Das Fish Lab: A 20 Gallon Long Project

Ahoy!
Starting this as a living journal for a new 20 long I just filled today.
I got into aquascaping sort of haphazardly almost two years ago here in northern Virginia. I have always been into plants, and decided to start experimenting with aquatic gardening. Picked up a ten gallon at a habitat for humanity restore and before long I was hooked (no pun intended).

The original 10 is still thriving, and my original four cory’s have reproduced so I now have six with possibly more on the way. I also have a heavily planted 5 gallon with four neon tetras.

So - the goal of this 20 setup is to provide an environment where this expanding cory family can live their best life with more real estate, move the tetras over and add another 6 or so, and let them enjoy the new digs.

As this is day one still several weeks of cycling before I feel comfortable moving anyone in, BUT I did take some filter media from the 10 and put it into the 20, added a few fish flakes just to have something to decompose and generate some ammonia. It was about 1.5 mg/L this evening, so something is certainly happening but obviously this early on who knows.

All the best fellow aquarists, fair parameters and following filters

~ D

Ahoy again fellow fishkeepers!
Its been about two weeks so time for an update. I have been cycling the 20 long during this time with seeded filter media from my established 10 gallon. Ammonia and Nitrite zero the whole time minus a brief increase after adding some aquasoil and food for cycling purposes. Cleared out within 24 hrs. Last night added some shrimp from my 5 gallon and the four neon tetras that were in there as well. They seem to be adjusting well and relaxed in their new much bigger abode. Few plans for the next week or two:
1. This coming weekend moving the cory’s (three adults and three juveniles they had from the ten)
2. Eventually adding about 5-6 more neons so they have a proper little school
3. Continuing to monitor parameters as I do this gradually
4. Adding more plants. I pretty much broke down the 5 gallon and will redistribute the java fern, and windelov, and plan on ordering some rotala.
My main goal is to continue to build up that left side while preserving the sandy beachy runway for cory shoaling purposes.
Hope you all are well and have a wonderful week!
Fair parameters and following filters,
~D

Great start! I'm sure it will look great with the plant additions once they fill out.