Eschies first GBR tank

[Eschie]

After lurking on this site for quite a while, I have decided to post my own adventure! I've dealt with the guppy fun tank and platy communities but now I'm stepping it up a notch. I just bought my own 20 gallon and I plan on stocking it with a pair of German Blue Rams and some other community fish.

My stocking ideas-
2x GBRs
5x harlequin rasboras or neon tetras
1x pleco
3-5x some other schooling fish

What do y'all think about that? I am a little unsure about what schooling fish to add with the rams as I hope to get them to be able to safely spawn.

I will also be tracking my cycle as it goes on here to. ill be getting my API master kit tomorrow and some ammonia to start the tank. I also have a large amount of seed material so hopefully I can get the cycle done pretty quickly.

Here's a few pics of the rock setup without the live plants yet.








If you have any hints, tips or opinions please feel free to speak up. I can't wait to get this thing up and running

 

[smallfry53]

Good luck with the tank. I just recommend researching as much as you can about the fish you want as possible, and add the GBRs last. What kind of pleco are you planning on getting? I like the rocks and I'm sure it will look better with plants. I would get a background, or it would probably look nice with the back painted black.

 

[azmodan]

GBRs need a reasonably mature tank generally, so be careful how early you put them in. Are you planning on some floating plants? They like a little cover from the light so a plant like frogbit is recommended.

 

[Scottyhorse]

Also, if you want them to have a good, secessful spawn, IMO, you should have them in a ten gal by themselves. It is possible to have a sucessful spawn in the community tank setting.Hatchet fish would be a good second schooling fish. I am also cycling a twentyfive gallon fish tank that will have a pair of rams, 6 Hatchet Fish, 10 Ember Tetras, and 3 Upside Down Cats or PitBull Plecos.Have fun!

 

[Eschie]

You too!

And a quick question. Would a pH of around 8.2 or so hurt my chances of keeping/ breeding the rams?

 

[Chronos313]

I believe with rams you want to be between 7-7.5 in ph and if breeding I think I read 6.5 but don't hold me 100% on that. If you want to drop your ph add some driftwood to your tank. Mopani is the preferred while there are others available such as Malaysia driftwood which can bleed a reddish tinge into your water.


http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/cichlid/germanblueram.php

I got some info here. Just general info I guess. I'm sure someone here will clarify in depth

 

[Scottyhorse]

You too!

And a quick question. Would a pH of around 8.2 or so hurt my chances of keeping/ breeding the rams?

Probably unles you find a local breeder who breeds them at that PH.

 

[Eschie]

Day 4-

Ammo- 1.0
Nitrites- .25
Nitrates- haha
Doses the ammonia back up to 4.0 ppm

 

[CharlieKlein]

Hi there! I am also planning in gbr's ad ph is 6.6 so I think that is ideal. For you, try adding driftwood to lower it naturally. As for stock, you could do
6 harqualin rasboras
2 German blue rams
6 neon tetras
1 BN pleco

 

[Eschie]

Is it weird at all to have a nitrate reading this early in a cycle? It's day 6 in my fishless cycle.

Ammo- 1-2 ppm
Ites- 2-5 ppm
Ates- 20 ppm

I dosed the ammonia back up to 4 ppm

 

[Eschie]

Hi there! I am also planning in gbr's ad ph is 6.6 so I think that is ideal. For you, try adding driftwood to lower it naturally. As for stock, you could do
6 harqualin rasboras
2 German blue rams
6 neon tetras
1 BN pleco

I'm really likening this stock. What order do y'all think would be best to add them in?

 

[Mrs.h2012]

I'm really likening this stock. What order do y'all think would be best to add them in?

Are you fishless or fish in cycling? If fishless I would do everything except the rams and wait 3-4 months before adding the rams. However if you want rams right away check out Bolivian rams, they are much hardier than other rams. If fish in, I would start with either rasboras or tetras, I know tetras are hardy... Pretty sure rasboras are as well but not 100% as I've never had them.