How to upgrade

[SwimsWithFish]

Hey all! After I get my reef tank set up im going to upgrade my 10 gallon to a 29 gallon. How should I go about doing this? Do I need to cycle the new tank? The fish from the 10 are going to go in it. Stocking for the 29 will be this:
5 bloodfin tetras
5 neon tetras
3 dwarf gouramis
3 ottos
20 rcs
3 mystery snails

What do you guys think? Will an aquaclear 70 be too much for filtration? Thanks

 

[Gboy66]

Hey all! After I get my reef tank set up im going to upgrade my 10 gallon to a 29 gallon. How should I go about doing this? Do I need to cycle the new tank? The fish from the 10 are going to go in it. Stocking for the 29 will be this:
5 bloodfin tetras
5 neon tetras
3 dwarf gouramis
3 ottos
20 rcs
3 mystery snails

What do you guys think? Will an aquaclear 70 be too much for filtration? Thanks

Hmmmm lets seeee. I think i would skip out on the dwarf gouramis, and go for a different type. How bout a honey? Im not sure about gourami compatability, but i dont think 3 is a good number. Maybe a honey gourami pair, and if they are good tempered add a GBR? IMO, DG's are pretty messed up. (diseases, DG disease).

Everything looks pretty good regardless, but make sure to add the ottos 5-6 months after the tank has been established. They are fragile little buggars. I like the idea of the shrimp! Densly plant the tank, and get 10. Then they will reproduce and youll have quite a few if they can hide well enough!

I like the stock though! Just watch out for those gouramis!

 

[SwimsWithFish]

Thanks gboy! What do YOU think would look good in that tank? Lol when I first started out with aquariums I took advice from this petsmart chick(big no no) and I put 3 gouramis and 3 tiger barbs in a ten gallon together. It didn't go too well. It was like the Texas cichlid massacre.:0 haha.

 

[Gboy66]

Thanks gboy! What do YOU think would look good in that tank? Lol when I first started out with aquariums I took advice from this petsmart chick(big no no) and I put 3 gouramis and 3 tiger barbs in a ten gallon together. It didn't go too well. It was like the Texas cichlid massacre.:0 haha.

Lol!! Haha i would go densly planted, drifwood with java moss, java ferns, and low light plants in the corners and have

7x cardinal tetras
7x rummynose tetras
1x GBR or bolivian ram
5x kuhli loaches
Cherry shrimp and snails

I dont think the ram would eat the shrimp bec its so small

 

[SwimsWithFish]

That would be awesome but I have the
2 bloodfins and 5 neons from the 10. The light that comes with the tank is probably pretty crappy. http://m.petsmart.com/mt/www.petsma...ctId=3804444&lmdn=Fish&un_sort_top_btn=Update

It doesn't say the wattage. It's probably a 24 inch bulb since its a 30" tank.... So 18 watts? Could I densely fake plant? Lol I've never done live plants. I kinda want this to be a cheap upgrade. I just need to get a heater, the tank, and some fake plants and driftwood. No fake corals or divers. I want this one to look natural

 

[SwimsWithFish]

To start the new tank can I just run the new filter with the old one? Or do I need to cycle again?

 

[Gboy66]

That would be awesome but I have the
2 bloodfins and 5 neons from the 10. The light that comes with the tank is probably pretty crappy. http://m.petsmart.com/mt/www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3804444&lmdn=Fish&un_sort_top_btn=Update

It doesn't say the wattage. It's probably a 24 inch bulb since its a 30" tank.... So 18 watts? Could I densely fake plant? Lol I've never done live plants. I kinda want this to be a cheap upgrade. I just need to get a heater, the tank, and some fake plants and driftwood. No fake corals or divers. I want this one to look natural

Thats all good, the other stock is just what i would do. Up the two tetra schools to 7 to make them all very happy, and noooo!!! No fake plants!! There are tons of options for plants that require no more light than comes with your tank! It makes the tank look great, keeps the water cleaner, and helps your cycling process immensly! Seriously, i will send you some hornwort lol. Live plants are easy, i did it and i am no where near as smart as you. Heres my 40 gallon planted. The hornwort is the stuff floating and in the backround and the lighting is nothig special....

 

[Gboy66]

To start the new tank can I just run the new filter with the old one? Or do I need to cycle again?

Run the new with the old, that way your BB will stay intact and cycle your tank quicker

 

[Fearitself]

Thats all good, the other stock is just what i would do. Up the two tetra schools to 7 to make them all very happy, and noooo!!! No fake plants!! There are tons of options for plants that require no more light than comes with your tank! It makes the tank look great, keeps the water cleaner, and helps your cycling process immensly! Seriously, i will send you some hornwort lol. Live plants are easy, i did it and i am no where near as smart as you. Heres my 40 gallon planted. The hornwort is the stuff floating and in the backround and the lighting is nothig special....

Those are awesome looking plants

 

[Gboy66]

Those are awesome looking plants

Thank you very much!

 

[SwimsWithFish]

Haha I love the look of a planted tank.... Could I plant them in regular aquarium gravel? Are thy cheap? Can you give me some examples of easy low light cheap plants?

 

[SwimsWithFish]

VERY nice tank btw

 

[Gboy66]

Haha I love the look of a planted tank.... Could I plant them in regular aquarium gravel? Are thy cheap? Can you give me some examples of easy low light cheap plants?

Yes, you can plant in aquarium gravel, or just dirt! But i have never done dirt. Use black aquarium gravel, and that will make all your plants really stand out! Most plants are realtivly cheap, 3-5 dollars for a couple stems, and you just let them grow out. Your tank will look bare in the beginning, but with time, and fertilizer they will grow in no time. I use flourish excel once a week.
http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/FlourishExcel.html

Some easy low light plants areee
Most vals- jungle val is GREAT!
java moss
Java ferns
Hornwort
Water wisteria
Water sprite
Water lettuce
Bihir
Some types of swords

Heres a great website for all of this!!
http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide.php

Thanks for the compliment, hope this helps a bit 8)

 

[Benaquagrande120]

Hey There's no such thing as too much filtration its meant to be a powerhead is ten times more powerful than the amount of litres of your tank no head height unless you add more power to the powerhead of the pump

 

[Gboy66]

Ya, no such thing as over filtration lol

 

[SwimsWithFish]

Lol I know I ment too much movement. But it will be ok.

 

[Gboy66]

Lol I know I ment too much movement. But it will be ok.

Cool! So what are you thinking for stock? And this tank is a long way off, right

 

[SwimsWithFish]

Yeah, probably march.

 

[SwimsWithFish]

I really want some kind of grass to cover part of the bottom. Are there any grasses I could put in there?

 

[Gboy66]

I really want some kind of grass to cover part of the bottom. Are there any grasses I could put in there?

Not really, with such lo light, they would most likely grow up, not out. If you had root tabs an ferts, i think you could try dwarf baby tears, but the light wouldnt help much...try dwarf sag, that wont carpet, but it might stay lower. Your best bet is moss, but that doeant look to great