Scottyhorse's 25 Gallon Community Build

[severum mama]

No clue on the nitrites. Are you sure you read all the directions? Did you rinse that test tube out really well before you tested? If nothing else, you might try a water change.

Although the rasboras you want do get a little bigger than B merah or B brigittae, it's still not a chance I would personally take.

You could add some cardinal tetras, they are nicer looking than neons anyway IMO (the red stripe extends the length of the fish's body, unlike the neon tetra where it only extends about halfway to the caudal). Espei rasboras, harlequin rasboras, or glowlight tetras are all very easy to keep and would add a nice touch of orange to your tank. Ember tetras stay very small, maxing out at around 1.25", but are larger-bodied than Boraras and are a better choice IMO for a ram tank. They always look pretty dull when I see them at pet shops but they are really great looking once you get them home and they settle down. They're pretty easy to keep as well.

You could do something like this:
2-3 Dwarf Upside Down Cat OR 2-3 pitbull pleco (these prefer to be kept in groups) OR 1 Bristlenose/Rubberlip/Clown pleco or similar

2 German Blue Rams- get a pair

6-8 Hatchet Fish

6-8 smaller tetra or rasbora, could easily add 10 if you want Ember tetras.

Start with the tetras or rasboras as your first addition, as they are likely going to be the most hardy of anything you add. Add 4-6 of them at first and monitor with the test kit. Second round of stocking, add the rest of them. Next thing I'd add would probably be your catfish, then the hatchets or rams.

[Scottyhorse]

I do like ember tetras, not sure if I want to add them in the tank or not. We'll see.

Oy, I hate having to stock all over again! So hard to decide what I want!!

For a second schooler, I like Cardinal, Penguin Tetra, Weitzmani Tetra, those may be too nippy, Jelly Bean Tetra, RummyNose, Neon Rasbora, yeah, that's a lot.
Which one would work best? I am thinking I'll buy the second school from The Wet Spot Tropical Fish, because they have more to choose from and more interesting fish.

I really like upside down cats but it will also depend on what Petsmart has...

Thanks for all the help SM.

Also, my younger brother would like to know, do you sell owls?

Lol.

[severum mama]

Weitzmani tetra are pretty hard to find. I have a few of them and they're really pretty shy. They can be challenging to keep, so I'd probably recommend a species setup for them as well.

Penguin tetras get a little large for your setup IMO.

[Scottyhorse]

Originally Posted by severum mama

Weitzmani tetra are pretty hard to find. I have a few of them and they're really pretty shy. They can be challenging to keep, so I'd probably recommend a species setup for them as well.

Penguin tetras get a little large for your setup IMO.

Dang. The Wet Spot Tropical Fish has the Weitzmani in right now, $3 each or 10/$27 if you want more.

Soooo, out of the others what would be best?

[severum mama]

Cardinal, rummynose, or ember would be good. I haven't kept the other ones you listed, although I think care for the jellybean tetra would be similar to the ember. Max size is about the same, I believe.

[Scottyhorse]

Now that my cat isn't typing....

Hmmm, decisions, decisions. I think I am going to cross out Jelly Bean Tetras, because I want to get the most color I can.
Ember Tetras look really great with plants, and I can keep more.
Cardinal Tetras also look nice with plants, but I hear they are pretty sensitive and can die easily.
Rummy Nose are also very pretty, and school tightly, but I have heard and read many times they are also prone to getting sick and dieing easily, which I really do not want.

From the three, I think I will either do cardinal tetras or Ember Tetras.

(Someday, I'll set a 40 breeding up and have a bunch of micro rasboras, a few kilifish, and dwarf loaches. Then I won't have to worry about them being eaten...)

[Scottyhorse]

OY, my mom got stuff that has surfactant in it again!
But, she did buy some frozen shrimp. Would adding half of one help along with the fish food? Or would it not and stink real bad?

[severum mama]

It's gross, but just put it in a new pantyhose or a filter media bag (makes it easier to get it out when you're done). I cycled a marine tank this way and it was really easy, pretty much a set it and forget it method.

[Scottyhorse]

Alright, it's in there! Does it matter if it's in the filter or not? How long should this take, anyways. Thanks!
What's your favorit between Cardinal and Ember Tetras?

[severum mama]

Doesn't matter, it varies, and I don't have a favorite between those two.

[mwampoki]

How is your CO2 working out. A couple of days ago you said it had stopped bubbling. Did it start again?

[Scottyhorse]

Well, it will only bubble if there is nothing at the end of the tube, and it sits about 1/4 inch from the top of the water But I am not super concerned about it today, our chicken coop caught on fire this morning, so me and my brother had to get that handled, lol. Poor chickens.

But yeah... I read someone made a pressurized one for $80, so at some point I might try that.... HC isn't doing super well :/

[Scottyhorse]

I also decided to go with Ember Tetras!

[CorallineAlgae]

You may want to try changing the caps on the bottles. If you drill a small hole, so small that you have to cut the air line on a bias, lube it with Vaseline and pull it through with pliers, it'll make a much better pressure seal than silicone which will never hold the co2 under pressure. It really does sound like you have an gas leak. This is what I had to do years ago and it held up flawlessly without a drop of silicone.

[Scottyhorse]

Originally Posted by CorallineAlgae

You may want to try changing the caps on the bottles. If you drill a small hole, so small that you have to cut the air line on a bias, lube it with Vaseline and pull it through with pliers, it'll make a much better pressure seal than silicone which will never hold the co2 under pressure. It really does sound like you have an gas leak. This is what I had to do years ago and it held up flawlessly without a drop of silicone.

Uh, could you elaborate, please?

[Sambo7475]

It's an old water line trick, drill a hole about 1/2 the size of the tubing. Then cut the tubing diagonally, (like the pointy end of a straw for capri-sun) poke the end through the cap you've drilled, lube it with vaseline, and pull the tubing through with pliers, it'll never leak.
Does this make sense?

[CorallineAlgae]

Exactly right. Thanks for elaborating on it Sambo. That's by far the easiest and best way to make the bottle caps leak proof.

[Sambo7475]

no problem, hope you don't mind me jumping in .
I just measured the outside diameter of my airline tubing at 7/32" so i would drill a hole that is 7/64 (or 1/8 inch if you don't have a huge drillbit set). Feed the pointy end of the tubing you've cut through the cap and pull like heck with a pair of bullnose pliers.

[Scottyhorse]

Yes, that makes tons of sense! Thanks!

Now I have to find some new caps.... I'll have to steal some from other bottles! Haha.
I have the frozen shrimp in there in a pair of nylon tights I was never going to wear, how long till I should see some ammonia? When I tested it yesterday it was still at .50 or 1. Don't remember which...

[severum mama]

Every tank is different. Any predictions you find are going to be estimates only.