opinions??

[bud29]

This is going to look great. Make sure to upload some pictures

 

[Tipton34]

I have black sand in my 36 and the white in my 70 saltwater. It will mainly be black with just a touch of white. Also I'll be using the sand from my 39 so it will really help speed up the cycling process


Stocking..... I'm not sure whether I like the rummy nose, x-ray, or blood fins the most.

 

[bud29]

How hard or soft is your water? Rummynose tetras prefer soft water. They also are touchy to water conditions so make sure to stay on top of your water changes and test parameters regularly. But that's not too hard.

 

[Tipton34]

I can't remember what the water is like down in college station. At home when I test my saltwater high ph is around 8-8.2.

However freshwater us a piece of cake compared to saltwater!

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Rummys are quite possibly my favorite Tetra. They tightly school, have excellent color, and are just all around awesome. That being said. They aren't for everyone. They can be sensitive and really need to be added to an established tank.

I think Bloodfins would be a great substitute for them. Cheaper, just as active, school well, and when they mature, they have a great subtly beauty. When I had mine a few years back, they would develop white tips on their red backside and have a kind of metallic green shine to their white bodies. I'd go with those

 

[Tipton34]

Ya my girlfriend has one and it's gorgeous!

This is my second build so I've learned a few things from the first. So I'm pretty excited to get this going

 

[bud29]

Yes, bloodfin tetras are a great substitute, especially if your water is too hard or too alkaline for the rummynose tetras. My favorite tetras are either emperor tetras or serpae tetras. The serpaes have a striking coloration and IMO the emperor tetras look very majestic.

 

[Tipton34]

I think after the bosemani rainbow blood fins are probably mine. Rainbow fish are expensive especially for freshwater

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

So what is the stocking looking like now?

 

[vanimal]

Cardinals are by far my favorite! Then Rummy Nose.

 

[bud29]

Rainbow fish are expensive especially for freshwater

But not nearly as expensive as discus.....or zebra plecos......

Since it seems like we are uploading picutres, I'll upload some myself. The picture of the serpae tetra isn't very good, the coloration of that specific one was apparently pretty bad.....

Pic 1: emperor tetra
Pic 2: Serpae tetra
Pic 3: Zebra Pleco
Pic 4: Bluefin Notho Killifish

 

[vanimal]

But not nearly as expensive as discus.....or zebra plecos......

Since it seems like we are uploading picutres, I'll upload some myself. The picture of the serpae tetra isn't very good, the coloration of that specific one was apparently pretty bad.....

Pic 1: emperor tetra
Pic 2: Serpae tetra
Pic 3: Zebra Pleco
Pic 4: Bluefin Notho Killifish

I like the Killi fish

 

[Tipton34]

That's true, those plecos are really expensive. I'm a big killifish fan. I had a golden wonder. It was great but it ate everything it could fit in its mouth. I won't one in this new tank, maybe not a golden wonder

 

[bud29]

I would get some killifish too but there is not a place anywhere near me that sells them.

 

[Tipton34]

Ya they are kind of hard to find. And when you do all they usually have is golden wonders

 

[bud29]

......and Golden Wonders are nowhere near as cool as the bluefin notho


Anyway, let's get back on topic.
You have a great start. Don't worry if it takes you a while to figure out a stocking plan; it took me 6 weeks to get a good plan for my 30 gallon!!!

If it helps, this is what I am putting in my 30 gallon, maybe you can get some ideas from it:
8 cherry barbs or serpae tetras
8 emperor tetras
2 bolivian rams
1 dwarf gourami
1 Bristlenose Pleco
A few mystery snails

Hope this helps!

 

[Tipton34]

I will go along will that same stocking maybe a few minor adjustments.
8-neon tetras
8-blood fin
6-8-corys
2-German blue rams or one golden and one German blue
1-dwarf gourami
1-bristlenose pleco
Maybe some shrimp

 

[bud29]

That's a good plan IMO. I advise you, though, if you are getting shrimp, start out with ghost shrimp. This is because your rams and gourami might go after shrimp and you don't want to spend 40 dollars on rcs and then have them all eaten! If your fish eat 8 ghost shrimp you will only be out 2 bucks. If your fish don't eat the ghost shrimp then maybe you could add some more expensive ones.

 

[Tipton34]

Ya that's what I planned on, I learned when my killifish ate all of my ghost shrimp. Luckily they are super cheap

 

[Tipton34]

Well this is the tank so far... I'm just waiting till Saturday to move back down to college and get everything set up