20 gallon planted build

michiganarm

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Hey everyone new to this forum. I would call myself beginner level, have had many fish and a few tanks over the years but just starting to go serious.

Here's my first shot at a natural build planted peaceful 20 gallon tank I had that was formerly home to a gold gourami and blue crawfish. Craw bit the dust so I decide to redo tank. I used about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of Tennessee dirt on the bottom then ranged from 1.5 to 3 inches pool filter sand. Wood is a mangrove root. Stones found on lake Michigan beach. Plants are Anubias Nana and I forgot the other variety, octopus plant, ludwigia, sword, narrow leaf micro sword, Java fern, red root floaters, and green and red crypts. Filter is a Fluvial U2 no carbon. I'll probably add an oak leaf at some point.

Stock is currently:
1 - purple mystery snail
2 - bladder snails
2 - trumpet snails
2 - nerite snails
10-15 blue neocaridina shrimps

I've been debating about putting my gourami back in there as a solo fish I'm sure he'll eat some shrimp. I'm thinking I'll wait until the plants are more dense and see what happens. Might add some moss. Ultimately gourami will reside in my 55 gal due to size. Might choose a different solo fish or a small school of shoal fish any suggestions?

Tank has been going about 4 weeks now, cycle was no problem I reused the filter from the previous build. Plants are starting to get ahold now and there's already baby shrimp which really surprised me. I'm stoked. Had to battle a small breakout of cyanobacteria last week that came over from my 55 (which is in rough shape and needs a rebuild), but that looks successful so far. Looking forward to the forum, some really nice thanks I've seen on here so far. Sorry for glare in the pics.
 

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looks good! Just wanna warn you about bladder snails, they can reproduce sexually and asexually, and they multiply quickly enough that’s they can infest your tank, so just be careful with them
 
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  • #3
looks good! Just wanna warn you about bladder snails, they can reproduce sexually and asexually, and they multiply quickly enough that’s they can infest your tank, so just be careful with them
Will do thanks. I've had that issue in other tanks before with snails. If they explode I'll take it as I sign there's too much food in the tank. I can always scoop a bunch out and throw them up in my 55 which has assassin snails and eventually will have another crawfish.
 

Random Great Topic!

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