Hi my name is RobMiller

[RobMiller]

Hello, I live in Australia, Brisbane, my name is Robert
Miller and i have only just got into fish tanks.

My Tank: 3 weeks old.

Size: 20 Gallon

Filtration: AquaClear 150, Under-Gravel Filter

Substrate: Grey Black Gravel small - medium gradient 5 cm deep.

Heating: 200wtt Via Aqua

Lighting: 3 watts per gallon, 1 x Gro Lux 20w Florescent Tube, 2 x AquaStar 20w Florescent Tube.

Extras: DIY CO2 - 2x2lt bottles,

Plants/Animals: No plants, 1 bosami rainbow, 5 neon tetras, 1 red tailed black shark, 2 mollies.

Soon todo: Add lighting above, add plants!!, adding fish = 2 x celebes rainbows, Ghostknife Fish, 5 x Cardinal Tetras, 1 x Bristlenose catfish, 1 x abino Rainbow shark, 3 x Blue Reef Guorami, 5 Glow-Light Tetras. Adding, potters clay and kitty litter to substrate.

*celebrate

 

[mike the zealot]

Hey Rob,

Just to let you know ghost knife fish can get up to 13". From what I can see of your future stock list you'll probably be in trouble with the two sharks in the same tank. If the blue reef gouramis are the blue gouramis I'm thinking of (never heard reef and gourami in the same description before hehe), then those guys get about 5 - 6", if they're the dwarf gourami, then they'd be an excellent choice for that tank.

also I would say you'd still be a bit overstocked for a 20 gallon, even without the fish I mentioned above, although with enough filtration, plants, and water changes, it would be possible.

anyway, you shared, so did I

 

[FroggyFox]

Welcome to the board! Mike is probably right about your plans overstocking your 20Gal...and you're letting it cycle before you add anymore fish right?

Keep reading around, everyone around here is more than willing to help if you have questions!

 

[RobMiller]

I'm also putting together a substrate consisting of bottom layer of potters clay mixed with micronized iron and sand, the middle layer, 1" garden soil, FTTE, 14,14,14 fertilizer and sand, then the top layer is standard gravel. Supposed to grow really nice plants, together with 3 watts per gallon lighting and co2.

 

[prhelp]

You seem to have done quite a bit of research! That's great. On the other hand, you always seem to talk about your heater, filtration, CO2 system, lighting, potters clay, micronized iron, 14-14-14 fertilizers, etc., etc.

Mike and Froggy both gave you good advice about your fish -- and the fish are the reason you're doing all of your "heater, filtration, CO2 system, micronized whatever. . . ."

Five neons is too few. Adding another shark (albino) could be problematic. Mollies do best in brackish water, but most others won't like it.

Again, your technical knowledge sounds great, but focus on the fish first.

 

[spikekillifish]

Ah yes the fish!

1" of fish for each gallon of water. Anything more makes for unhappy and stressed out fish. You are headed into a stocking disaster. The rest sounds really nice.

Welcome to the forum.

-Spike