Tank Evolution

[Pleco Fan]

OK no added Co2 but to get results like that you must be adding something, I've just started using Easycarbo and Profito I'll be happy if I can keep my plant alive! 

[TropicalFishForums]

[piker]

Looking good si,big number of cardinals looks great.

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[Si4geckos]

OK no added Co2 but to get results like that you must be adding something, I've just started using Easycarbo and Profito I'll be happy if I can keep my plant alive! 

I put a handful of root tabs in when set up, but that’s it. Just the fish waste feeds the plants. All about balance of lights, fish numbers and plant numbers/ size. Don’t add anything else. Get the right plants and maintenance is pretty easy, just how I like it.


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[Si4geckos]

https://youtu.be/o1BwdkYUvlM

Quick update video. All the cardinals added now. Nothing left in quarantine.


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[Stephen]

https://youtu.be/o1BwdkYUvlM

Quick update video. All the cardinals added now. Nothing left in quarantine.

Nice video  (I'm subscribed) 

[Gingerlove05]

Very nice
I always thought they were called cardinals for their red?

[plankton]

Very nice Si.

[Si4geckos]

Been a while since I updated the big tank log. Too busy pond building.

Overall the tank is doing well, but I feel like changes are required to make it even better.

Current stock:
40 cardinal tetras
31 sterbai
7 honey gourami
Panqulous sp
Golden ancistrus
Ballon ram
Malaysian trumpet snails

Options I’m considering:

1- add 40 more cardinals
2- add a mix of 40 cardinals and rummy nose tetras
3- add a selection of rams- x2 electric blue; x2 golden, x2 German, plus a few cardinals
4- add 6/7 female beta fish

(If the bioload gets too much I’ll probably reduce sterbai numbers)

Main issues:

1- At the moment the tetras hide at the opposite end of the tank to the fx6 output. Can hardly see them in the Amazon swords. Read a few topics about them hiding and flow seems to be the issue. I’ve move the output nozzles and they do seem to be creeping out a bit more today. Hoping that solves the issue.

2- I never see the sterbai. When I had my old 4 foot tank and about 12 sterbai they’d dance up and down the front of the glass a lot. Always out and active. I only ever see about 3/4 at once now unless it’s feeding time. Annoying as I have so many. I was hoping theyd shoal like in the wild. I’m tempted to remove a lot, of not all of the plants so there’s less hiding places. Don’t want to stress them out, but would be interesting to see what happened with just wood and few small rocks.

3- main issue, as above, I’ve a lot of fish, but they all hide lots!

Any thoughts on any of the above ideas/ suggestions appreciated.


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[plankton]

I'd go with more tetras and see if that brings the corys out.
Since I've had the emperors the C048s come out more.....

[Si4geckos]

I'd go with more tetras and see if that brings the corys out.
Since I've had the emperors the C048s come out more.....

Thanks Ian.

I had a play at a rescape, which ended up just removing pretty much all the moss and a few other little plants. Results were the tetras started swimming around the tank more. The sterbai come out a little bit more, but I think more tetras are the way forward (when I have space to breed/ raise/ quarantine more).

Question I do have is, would goldfish be ok in the big tank?

I have kept some fry from the pond fish and currently raising some inside in an Unheated tank, but at about 4 weeks old, one is already an inch and looking like a baby goldfish (same size as my smaller cardinal tetras) rather than eyes with a tail. The tank seems to be between 22-24c most of the time. With today’s heatwave it’s gone over 26. Google tells me goldfish can live up to 30c and my main tank is 26-27c most of the time.

I’m wondering if I can move the biggest one or two ‘fry’ into the big tropical tank to raise them up and grow them on to give the smaller fry a better chance of growing.

Any issues with this plan? Once they get to about 2 inches they’ll go back into the upstairs tank and be gradually cooled before returning to the pond they started in. It’ll be another week or two before this happens so I can get them used to flake food etc first.

Good idea? Bad idea? Thoughts/ experience appreciated.


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[plankton]

Remember that goldies will eat smaller fish.
The warmer the temp the quicker the metabolism, so, for growing-on fry I would suggest it's not a good idea for the development of all the internals.

[Si4geckos]

Remember that goldies will eat smaller fish.
The warmer the temp the quicker the metabolism, so, for growing-on fry I would suggest it's not a good idea for the development of all the internals.

How big would a goldfish have to be before it ate a cardinal do you think?

I was thinking 2 inches before I removed them as the honey gourami, etc are that size? Or doe goldies have much bigger mouths? Even the babies do seem to have a big gob on them!

[plankton]

If it goes in the mouth it gets eaten, just be careful.
I'd still be worried about the internals growing too quickly in the warmer water.......