new to fresh, need guidence

[HoCkEyGmC]

alright, i finally got rid of my trutle so now i have an empty 20 (or at least i think thats what it is: 30x12x12)
so i just took some tests and the results are...
nitrite: 0
ammonia: 0
nitrate: 50ish ( just got rid of turtle yesterday so give me a break =p )
alk: 100ppm
ph: 6.5
chlorine: 0
hardness: 100 ppm
i believe that the tank went through a cycle when i had the turtle but never really checked.
i dont really know where to go with those params, except get the nitrate down.
the tank has some random rocks we found at a beach on lake huron.
im planning on getting some driftwood sometime soon and i dont reallk know what i need to do with it to make it able to be in the tank...
i am shooting for a ram pair and maybe a bn pleco pair and maybe take a shot at breeding over the summer.
idk if i should do planted or not?
So, where am i, where do i need to go and hows it sound. THANKS!
EDIT: also, i was thinking about doing some shrimp too?

 

[HN1]

I would suggest a series of PWCs to bring the Nitrate below .25 to start with. From there you can add an ammonia source (piece of raw shrimp, fish food, etc) and make sure that the ammonia is being taken up and converted. You are probably already cycled and just need to figure out the load your bacterial colonies can sustain.

The DW can be boiled, soaked, or weighted to keep it down. The tannins it releases will stain your water a bit (I personally like the blackwater look), but you can run carbon to remove it.

A ram pair with a bristlenose sounds like a good stocking to me. You could probably add a small school of tetra or rasbora over time as well. Both fish would appreciate a planted tank.

Shrimp may be iffy. Adults would be fine with Rams, but any juvies may be snacked on. The more heavily planted, the better the chance of them surviving.

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

so would my params be fine for spawning?
im a salty and fresh is a whole new world to me =]

 

[HN1]

You need to establish the tank before you worry about anything spawning. Patience isn't as pronounced in fresh as it is in salt, but it pays off just the same.

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

well yeah but dont FW fish need special hardness and ph to breed or something?

 

[HN1]

Only some or the more sensitive or picky species. Most have been bred in aquaria and farmed for long enough that they have adapted to a broad spectrum of conditions. What type of fish are you considering keeping?

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

a pair of German Blue Rams and maybe a pair of plecos

 

[HN1]

Those parameters should be fine for Rams or plecos (be sure to look for a species that stays smallish).

 

[happygirl65]

I think the plants will increase your chances of a spawn. The plecos might eat your rams eggs, have to watch that. The pH looks good though. Just give them lots of clean water and read up on breeding techniques.
Shrimp will definitely get eaten even the adults will eventually get eaten....sorry. They are pretty cool.

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

ok so i found some rams after 4 fish stores over the course of 2 days. they seem to be settling in nicely. the pair seem to be getting along fine. and after i fed them they started showing their colors a little better. so now im thinking about other fish. im thinking about one bn pleco, a few tetras, maybe a killifish,a pair of bolivian, and maybe some hatchets. i plan on going to the fish store later for the bolivian rams and some dw.
sound good?

 

[HN1]

Just an FYI. Killies generally aren't very good "community" fish. I've bred them and tend to think of stocking them as I would bettas.

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

alright then, thank you! everything else sound ok for the moment?

 

[portia]

Isn't it better to wait a week or two between introducing new fish? I'm kind of relearning too, but that's what I understand.

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

yeah over the past hour I've been thinking. i think im going to ditch the bolivian rams for this tank. also im going to wait and hold off for a little bit just to be sure that the rams are doing good.

 

[HN1]

The others sound fine. It is best to stock gradually, just like in SW.

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

alright, wasnt too sure about that. it seems like there can be soooo many more fish in fw lol.
thanks!

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

well for this tank i think for now im going to stick to strictly rams and maybe a pleco. ive noticed that my rams arent pairing up at all. ive ID'd one as male and the other female but they just arent interested as of now. i do know that the female is wildcaught and the male is tankraised. the female is also of the longfin varaitey and the male not. could that be the problem? or could they just be a little young to be interested in eachother yet? just wondering.

 

[HN1]

They are just probably still immature. Give them time and their behaviors will most likely change.

As far as the pleco goes... make sure not to get a "Common", "Sailfin", "Adonis", etc. They get HUGE. A Bristlenose, or other smaller one will be fine. Check out max sizes at www.planetcatfish.com.

Here's a nice common pleco...

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

yeah ive already made the pleco mistake before and wont make it again. and yeah i just get so antsy with this stuff. i will just wait a little. i just fot kinda scared cuz its been about a week and they hadnt paired while my bolivians in my 30g paired within minutes

 

[HN1]

It took me nearly a year to get my apistos to spawn. I wouldn't sweat it after a week, but yeah... I'm impatient too! lol