Planting and stocking questions about new build in my 55 gallon tank

[KittenFishMom]

The build has begun.

I have access holes in the stand under the glass bottom of the aquarium and used sealant under 3 clear glass "ponds" to surround with substrate and plants for lighting from below after dark.  My original thought was moon light bouncing off a pond in the dark.  I have 2 low bowls and a tall vase, so it is getting a bit more random. I guess I should take some photos and start a journal.

I think it will be interesting to see what all settles into the empty items during the day and how often I clean out them out just before dark.  I can always fill them a cut to size UGF/air stone and marbles if the moon light doesn't work out.  Then again, I can fill them part way and plant them. Well, time will tell. 

My big question at this point is: How carefully should I plan to plant the plants, given that I have a small army of small peppered corys and 2 large ones, 2 Yoyo loaches and 8 Kuhli loach to play in the sand? 

When I replaced the gravel with sand in the yoyo loach tank, I often found plants floating above the sand, tethered by a few roots.  I think with this combination of fish is going to result in frequently have plants that need to go back into the substrate. I have been toying with the idea of making plastic canvas circles to protect the plants, but it seems like the tank is the only place for the fish to play, and if they feel the need to hunt scuds under plants, why should they bump the bridge of their nose of a hard piece of plastic?

My other big question is: Once the build is done and all the bottom fish (I bought to clean up after the guppies) are settled in, what other livestock would be good to add?

I have a few adult neon tetras, and want to make their school bigger. 

I have 2 smallish male bettas, but am not sure I want one in the big tank.

The Kuhli loach that were never in a tank with guppies are out swimming day and night in their tanks. I never see the ones with the guppies unless I sneak in with a flashlight at 3 am. I want to avoid fish that will pick on the loaches, but I would like some fish higher in the tank.

Would shrimp survive or get eaten?

Would frogs make sense?

I don't want anything that will outgrow this tank. Rehoming guppies was hard enough. Trying to rehome something that needs a really big tank is not something I want to think about.

[Fish Folk]

If I’m understanding you, you’re planning a setup with open portals in the aquarium bottom for night lights to gently shine up through from beneath. Is that right?

if that doesn’t work, you could try a block-LED light system, so you could turn on a limited blue night light.

[KittenFishMom]

@Fish Folk I would only have the lights on a short time after "lights out", while I was enjoying it.  Then I would turn it off for the night.  I have one dim LED light that changes colors. I will try different colors and brightnesses.  If keeping the portals clean becomes too much bother, I might add marbles*, or just add substrate and plants.

*(round marbles with an air stone on a clear air hose for maximum water flow)

Edited November 25, 2022 by KittenFishMom

[KittenFishMom]

@Fish Folk I think it will be interesting to light the fish and plants from underneath. As fish swim near and over the the ponds, their bellies will be illuminated, while their backs are not. The opposite of the way we usually see them. The underside of the plant leaves will be lighted. I think it will be interesting to see how it looks and how the fish react to this "antigravity" lighting. I could even drop a few sinking wafers into a pond to see how they feed in upside down lighting.  Adding bbs after dark will be interesting too.

I got the idea from moonlight on the lake lighting the underside of our tree by the shore. It is a rather magical effect. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/24/2022 at 6:57 PM, KittenFishMom said:

My big question at this point is: How carefully should I plan to plant the plants, given that I have a small army of small peppered corys and 2 large ones, 2 Yoyo loaches and 8 Kuhli loach to play in the sand? 

Add the plants, give it a good amount of time, 2-6 weeks to let the plants take hold and grow roots.  When you initially plant them, have root tabs around and then go ahead and just give them time to take hold.  When I had the bigger tank setup, sand, etc. I never had issues with the corydoras and plants (probably critical on which plants).  Now that I have the smaller tank and even with less corydoras they are bigger, the plants don't have good root structures (different substrate) and I spend a few minutes every day getting them back down.  I am sure part of this is due to the filtration, not the fish. 

Have plants that you can glue on wood.  Something like Hygrophilia Pinnatifida or Buce would be great for that in addition to moss, anubias, and the ferns. 

Now, I can't speak to kuhli loaches, but as I said I wouldn't worry about the corydoras specifically with plants.  If you're fine with fixing plants every once in a while, then go ahead and add the fish in and just adjust accordingly.  If you can give the plants time, that's a benefit though.

 

 

On 11/24/2022 at 6:57 PM, KittenFishMom said:

Would shrimp survive or get eaten?

Bigger shrimp, might be fine. Should be fine.  Just have them somewhere else and slowly add in shrimp.  If you have places for the shrimp to hide, they'll be fine.... even in some massive shrimp predator tank.

On 11/24/2022 at 6:57 PM, KittenFishMom said:

I don't want anything that will outgrow this tank. Rehoming guppies was hard enough. Trying to rehome something that needs a really big tank is not something I want to think about.

Stick to a nano community then.  Fish that stay under 6" mostly (just meaning if you want a few SAEs, cool), but try to keep everything under 2" and it'll be easier if you ever have issues.  Have good size schools, an active tank, and just enjoy seeing the different species interact.  Even if you decide on one big school of one species, you will see the social behavior and so many interesting things.

[KittenFishMom]

@nabokovfan87 2-6 weeks. That feels like a little kid waiting for Christmas. I really wants to see the fish swimming in the tank. But I have waited a long time, a little more is OK. The sealant will be in place on the bowls 48 hours tonight at 10pm on the east coast. then I can wash the tank and start adding substrate.  The RO doesn't arrive until Tuesday, so I will be using well water to plant the plants and fill the tank a few inches.  

Once the guppies leave, I can move the adult corys from a tall hex to a regular 10 and then they can swim around more. Being bottom fish, they don't have much room in a tall tank. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/25/2022 at 2:48 PM, KittenFishMom said:

Once the guppies leave, I can move the adult corys from a tall hex to a regular 10 and then they can swim around more. Being bottom fish, they don't have much room in a tall tank. 

How many corydoras do you have in the group?

[KittenFishMom]

@nabokovfan87 I only have adults peppered corys left from the 6 I started with last winter. I bought all the shop had this fall when they had tiny mixed regular and hifin corys. I think it is about 12. They won't stop moving at all, so are hard to count. The little corys are in with the male guppies in a regular 10 gallon. the adults are in the tall hex. It is nearly impossible to catch fish in the tall hex, so I didn't move the small ones in there. With luck, all but 10 of the male guppies will leave tomorrow. I will have to wait until those 10 leave when their tank cycles to put the adult corys with them.

Once the plants are rooted, or I can't wait anymore, they will all go in the 55 gallon.

All the loaches will go in the 55 and the neons. I have 2 betta, but I think they scare the Kuhli loaches so I may keep a tank for each of them.

I think the yoyo loaches will uproot plants, no matter how long I wait to add them. They are big fish now 2.5 to 3 inches now. There are only 2 of them. They were so small when I got them (this fall), I thought they were dwarf chain loaches. As they grew, I could read "yoyo" on their side. They were sold as dwarf chain loaches. Oh well. They are starting to eat a lot of snails. The tank is littered with empty snail shells.

I have some adult neons about 8. I want to get some more when they move to the big tank.

I also have 6 flagfish that will be shipped to me on Monday.

After dealing with hundreds of guppies this summer. I am so ready to be lightly stocked. 

[Schuyler]

How will you keep substrate out of the "ponds"?

[KittenFishMom]

@Schuyler The "ponds" are 2 clear glass bowls. one about 3 inches tall, the other about 6 inches tall, and a clear glass vase about 12 inches tall. I used aquarium sealant to seal the glass bowls to the glass bottom, so algae and such does not get between the glass.  I will need to vacuum or wipe out blast out what falls into the bowls during the lighted hours so the bottom are clear when I turn on the lights under them after the tank is dark. I won't have the underneath lights on very long, 15-30 minutes. then I will turn them off and go to bed.

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/25/2022 at 6:47 PM, KittenFishMom said:

Once the plants are rooted, or I can't wait anymore, they will all go in the 55 gallon.

Yeah, I was going to suggest, once you have the 55G ready, then just add the corydoras to it. Meaning, substrate is in and ready and waiting for plants. They'll be fine in there and won't bother you when doing hardscape.

On 11/25/2022 at 8:37 PM, KittenFishMom said:

@Schuyler The "ponds" are 2 clear glass bowls. one about 3 inches tall, the other about 6 inches tall, and a clear glass vase about 12 inches tall. I used aquarium sealant to seal the glass bowls to the glass bottom, so algae and such does not get between the glass.  I will need to vacuum or wipe out blast out what falls into the bowls during the lighted hours so the bottom are clear when I turn on the lights under them after the tank is dark. I won't have the underneath lights on very long, 15-30 minutes. then I will turn them off and go to bed.

Have you don't a test with the tank full at all? That would be where I start.  I'd probably let it sit for 2 weeks somewhere with an air stone and lids on.

Then inspect all the stuff you have going on.

[KittenFishMom]

I will probably do a full test tomorrow after I do a final cleaning. I want to be sure there is no water between the glass bottom and the glass ponds. I want to rush now, but I think slow and steady is the way to go.

[KittenFishMom]

@nabokovfan87Do you think I could let the corys in during the 2 week test with random hardscape and filters and some piles of gravel here and there?  Maybe it is best to wait until the substrate and plants are in place. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/26/2022 at 7:29 AM, KittenFishMom said:

@nabokovfan87Do you think I could let the corys in during the 2 week test with random hardscape and filters and some piles of gravel here and there?  Maybe it is best to wait until the substrate and plants are in place. 

definitely wait until after substrate is in there to add the corydoras.

[KittenFishMom]

@nabokovfan87 Roger Roger. The substrate is in. Please see my post tonight about filling the tank.