cooder Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Hey guys, Im new to planted and SA tanks so need advice, sorry for long winded post In a couple of days i will be picking up my 2ft tank and cabinet, and would like some ideas on how i should set it up. The complete setup will be a fair while down the track, because i dont have the money now to do it. i would probably dedicate...$350 to this setup, including everything needed to add on to the tank and cabinet. ive already bought the tank! 1) Filtration and lighting: What filter should i use?? the tank, as i recall is about 68 litres. the stocking is going to be medium to minimal, plus lots of plants. I was thinking a small canister, but for a good one of those=$$$ so im open to any suggestions. Lighting, i have a wall mounted 20 LED reading light above where i want the tank (it was a desk area) but obviously i will need more. i was thinking a 1.5- 2 ft t8 single bulb light. Apistos dont like as much light, but plants do so need your opinions and suggestions. 2) Plants and decor: I have a nice-ish piece of wood, that I wanted to drill holes in and plant java fern in. wanted lots of java fern, anubias, amazon swords and a type of grass thing for part of the floor, maybe some vals for the back/corners. Can you suggest some plants for this? Also im not sure about substrate, i need a substrate thats good for plants but looks good with apistos too. the choice substrate for apistos is sand right? so what substrate can you suggest?? and depth? I was thinking about some indian almond leaves too, but im not sure if it would look good with lots of plants. Also im not sure about Co2, plants that dont need Co2 would be good. 3) Stocking: So Apsitogramma cacautoides was what i wanted and are available. they are labelled as Blood red, and the pic is cool. this is off Livefish.com. thats where i would get my plants as well. anyway i was thinking 4-6 Juvie apistos (wouldnt mind breeding them) with 3 or 4 corys (??) or BNs as well as a type of dither, not sure on that, have to see what i like and whats available. Would these work?? Food? 4) Water: I have slightly acidic rain water available to me, but not in the biggest supply. my main tap water is out of a concrete tank, so its buffered to like 8.0, which is great for tangs, not so great for apistos. How do you get the water down to the right values? what values would you reccomend for these fish and plants? i also decided on cacautoides because they are suposed to be an easier apisto, great for beginners like me! If i remember anything else i want to know i will post again!! Thanks for any help, its all appreciated!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krellious Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Short and sweet answers... 1 Hang on back filter ie aquaclear 30 i think. Or a fluval 205 or eheim 2215 should be able to clean a 2ft tank. lightning also depends on what the plants you have require. I had a low tech planted growing perfectly on a NEC 3 ft basic fluro. 2 The plants you are looking at dont need C02 to survive but it would help. Glossitigma i think is a nice coverage plant. But yes driftwood and some almond leaves would be good to lower the ph to what apistos like. Plants also depend on what you like and how much you want to spend on keeping them alive and healthy. 3 Apistos are egg layers and other fish will attack the eggs. Esp catfish. Try apisto's and some schooling tetra's. The tetra's may or may not attack the eggs but they do look nice and will keep the apisto's active. Also food will be NLS for the fish. Crush some up in a pepper grinder if you want to feed tetra's. 4 Invest in a reverse osmosis system to lower the ph. If not age water in a barrel with alot of driftwood and almond leaves and you should be ok. Never used rain water but if you do make sure you add prime to remove any contaminants just to be ont he safe side. Sunstrate is personal. You can buy the fancy stuff who's name i cant recall of you can add small pebbles. If memory serves appistos live in area's of leave and timber debris so why not fill the floor with twigs and leaves. That also gives the fry a place to hide and alot of micro organisms will live in the leaves and the fish can eat them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killiguy Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 I have 7 Apisto species tanks.If you want healthy Apistos you had better sort out your water.I use rainwater with alittle tap water in to avoid pH crashes(except the Apistos that like a pH of 4.0)RO is expensive and wastes alot of water.The ABC of Apistos(Aggas,Borellii and caccas)can tolerate alkaline water but its not ideal Sand is best as substrate with alot of cover,pots pipes leaves etc. If you want to breed the fish avoid the cats that will eat the fry.I use cardinal tetras most as dither fish occasionally rummynose or Aussie natives esp Rhadinocentrus. Watch your cacautoides stock as many of the massed produced Asian fish are deformed or produce deformed fry,also the labelled cacautoides strains,triple red etc dont usually breed true.If you put 6 fish in then be prepared to take 4 fish out when they breed because of aggression.I use 3ft tanks for most Apistos except borellii and trifasciata when 2 ft is fine even for multiple fish I use sponge filters with mine as they dont like high current A.panduro species tank,growing brood hence no dither fish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooder Posted August 7, 2011 Author Share Posted August 7, 2011 Cool, thanks for the replys. ok well the trifaciata on livefish.com are out of stock. But it is a while until i will be able to start stocking this tank. i hate bad quality/deformed fish so i will take your advice and not get the labelled caccas. I just did a test on the water and its: PH: 6.0, KH: 0, GH: 0, Also i live 18 kays out of a small costal town and the rainwater is pure, so no contaminants in it. So basicly if i want to breed them, which i do then no dithers?? im fine with that because that means less to pay lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killiguy Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 ok well the trifaciata on livefish.com are out of stock. But it is a while until i will be able to start stocking this tank. i hate bad quality/deformed fish so i will take your advice and not get the labelled caccas. Getting Asian caccas would be OK but make sure you see the stock.German bred stuff is more reliably good but very expensive.Trifasciata is not the hardiest Apisto but if you can get the water you mention,not over stock the tank and do lots of water changes then they should do well So basicly if i want to breed them, which i do then no dithers?? im fine with that because that means less to pay lol. Dithers are useful in settling the cichlids so you see them and also in polarising the parents against a common enemy and improving parental care.Pencilfish dont eat the fry,tetras may but Ive not have too many problems with cardinals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooder Posted August 7, 2011 Author Share Posted August 7, 2011 Ok, i cant see the stock though because its online, so i will take the precaution and get tris, if i can get them in stock. The water i mentioned and lots of water changes was i what i planned lol. I was thinking about the filtration, i have a 300lt per hr internal, so if i added it to a sponge then i would have more filtration. or do you think the current will be too strong for them?? It may sound like a silly question but i havnt had any experience with spong filters, so how exactly do they work? i know they are a good method of biological filtration but im not 100% on the mechanics of them. i was also reccomended "play sand" from bunnings and have heard alot about it, but i havnt seen it in my local bunnings. i only had a quick look so maybe i looked in wrong isle? Thanks for all the answers.... EDIT: should i get a 12 inch fluro or 24 inch? apistos dont like too much light do they? but plants do, thats the only problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killiguy Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 You could get stock from Jodi-Lea.First class stuff but quite price(but you get what you pay for) Sponge filters are simple air driven filters.I have several hundred of them around my fish room.Esp good for fry tanks as they dont suck in fry and are an excellent cheap form of biological filter.They work once they have been colonized with denitrifying bacteria so take a few weeks to get going. I use filter sand from the poolshop,not as grubby as playsand Use lighting you need for the plants.Apistos are fine when they are comfortable(with dithers) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooder Posted August 8, 2011 Author Share Posted August 8, 2011 Thanks killi. Yeh when i get closer to the time when im actually setting it up and stocking it i will give her a ring. How much do you think a trifasciata pair or 2 subadults would cost? and if i just bought 1 male and 1 female they would pair right? If i can ill go down to her shop and talk to her.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve24cro Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 Definately go for a Eheim 2213, perfect for your tank size. I have one on my planted 2ft which is a extra large 2ft at 120 litres and it does a good job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 i don't think her prices are really much more than ryans. i was looking at orange burst caucs in her shop last year and i think they were like $25-$30. i cant really remember what shipping was though. around $40 i think... also, your inbox is full cody... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooder Posted August 19, 2011 Author Share Posted August 19, 2011 Well i got the tank now, and am doing up the stand so ill post some pics when i can. Ill make it a journal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joller Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 livefish get thier pics off google images, so the pics arnt of their actual stock also play sand will buffer your water to a higher pH due to the menerals its made up of, it will also increase water hardness, you can get 'pool filter sand' from pool supplies shops, that sand wont effect your pH or hardness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooder Posted August 20, 2011 Author Share Posted August 20, 2011 Ok thats fine though, because i have been told to up the ph and hardness a bit anyway. and ive already bought play sand now so i dont want to have to buy another bag of sand. Ive decided ill go with a corner filter. 100watt heater and lighting im not sure. Would plants go well with LED lighting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 youd have to be more specific, Cody. what wattage, what type of leds ect. but i thought you were going for a low light low maintanance setup? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooder Posted August 24, 2011 Author Share Posted August 24, 2011 Hi guys, Ive finished the work on my stand and painted the back of the tank. should be getting the filter and crap on friday, so i can set her up and start it cycling. I accidently deleted the before photos, idiot!! anyway... will post some progress pics when it progresses hehehe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 So what stocking have you decided on? I reckon that needs some tangs, personally . And why not just seed the bio media from your 4ft? Where's the tank from? It looks great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooder Posted August 25, 2011 Author Share Posted August 25, 2011 Apsitogramma trifasciata is what i want. what do you mean by seeding the bio media from the 4ft?? put some of the media into the new filter or something? The point was to try a different bio-type, and i like sa dwarfs, they are suitable for this sized tank so thats what i want to go with. Its been moved from the living romm to my bed room because the parents dont like it there, think it will get in the way. Im thinking about having not as much planting as my first idea was, just alot of wood and leaves but also some java fern in clumps around the back and one anubias for extra cover, along with a few rocks. I really wanna get started with the scape so i think im gonna set it up using a different filter. il start growing the plants too.... even though I already have a filter i want to get a new one for 2 reasons: 1) its free anyway because im spending my store credit and 2) you never know when yo will need an active biofilter, so i want to keep a spare. Yeh ill start scaping.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Yeah the idea is that your current bio media has an established bacteria colony, and by taking a small amount of that media and putting it in your new media it 'seeds' the media and sortof kickstarts the cycle. As long as there is a little respiration going on to feed the bacteria it will speed the cycle up. Oh and I know this topic is debatable to some, but my belief, along with alot of other people, is that products such as cycle can't introduce a bacteria colony to the tank... Just saying... Yeah I was only having a go at you. Apistos should be sweet. If it were me, I would only do my hardscape first and one it is perfect and the tank has started cycling or better yet finished put in the fastest growing plants to eat up the nitrates. Wait until the algae blooms have passed till you put in the anubias cause they won't compete and just get covered in algae. I take it your going low light? Are you getting a plant substrate or laterite base? Will you dose macros and micros? And if you need a light until you get one that 54w pc is there if you need it? Good luck with the scape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooder Posted August 25, 2011 Author Share Posted August 25, 2011 Thanks Todd!!! Yeh im going low-ish light. no plant sunstrates or bases, just play sand. alot of the java fern and all the anubias is going to be on wood or rock. Light im just going to go 24inch t8 single bulb fluro. nothin special. ive also got a 5 watt led that i going to use aswell. TY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killiguy Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 That sounds a good Apisto set up to me. Remember Apistos dont like alot of current and fry will come along so you dont want something that will suck in the fry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.