[Colorblizzle]

Putting together a low-tech planted tank based on my research on Tom bares successes. It's a 10 gallon with an aqua clear 20 and a jäger 50w heater. I'm using black flourite sand mixed with brown play sand as the substrate painting the back flat black and gonna go fully planted with such species as; Echinodermata portoalegrensis, ludwigia repens, eleocharis parvula, crypto prune undulata, limnobium laevigatum, Echinodermata tenellis, and ceratopteris thalictroides. I'm gonna fertilize with potassium nitrate mono potassium phosphate and seachem equilibrium. My only things idk yet is what fish to stock and whether to use RO water. I'm planning on otocinclus affinis and fantail guppys (this tank is for my toddlers) but I would love to ad a small angel or cichlid as well as some kuhli loaches since the plants will help a lot with the waste can I extremely overstock it? I want as many as I possibly can! I'm not planning on doing water changes just topping off whatever evaporates. Any and all questions and comments are welcome

 

[shloken38]

Overstocking is ok, but a cichlid or angel in a 10 gallon is NOT a good idea. Also, are you planning on having male and female guppies? If so, your tank will be overstocked within weeks anyway with all the fry they will drop (haha).

Start simple. You will become addicted to this hobby just like the rest of us. You will then buy more tanks.....bigger tanks. You can then stock fish like the ones you have mentioned.

It is your destiny......

 

[Colorblizzle]

That's why I'm starting small I have a 29 gallon with goldfish that I'm planning on changing over to a lightly planted west African river biotope and I have a 45 gallon Malawi/Victorian lake setup. This is my 1st planted tank that's why I'm starting it in a 10 gallon. I here that the otocinclus is the best at cleaning algae off plants and that the affinis is the smallest species. They do best in groups of 3 or more but I don't have the room. So I'm just gonna do one lonely guy. And as far as cichlids I was thinking 1 male apistogramma borelli but now I'm leaning towards just doing guppys and just showy male guppys so they don't overpopulated in a week lol. Any other ideas? I originally thought cardinal tetras then neon tetras. Don't guppys need a little salt? And that will hurt the plants right? I'm looking for the most fish. Colorful fish and easy to care for since I'm using this tank to teach my 2 year old and 5 year old with autism responsibility

 

[shloken38]

Ok.....gotcha! No salt needed for the livebearers (guppies). My 10 gallon actually houses endlers and red cherry shrimp. Endlers are livebearers also, and they stay under an inch. They're super hardy as well. The kids would love the shrimp.....I know mine do. For the oto, just be careful where you get it. It is hard to come by good stock. You should also let that tank get pretty well established first. Otherwise, that fish will die off pretty quickly.

Another suggestion would be cpd's (celestial pearl danios). Another small fish, and pretty nice looking. I know there are profiles for each fish on this website.

 

[Colorblizzle]

I've had danios before I'm not a huge fan very hardy and playful just kinda dull to me and the kids never liked them. They were actually happy when my red zebras ate them :/ and my LFS is a very nice place. It's not a big chain store and the owner is very knowledgable and only accepts applications for employment from members of our local fish club. He doesn't wanna have anyone working there who doesn't know things and almost all of his stick comes from breeders at the club. I'm planning on adding the oto last.