Upgrade to 20g long!

[SomethingIsFishy]

I found a good deal on a 20 long to move the inhabitants of my 10g into. I ended up resealing the tank as a precaution because the seals looked questionable. I also had a lot of free 3/4" plywood so I built a diy stand for the tank.

I am open to suggestions on scaping and filtration. Will be another low tech planted tank...

Here are a couple quick shots of the stand:
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The stand will be painted black...

[MandyK]

Sounds nice! What kind of stock do you have, and might you be adding to it?

[talldutchie]

What are you moving? What's your water like?
I like cannister filters and could suggest those, I'm sure someone else can suggest a hob.

[SomethingIsFishy]

Current stock in the 10g is 1 dwarf gourami and 6 harlequin rasboras. I will up the harlequin numbers, but I'm not sure if I want to add anything else... don't want to overstock...

pH is high, around 8, apartment complex has a water softener... current stock is doing fine...

Plants are one anubias (unknown, listed as "assorted anubias") and a lot of what I beleive is hornwort. I have some new java ferns growing in my shrimp tank that will be transferred when they are big enough...

[SomethingIsFishy]

Here is a current shot of the 10g:
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[talldutchie]

Water softeners are often resin type so your water will be low in calcium but high in natrium. So notihng that really needs soft water.

That gravel isn't too friendly to bottom dwellers though.

I'd be inclined to keep it simple. Get some vallis maybe for height. See if you still can get some oak leaf for leaf litter. A small cryptocorne would look well. Use some stick-like driftwood Get 3-4 extra rasbora and perhaps a gourami of the opposite sex and leave it at that.

[SomethingIsFishy]

Will be a simple tank. I will be using a plant substrate... I was thinking a canister filter with the intake on one end of the tank and the output on the other to help cross-tank flow... any suggestions on filter size/brand?

[talldutchie]

Eheim 2211/classic 150 or a 2232. IT's not a big tank and you got reasonable stocking levels.

[SomethingIsFishy]

So... It may be a while before I can justify the $$ for a new canister filter. If the HOB I have now is supporting the current bioload in my 10g with room to spare (A=0, ite=0, ate=typically around 5 just before weekly pwc) will it support the same bioload in my 20 until my budget allows an upgrade? I am at work so I don't have the filter model info handy...

[talldutchie]

Sure! Won't be a problem. And you can always plant a bit more to handle a slight nitrate increase.