[summerboy1958]

Hi folks,

It's been a while since I posted. all of the comments made during that build worked well. My 30 low tech SA cichlid tank is doing well (except that the male of my trio of Apisto Black Chin died). I've been doing 50% water changes every week. I dose with Flourish (pot, phos, nit, excel and trace). The plants are doing well. My amazon swords are doing great, but I can't get water sprite to grow. Vals won't grow, but all of my various crypts are going great. Oh well....

The reason for this post is for a 29 i want to make for Scarlett Badis, I love those little critters. My thought is 7 Badis (2 male/5 female), a pair of some small gourami, 10 or so shrimp and mosquito rasboras for dithers. Black substrate/sand, big drift wood and a bunch of plants. The tank is bare, so I need a top, lights, substrate and filtration system. I was going to opt for a glass top, a coral life light similar to my 30 and a HOB filter. Low tech, dosed with liquid ferts. Maybe using black eco complete with black sand.

Here is where my experience runs out. Most sources say the Badis likes a densely planted tank, but "low light". Also, they need a good filtration system, but like still water? Soooooo.....

I had thought to use Java moss and Java fern, but have never used these. Also the following were recommended in one source: Hygrophillia, star wort, giant red rotala, cryptocoryne beckettii and barclaya (more plants that I have never had).

What substrate do I need to match with sand? Or just use the sand? HELP!!!

I would appreciate comments, particularly if you have had badis.

 

[Rexthecrayfish]

you cant go wrong with some good old java fern and moss. wisteria is another good plant i have it in both my low tech tanks and it grows like crazy. anubias is another choice and a great plant, i personally favor anubias nana for its flowers.

 

[caoder]

vals don't grow with excel, it kills them off in all my experience with them >.>;;

also with a decent light and dense planting and some floating plants, there's always places of low light for them to be happy.

 

[jarvitron]

I'm no green thumb, I have trouble keeping stuff alive in dirt, much less in the tank, but java moss (instructions: place moss into tank. Maybe tie it to something first. Wait.) java ferm (similar, but "tie to rock first" is a little more critical) are practically idiot proof. The other two things I've had good luck with are water wisteria and crypts. The wisteria, I just poked down into the substrate and it's been happy ever since. As long as it's _near_ the substrate, it'll reach out with roots to anchor itself. I have three small cryptocorne somethingorotherii that I divided from a single start. They are _slow_ growing and need a lot of time to establish their root system when initially planted, they tend to melt if you move them. But as long as you can put them into place and not mess around with them, they'll soon surprise you with their size and leaf density.

 

[summerboy1958]

I finally located the tank my daughter assured me was a 29. Imagine my surprise when it measured out as a 20 high. So I am skipping the gouramis and will focus on a smaller group of badis. Just left a note in the substrate forum about using dirt.