20 Gallon Low Light Tank Build Journal

[CorallineAlgae]

Anytime!

Well, I'm not sure if the shrimp would be safe with the gourami. You may want to look into it. I would add all the danios and snails first, wait a week, and if everything tests fine you can add half the cories and the gourami. Wait another couple of weeks and then add the rest of the cories. After a couple of good months you should be fine to have your shrimp. You could do the shrimp sooner but they like established tanks so adding them last is a good idea.

 

[PattyCakes81]

Anytime!

Well, I'm not sure if the shrimp would be safe with the gourami. You may want to look into it. I would add all the danios and snails first, wait a week, and if everything tests fine you can add half the cories and the gourami. Wait another couple of weeks and then add the rest of the cories. After a couple of good months you should be fine to have your shrimp. You could do the shrimp sooner but they like established tanks so adding them last is a good idea.

I am actually putting the Gourami last to give the shrimp a chance to grow and hopefully reproduce (fingers crossed)

 

[CorallineAlgae]

I am actually putting the Gourami last to give the shrimp a chance to grow and hopefully reproduce (fingers crossed)

That's an even better idea! I've never kept a honey gourami but I know they're one of the smaller ones. That may just work out. I know larger ones are almost always up for snacking on young shrimp. Adding him last will also give your plants time to grow and offer lots of hiding places for the shrimp.

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this but you won't need to run activated carbon in a planted tank. It can remove many of the ferts that plants use.

 

[PattyCakes81]

That's an even better idea! I've never kept a honey gourami but I know they're one of the smaller ones. That may just work out. I know larger ones are almost always up for snacking on young shrimp. Adding him last will also give your plants time to grow and offer lots of hiding places for the shrimp.

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this but you won't need to run activated carbon in a planted tank. It can remove many of the ferts that plants use.

From day one, I haven't run carbon. Just added another bag of Bio Max.
Would you happen to know how deep do I place the clay root tabs I bought?

 

[CorallineAlgae]

I'd place the tabs about an inch or two under the gravel unless you like to use a gravel vac to clean your substrate (which isn't really needed). If you like to siphon out your sand then you should put them at the very bottom and take care to only clean the first inch of sand so you don't suck out the particles of the clay tabs. Siphoning can easily damage plant roots and leave them to rot in the gravel making it more dirty than it would be without siphoning. I only clean the very top surface of the sand and never put the vac "into" it. Sounds weird, but it's better for the plants.

 

[PattyCakes81]

I'd place the tabs about an inch or two under the gravel unless you like to use a gravel vac to clean your substrate (which isn't really needed). If you like to siphon out your sand then you should put them at the very bottom and take care to only clean the first inch of sand so you don't suck out the particles of the clay tabs. Siphoning can easily damage plant roots and leave them to rot in the gravel making it more dirty than it would be without siphoning. I only clean the very top surface of the sand and never put the vac "into" it. Sounds weird, but it's better for the plants.

Thanks for your response. Most of the substrate is going to be planted (I ordered more plants ) but nothing like a carpet. Today I woke up to zero ammonia and nitrite. And lots of nitrates.

 

[PattyCakes81]

YAY ZEROS 2 DAYS IN A ROW
Yes fishy soon. Going to dose back up one more day to 4ppm.

 

[simplicitysarah]

Yah for zeros

 

[PattyCakes81]

Woo-hoo! Zeros again today! Going to dose up one more time. Not going to dose tomorrow. It's the day before fish arrive. Also doing at least a 90% WC tomorrow.

I think fishkeeping is one of the few things in life that we want ZEROS! Also I have notice that my pH had been stabilize since the cycle has been complete!

Can't wait, 2 more days! My fishy come, Yay!

 

[PattyCakes81]

Today is the day! The fish arrive!
Can't wait. They arrive by 3pm. Did a 90% WC last night and parameters are optimal!


Once again my pH has stabilize since cycle was completed.

 

[PattyCakes81]

My fishes came! They are so little. Already drip acclimated them. The Corydora habrosus are all over the place. The red cherry shrimp are doing their thing. The CPDs at first were in a corner hiding in the Vals.

 

[PattyCakes81]

UPDATE: Fishes doing great. CPD are hiding little but it was to be expected. We have new growth on the huge Anubias:

The Vals are not doing so good

FTS before additional plants coming later on today.


Will update after planting new plants!
Thanks for following!

 

[Scottyhorse]

Yay for fish! My vals aren't doing so great either, can't figure out why! There are little mini runners though!

 

[PattyCakes81]

Yay for fish! My vals aren't doing so great either, can't figure out why! There are little mini runners though!

We have the same situation. They are discolored but there are about 3 little runners.

 

[Scottyhorse]

Did you trim them at all? I trimmed mine and I think that's what made them die off.

 

[PattyCakes81]

Did you trim them at all? I trimmed mine and I think that's what made them die off.

I Did trimmed mine too. But people say they are like the dwarf hairgrass. That you can trim it like grass.

 

[PattyCakes81]

As promised, Tank pics after new plants added.






1st Pic-FTS
2nd Pic-Cryptocoryne Nevillii and Cryptocoryne Mi Oya
3rd Pic-Crypt Parva
4th Pic-Tiny Anubias Petite
5th Pic-Part of Echinodorus ‘Kleiner Prinz’ Sword*
6th Pic-Zebra, Olive, and Red Spot Nerite Snails

 

[redsea]

Just found this and plan on following. Enjoy your new tank!

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Nice plants! My parva doesn't stand upright like those.

 

[PattyCakes81]

Just found this and plan on following. Enjoy your new tank!

Thanks for following!