thedarkstar

I'd second the idea, it's always nice to read about the different types of tanks.

Is it easy to take off with just a razor blade? When I reapply it just use 100% silicon that is aquarium safe? You're right on both accounts... Just gotta make sure that when you re-apply it, you let it fully cure. As for taking it off, I thought I bookmarked the page where it showed how to re-seal a tank, I think it may have even been on AA if you look around. But from what I understood, its cutting flush to the glass from the top/bottom (or side/side when doing the sides) but making sure you don't cut too deep.

I'm sure it should be CO2, high lighting demands CO2 as a basis for photosynthesis

It all comes down to the levels of ammonia, etc in the tank. And with so many small fish, I'd hardly think it to get crowded

Don't wanna step on your toes but you meant add CO2 and ferts correct?

Footprint usually means size.... like 48x12x12 and such

Either way, I don't see a problem with your stocking so far.

Also have to consider waste production. Some fish just don't produce enough waste to register as a full length of fish. Most likely like your dwarf rasboras/pygmy cories. But then again whiptails produce quite a bit?

Keep in mind... 16" of fish that are bottom feeders, 20 mid-top with your rasboras and the 6 misc. with the whiptail. Seems alright to me space wise. With plants/filtration like jvision fsaid, shouldn't have a problem

Basically you have to consider the size of the fish vs tank vs level and the amount of filtration... For me... 9-1.5 inch WCMM = 13.5 inches 6-1inch Habrosus cories = 6inches 3 - 1.5 inch Otos = 4.5 So I have 24 inches of fish for a 30 inch tank. the white clouds are mostly midlevel/bottom The otos go anywhere and everywhere and the Cories have found themselves a little corner to hang around. And with these fish in a 20 gal long it still seems bare, and with all the filtration it doesn't even register anything lol so the stocking options are all depending on taste. As for the Otos, usually about 4 would work, especially if you're gonna add some more plants lol.

Forgot to add the bit about "preferred pH" usually dealing with the waters in which they're found in the wild. Unless wild-caught, most tank-raised fish will already be conditioned to harder water.

Usually its best not to mess with pH, as I've read over and over its easier for a fish to adapt to a new, stable pH than for you to mess with pH and have it fluctuate. As for the peat... google "peat filtration", I looked it up when I was researching Apistos and it seemed too complicated for me lol.

If you want the shrimp to propagate, no fish is best as all will most likely eat the babies. Best think to do is to not skimp on the moss and make it as impossible as you can for fish to eat the shrimp. So far the ones I've found that can survive with shrimp, but most likely eat some baby shrimp are the ones in my tank. Everything else I've researched I've found cases of harassing then eating of shrimp lol.

Cories don't eat algae, they just forage for food like little sand vacuums. If I throw a pinch of flake food in you see them start hoovering around in the sand for the pieces that fall. As for the Otos, they aren't bottom feeders, they're catfish, they basically attach themselves anywhere in the tank and suck. And I like them alot better than plecos, although not as hardy they're definitely less waste-producing than the plecos. Cories do like groups better, I'd probably try to boost your pygmy/pepper groups to atleast 6 each. so maybe adding 5-7 of the pygmys will get you there. They stress out very easily, especially going from a plastic bag to pristine water (I learnt the hard way). As for my waste cleaning crew, I've tried to limit the number of fish who eat shrimp currently "zero". I'm sure the baby shrimp disappear but I'd say most of my adults are surviving. 10 cherrys and 10 green shrimp.

They seem to be doing fine to me... as far as I can tell lol Can't say how that'd work, they might form two separate schools of rasboras or they may form one giant school lol Nope, thats what the cories do. Pygmy ones aren't quite as bottom-dweller as the other cories, they tend to school more and swim about. But they're just like cories in that they go to the surface to gulp air. The only way sand works with a filter is if you have a pre-filter over the intake to stop it from sucking up. With a pre-filter there's usually no issue with sand being sucked up. As for the uprooting, I've never seen a cory do it in my experience, but strange things happen lol

-They seem to look fine to me, what exactly do you have for plants? -Usually with cories and most digging fish, even plants seem to like it better, sand or a fine gravel works best. I bought a bag of the SIL-9 sand (although more a small gravel) for my tank, and it seems to do the trick for the plants but for my dwarf cories its still almost too big lol. - As for the inch of fish rule, its just a guideline and the rule is different for each person. My father told me it was square inch of fish, some say length, etc... not to mention plants usually give you the ability to overstock a tiny bit without it affecting you if you do regular changes, given you over-filter. Then there's also the rule about levels in the tank... surface, midlevel, bottom where you dont wanna overcrowd one level of the tank.

what a nifty looking tank, alot more organized than my planted

With alot of pictures, you'd be best to upload them to an album on photobucket or something and then link it to here

Either that or the 2 3-banded numbers confused him like they did me... its the lisdexia

THATS COOL....maybe i won't have to buy a different one for now! It also depends on the plants.... I've followed Tropica's website for light reqs and the plants seem to grow well Also gotten good quality plants from members on here

Less than 1... 15watt 18 inch bulb, over a 20 gal 30inch long tank.

That would definitely be awesome for you, even better if you bring back pictures :shifty:

Right now I'm using excel/fluorish and my plants seem to be quite happy in the low light I've got.

They have a few at Nature's Corner Store, or atleast did a week ago

As far as I know, won't touch adults, but like evrything will most likely eat babies