Questions Questions

[Infulgeo]

I, as predicted, have some more questions for all you far more experienced aquarists:
1) I am considering another stocking option for my 90 gallon tank wondering if its feasible, will the cardinals be at least as hardy as rummynose tetra? and can they exist happily in a no co2 low light/maintenance tank?
20-25 Tank Bred Cardinal Tetra (2")
10-15 Amano Shrimp
Possible addtion to make them school tighter (only possible lol):
1 Pearl Gourami (4")

2) I know everyone says plant densely right from the get go but what does this actually mean? Can i plant a bunch of plants right by one another without problems or do they need so many inches between each stem?
Current plant list (Subject to change ):
Foreground:
-Dwarf Hairgrass Parvula or
-Marsilea Minuta
Mid-Ground:
-Temple, Narrow leaf (Backround also)
-Dwarf Sagittaria (Backround Also)
-Cryptocoryne
-Java Fern
-Corkscrew Vallisneria (Vallisneria Americana) (fast grower)
-African Water Fern (Bolbitis Heudelotii){Backround Also}
Backround:
-Anacharis(Fast Grower)
-Wisteria (Fast Grower)
Possible Addtions:
-Sunset Hygrophila {Hygrophila polysperma 'Rosanervig'} (mid-backround permanent fast grower)
-Asian Ambulia (Limnophila sessiliflora)

3) Third Question, (yes there was a third one) when everyone is talking about dry fertilizers can you pick these up at your local lowe's or home depot?

4) I know you've already stopped reading but after the water softening effects of ADA AS wear off should i use something like peat pellets in the filter to keep the ph stable or will the aquarium have already broken down by then into a more acidic mixture.

5) Last one i promise, When topping off evaporated water won't this cause similar effects to that of a water change? Adding more CO2 than the plants are used to receiving thus leaving me vulnerable to an algae bloom?




Even if you can only answer on of these questions i'd greatly appreciate it and thanks for bearing with me as an insatiable newbie

-Nick

 

[Tug]

Never Had That Happen

YES

-Java Fern
-African Water Fern (Bolbitis Heudelotii){Backround Also}
Backround:
-Anacharis(Fast Grower)
-Wisteria (Fast Grower)
Possible Addtions:
-Sunset Hygrophila {Hygrophila polysperma 'Rosanervig'} (mid-backround permanent fast grower)
-Asian Ambulia (Limnophila sessiliflora)

4) I know you've already stopped reading but

I can honestly say, no -
never happens to me.

5) Last one i promise, When topping off evaporated water won't this cause similar effects to that of a water change? Adding more CO2 than the plants are used to receiving thus leaving me vulnerable to an algae bloom?

Better to top off the water - FO REAL.​

 

[Infulgeo]

so you're saying i can plant as densly as i want? and that the top off shouldn't be a problem? lol
thanks very much for the reply btw

 

[Biollante]

Tug Is Deep

Hi Nick,

If I can shine on the murkiness that is Tug... Tug is a literalist! Tug's answers are tongue firmly planted in cheek!

1 a) The Cardinal Tetras, Paracheirodon axelrodi are not going to be nearly as robust as Rummy-nose Tetra, Hemigrammus rhodostomus and will like a little warmer water, more on that in #2. The Cardinal Tetras are beautiful and should do well, the lack of CO2 is a bit of a plus. For 1 b) a compromise to the low end of their preferred water temperature.

1 b) Amano shrimp, Caridina multidentata (Caridina japonica) do well under many water conditions and are very hardy though they will not appreciate the higher water temperatures the Cardinals would like.

1 c) Pearl Gourami , Trichogaster leeri , make it a pair with plenty of hiding places for the female and lots of plants the shrimp should not end up on the menu too often.
​

2) I think you need to do a little more research on your plant selection concentrating on warm water, low CO2 plants. I do not have time to go plant by plant right now, do some revising. Anacharis for example is a good cold water plant.

3) Most of us buy the dry fertilizers online... There are work a rounds, but generally terrestrial fertilizers are a poor choice.

4 a) No, I am still reading.

4 b) Plain old peat, in the filter, as 'tea' or in a bag.

4 c) I think properly managed the aquarium will go on. (I have never used a commercial substrate so many think I am unqualified to answer these questions. They may Be right.)
​

5 a) No, topping off does not remove any salts or organics.

5 b) A little extra CO2 via water change will help the plants. (I may have misunderstood this one.)
​

Biollante

 

[Infulgeo]

Hi you have definitely shed some light on my questions!
ok so on the first point about plant temperatures i just went through all of them and checked at least four reliable sites and all said that my temperature of 77-78 degrees would be fair if not adequate...even the anacharais is grown in warmer temperatures( according to these sources anyways) which leads me to my confusion. Have you any experience with any of these plants not being able to with stand warmer water besides or including anacharis {Egeria densa}? I guess i just don't want to make a decision based on the info i already had especially if its wrong lol.
Also i have never heard of Pearl gourami eating Amano Shrimp i wonder if even after the shrimp are fully grown will they still be eaten? plus i'm not sure i should keep two considering the aggression they exhibit during breeding... Doesn't really matter though because they aren't central to my stocking ideals anyways.
The extra co2 i'm worried about is from the long span between water changes where plants are used to low co2 and then if i top off water say infrequently that would cause an algae bloom no?
Any and all opinions are welcome and Biollante if you could explain a bit more i'd appreciate it
Many thanks,
-Nick
P.S
Where do you guys buy your dry fertilizers from? I'd rather not just try to pick a site and hope its reliable

 

[Biollante]

Sorry to Have Intruded

Hi Nick,

If you have sources that say everything you want to do is right... go for it...

Good luck,
Biollante

 

[pat w]

P.S
Where do you guys buy your dry fertilizers from? I'd rather not just try to pick a site and hope its reliable

http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/

Reliable, Quality product, Decent prices, Quick shipments.

Who could ask for more?

{not a paid spokesperson} {or unpaid for that matter}

Pat

 

[pat w]

Double post

Never post when you are distracted by football.

Pat

 

[Infulgeo]

Hi Nick,

If you have sources that say everything you want to do is right... go for it...

Good luck,
Biollante

Biollante don't be sorry! i wanna know your perspective lol I was saying that i didn't want to go on bad information from the internet if you've found that information to be wrong.
i did a bit more reasearch and the anacharis i want is the only one that is suitable for a tropical tank all other species as you stated are cold water plants, but i wasn't saying you were wrong i'm just trying to get my facts straight and as we all know the internet isn't all that reliable which is why I'm asking for your opinion because you're far more experienced than me

 

[Infulgeo]

Haa thanks for the link Pat i'll prob give it a shot once i get the tank up and running
-Nick

 

[Tug]

Yeah, Deep Under Cover

Hi Infulgeo,
I have seen some very nice planted (non CO2) tanks. There is no reason yours shouldn't be one of those. You seam to know when you are pushing the limits of some of your stocking options - that helps.

Topping off the water that has evaporated should not cause algae, topping off the tank infrequently might. Concerning extra CO2 from changing water, any CO2 added from the water change should be driven off rather quickly if you increase the surface water movement during the water change. I do not think it is a major concern as long as any (WC) is done infrequently, as it can be.

You probably already read these two links. It sounds as if you are trying to understand why CO2 stability is so important, http://www.barrreport.com/showthrea...hy-is-CO2-stability-and-pathways-so-important and this thread I'm reading on
Non CO2 methods, http://www.barrreport.com/showthread.php/2817-Non-CO2-methods

Dry Fertilizer
http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/
http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/

 

[Infulgeo]

I have and thank you so much for your reply it also has helped me piece together the answers to these questions further, now when you mention stocking options i'm pretty understocked for a 90 gallon right?
I was also thinking of doing something like:
10 Glowlight Rasbora (Trigonostigma hengeli) {1.5"}
15 Cardinal (or rummynose) Tetra {2"}
10-15 Amano Shrimp {2"}

My goal is to have a very modest number of slim fish in a heavily planted aquarium
but i am a little concerned about whether the amano shrimp's bio load should be calculated in the stocking options as its not a large number of them.
I used the one inch of fish per gallon rule because since these fish are all slim the 33.3% of biomass can be accurately extrapolated into their bioload considering the inch per gallon standard no?
I guess what i'm asking is will this be better than my intially suggested stocking options in terms of bioload or is this a worse idea
if you have any more info to give i'm all ears!
many thanks and happy holidays,
-Nick
P.S thanks for the fertilizer links

 

[Tug]

No, neither suggested stocking option would be considered overstocked. But, I am stepping outside my comfort zone (take this with a grain of salt). I would start with 25 H. rhodostomus and 15 Glowlight Rasbora. Both are very handsome fish.

Amano Shrimp (recommended two per gallon) are hardy, but I think you might find RCS (Neocaridina denticulata sinensis var. red) are an inch smaller, breed readily and are just as hardy. Ten RCS will soon breed and fill in as they see fit.

Happy holidays Nick

 

[Infulgeo]

Won't RCS overpopulate the tank tho? and Have you had H. Rhodostomus any reccomendations about acclimation etc?
thanks
-Nick

 

[Tug]

NO

Breeding RCS should not overpopulate the tank, IME. Maybe some old salt will chime in about H. Rhodostomus. I've never raised them, only seen them in large numbers in a friend's tank.