for a planted tank
2) When should I do the planting? After cycling before adding fish? How gradually? Any specific order (foreground, mid, background)?
3) Any suggestions on other kinds of fish to add. My last tank pretty well kept itself clean with the combination of fish and snails I had. I liked that. Since I want a planted tank, I want to use substrate and have a ground cover, so vacuuming isn't desirable. I like different types of fish (guppies + otos + shrimp, etc), but i need an idea for something that hangs out in the mid-level waters. I also like the khuli loaches, but I don't know anyone who has had them. Any comments on that?
Hope I didn't overwhelm everyone. Any discussion is greatly appreciated.
This past weekend, I found a 20 gallon tank at a garage sale with a few accessories for $25. This is going to be my new project and I want to do the research and prepare BEFORE getting it set up. It needs a filter, a heater, and a new hood & light. I want it to be a planted, tropical community tank. I've fallen for guppies, so I will definitely have them. I will need fish who will help keep the population down. Since I want plants, I'll probably have algea (at least I hope I do), so I want some otos as well.
My requests for advice are on:
1) Type of lighting for a planted tank
2) When should I do the planting? After cycling before adding fish? How gradually? Any specific order (foreground, mid, background)?
3) Any suggestions on other kinds of fish to add. My last tank pretty well kept itself clean with the combination of fish and snails I had. I liked that. Since I want a planted tank, I want to use substrate and have a ground cover, so vacuuming isn't desirable. I like different types of fish (guppies + otos + shrimp, etc), but i need an idea for something that hangs out in the mid-level waters. I also like the khuli loaches, but I don't know anyone who has had them. Any comments on that?
Hope I didn't overwhelm everyone. Any discussion is greatly appreciated.