Updated stock list for a 29gal, will this work?

[reun]

My 29 gallon tank is fully cycled(with multiple plants growing), and I have been slowly adding fish, and I am trying to decide what the final stock list will be, so any suggestions or advice would be great. This is what I am currently planning:

*3 cherry barbs(maybe 4 to make it 3 female & 1 male)
*7 danios
*7 bronze corys

*1 hill stream loach?

Right now the tank has a soft sand substrate, slate rocks, and plants. There is a huge amount of current from two Aquaclear 50 over-the-back filters, a Aquaclear 50 powerhead, and a airstone. It has a 14watt full spectrum light that stays on from sunrise to sunset, and two full spectrum 23 watt mini CFL bulbs on for 7 hours a day. The tank also gets some direct sunlight in the late afternoon hours in a well lit room.

I don't have any algae eaters in the tank, and if i don't scrub it, the tank develops algae...I was thinking maybe a small hillstream loach would be a good addition to the tank. I think because of the powerful air pump,power head, and water flow, the loach should be able to thrive. The danios love the current, and the cherry barbs find rest from the current in the plants.


So, thats my tank! Any help or thoughts would be great!

[BigJim]

It looks good except for a few things:

- Feel free to add a few more cherry barbs. They look good in bigger groups and you've got the room.

- I worry that you might blow your fish around with that much water flow. You could remove the powerhead and airstone with no ill effects.

- The hillstream loach is a coldwater fish. At best you'd have to make a compromise on temperature to try an suit both the tropicals and the loach.

- That's a lot of light on that tank. Are you running CO2 and fertilizers? If not, I'd suggest cutting back the light.

- Look at nerite snails for algae control.

[reun]

here are some answers to those questions:

1. I will go with 4 cherry barbs at least then, 3 female 1 male to start

2. I have a fair amount of plants, rock, and driftwood in the tank to provide less current for the cherry barbs. The powerhead is backed down on flow quite a bit. I was told Danios and hillstream loaches loved current, hence the set up.

3. As far as I know, all of the fish I have should have no problem with 70 degree water temperature...I read hillstream loaches do ok in up to 75 degree water temp, is that false? I don't want to get the fish if it wont be happy and healthy in my tank.

4. I am using fertilizer, but I do not have a CO2 injection system. I can drop the lighting down if that will help the fish and plants. should I cut the time that the CFL's are on down to a few hours a day to start?

5. I keep the tank clean by hand, the only reason I mentioned the algae was because I read that the hillstream loaches liked algae and were less adaptable to pellet foods.

[BigJim]

3. It sounds like you've done your homework. I've got cherry barbs and panda cories in 72 degree water and they're happy. I'm no expert on hillstreams. I just wanted to make sure you were aware that they're not tropical.

4. What do you use for fertilizer? If you're ok with a little algae, you can leave the lights as they are.

[reun]

yeah, if I can keep the temp around 70 to 72 degrees it should be ok, I asked in general chat if anyone had experience with the loaches, and I am doing more homework before I actually get one. I am fine with scrubbing the glass of any remaining algae, so I may cut the light back a bit, but not too much, I want the plants to keep growing.

the fertilizer I was using is called FlourishTabs made by SeaChem Laboratories. So far it seems to be working nicely, any recommendations would be great though!