New member

[HMcC]

I am retuning to the hobby after a 50 year hiatus. I find there is a lot of new things in the hobby. Hang on filters, canister filters and glowing fish. My plan is to set up a 15 gallon tank. I plan to plant it heavily with one or two mystery snails, 6 guppies, 2 corydoras, 1 pleko and 10 shrimp. I plan to have an under gravel and foam filter, no heater. I have a question. Can you place aquarium soil on top of an under gravel filter?

 

[Caliban07]

I would just use gravel for your undergravel filter.

You may also be over stocked with that stocking list in a 15 gallon.

 

[Arclouvet]

Based on the research I have done your fish picks get up to 6 inches in length for the biggest. I was told as a new aquarium hobbyist 1in per 1 gallon. I’m pushing it with my 12 fish and 7 snails however they seem happy and peaceful. There’s no chasing and each school of fish have their own parts of the tank.
6 open water swimmers (glofish tetras)
3 labyrinth swimmers (dwarf honey gourami)
3 bottom huggers/swimmers (panda Cory)

Edit:
My tank is a 15 gal vertical glass tank (currently not planted as I’ve moved my plants to a nursery 20gal)

 

[fishwonder]

I was told as a new aquarium hobbyist 1in per 1 gallon.

1" per gallon when fish are fully grown. So a new 1" fish will grow to 5", then you are already at 5 inches per gallon.

 

[Arclouvet]

1" per gallon when fish are fully grown. So a new 1" fish will grow to 5", then you are already at 5 inches per gallon.

Currently, My fish get 3 inches or less. My largest breed is my gourami 2.8” to 3.5” full grown (dwarf honeys)

Tetras are 2-2.5” full grown

Panda Cory 2” full grown.

I’m pushing my limits with my 3 schools of fish that total 12 fish with the possibility to move some to my 20gal once it’s safe for them.

 

[HMcC]

I think you are probably right. Gravel for the filter. I will probably cut the Cory’s and plecko from the list. I know the snails increase the load but I am not sure how heavy a load the shrimp make.

 

[HMcC]

Thank you for the input. I plan to cut the Cory’s and plecko out.

 

[Caliban07]

Thank you for the input. I plan to cut the Cory’s and plecko out.

Shrimp and snails are fine. Stocking more depends on dissolved oxygen levels than anything else.

Obviously there is a responsibility to ensure you keep ammonia levels under control initially which means stocking slowly and sensibly.

I plan to use an under gravel for my next tank.

 

[fishwonder]

I plan to use an under gravel for my next tank.

Agree, still one of the best filters out there with no maintenance.

 

[Caliban07]

Agree, still one of the best filters out there with no maintenance.

I’m currently using sand. With an airstone and no mechanical filtration. The mulm has virtually layered the sand now which has plenty of shrimp and snails wading through it. I don’t do water changes really and the water is tannin stained. Water quality is extremely good with no visible algae but plant growth isn’t optimal. I’m wondering how different that would be if the mulm could get down to the plant roots.