29 Gallon Aquarium - new setup.

[Jwootton]

Good afternoon,

I'm in the process of setting up a new aquarium. I'm waiting on live plants (attached photo of plant types) to arrive and cycling the tank using the fish food method.

I would like to stock it with the following once cycled.
6 Cardinal Tetras
6 Red Beckford Pencilfish
1 Bushynose Albino Longfin Pleco
2 Apisto Cacatuoides (pair).

Would this be possible in a 29 gallon and the fish live comfortably not cramped? I have a oase canister filter with internal heater (200 model).

 

[MacZ]

Scratch the pleco.

And if these rocks are lime stone, replace them with something inert. None of the fish you want to keep really like hard water.

Also the structure allows for to many ways of looking through under it. That's where lines of sight have to be broken to make it possible for Apistogramma to evade each other.

Now two real bummers:
- A. cacatuoides are overbred, weak fish. Nowerdays almost all you can obtain in the trade are domestic breeds. They tend to be sick, are hard to sex confidently and tend to life shorter lives than a tetra. Apistos have a life expectancy of 3-4 years in average. Domestic breeds usually make it 6-12 months after purchase, maximum about 2 years.
So consider a species which is less overbred or choose a wild-type (that doesn't mean wild caught), those are usually quite hardy.
- You are obviously planning a display tank. Then scratch the idea of a pair and just get a male. You do not want a breeding female in a display tank.

About the plants:
Dial it down to quick growing easy ones.
Vallisneria gigantea, Cryptocoryne wendtii, Ceratophyllum sp. (keep it floating) and add Hydrocotyle leucocephala (floating or anchored to the wood) and a proper floating plant of your choice. Also: Start the tank with a good number of plants, then it's likely to run smoothely from the get-go. So when you think you have enough plants - Take that number and triple it. Yes, it's an investment, but worth it.

What are your water parameters from the source? Conductivity/TDS, GH, KH, pH? (rest doesn't matter)

 

[Jwootton]

Scratch the pleco.

And if these rocks are lime stone, replace them with something inert. None of the fish you want to keep really like hard water.

Also the structure allows for to many ways of looking through under it. That's where lines of sight have to be broken to make it possible for Apistogramma to evade each other.

Now two real bummers:
- A. cacatuoides are overbred, weak fish. Nowerdays almost all you can obtain in the trade are domestic breeds. They tend to be sick, are hard to sex confidently and tend to life shorter lives than a tetra. Apistos have a life expectancy of 3-4 years in average. Domestic breeds usually make it 6-12 months after purchase, maximum about 2 years.
So consider a species which is less overbred or choose a wild-type (that doesn't mean wild caught), those are usually quite hardy.
- You are obviously planning a display tank. Then scratch the idea of a pair and just get a male. You do not want a breeding female in a display tank.

About the plants:
Dial it down to quick growing easy ones.
Vallisneria gigantea, Cryptocoryne wendtii, Ceratophyllum sp. (keep it floating) and add Hydrocotyle leucocephala (floating or anchored to the wood) and a proper floating plant of your choice. Also: Start the tank with a good number of plants, then it's likely to run smoothely from the get-go. So when you think you have enough plants - Take that number and triple it. Yes, it's an investment, but worth it.

What are your water parameters from the source? Conductivity/TDS, GH, KH, pH? (rest doesn't matter)

Thanks for the detailed reply!

The rock is slate and I was assured it wouldn't alter the water properties...

Noted, one Apisto, certainly don't want breeding.

Is there a reason the pleco is a no go? Maybe they destroy plants? No idea..

I do not plan to buy fish anytime soon. I want the plants well established and tank to be fully cycled. Plenty of time to research and learn, I don't mind a little trial and error with plants but I'm trying to avoid any fish casualties...I'll get what I've ordered planted and follow up with an image for more advice.

Thanks again, appreciate the information.

 

[Jwootton]

Didn't realize the pleco was a link lol. Explains everything, scratch the pleco...

 

[MacZ]

The rock is slate and I was assured it wouldn't alter the water properties...

Better check by testing your water.

want the plants well established and tank to be fully cycled. Plenty of time to research and learn, I don't mind a little trial and error with plants but I'm trying to avoid any fish casualties...I'll get what I've ordered planted and follow up with an image for more advice.

I don't know what exact quantities you will get, but you might have to add more.
About cycling... there's a reason I recomment lots of easy plants. Trial and error with plants is often what makes fish go belly-up.
Also expect some of the plants to die out while others explode. Usually in a tank focused on fish and not on plants 2-4 species of plant make it on the long run, outcompeting the rest.

 

[Jwootton]

Better check by testing your water.


I don't know what exact quantities you will get, but you might have to add more.
About cycling... there's a reason I recomment lots of easy plants. Trial and error with plants is often what makes fish go belly-up.
Also expect some of the plants to die out while others explode. Usually in a tank focused on fish and not on plants 2-4 species of plant make it on the long run, outcompeting the rest.

Ah makes sense.
I've ordered more test kits. Mine only was for ph / nitrate/ ammonia etc. I'll post the results once they arrive.

Thanks again

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I've ordered more test kits. Mine only was for ph / nitrate/ ammonia etc. I'll post the results once they arrive.

Have a look at <"Seasoned Tank Time">.

I don't cycle any tanks, if you are interested in the science of this there are a couple of posts on UKAPS that maybe of interest. <"https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/correspondence-with-dr-ryan-newton-school-of-freshwater-sciences-university-of-wisconsin—milwaukee.71023/"> & <"https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/dr-timothy-hovanecs-comments-about-bacterial-supplements.62201/">

I use different approach based on tank maturity and <"the growth and health of a floating plant">.

Fundamentally I've developed techniques that do away with most water testing. I'm not adverse to the idea, quite the opposite, I'd really like to know the water parameters in the tank and and I actually look after a lab. with analytical equipment for water testing.

The problem is in measuring the parameters accurately and, after a bit of toing and froing, I came down to just two that were "plug and play", repeatable and reliable with the kits and meters available to us. They were conductivity and dissolved oxygen. There aren't any cheap dissolved oxygen meters, but $100 will buy you a conductivity meter that fulfills those requirements, so I advise buying one of these.

cheers Darrel

 

[Jwootton]

Good afternoon,

Update...plants are doing well and growing fast. I removed 2 caves and only kept one. KH 71 ppm and GH 107 ppm are. PH is around 6.8. I added a few oak leaves to the bottom of the tank + some in the filter. Pictures are 5 days apart...the hornwort and Amazon floating plants are going wild.

 

[Jwootton]

 

[MacZ]

tank + some in the filter

Get them out of there, that's how you damage the filter. Once the leaves have decomposed they clogg it. You want that mulm in the tank, not in the pump nor filtermedia.

 

[Jwootton]

Get them out of there, that's how you damage the filter. Once the leaves have decomposed they clogg it. You want that mulm in the tank, not in the pump nor filtermedia.

Ah didn't think they would clog it.. I put them in a filter bag. I'll take them out this evening after work. Ty for tip.