Is this tank setup ok and an oto question

[Rsquared333]

I'm making a mid to heavily planted 10 gal tank. Here are the specifics.

Filter- Marineland Penguin Bio-Wheel Power Filter Mini

Heater- 50 watt Tronic heater

Lighting- 18 watt Triton flourecent bulb

Fish- 13-15 pygmy corydoras
1 sinapore flower shrimp
3 cherry fire shrimp

Plants- 1 Anacharis
2 Blood Stargrass
3 Japanese Fans
1 Dwarf Lily Plant
4 Dwarf Onions
1 Asian Ambulia
10 Tall Sagittaria subulata
1 small red-spot Ozelot sword
8 Crypt Walkeri
3 Java Ferns
1 Java Moss

I am wondering how this looks to a more advanced aquariust than I. I was also wondering whether the fish I have will be suitable to handle algae build up. I thought about adding 1 or 2 oto cats. What would be the right number of otos for this tank or am I ok without them. ( to me most likely I will need the otos and I am unsure of how many will be ok )

 

[bgcheese]

Sounds like you have a lot of plants on your list, but you can make it work if you keep the bigger plants trimmed to allow light for all of you plants.

Yes getting some algae eaters will help start with one and work your way up depneding on how much algae you get. The trick with planted tanks is getting the balance some algae growth is definitely expected since they have similar demands as the plants do.

Adding CO2 will get those plants to start up faster reduceing the algae problems, the starter kits are available at most fish shops. Once you get all the plants establshed reducing the CO2 to get a balance helps to prevent them from gowing like weeds and the fish waste and all other decay usaully takes over the need for the CO2, be careful to watch your PH and hardess during all of this heavily planted tanks tend to have these levels bounce around for about 3 months until it fully gets balanced.

 

[mitche8359]

Wow.. sounds like a crowded tank. That anachari will try to take over the tank. Has to be kept pruned. Every 3-4 months I had to tear out the old anacharis and replant the tops as the bottome get straggly looking.

This is only my opinion but it sounds like a crowded tank. I'm familiar with a lot of the ones on the list but not all. Maybe the others are really small. When ya get it done, snap a pic of it if you have a digi camera. Would love to see it. Might encourage me to go small.

Honestly, I'm not sure if you'll need that oto. After the plants gets established, I doubt that you'll have much algae to speak of.

 

[crickit99]

I am by no means an expert, but that does seem like a crowded tank...plants and fish.
I overplanted my tanks at first, and with in a few weeks I had to start pulling things out. Certain things grow faster than others.
I have a 20 gallon with a few Crispus (apon's), Java Moss, Java Fern, banana plants, and Drawf Sag....and it's a jungle! Mainly from the apon's though.

I have some ghost shrimp in all my tanks. (Went with the cheaper as the more expensive ones I got were eaten!) They will be all over the tank, fun to watch.

As you listed only pygmy Cories....and all of those plants... you won't have much of a tank bottom for them... I'd suggest a smaller school of them, maybe 6...fewer plants...and maybe 1 centerpiece fish that stays smaller.
10 gallon tanks are a tad more difficult to keep stable, the plants will help. But if you overstock, you are going to have to make sure you do a lot more upkeep on it.

Also, I have ottos. You don't want to add them until after the tank is set up for a while, and they require clean/good water. And with the mentioned fish....that seems like too much. If you are worried about algae, maybe get a snail? (One that won't breed like crazy!)

Christina

 

[Menagerie]

I love pygmy cats!!!! That will be a great tank Since pygmies max out at an inch--I've had mine for almost a year and they are still 1/2"--go for it. Stay on top of the water changes and the bioload should be fine.

As for the otos, hold off on them. They need an established tank to do well and if the plants are done correctly, there will be no algae.

You also may need more light. 1.8 wpg sounds low for a heavily planted tank. Post in the planted tank forum on help with that. They will also tell you more about CO2 systems and how to make them at home.

 

[Rsquared333]

Thanks for all the helpful info. The plants I listed come in a package together an I was all ready thinking of not using the larger ones ( probably should have said that ). Thanks for the oto info too, ghost shrimp and snails will do as a replacement and are cheaper.