Stocking help for a 40g Southeast asian tank

[Aquatic_Adam]

Agreed with RiverCats. Not a plant for the faint of heart haha. If you're looking for a challenge maybe. But I recently just had a for off from most of my stem plants I ordered from AquariumPlants.com. Granted, I did 2 day shipping. Not a good choice.

Sorry. Die off. Die off not for off.

 

[bosoxlobsterman]

Just want to give you a heads up on the P. Helferi... it needs a good substrate. It comes in small tiny pieces and is very hard to get planted and keep planted. Loaches can absolutely drive you nuts pulling it loose. It does not do well when continuely re-planted and I have found even with a nutrient rich substrate (organic dirt) and dosing ferts PPS-Pro with extra Iron Cleate you can have new growth problems. For some this plant just melts and thats it. I've gotten it from Aquarium Plants and Extra Plants and by far what you get from Extra Plant is far better. First it comes in little plastic containers with a few pieces, from Aquarium Plant you get a "piece" for each one you order. The thing with Extra Plant is you have to contact them to arrange for overnight shipping before placing your order so they can explain how you need to do it. Another thing is they ship your order in styrofoam boxes, which in heat or cold keeps your plants so much better. Aquarium Plant wraps their plants better but if it's really hot or cold you can still have some issues even with overnight. With Extra Plant I get overnight shipping with 10:30am delivery. It is $55. So I place big orders. With before 3pm delivery it is $40 something. Personally I would opt for an easier forground plant unless you are a very advanced plant aquarist. My PH from Aquarium Plants was pretty much a bust, the ones I got from Extra Plant are filling and and growing quite well, and I did finally get the iron right so new growth is green not white.

Wow, thanks... I'm not entirely new to plants, but it'll take a while to get the tank established. I'll probably try it at some point, but in the meantime I'll look around for a nice foreground plant for the tank. Any suggestions on southeast asian foregrounds other than like java moss? I'll have pressurized co2, ~2 wpg from t8's, a sand substrate w/ dry ferts...

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Wow, thanks... I'm not entirely new to plants, but it'll take a while to get the tank established. I'll probably try it at some point, but in the meantime I'll look around for a nice foreground plant for the tank. Any suggestions on southeast asian foregrounds other than like java moss? I'll have pressurized co2, ~2 wpg from t8's, a sand substrate w/ dry ferts...

Can't go wrong with Crypts. They are truly my favorite plants. Some can get large (Crispatula), some can get a little big for for foreground (I've found that my 3 different Wendtii colors have gotten a little tall). I would suggest looking into Lucens for a foreground plant. Smaller leaves and a nice green color.

 

[bosoxlobsterman]

Ok, quick update. I've had my tank set up since the first, dosed a bit of ammonia to make sure my filter was active, and got a few fish at the end of this week. 6 cherry barbs (two male, four female) and 4 brilliant rasboras, to be accurate.

I also got 5 checkered barbs to add a bit later, but for now they went in my 10 gallon with my (sadly ) only surviving fish from the move (a yellow three-spot gourami). I'm doing weekly water changes to both to make sure water levels are good, and things are going smoothly.

I've also placed a good sized plant order from That Pet Place, including a bunch of crypto wendtii, val asiatica, rotala indica, and one big java fern. I'll put some pics up once I get the plants in the tank

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Looking forward to it!

 

[bosoxlobsterman]

Ok, so a bit of a spontaneous buy, but I went to a lfs (tropical isle aquariums in Framingham, MA) and they had... a beautiful male scarlet badis . He's a bit dull from the ride home and the new conditions, but he's soooo cool. Got some live blackworms to make sure he gets some food, too. I also got a few more cherry barbs (3x) and brilliant rasboras (3x) to fill the tank out a bit. Still waiting on the plants to ship, though

 

[bosoxlobsterman]

Score, so, my plant order from ThatPetPlace came in today. They had issues getting it out on time for 2nd day delivery, so I lucked out and they sent it overnight instead! It got dropped off around 11, and I just got home to unwrap and set it up. Pics below are of the 25 stems of Val. Asiatica, 10 stems of crypto wendtii, (supposed to be) 5 bunches of rotala indica (looks like 1 bunch of indica and 4 of something else? Might need help with those later...), and 1 java fern.

 

[bosoxlobsterman]

So next came planting them... I had always heard when you get plants to start a planted tank, make sure you get enough. Well, looks like I got enough. Might have to re-arrange, depending on what I feel like later, though.

All the current fish seem to love the plants, especially the Badis

I've also solidified my stocking list:
In addition to the cherry barbs, brilliant rasboras, checker barbs, and scarlet badis, I'll eventually get some kuhli loaches. And on top of the kuhli's, I was talking to some of the employees at the lfs about different or unique fish, and they brought me over to some immature stiphodon atropurpureus (freshwater blue neon goby). Then they brought me to see a mature one (display tank only) and he was beautiful!! Apparently they're algae eaters, though, so I'll need to let the tank mature a bit first.

Oo, one more quick question. Anyone have a good idea for raising a t8 light fixture a couple inches? I think all my plants will do a bit better if I spread the light out a bit more...