Fishenthusiast's 30 Gallon Tank Journal

[fishenthusiast]

Hello everyone! In this thread, I discuss the aspects of my tank and give updates. Ever since I joined this forum, I've gained so much knowledge about aquascaping, and how to make a tank look awesome. Here is my current fish stock:

7 Threadfin Rainbowfish (4 males and 3 females)

4 Bentos Tetras

1 Electric Blue Ram (female)

5 Cory Cats

2 Panda Garra

2 Assassin Snails

I plan on adding the following fish/inverts:

3 Threadfin Rainbowfish (1 male and 2 females)

8-12 Harlequin Rasboras (after the Bentos Tetras have all died. Three of them have died in the past couple of weeks, so I think they're getting old.)

5 Amano Shrimp

I have the following plants:

Java Fern
Anubias Batari var. nana
Amazon Swords
Cryptocoryne undulata 'red'
Cryptocoryne Wendtii 'red'
Cryptocoryne Wendtii 'bronze'
Java Moss
Anubias Afzelli
Green Melon Swords
Broadleaf Sagittaria

I plan on adding the following plants:

Cryptocoryne Wendtii "Florida Sunset"
Cryptocoryne Wendtii "Brown"
Staurogyne repens
Marsilea crenata
Some Vallisneria
Red Tiger Lotus (if room permits)
Crinum Calamistratum
Some floating plants (haven't decided yet)

Here are some pictures of my tank at the moment:

Input is appreciated! Suggestions to further enhance my aquascape are welcome too. Thanks

 

[fishenthusiast]

Update--June 18, 2014

Water Parameters:

pH: 7.6
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm
Phosphates: 2 ppm

 

[severum mama]

Nice job so far! A 30 gal has so many options. I would personally add more threadfin rainbows, when the time comes, vs. the group of harlequin rasboras. Harlequins are pretty, no doubt, but threadfin rainbows are not only sexually dimorphic, but imo more interesting to watch. As always, this is just an opinion.

 

[fishenthusiast]

Nice job so far! A 30 gal has so many options. I would personally add more threadfin rainbows, when the time comes, vs. the group of harlequin rasboras. Harlequins are pretty, no doubt, but threadfin rainbows are not only sexually dimorphic, but imo more interesting to watch. As always, this is just an opinion.

Thanks! I really like the Threadfins. They are the most interesting fish I've ever had. Maybe I'll get a smaller school of some fish, and up the Threadfin Rainbowfish number beyond 10. I've read that they do best in huge groups anyway.

 

[elephantnose]

Yeah, that is awesome

 

[fishenthusiast]

Yeah, that is awesome

Thanks!

 

[fishenthusiast]

I've updated my plant wish list a little bit. I plan on getting the following plants very soon:

Cryptocoryne spiralis
Cryptocoryne Balansae
Cryptocoryne Wendtii "Red"
Cryptocoryne Wendtii "Florida Sunset"
Maybe another type of Crypt (I love them!)
Downoi
Staurogyne repens
Water Sprite
Crinum Calamistratum
Maybe some more Amazon Swords
Java Fern, Lace
Some type of floating plant

 

[elephantnose]

Make sure you upload a pic. What do you use as fertilizer?

 

[fishenthusiast]

Make sure you upload a pic. What do you use as fertilizer?

I use PPS-Pro as my fertilizer and I dose Flourish Excel as my liquid carbon

 

[fishenthusiast]

I'm beginning to consider Peacock Gudgeons to add to my stock when my Bentos Tetras die. Originally I thought about Harlequin Rasboras, so this will be a tough decision when the time comes. Maybe I'll have room for both one day.

 

[FishyFreak]

Looking Great!

 

[FishyFreak]

Looking good!

 

[fishenthusiast]

Looking good!

Thanks!

 

[fishenthusiast]

Update--June 18, 2014

Water Parameters:

pH: 7.6
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm
Phosphates: 2 ppm

Update--June 25, 2014

Water Parameters:

pH: 7.6
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm
Phosphates: 2 ppm

I'd like to increase my phosphates to 5 ppm, so I'll have to increase some of my fert dosing.


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[Luvmyfishes]

Looks great!


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[fishenthusiast]

Looks great!


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Thanks! I'll be receiving some plants from Peabody's on Monday or Tuesday, so I'll give a picture update then. Also, I might be changing the driftwood in a couple weeks, so stay tuned ?.


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[Luvmyfishes]

Will do!


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[fishenthusiast]

Just planted some Rotala rotundifolia from Peabody's.


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[fishenthusiast]

Update--July 7, 2014
I added the following plants:

Cryptocoryne Wendtii "Red"
Rotala rotundifolia
Cyperus helferi
Ludwigia repens
Crinum calamistratum
Red Root Floater
A few stems of Staurogyne repens



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[Luvmyfishes]

It really looks great! Love your little German Blue Ram photo bombing the one shot!


Kim