Starting a new tank by myself, I've got questions.

[v_nod]

Hi guys, there's a tank in my house which was set up by my dad to house goldfish and recently the last one died. So i'm now taking over, and this is my first time.

Specifications:

Tank (the old one): almost 2ft(height) x 1ft (width) x 1ft (height)
Actual : (23.5" (60cm) x 11.4" (29cm) x 12.2" (31cm)
Acrylic

Filter : The OHF that came with. It's run by a Dyna motor. Starting it with fresh filter sponge and ceramic rings kept from when the goldfish was alive.

Light: Changing it to white fluorescent.15W

Substrate : Black pea-sized gravel

Flora: Java Fern, Java Moss and Anubias Nana

Fauna: 1 Guppy (starter), 6 rummynose,2 oto, 4 pygmy cory

Others: Planning a scape with root-like driftwood and some rock. Dark Blue/ Black background,adding liquid fertiliser (Seachem Excel?), No CO2

Questions:

1) Any problems you guys can foresee with the flora and fauna? Like rummynoses being too sensitive as beginner fish?

2) How many kg of such gravel do i need for a 2 inch height? Some calculators vary from 20 to 27kg, but my dad says he only needed 10kg of brown sand

3) I notice some LFS have black sand and not exactly gravel. Will this hurt the cory? Any LFS that sell black gravel of a largely bigger size? (I live in the west by the way)

Thanks so much for all the help

[sheng]

Is this a repeated post?

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...read.php/66355

[v_nod]

Hi Sheng, the previous post was a while ago, when i was still toying around with the idea of taking over the tank..I've done my research and have come with a more steady plan in mind..If you don't mind, any comments on my latest plan? Thanks!

[kimlng]

hi, i think your set up is ok. Rummies/tetras are quite hardy, my friend had some rummies in a tank with airstone only (not even filtration) and they could survive for months.

Your floras don't need deep substrate, even without also can. My channa setup i just put Java Fern without any substrate. Without substrate you don't need to worry about cories. Anyway, I have clown loaches with sand and they surviving so I guess any substrate will do so long as they are from LFS and for aquarium use.

Just my 2 cents worth, hope it helps.

[Wolfgangs246]

Just to let you know about the black sand. If you are referring to the black quartz sand that I've bought before, it didn't effect my panda corys. They seems quite happy swimming around and didn't mind burrowing into it. I am not sure of an shops that would sell it in large quantities in the west side. Have you tried Qian Hu? I have seen 8kg bags of the product in Nature Aquarium in Balestier. Not sure if that is too far for you to travel to get some.

There is supposedly a landscaping specialist store near Qian Hu in the Pet Farm region. They may carry aquarium suitable sand as well.

Hope that helps.

[v_nod]

hi, i think your set up is ok. Rummies/tetras are quite hardy, my friend had some rummies in a tank with airstone only (not even filtration) and they could survive for months.

Your floras don't need deep substrate, even without also can. My channa setup i just put Java Fern without any substrate. Without substrate you don't need to worry about cories. Anyway, I have clown loaches with sand and they surviving so I guess any substrate will do so long as they are from LFS and for aquarium use.

Just my 2 cents worth, hope it helps.

Hi kimlng, yes it help alot! Since you do keep loaches, it puts my mind at peace that bottom-feeders should be alright with sand.

[v_nod]

Hi Adrian, yeah i think it's called black quartz sand..the thing now is i need to know if for a 2ft tank, to achieve 2inch of substrate, do I need 27kg or 10kg of gravel? any ideas? and thanks for the locations, I'll check it out. By the way, do the panda cories grow very big?

[Wolfgangs246]

Hi V_Nod,

Given your dimensions, I think you could get away with 2-3 bags for a total of 16-24kg of the sand (I would buy 16kg first, and then make a second trip if necessary, no need to overbuy). But if you go to Nature Aquarium, you can try asking the uncle there. He's pretty good at estimating the number of bags needed.

I've only had my corys for about 6 months. But they don't look like they get very big. Maybe 2 inch long? But they are adorable when they are in the right mood, swimming in a small pack and playing around.

[iewnuj]

I'm pretty sure a 10kg pack can get you close to a 2inch sand bed for a 2ft x 1ft tank.

I was in your shoes before and I brought 2 packets. Ended up I have now 1 unopened packet sleeping in my storeroom now.

[v_nod]

Hi V_Nod,

Given your dimensions, I think you could get away with 2-3 bags for a total of 16-24kg of the sand (I would buy 16kg first, and then make a second trip if necessary, no need to overbuy). But if you go to Nature Aquarium, you can try asking the uncle there. He's pretty good at estimating the number of bags needed.

I've only had my corys for about 6 months. But they don't look like they get very big. Maybe 2 inch long? But they are adorable when they are in the right mood, swimming in a small pack and playing around.

I think I'll make a trip down to NA some time soon, I think i'll get a 10kg packet first and make more trips if necessary..Yeah that's what I like about corys; they're so playful! Thanks for the help!

[v_nod]

I'm pretty sure a 10kg pack can get you close to a 2inch sand bed for a 2ft x 1ft tank.

I was in your shoes before and I brought 2 packets. Ended up I have now 1 unopened packet sleeping in my storeroom now.

That's the reason why I'm asking around, I don't want to overbuy! Thanks!

[Wolfgangs246]

Hey V_Nod.

Check this out. Probably a good opportunity to get what you want at a good rate.

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ck-quartz-sand

[newtank]

I think I'll make a trip down to NA some time soon, I think i'll get a 10kg packet first and make more trips if necessary..Yeah that's what I like about corys; they're so playful! Thanks for the help!

I think 10 kg will serve you well, its really simple math, 60x30x5 will give you about 9 litres. 10 kg of sand will give you appr 9 litres.

[v_nod]

Hey V_Nod.

Check this out. Probably a good opportunity to get what you want at a good rate.

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ck-quartz-sand

Hey thanks so much! this is what i love about this forum, everyone looking out for each other..

[v_nod]

Thanks newtank, yeah didn't consider basic math..

[v_nod]

Hey, I've got more questions

1) How long does it roughly take for a driftwood to sink and stop releasing tannin? I've bought my driftwood and it's sitting in a pail of water now.

2) If I start to put in the gravel, driftwood and rocks, with only the gravel being moist, are there any possible problems that can occur? like mosquito breeding or driftwood drying up?

Thanks!

[v_nod]

I also read that rummynose tetras might be too big for a 2ft tank. I was planning to have this quantity of fauna: 1 guppy(starter), 2 oto, 4 pygmy cory/panda cory and 6 rummynose tetra. Placing them in in that order. Would i be safer with cardinal tetra?

[freyster]

pardon me, i thought cardinal tetra bigger in size compared to rummynose.

[kimlng]

I had rummies in my 2 ft till an accident occured and all died. Anyways, rummies are will liked for their ability to school better, I found that putting them in a 2 ft cannot really appreciate schooling because after swimming from one end to the other, they have to make u turn, ie not enough space. But its ok to have them and my rummies grew from 2"+ to 3" and fat too.

[ahpek_lion]

So far, i see that all is going well good luk bro in ur 1st plant tank