Opinions? Thoughts? Recommendations? My "Amazon Tank"

[Brennos]

I am to a point where I am happy enough with my tank. My stocking is getting there. My plants are pretty good. Cyano is still an issue, but I'm on to it now (thanks John). So now, I am after some more opinions on what I can do to make it even better. I started off just adding plants and fish till I was happy. Over the last year or so, I have changed a few plants, and added new fish, and by a complete fluke, I have ended up with something of an Amazon themed tank.

So far my only plan is to get a little more serious with my ferts, I have purchased a PMDD kit from tradme, and will continue with my current regime. I am looking into a CO2 injection kit on tradme right now, $215 plus a bottle, and a diffuser, I might have to get a diffuser from eBay, as I can not find anything decent locally. My Nutrafin "diy style" co2 isn't really cutting it, and I will move that to my lightly planted fighter tank.

Stocking (as of 23/8/10)

11 Cardinal Tetras

2 Electric Blue Rams

1 Adult Female Bristlenose

3 Juvenile unsexed Bristle Noses

Plants

Sp. Microfolia in the foreground

Java Fern on the driftwood, and in the back ground. Some of it I have potted to sell later on once it gets bigger.

Amazon Sword towards the back

Echinodorus uruguayensis in the middle

Java moss (although you can't see it yet) on the driftwood to the right of the tank.

Ludwigia Repens x5 stems on the right also.

I have only just added the plants on the right, so with any luck they take nicely, and fill out.

Basically, I am after some input to do with stocking suggestions, and maybe some more plants to fill in gaps. as far as fish go, I'd like something larger than the rams and tetras, as some sort of "centre piece" that has plenty of colour, and wont eat or harass the other fish. Suggestions?

PICS:

Thanks in advance

Dave

[DennisP]

I really like it.

The spray bar is hideous though =p

As for stocking suggestions... I'm not sure... Sorry.

[Adrienne]

discus - depends on your tank size though.

[DennisP]

Could try larger tetras or something.

[Brennos]

its about 140l. So not really suitable for discuss? Yes the spray bar is horrid. But It's a need unfortunately, I guess I could go back to the duck bill, which I could hide behind the drift wood, but then I would loose the surface agitation, and the flow the spray bar creates.

[Fruju]

Looking good

[Sophia]

it looks great, don't worry about it

if you want more action maybe you could add more cardinals

[Jennifer]

You won't really want surface agitation because it will drive the CO2 out. That uruguayensis will grow tall enough to block it soon. :lol:

A big group of rummynose tetras would go well with the cardinals and would look spectacular. You could also add a pair of apistos. They aren't big fish, but they are more to scale with the size of your tank.

Looking good by the way.

[Brennos]

You won't really want surface agitation because it will drive the CO2 out. That uruguayensis will grow tall enough to block it soon. :lol:

A big group of rummynose tetras would go well with the cardinals and would look spectacular. You could also add a pair of apistos. They aren't big fish, but they are more to scale with the size of your tank.

Looking good by the way.

Thanks. Now those apistos look pretty nice, plenty of colour. They might just be on the cards.

I plan on adding some more cardinals as well. maybe another 5 and see how they look in a bunch. I hadn't considered rummynoses. I'll have a look at the apistos first, and go from there. cheers.

[SamH]

Wow, that's one wicked tank man!

[Joshlikesfish]

I like it.

Cockatoos?

[phoenix44]

Ah great. I hope the repens does well for you.

Go with one schooling fish, more cardinals will be great.

As the uruguaensis grows you can transfer it to the back, but repens grows and branches out a lot too and likes forming a canopy so that could also be another option for plants at the back.

[Jennifer]

In the new PFK magazine there is a good section on amazon biotopes with rummynose and cardinals together in big groups and they look amazing together. I agree with Josh, cockatoos would be awesome.

[Adrienne]

I like the look and the plants with cover the spray bar. I've had 50 rummynose and 50 cardinals in my tank together (450 litres) and they looked fantastic.

[malevolentsparkle]

I recon stick to one schooling fish, more effective that way esp. in a smaller tank. I know it's tempting to get a big 'centrepiece' fish but in a tank your size it will look better if you stick with smaller fish. small fish make a small tank look bigger

thought about dwarf flags? they are good dwarf cichlids for a budget. apistos can get pretty pricey. If you feel the need for some surface dwellers hatchet fish are awesome but expensive ($30-40 each x 6+) and pencilfish are cool and cheap ($6-8 each x 6+)

tank looks good. plants should cover the facilities pretty good soon

[diver21]

i would add more cardinals and another pair or 4 electric blues

[David R]

I'd go on a mission to get rid of and/or hide as much equipment as possible, IMO thats the biggest improvement you could make, other than that I like it! See if you can track down one of those glass filter intake/return.

[Joe]

A lot of people are saying Cardinals and Rummynoses look great together, but I totally disargree. I think the bright electric colours of the Cardinals overpower the Rummynoses and makes them appear almost washed out, plus both fish have the same shaped bodies. I would add a shoal of Kitty Tetras (Hyphessobrycon heliacus) instead of Rummynoses. They have a different body shape, and they are dazzling iridescent yellow, and they'd look wonderful with the Cardinals. A slightly cheaper option is Black Plantom Tetras. They don't have bright colours, but make up for that with the lovely shape of their fins, and the 'peacock' eyespot on the side of the body.

[Brennos]

I'd go on a mission to get rid of and/or hide as much equipment as possible, IMO that's the biggest improvement you could make, other than that I like it! See if you can track down one of those glass filter intake/return.

Yeah, the filters and uv annoy me A LOT. I might switch the spray bar out for the duck bill that came with the filter, that will make a massive difference. I can move the UV filter to the other side of the tank, as I hadn't really thought of that till now. The air stones are a temporary fix. I read somewhere that if you increase the oxygen content of the water, the cyano may disappear, so along with raising my nitrates, I am adding air stones. Personally I don't like air stones in a fish tank, but sometimes needs must. I will probably move one of the air stones behind the drift wood, and turf the other one. Ill look into the glass filter equipment, Might have to be an ebay mission.

[land_lubber]

I'd have to agree with the whole not mixing of rummynose and cardinals just because they are the same shape. I'd go with a different shaped tetra like a group of bleeding heart tetras. Oh and hide the equipment

[Brennos]

I'd have to agree with the whole not mixing of rummynose and cardinals just because they are the same shape. I'd go with a different shaped tetra like a group of bleeding heart tetras. Oh and hide the equipment

I found the glass intake and duckbill on ebay for 30 dollars plus 15 in shipping. It's tempting to get, will work out to about $65 landed. and I'm unsure if it will make it to nz undamaged. Any one know if you can get em locally?

And on the subject of Discus? Would I be able to keep 3 in my tank, and keep them happy? Specifically the Red Melon variety.

[firenzenz]

A pair of Discus would be a great show piece and in my mind obvious choice for 140ltr. 50 ltr per Discus is the old 'rule of thumb.'

They will get a bit territorial if they try to breed but the other inhabitants as they are won't be bothered or under threat.

Either source a pair or get 4-5 juvies and grow out to get a pair.

Lots of nice Discus out there for good prices as juvies.

[phoenix44]

The 620T might struggle to hold an adult pair of discus. They would pretty much be able to move up and down, and that's about it.

[firenzenz]

Yeah, it the problem with the 620t, but Discus are a fish that will adapt with the space in terms of volume of water as long water keeping regime is good.

A breeding pair even in the wild will only move a small distance from a territory and they don't relly rely on a 'bottom' territory, and therefore wont fight for it, as would multiple pairs of apistos/dwarves.

Chances are they would hunker down around the outlet down pipe or a cone if supplied, and spend their time housekeeping.

I agree though-The 620T is bit of a Tard_is though :evil:

[SamH]

I would be far more inclined to keep small fish in a big tank as opposed to keeping big fish in a small tank. I reckon discus would also ruin the sense of scale you've got going on, I personally thought that tank was much larger than it is. A nice pair or trio of dwarf cichlids and a larger shoal of a single species of tetra would be cool IMO.