Zodiac007

Hi. I already have a 75 gallon aquarium set up. But most of the fish there are small tetras and stuff. Now I want another 75 gallon aquarium. This one for the living room. I haven't bought anything yet, but this is my plan. The aquarium I'm looking at on craigslist is 48" x 16" x 21".

I will have it very heavily planted with:
- jungle vals
- wisteria
- java fern
- java moss
- pennywort
- crystalwort

It will be mostly planted with the jungle vals.

These are the fishes I'm planning on:
- 8 cardinal tetras
- 3 blue gouramis
- 4 siamese algae eaters
- 6 cory cats
- 2 bristlenose pleco
- 3 oto cats
- 10 tiger babrs
- 1 red tailed shark or 1 rainbow shark

That is also the order I'm planning on getting them. I'll buy each type of fish, 1 week apart. I know that tiger barbs are fin nippers and may nip the gouramis, but I'll have it heavily planted and they will be in a school of 10 so there shouldn't be any problems.

I'll have lots of driftwood and rocks.

The last thing I need to decide on is whether to use sand or fine natural gravel as the substrate. Does anyone know which one would be best for my tank.

Also, there may be a chance that I'll be getting a 90 gallon, at 48" x 18" x 24". Also, from craigslist.

So what do you think about my plan?

Thank you.

Zodiac007

MORE DETAIL:

I'm not planning on CO2. I will be dosing Flourish Excel, 1 cap per 2 days. Planning on 2 lights. 1 hagens aqua glo, and 1 hagens flora glo. Added together, each 40 watts, would be 80 watts. Planning on keeping lights on for 10 - 12 hours. Probably 12. Also I'll be dosing Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Leaf Zone Aquarium Fertilizer. This ferts description is here

http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...ductId=2754007

CWO4GUNNER

I suppose the one thing I really know about is sand which compared to gravel dose not trap debris or food and can be more easily picked up by your air wand or powerhead current for the filter to pick up. It is also keeps catfish barbells from being damaged and susceptible to infection from damage. Also it has 25 times more surface area then gravel and supports more good bacteria. sand is also easier to vacuum and comes cleaner as it agitates more. Recommend regular construction sand from your local hardware store, not play sand (clay) or sand blasting sand (silica). Comes in 25 pound bag for about $7 light almond color with black speckles. Take 1/2 bucket and wash repeatedly with a garden hose sprayer until cloudiness subsides.

FoxyGrandpa

that sounds rilly cool. post pics when done.

agabr123

this may just be a personal opinion of mine, but i think that you may run into some problems with your stock. the biggest issue i see is that you have a LOT going on on the bottom, and chances are your RTS/rainbow shark won't take very well to the corycats, and there's also a chance that the plecos won't take very well to the otos and the siamese algae eaters since they'll be competing for space.

also, i could be wrong on this, but i dont think that you'll want three blue gouramis in the same tank, there's a good chance that they will be aggressive towards one another.

my suggestion in order to avoid all this (and honestly, there's a chance that they'll all get along fine, but i'm more of an "avoid as many problems as possible" rather than "i'll give it a try and just have a plan if it doesnt work out")
8 cardinals
12-15 tiger barbs
1 blue gourami
1 RTS/rainbow shark
1 BN pleco
5 otos or 5 siamese algae eaters or 6 cories

Zodiac007

thanks agbar. I actually am going to take your advice. I'll leave out the cories I guess. And maybe the otos too. But otos are so small and they don't say at the bottom always. They may go on leaves and glass.