Intro and my setup

M

Momotaro

Small Fish
#1
Aug 4, 2011
19
0
0
new york
#1
Hi All,
I've owned fish all my life and up until recently haven't really been that great about taking care of them due to a number of circumstances and a variety of other reasons. Now that I'm a bit more - lets say 'grown-up' for lack of a better word I've found myself back on the hobby and really into it.

So I've finally gotten a decent setup going and wanted to invite some feedback from the more experienced aquarists.

Here's what I have going on as far as the setup:
55 gallon rectangular tank
24" HO T5 lighting
60 gallon tetra power filter
Tetra whisper air pump 60gallon feeding into a 10" air stone

As far as fish go:
12 cardinal tetras
2 red phantom (had 3, 1 died yesterday - think he had fungus as he had some white stuff coming from his head where i believe he had a cut, quarantined him last night and he didnt make it)
3 white clouds
3 blackskirt hifin tetras
2 julii cory cats
10 parish green guppies (bought them off a local breeder)
2 nerite snails (bunch of baby snails)
5 amano shrimp
1 male delta betta
1 sunset wagtail platy

plant life:
argentine sword
wisteria
java fern anchored to a large piece of driftwood
foxtail

substrate
fluval plant substrate on the planted half of the tank
washed river rock is the other half

Everyone's getting along and happy. No fights between any of the fish.

I'm looking for recommendations for additional plants to add as I am eventually hoping to plant the other side of the tank.

Also, I am wondering how close am I - or am I over the bioload for my tank?

Thanks so much - grateful for tips, advice, comments
 

M

Momotaro

Small Fish
#3
Aug 4, 2011
19
0
0
new york
#3
they're currently being kept at room temperature. right now water temperature is 81 degrees. local fish shop kept them at room temperature as well...temperament and health on the three are good
 

T

Thyra

Superstar Fish
#5
Jun 2, 2010
1,891
0
0
Yelm, WA
#5
Without spending a lot of money I don't see how the temperature of the tank can be other than room temp. In fact depending on where you live you probably will need a heater for the other fish because they need a temp of 75 - 79 or there about. Maybe the white clouds need a separate tank or you could trade them for tropical fish.
 

M

Momotaro

Small Fish
#6
Aug 4, 2011
19
0
0
new york
#6
guess this is pretty serious for the white clouds. always thought they were doing fine due to temperaments, appetite and activity. now got to take some thoughts on rehoming.

any ideas concerning the bioload or additional plants?
 

lauraf

lauraf

Superstar Fish
#7
Jan 1, 2010
2,181
0
0
Vancouver, British Columbia
#7
A couple of ways to check your bioload are to test the nitrates frequently - before you do a water change. If they are staying below 20ppm, it's good. You can also check with a site like AqAdvisor, AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor
which isn't perfect but can be useful for evaluating whether you are overstocked. It'll probably come up with a bunch of warnings, like increasing the school of cories, that the betta won't get along with tetras, the white clouds should be in a cold water setup, etc, etc. Some of these may be valid suggestions.
For low-tech planted tanks, anubias, hornwort and vallsneria are easy, hardy plants.
 

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