Wolf's 20g Long and little 10g

**wolf_eyes** · 02-14-2009, 12:43 AM

After some thought and weight out costs, I've finally decided that I'm going to go ahead and buy myself a 20 gallon tank. While I really want to get a 50g when I get out of college, I'm starting to realize that will probably not come true since I'l be trying to find a job, paying back loans, and possibly will be moving around the country. On the other hand, a 10 gallon is a really small tank with limited options. Right now I want to go ahead and get a little bigger of a tank so that I have a little more options on what I put in it. So that's my reasoning. Anyways, onto the tanks:

10 g.
Yesterday I went to the local fish store and temptation got the best of me. I got 4 julii corys that are currently just under an inch. I had to move my little female betta out of the tank because i was worried she would pick on them, she's currently in with the male betta with a divider. This will be VERY temporary.
Current occupants:
7 rasboras
4 julii cory
7 ghost shrimp.
heavily planted.

Future plans for the tank:
1 male and 1 female betta with dividers.
7 ghost shrimp.
moderately planted
I plan on turning this tank into a plant grow out/ betta tank once I get the 20l.

20g long plan:

Definite occupants:
7 harlequin rasbora
4 jullii cory

Possible occupants:
3-5 more rasboras
2 more julii cory
cherry shrimp
some sort of signature fish? (not too sure what will stay small and like a 20l plus wont harm cherry shrimp)

Plants:
Indian fern (1-2)
wisteria(4)
Java fern (2 groupings)
2 logs with java moss
banana plants (2-3)
hopefully 2 water lily if the bulbs grow
amazon broadleaf sword

Technical:
20g aquaclear filter (might add a smaller 10g rated filter of another brand in addition to)
40% water changes every week
150w visitherm stealth heater.
I'm having issues with figuring out lighting. I would like to buy something local but the only decent lighting we have is the Hagen Glo T5 HO Lighting System stands. From what I'm reading online the 24" one only has a single 24w bulb in it which would only give me a little more than 1 watt per gallon, which wont be good for my wisteria, banana plants, sword, and lilies if they grow. They have a 36 inch model that gives off 39 watts which would be better, but how do I make it sit on my tank? also what is the possiblity of using a marine light fixture? ANY ADVICE you can give me on lighting the better guys.

**troy** · 02-14-2009, 12:52 AM

How about a honey gourami or a wrestling halfbeak as a signature fish.

**wolf_eyes** · 02-14-2009, 02:37 AM

Nevermind about the lighting, I just bought a fixture online. It was a lot of money but ah well...

I just need to know if my stocking sounds alright

**bushwhacker** · 02-14-2009, 04:13 AM

your stock looks fine dont mess with them half beaks i looked em up and they aint something you want

**troy** · 02-14-2009, 05:38 AM

What's wrong with wrestling hafbeaks. IME they will only hurt small fry and stay pretty small(2-3 inches).

**Sir Tristen** · 02-14-2009, 03:38 PM

What fixture did you buy? You have to be careful w/ t5 ho, because they really put out a lot of light. You may be looking at some algae issues. I've got algae problems w/ stock lights in my planted tanks right now.

Your stocking sounds fine. A dwarf gourami is a good addition to that tank, or some ottos, or a smaller plec.

I would definitely get a second filter if you are using only an AC 20, maybe a second AC so you can buy only one type of media to fill it.

Keep us updated! (an aquarium journal maybe

) And congrats on graduating (May?) and getting a new tank!

**wolf_eyes** · 02-14-2009, 05:02 PM

I bought a Single Satellite Compact Fluorescent Fixtures 30" with a Fluorescent SunPaq Daylight 6700ºK 65W which is sounding like a little much right now. I might have to make something to mount it further away from the tank so that some of the light gets diffused. ah planted tanks.... so troublesome...

10g
So a bit of bad news today, one of the corys died last night. I found him lodged in one of the pieces of wood in the tank. My first thought was that I threw my cycle out for some unknown reasoning and so i began checking like crazy. Things were reading normal so I was getting rather stumped when I remembered that one of the corys seemed pretty out of it when i had brought it home. I also did a really thorough cleaning of the tank and actually took the driftwood and rocks out of tank for 20 min. So he might have died by suffocation too :(. Now I'm down to 3 of them and they seem a little confused as to where their buddy is and are huddling more closer together.

yep may 31 will be the day i go int the real world.... ahh! so scary. I wish i could just stay in school forever.

**Heliwyr** · 02-14-2009, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by wolf_eyes

I bought a Single Satellite Compact Fluorescent Fixtures 30" with a Fluorescent SunPaq Daylight 6700ºK 65W which is sounding like a little much right now. I might have to make something to mount it further away from the tank so that some of the light gets diffused. ah planted tanks.... so troublesome...

10g
So a bit of bad news today, one of the corys died last night. I found him lodged in one of the pieces of wood in the tank. My first thought was that I threw my cycle out for some unknown reasoning and so i began checking like crazy. Things were reading normal so I was getting rather stumped when I remembered that one of the corys seemed pretty out of it when i had brought it home. I also did a really thorough cleaning of the tank and actually took the driftwood and rocks out of tank for 20 min. So he might have died by suffocation too :(. Now I'm down to 3 of them and they seem a little confused as to where their buddy is and are huddling more closer together.

yep may 31 will be the day i go int the real world.... ahh! so scary. I wish i could just stay in school forever.

Me too. And get paid to go there. Ooh that would make it so worthwhile...

**Sir Tristen** · 02-14-2009, 05:17 PM

I know how scary it can be. I graduated from college last May, and I haven't had success in finding a job yet, so I'm trying to find out what to do w/ myself.

As for the light, you have a lot of options now. Have you looked into DIY co2 and stuff like that?

**wolf_eyes** · 02-14-2009, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by Sir Tristen

I know how scary it can be. I graduated from college last May, and I haven't had success in finding a job yet, so I'm trying to find out what to do w/ myself.

As for the light, you have a lot of options now. Have you looked into DIY co2 and stuff like that?

Diy co2 is kinda intimidating to me to be honest lol. I've read a few of the horror stories and knowing my luck i would have a thing explode on me. Heli can tell you how wet my room always seems to be with just the 10 gallon in there. Though I have looked at the nutrafin co2 thing and its basically an already made co2 thing, all you have to do is add ingredients.http://www.aquaticbiotope.co.uk/Scri...idproduct=1142

I'm planning on getting the tank when I get the light which should be next week. so i have some time to read up on things