New Build

[Flowerhorn_K]

Hi all,

So I thought I'd try creating a journal on the progress of my tank for the first time.

Before I lost my goldfish in this tank due to columnaris and so was forced to restart.

I've decided to do a community style tank again after a long time. I found an online store with a sale on panda cories and I thought I would take advantage and do a group of them. Originally, I was think a large group but will probably stick to around 15 to 20, accounting for DOAs.

And I love me some guppies so definetly will add some eventually too. I don't know if I want to breed a specific strain or just do a mixed ''mutt guppy'' tank.

I plant on adding some anubias to the driftwood and some salvinia. Also a powerhead for more circulation. 

[lindabee53]

Wow!  That piece of driftwood is amazing.

[Patrick_G]

Look good! If your trying to keep it low maintenance some Java Fern would look nice alongside the Anubias.

[Flowerhorn_K]

On 11/27/2021 at 7:42 PM, lindabee53 said:

Wow!  That piece of driftwood is amazing.

Thanks! it's actuually a large piece and small piece that I placed together!

On 11/27/2021 at 7:58 PM, Patrick_G said:

Look good! If your trying to keep it low maintenance some Java Fern would look nice alongside the Anubias.

Thanks! love java fern too! I was thinking of taking out the smaller piece of driftwood and add more substrate to the back and planting some crypts there

[Patrick_G]

On 11/27/2021 at 12:01 PM, Flowerhorn_K said:

Thanks! love java fern too! I was thinking of taking out the smaller piece of driftwood and add more substrate to the back and planting some crypts there

That’ll look nice. I really like the tall skinny crypts like crypt spiralis. They’re great background plants. 

[Flowerhorn_K]

On 11/27/2021 at 8:08 PM, Patrick_G said:

That’ll look nice. I really like the tall skinny crypts like crypt spiralis. They’re great background plants. 

I don't think I've ever seen spiralis in person before, but I like the look of them too. Love the broad leaf crypts though so might go with them but definitely will keep an eye out for spiralis!

[Flowerhorn_K]

Update,

I've moved substrate to fill out the back section. I got Cryptocoryne Beckettii and Undulata to plant into that section. And also some salvinia as floaters.

A store has some beautiful male guppies which I want to get in a few weeks time as well as some females to make some babies in the future. 

I'd like to add some more plants around the front of the wood and between the rocks in future. Also need to clean the heater and intake sponge - looking nasty!

Edited December 3, 2021 by Flowerhorn_K

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

Crypt parva, dwarf sag, or other carpeting plants could look good there in front of the wood but would require tending to keep them from carpeting the whole tank. You could do some anubias or bucephelandra on rocks/pebbles as well. 
I like the look of the crypts and the wood in that back section. Making some great choices. Bravo! Fun journal to follow! 

[Flowerhorn_K]

On 12/3/2021 at 5:13 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

Crypt parva, dwarf sag, or other carpeting plants could look good there in front of the wood but would require tending to keep them from carpeting the whole tank. You could do some anubias or bucephelandra on rocks/pebbles as well. 
I like the look of the crypts and the wood in that back section. Making some great choices. Bravo! Fun journal to follow! 

thanks! was thinking about crypt parva too!

[Flowerhorn_K]

Small update, 

I ended up getting some angelfish because I absolutely fell in love with them and their personalities.

Also a lil apistogramma cause he's so cute and my mam liked him too.

Added some bucephalandra and monte carlo too.

Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 10-20ppm but doing regular small water changes to keep it at 10ppm till everything settles in some more.

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

You have provided them with a lovely environment! With the crypt parva loads of root tabs and they’ll root and grow well for you! 

[eatyourpeas]

That Apisto is so cute! 😍

[PedroPete]

Are you going to get corys still? I like this new direction of south american fish 🙂 

[Flowerhorn_K]

On 12/13/2021 at 9:19 PM, PedroPete said:

Are you going to get corys still? I like this new direction of south american fish 🙂 

Yes! definitely plan on getting around 8-10 cories for the tank in a few weeks! and some cardinals too and possibly a bristlenose pleco, but will see how my water parameters are with all the bio load

[PedroPete]

Sounds like an awesome set up! Keep us posted 😄 

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

I think corys will be great. I am part of the panda Cory appreciation society please join!
 

 That wood is just begging for a smallish ancistrus pleco species and some otocinclus when the tanks grown in more and there’s enough algae for them. 

[Flowerhorn_K]

On 12/14/2021 at 2:48 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

I think corys will be great. I am part of the panda Cory appreciation society please join!
 

 That wood is just begging for a smallish ancistrus pleco species and some otocinclus when the tanks grown in more and there’s enough algae for them. 

I'll definitely look into that! is the society part of the forum?

definitely would love a pleco in there, not sure about otos though since in my past setups, i never grew enough algae for them

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

@Flowerhorn_Kyes the Panda Cory appreciation society is on the forum in the general section! 

Otos, so rewarding yet you are right they can be finicky. 

Plecos, I am so happy to have my group. Hoping for a new breeding group in the new year!

[Flowerhorn_K]

Got some different types of java fern and a hygrophila.

I got rid of a piece of wood to open up the swimming space more and to plant the hygrophila. 

The monte carlo and crypts are looking good and seemed to have adapted to the tank now and hopefully will start growing more.

Excited to see the tank grow more. Thinking of adding some platies to the tank soon! and possibly a small bn

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

@Flowerhorn_KI can't wait to see this grow in. Looks good. Angels need that extra room, next thing you know they are 6+" vertically and they are dragging their fins on stuff, good idea to do this now. 

[Flowerhorn_K]

 

 

Update. 

I've removed the apistogramma because I couldn't stop his aggression towards the platies.

The old crypt leaves are starting to die off and new leaves are growing.

Algae is starting to grow which is great cause I'll be adding otos soon. My tanks always only grow the brown algae, I never get any other kinds of algae.

Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0 and Nitrates 10ppm or less. I've noticed my nitrates always stay around 10ppm or less, I haven't had to do a water change in about 2 weeks, just water top up.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 3, 2022 by Flowerhorn_K

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

@Flowerhorn_Kthat macro shot of your ancistrus is great showing all the armor and bristles! That calico pattern on your platys is great. Is that kind of what you're trying to get your breeding group to or is just more being interested in whatever nature brings? Beautiful either way!

[Flowerhorn_K]

@Beardedbillygoat1975Thanks! I'm not really looking to breed the platies but if they do have some babies then I'm not going for any particular kind, they all look pretty to me.