First I wanna say I love this forum! I love all the wonderful information I get. Also it's nice to be able to ask newbee questions without the fear of looking stupid. 
On to my subject, I am very interested in having shell dwelling cichlids for my 16 gallon bowfront. Did some research, found out I can have up to 5 multis. I have an aquaclear filter on the tank and bought a cheap heater from work(I work at a Petco). Money was tight so I bought the less expensive items. At first I started with a gravel substrate, that was before I knew what I was going to do with the tank. To help my tank cycle I purchased some danios, 5 to be exact. (after it was safe for them of course) when I did my research I discovered I needed a sand substrate. I have never had sand as a substrate so I just bought what my work had...it was really fine aqua sand of some kind. Switched out the substrate, lost no fish. I let this sit for about 2 weeks, and I got bored with just looking at danios while I tried to get the items I needed for the multis. Also started having and algea issue...on the glass, sand,and items in the tank. At this point I decided I would get some corycats to help stir up the sand and keep the algea from growing on it. I have 4 extra tanks so I figured rehoming them when I got my shellies would be no problem. So I got 3 juili corys for the tank. They did a wonderful job with the sand. I think by this time I had lost 2 danios(not healthy speciemens). Decided to add some color I would get some platys temporarly. Also found a lone albino corycat in our adoption tank at work and felt bad for him so I brought him home. At this point I did something stupid trying to make the platys feel better, and tried to lower the Ph. Lost everyone but 1 danio and the albino Cory.
Not sure how long it's been since the ph thing happened. I know it's been awhile though. I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to lose the 2 remaining fish. So up to date. I have now set up a 20 long with a substrate designed for planted tanks. As well as with a aquaclear filter.I put the heater I was using in the 16 originally(got one I could change the temp on) in there as well. It has cycled and has 3 mollys in it at the moment. Changed the substrate in the 16 gallon to a cichlid specific sand. I have also taken my first steps into the planted tank relm( lol ). When I was doing my Shellie research on shelldwellers.com(thanks orange)I noticEd that alot of the set up had a plant here or there as well as sponge filters. Ordered the sponge filter, not really sure how to use the thing. I have 12 shells now in my tank, and a terra cotta pot, 2 live plants, and about 4 fake ones. So last week I decided to get my lonley corycat and danio some friends. Got 2 more cories of the same variety, and 2 more danios. One danio didn't make it home and the otherone that I told the manager didn't look good (when I called him about the cichlids not bein what I was told they where) died on the way back to he store. ( had a tank full of very healthy looking danios and the store nd the employee got me the only 2 that where dieing :/ ) so now I am back to one danio. My corycat was not very excited about his new friends though. He doesn't really hang out with the othEr twovery often. I'm hoping he gets over it, these 2 r very healthy and they r his size as well.
So once agian I am going to try to get my danio some friends this week. I'm going to be annoying at the store nd do the pointing "I want that one" thing. Had some issues with my plant leaves starting to yellow, local aquarium group suggested root tabs, just added that 2 days ago. Tried setting up the sponge filter, don't think I did it right, thing made way to much current in the tank and way to much noise (bubbling). So I unplugged it. I think my fish really liked the small airstone I had in there though. Now I am thinking I am just going to wait agian on the shellies since they r being difficult for me to locate. May be able to get some in 3 months. Until then I would like to add a small amount of color, if possible, to my 16 gallon. Has to be something I can put in with my mollies eventually. I'm gonna have to get more filtration onthe 20 gallon once I get my shellies, but I will deal with that later. And like I said I do have 3 more 10 gallons if I need the space. I'm hoping to get a 40 breeder, or maybe something bigger this year, but we'll see. So!!! Comments? Suggestions? I'm all ears.
On to my subject, I am very interested in having shell dwelling cichlids for my 16 gallon bowfront. Did some research, found out I can have up to 5 multis. I have an aquaclear filter on the tank and bought a cheap heater from work(I work at a Petco). Money was tight so I bought the less expensive items. At first I started with a gravel substrate, that was before I knew what I was going to do with the tank. To help my tank cycle I purchased some danios, 5 to be exact. (after it was safe for them of course) when I did my research I discovered I needed a sand substrate. I have never had sand as a substrate so I just bought what my work had...it was really fine aqua sand of some kind. Switched out the substrate, lost no fish. I let this sit for about 2 weeks, and I got bored with just looking at danios while I tried to get the items I needed for the multis. Also started having and algea issue...on the glass, sand,and items in the tank. At this point I decided I would get some corycats to help stir up the sand and keep the algea from growing on it. I have 4 extra tanks so I figured rehoming them when I got my shellies would be no problem. So I got 3 juili corys for the tank. They did a wonderful job with the sand. I think by this time I had lost 2 danios(not healthy speciemens). Decided to add some color I would get some platys temporarly. Also found a lone albino corycat in our adoption tank at work and felt bad for him so I brought him home. At this point I did something stupid trying to make the platys feel better, and tried to lower the Ph. Lost everyone but 1 danio and the albino Cory. Not sure how long it's been since the ph thing happened. I know it's been awhile though. I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to lose the 2 remaining fish. So up to date. I have now set up a 20 long with a substrate designed for planted tanks. As well as with a aquaclear filter.I put the heater I was using in the 16 originally(got one I could change the temp on) in there as well. It has cycled and has 3 mollys in it at the moment. Changed the substrate in the 16 gallon to a cichlid specific sand. I have also taken my first steps into the planted tank relm( lol ). When I was doing my Shellie research on shelldwellers.com(thanks orange)I noticEd that alot of the set up had a plant here or there as well as sponge filters. Ordered the sponge filter, not really sure how to use the thing. I have 12 shells now in my tank, and a terra cotta pot, 2 live plants, and about 4 fake ones. So last week I decided to get my lonley corycat and danio some friends. Got 2 more cories of the same variety, and 2 more danios. One danio didn't make it home and the otherone that I told the manager didn't look good (when I called him about the cichlids not bein what I was told they where) died on the way back to he store. ( had a tank full of very healthy looking danios and the store nd the employee got me the only 2 that where dieing :/ ) so now I am back to one danio. My corycat was not very excited about his new friends though. He doesn't really hang out with the othEr twovery often. I'm hoping he gets over it, these 2 r very healthy and they r his size as well.
So once agian I am going to try to get my danio some friends this week. I'm going to be annoying at the store nd do the pointing "I want that one" thing. Had some issues with my plant leaves starting to yellow, local aquarium group suggested root tabs, just added that 2 days ago. Tried setting up the sponge filter, don't think I did it right, thing made way to much current in the tank and way to much noise (bubbling). So I unplugged it. I think my fish really liked the small airstone I had in there though. Now I am thinking I am just going to wait agian on the shellies since they r being difficult for me to locate. May be able to get some in 3 months. Until then I would like to add a small amount of color, if possible, to my 16 gallon. Has to be something I can put in with my mollies eventually. I'm gonna have to get more filtration onthe 20 gallon once I get my shellies, but I will deal with that later. And like I said I do have 3 more 10 gallons if I need the space. I'm hoping to get a 40 breeder, or maybe something bigger this year, but we'll see. So!!! Comments? Suggestions? I'm all ears.
