20 gallon long low tech low light *insert clever name here*

[Hilde]

Originally Posted by iadubber

I'll check it out. I don't even have dirt in this tank yet.

The purigen is expensive ($18).

What did you top the dirt in the tank with tannins? I have found river sand to be the best. I got it a landscaper co $3 for a 50lb bag. Doesn't need a lot of rinsing and stays clean. Also the color is brown.

Eheim filters are my favorite for they are so quiet. Some don't last long though.

[iadubber]

I didn't rinse my sand or dirt last time.

I picked up some crypt wendtii and microsword from PetSmart today in thoughts I'd start my dry start tonight. Now I keep reading on how many problems people have had with dry starts in controlling humidity etc. I had plans to move my DHG, crypt wendtii foreground, and do the microsword midground all dry started.

Is dry starting as easy as getting my substrate in which is already damp, cap it, plant my plants, and get some more water in the substrate? Put some saran wrap over most of the top to keep as much humidity in. Then spray the plants as it starts to dry up?? I've read that some sword dies after flooding. All confused, and now I have $16 in plants to figure out what's going on. thanks!

[Hilde]

Originally Posted by iadubber

I didn't rinse my sand or dirt last time.

I had plans to move my DHG, crypt wendtii foreground, and do the microsword midground all dry started. All confused, and now I have $16 in plants to figure out what's going on. thanks!

Rinse the sand at least 1x

I don't have the patience to do a dry start. I just know that those plants need to go in dirt as soon as possible. I would get a moisture meter to check the moisture. They are cheap. If you can't find 1 at a hardware store try Ebay.

[iadubber]

I may just do a normal start and move my AC20 from my 10gallon to this tank. I picked up an AC30 to add to this tank as well. I'm just short one heater and I planned to retire the 10gallon anyways so i'll probably take the heater from that for now.

[Hilde]

I don't bother with heaters anymore. For I found with my 29g the water stays near the temp of the room. Haven't checked my 20G. The plecos, only inhabitants, seem to be doing okay without a heater. My 10g needed a heater for there was great fluctuation in the temp of the water.

[iadubber]

Mine's in the basement though. Granted, steady, but cool.

[iadubber]

Filled the tank tonight. I got the crypt wendtii from my other tank in the front right, microsword in the middle, trying to revive my DHG on the front left. Back corners are jungle val. The java fern and anubias aren't going to stay in the tank, if the fern recovers I'll probably ROAK it and the anubias. They just don't fit what I want to do with this tank.


Still cloudy. I'll probably run some carbon in a few days to help clear the water.


IMG_7032 by iadubber, on Flickr

[iadubber]

cleared up a bit today


IMG_7033 by iadubber, on Flickr


IMG_7034 by iadubber, on Flickr


IMG_7035 by iadubber, on Flickr

[iadubber]

Added some needle leaf ludwigia, some turquoise rainbows and three guppies.


IMG_7166 oleh iadubber, di Flickr


IMG_7126 oleh iadubber, di Flickr


IMG_7124 oleh iadubber, di Flickr


IMG_7123 oleh iadubber, di Flickr

I'm still learning how to use extension tubes.

[iadubber]

Ordered an Eheim 2213. I should have went that route first instead of the AC30 and AC20 but live and learn, I didn't have the money for the 2213 right away and the AC20 was from my 10 gallon. I'll run all three for a couple months.

[GMYukonon24s]

Originally Posted by iadubber

Ordered an Eheim 2213. I should have went that route first instead of the AC30 and AC20 but live and learn, I didn't have the money for the 2213 right away and the AC20 was from my 10 gallon. I'll run all three for a couple months.

I've been there that's the best way to learn is trial and error.

[Hilde]

Originally Posted by iadubber

Ordered an Eheim 2213. I should have went that route first instead of the AC30 and AC20

I found buying the proper filter is the hardest thing to do for the gph aren't correct. For example I have an Eheim ecco 2232 on my 29 gallon and it is not strong enough. The rating for it is - 127 gph up to 35 gal. Love the Eheim filters though, for they are so quiet.

[iadubber]

I added turquoise rainbows, they are going already, I just don't like them in this size tank. I didn't mind them when I had some in a 55 last year. My LFS is trading me for them as well as the cory cats I just got. They are digging up my DHG and my substrate altogether and making my water cloudy.

[Rion]

If you want rainbow fish I would stick to any of the blue-eye rainbow fish species. They stay small (3-5cm) while still having some color. Pseudomugil gertrudae are mostly white but they have yellow top on their pectoral fins so they look like air traffic controllers. Other location varieties like P. gertrudae "ARU II" are much more colorful, with more oranges and yellows. Otherwise the smallest of the similar shaped rainbow fish would be a Melanotaenia praecox (Dwarf Neon Rainbow) which grows to be 6cm long.

[Hilde]

Originally Posted by Rion

Similar shaped rainbow fish would be a Melanotaenia praecox (Dwarf Neon Rainbow)

I had the Dwarf Neon in my 29G. It was just barely enough room for them, for they are fast swimmers.

I think threadfin rainbow would work in the 20G. For minimum size tank for them is a 10G.

So you had those rainbow in a 55G last year. Did you downgrade to a 20G long? Why did you go from 55G to 20G?