After months of deliberation I finally got another tank. I went with the new Fluval Vista 23 kit.
The measurements listed are 30x12x18 but my measuring puts it at closer to 29x11x17.
It came with an AquaClear 30 filter and a 100W heater.
Not sure about the specs on the built in
led lights, but I'm sure it counts as low light. I'll be keeping it low tech.
I got 26lbs of garnet sand as substrate and some Flourish to help the plants along, since they won't get anything from the substrate. (It'll all be slow growing low light plants, so they shouldn't need much.)
I seeded the filter with media from my established tank and also added plants and driftwood from established tanks - along with starter bb in the form of SeaChem Stability.
I'm in desperate need of help with hardscaping/aquascaping. Here's where it stands now:
I'd love some of your thoughts about ways to arrange/rearrange the driftwood. I was also thinking of getting some rocks to use.
My 5G tank was so easy to fill up and this one looks barren!
The plants in there now are a couple kinds of anubias and wendtii and one other thing I've already forgotten the name of.
I'd really like to fill the space more, especially using more of the height, and make it feel lush - both for aesthetics and so the future fish will have a nice environment and hiding places.
As for stocking, I'd love advice on that front too.
I have one bn pleco that will be moving into the tank. Beyond that I was thinking of a couple schools of tetras, maybe diamond and cardinal. Also possibly some shrimp.
I'm open to the idea of some loaches or corys for the bottom, if I've got the room to spare.
I had wanted some kind of centerpiece fish to make things interesting, but I'm also worried about space and about harmony in the tank.
I think some kind of gourami could be lovely if they'd get along with everyone. Not sure what other options I'd have.
So, brilliant denizens of AquariumAdvice, please let me know your thoughts.