freshwaterguy

My first FW set up running for a few weeks now plain I know, and I have time and money to improve so suggestions appreciated

Juwel RIO 125
Fake plants - to be changed to live plants & density of plants will be increased
RENA 200 Airpump & Diffuser - delivered today to be set up
Sand

Fish
x 4 Tiger Barbs - more to be added after tank has cycled
x 4 Zebra Danios - not sure if to increase numbers

Any suggestions on how to improve look and security for fish would be appreciated, along with recommendations for suitable tank mates that would add a splash of color.

Howeyg

you could add a pair of blue rams, or cockatoo cichlids for some colour.

in plants i would add some amazon swords and a list of other plants i think lood good for tank, green cabomba, maybe some brazilian milfoil and i also like the look of pellia

try get more shady places for fish to hide eg. rocks, caves and wood

freshwaterguy

Thanks for your reply live plants are next on the to buy list, I installed the RENA 200 Airpump and Diffuser today and now have lots of bubbles in center of tank, I have moved the artificial plant that was on the left hand side above this is now closer to the middle. When I have live plants I will see that they are more dense.

I am trying to find a good selection of rocks or caves but have only found a few on auction sites and none are very good in my opinion, I would like something dramatic but natural looking

Does anyone know a good place to purchase wood or can driftwood used and does it have to treated with bleach?

Oh and the Blue Rams do look amazing, I believe they have to be housed in pairs, there seems to be a great difference in the color of these fish looking on the web but I will see what my LFS has when I am ready for next fish.

freshwaterguy

there are plants supplied on Driftwood on auction sites that I like the look of, would the below be suitable for my first live plants and would either require any addition lighting other than the standard two tubes in my Juwel Rio 125

Java Fern
Anubias Nana

freshwaterguy

Please ignore above plant post as i found a gret article at http://www.fishlore.com/Forum/index.php?topic=12673.0

Callum The Cat

freshwaterguy

I have just won two pieces of Mopani Bogwood links to pictures below I think should look good especially when I get first live plants looking to get Hornwart, Java Fern or some Java Moss

I will post updated picture of my aquarium when bogwood is in place along with live plants

Jim

Oh cool driftwood! I love driftwood, definitly prefer it to plastic decorations, and as far as I'm conserned, the more twisted and weird, the better. Those babies are gonna look awesome!

COBettaCouple

yea, i agree - great pickup!

freshwaterguy

Thanks, I had been trying to pickup a circular piece shaped like a tree trunk but these will certainly do, fish should be happy.

freshwaterguy

now with have bubbles and slightly re-arranged, bogwood should arrive next week then for live plants.

armadillo

Man! that tank is so zen and ,... orderly. You should see mine. A total mess, LOL.

freshwaterguy

armadillo

i saw your latest fish pictures today and wow some nice pictures with a very good camera! thanks for all your comments.

One thing I have found with having aquarium sand is that I cannot secure limewood diffuser it just blows the sand off the bed of aquarium so I have just said what the heck and it is now floating above sand.

I think I should have gone with gravel as some people here have very colorful aquarium gravel and I am sure it would be better

my tank will be changing a lot with bogwood and live plants, i guess i can put live plants in before tank has cycled although i have also read it is better to wait so filter matures enough

armadillo

Thanks for hte compliment, FWG!

I love the idea of sand. Am glad you got some as you can help answer questions on it. Not that many members have sand in their tanks.

I hadn't realised the plants weren't real. I love that bundle on the left.

Oh, I was just reading that in another thread so see what you think of it: what do you think of moss balls? Am thinking of getting one for my tank. Just a thought, but as you're aquascaping, maybe something you hadn't thought about.

freshwaterguy

i have read that moss is very beneficial to aquariums as they use nutrients that are essential for algae to form. I have been told it is best to have a current in aquarium and to change moss position once in a while to stay round.

i myself am looking at hornwart, anubias, java fern & moss as my first live plants which are supposed to be low light and plant novice friendly

armadillo

Oooooh, really?! Interesting, interesting (about the moss balls).

I concur: hornwort was so easy it overtook my tank and I had to tear it off in the end. It was in a tiny 5G, though.

COBettaCouple

looking excellent.. can't wait to see it when you get it finished.

Jim

I saw moss balls listed on Plantgeek and I really want a couple, but none of the LFS's around here stock them. I'm going to have to find one online I guess.

sunda

Freshwaterguy,

It really has a fantastic look your Acquarium.having substrate as sand is very attractive...
BTW, can u please refer to my posting i did here : http://www.fishlore.com/Forum/index.php?topic=13499.0 .
i wanted to know how to maintian sand filled tanks....have taken advices from guys like cheifwaterchanger, sidarksol and would like to say many thanks to them in this time..
Vat's the process u r following to clean and maintain sand filled tanks.......
can u please share it with me...

Ta.

freshwaterguy

Sunda

I too am new to aquariums, the above is my first, with my tank still cycling I have only done a few water changes to date. I use a gravel cleaner to disturb the sand and then create a good vacuum which lifts the fish waste from the sand. I manage to do this without removing the sand. I had some difficulty with the first water change, but persistance creates the right technique. It is important to disturb the sand as mentioned in your post.

I am doing water weekly water changes currently and when my tank has cycled I will continue to do so to try and keep nitrate below 20ppm at a maximum

Good luck

armadillo

Just got mine today. Yoohoo!

Would look awesome in your tank, Freshwaterguy.

freshwaterguy

moss balls do look interesting, I have just registered at plantgeek and found this useful tool in one of posts for aquascaping perhaps someone could place this tool somwhere on this site, obviously more useful for new aquarists

http://www.gorillot.com/aquatools/ph...x.php?select=7

armadillo

Yooohoo! Just got one. Looks really awesome.

COBettaCouple

i want one! i want one! waaaaah!

freshwaterguy

My updated aquarium picture with some driftwood and Java Fern now added. Click below link for updated picture - there are 8 fish in this picture somewhere!



I think it looks much better and the fish seem to like it, now just need to add next fish now have cycled over a week a go.

Any thoughts appreciated, I struggled to use black cotton to tie Java Fern to driftwood and I guess now just need to hope thrives.

Neil

Looks very nice and clean

azzman

I think a black background would really look good, contrast with the sand and rockwork.

freshwaterguy

thanks for your comments, the plain blue background I currently have does a black reverse side I may try this

I am going to LFS tomorrow to get next fish after tank has now cycled and nitrate is 0ppm after latest 20% wc

COBettaCouple

looks great!

freshwaterguy

i went to LFS yesterday and purchases a male and female dwarf gourami, two very small green barbs (totalling 6 barbs - 4 tigers) and a male and female firemouth cichlid

all are getting on well and have really brightened up aquarium!

i am getting a flower pot for cichlids to use

below are pics of firemouth and dwarf gourami

1 of firemouth cichlid



1 of firemouth and both gourami's



I think you will agree very pretty fish.

Fed Frozen brine shrimp yesterday although as yet firemouths have not taken any flake food from surface and not much gets to the bottom - any tips or suggestions on feeding them.

I have two balls of Java Moss in post which I believe would be good for spawing fish and the moss should spread throughout my tank.