My 20G Long FW Planted Tank Build/Journey

[daileene]

thank you both so much for the info on how to clean the tank..I will be doing that once I will have the filter and the lighting...

 

[McLumpy]

Hey, girl! I knew there had to be a build thread for your 20g. (Sorry I didn't find it until now. lol)

How is your search going for the filter and light fixture?

Hope all is well!

 

[daileene]

good morning dear...i am so sorry i wasn't able to answer as soon as I could. yep, this is my 20G long build...not quite interesting yet. i already have a light and a filter in mind but i don't have extra funds yet so i am still stuck.

i will want to get the AC50 and i want to get it at foster and smith online coz they actually have a sale for it right now. and for the light, i am thinking of the t8. well see how much money i can get. so frustrating how you wanted the best and the funds are tight...LOL....

but I will really take a picture of it one day. your plants are actually in it right now, with only the window light coming in and they are actually fine. it is amazing...i didn't end up doing a dirt approach on this one as i planned. but it's okay. I used my extra bag of gravel instead coz i didn't have enough funds to buy extra stuff...so...that's all for now.

 

[daileene]

Okay, I am still out of funds so I still don't have filter and lighting on this tank, but I ended up putting the heater, the DWs with anubias, small jungle val, and the spiralis crypt. I placed it near a window in my bedroom so the sunlight can at least give some light to plants. The spiralis are actually growing. The amazon sword is not doing too great, but I know it is still getting used to the tank. So here are the updated pictures:

 

[McLumpy]

Yeah, that Sword is looking a little droopy. Is that one of the plants I sent to you? I'm sorry you haven't been able to get a filter or lights yet. The tank is starting to take form though... so, YAY!!

Oh, and check your PM.

 

[daileene]

Yeah, that's the sword you sent me and the spiralis too. So sorry it looked droopy. I saw one new leaf coming through though. So yayy... the spiralis' old leaves already melted so all the leaves you see here are all new baby sproutlets. This tank looks a little okay now, rather than being empty. With all my mishaps, I decided to look for something else to play with. :-(

And yes, I did read your PM. ((((((more hugs))))))) You are such a sweetie. For real. Don't ever change.

 

[daileene]

Okay, I had received mclumpy's filter and I am so thankful from the bottom of my heart.

I am not home right now yet due to family medical situation. And so I haven't been able to put the filter in yet in this tank.

Anyway, I want to ask if this possible stocks are way overboard for the 20G long:

5 x long fin zebra danio
5 x long fin leopard danio
5 x cherry barb
5 x pygmy cories

Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much in advance.

 

[Coleallensmom]

Hope things get better!!!!! ((HUGS))

You must have very similar taste to my 7 year old. lol This is what he has in his 20 gal long:

6 x zebra danio
5 x cherry barb
4 x peppered cories
2 x nerites

 

[daileene]

oh wow, you are right about that. cool! i just want to know if it will be overstocked if i get all 20 fish. if it will be, then i have to take one group out.

 

[Coleallensmom]

Well, I think that would depend on who you ask. A lot of people would probably say that's not overstocked. I think as long as you're doing regular water changes you should be ok. The zebra danio and the leopard danio should swim together though so you could possibly do less of those if you wanted. I tend to try and play it conservatively which is why Mr. Seven only has the 15. My 8 yr old has even less fish in his tank because he picked fish that are heavy waste producers.

 

[daileene]

ahhhhh good info. thanks alisha.

right now the filter is in, the water parameters right now are:

ammonia: goes back to 0ppm every 24 hours now
nitrite: highest ppm (the purplest one) - I am afraid it stalled so I have to do a PWC.

to mclumpy: thank you again so much dear....the BB was still alive.

 

[McLumpy]

ahhhhh good info. thanks alisha.

right now the filter is in, the water parameters right now are:

ammonia: goes back to 0ppm every 24 hours now
nitrite: highest ppm (the purplest one) - I am afraid it stalled so I have to do a PWC.

to mclumpy: thank you again so much dear....the BB was still alive.

That is great news!

Has there been any change w/ the parameters?

 

[daileene]

Hi...I am sorry for the late reply. I actually let the tank be for awhile. All I have been doing is to kept on feeding the Ammonia source and I haven't check the latest parameters yet. But I am thinking of doing it tomorrow. ((((((Hugssssss)))))

 

[daileene]

Hello all...another month has passed and I still haven't had any light over this tank. Budget is still tight. Although the plants are actually doing well (crypts, java ferns, and anubias) with just the sunlight near the window as its light. Didn't have fish yet eventhough the cycling is done. I think I will wait until I will finally have the light hood. I am excited to make this one a community tank though. I am thinking of putting some fish here that might be able to tolerate colder temperature just in case if we lose power again due to weather. I know they said that zebra danios can tolerate at least 60 degrees same as the bloodfin tetras. Is there any other kind of fish that can tolerate colder temp aside from goldfish?

Thanks.

 

[McLumpy]

Hey, Daileene! I read your other threads and I feel so bad about the loss of your fishes.

I was researching Guppies a week or so ago and, if I remember correctly, I read that Guppies can withstand cooler water temps than most fish. I got my 3 Lyretail Guppies from Petco and they are absolutely beautiful! That might be another option for you.

Also, did I read on one of your other threads that you were looking into getting RCS? I have my Guppies in w/ my juvenile RCS and they are doing great together. I was worried that the fishes would try to eat the li'l guys, but they more or less ignore them.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Love the 20gal long, its an awesome size for an aquarium. Just a couple of helpful thoughts since you are on a tight budget. Have you considered stocking native minnows in a nice planted tank rather than tropicals? Reason I ask is because with the potential of a low temp tank, they would probably do well. I would not however mix natives with tropicals. Additionally, have you considered picking up one or two of the cheap clip-on reflectors and a couple of 10,000 sunlight bulbs from say Ace or Home Depot? Not much of an investment, and they would easily produce good growth and tide you over till you can afford a better light.

 

[Coleallensmom]

Just wanted to send some hugs your way! The weather we've been experiencing on the east coast has been amazing this year. Hopefully we'll not experience anything like it again.

 

[daileene]

Hey, Daileene! I read your other threads and I feel so bad about the loss of your fishes.

I was researching Guppies a week or so ago and, if I remember correctly, I read that Guppies can withstand cooler water temps than most fish. I got my 3 Lyretail Guppies from Petco and they are absolutely beautiful! That might be another option for you.

Also, did I read on one of your other threads that you were looking into getting RCS? I have my Guppies in w/ my juvenile RCS and they are doing great together. I was worried that the fishes would try to eat the li'l guys, but they more or less ignore them.

Hi dear...I am sorry too. But yeah, I was actually looking at the guppy family too...specifically the endlers livebearers. They are pretty.

I did considered different options for my 4.4G since my betta died there. Another member recommended the RCS for the size of my tank and I am considering it. They really do have a small bioload which is perfect for my tank.

But I will definitely get guppys for my 20G long pretty soon. Maybe I will put some shrimp there too as well.

 

[daileene]

Love the 20gal long, its an awesome size for an aquarium. Just a couple of helpful thoughts since you are on a tight budget. Have you considered stocking native minnows in a nice planted tank rather than tropicals? Reason I ask is because with the potential of a low temp tank, they would probably do well. I would not however mix natives with tropicals. Additionally, have you considered picking up one or two of the cheap clip-on reflectors and a couple of 10,000 sunlight bulbs from say Ace or Home Depot? Not much of an investment, and they would easily produce good growth and tide you over till you can afford a better light.

I totally agree with you there. The area is just so great for aquascaping. I was also actually looking at the white cloud minnows (?) or was it white mountain minnows. I wanted to get them as well. But I don't normally find them in my LFS around here. So I am not sure if they are somehow expensive? And I totally understand about not mixing them with tropicals.

The clip ons is actually a good idea. I could try looking at Home Depot sometime next week. Thank you.

 

[daileene]

Just wanted to send some hugs your way! The weather we've been experiencing on the east coast has been amazing this year. Hopefully we'll not experience anything like it again.

(((((hugs))))) thanks alisha. I hope we are going to be okay in the winter. I am really dreading it, specially that I don't have any generator at all. We hope for the best.