40 Gallon Breeder x2 and the great fish relocation.

Since I have determined that adding fish does not solve problems apparently I’m adding tanks instead.

what this post will be about - building, planting, and stocking* the two 40 gallons. however *because I need to rebalance existing stock first my other tanks are going to come into play even though I have other journal build threads. I hope that anyone who reads will follow and share as I welcome feedback /info/guidance/ laughs anything !


I had the space and it was a decent sale and besides this what I do ! Either way I now have 2 40 gallons in the mid/end design stages.

Some background

I’m a dummy and have been calling two of my tanks 40 gallon when they are actually 30. That changes some of what I can do. also if you see any older posts I’m not fixing em lol.

other tanks for reference on rebalance etc.

55gallon - ”Rainbow” 9 Bosimani and 2 Yellow rainbow fish 6 corrie cats.

Would like the yellow to have a bigger school

55 gallon “community” 1 three spot Gourami 1 rainbow shark 8 red phantom tetras 5 zigzag rainbow fish, and 4 mixed Australian rainbow fish.

OVErSTOCKEd and shark needs to move !
Mixed Australian maybe rehome… I don’t want more and it’s two pair …

55 gallon ”Angel“ tank 4 juvenile Angelfish (3-4” body + fins 5+“) 3 clown plecos, and 7 pearl danios.

The danios were just dither fish for the Angels could be moved. The angels need to be considered as possible additions to “rainbow” tank if I need to separate.

30 gallon “tetra“ tank - 6 white skirt and 20 cardinals

OVeR stocked again ?…This is one of the primary motivations is to get these ones split up or all moved to a real 40 gallon

30 gallon “fry” has 8 red rainbow fish 2.5 months old and growing strong.

I may keeps a group of 3-5 depending but local store already wants them. Also have 3 other rainbow fish fry in my hospital tank not sure what kind as they came from ”community“



FINALLY - the actual tanks for this build the 2 new 40 gallon breeders -


here they are so far .

Black sand and rock -
The white rings are plant markers

Green Circle is potted Baby dwarftears - it’s elevated hard to see in photos
Purple will be Microsorium Pteropus - Java fern Windelov/lace replanted from other tank.
Red is water sprite lace fern.
Blue random Anubis from other tank

​

.





White sand / river rock - bio balls plant markers lol.

Green Circles - Ludwigia dark red
Red circles - crypts one red one green - Wendtii
Purple - Temple Plant - Hygrophila Corymbosa
Yellow - chain sword narrow leaf - Echinodorus Quadricostas

These are ordered and all potted except the Ludwigia … I’m not sure I may plant the pots …

​

.


Seeing the new tanks and current Stock etc please suggestions and pass this thread along!

something’s I am thinking

add ottos
up my school of yellows maybe 1 more male 2 female for 5 … where to move maybe swap for two angels?
down my mixed Australians ..just rehome …they are so pretty though
give rainbow shark its own tank .. to awesome to go but …
add more corydoras cause they are awesome, and I got big green grey ones I want little black and white ones.
add 1 male zig zag … make 6 ..after removing shark and Australians..
new white sand tank for tetras ?
new black sand tank for guppies - I really want a guppy tank but could be the 30 fry or 30 tetra ..


soooo much love it all. Inspired by so much on here and elsewhere please resources, info inspiration welcome.

 

Since I have determined that adding fish does not solve problems apparently I’m adding tanks instead.

what this post will be about - building, planting, and stocking* the two 40 gallons. however *because I need to rebalance existing stock first my other tanks are going to come into play even though I have other journal build threads. I hope that anyone who reads will follow and share as I welcome feedback /info/guidance/ laughs anything !


I had the space and it was a decent sale and besides this what I do ! Either way I now have 2 40 gallons in the mid/end design stages.

Some background

I’m a dummy and have been calling two of my tanks 40 gallon when they are actually 30. That changes some of what I can do. also if you see any older posts I’m not fixing em lol.

other tanks for reference on rebalance etc.

55gallon - ”Rainbow” 9 Bosimani and 2 Yellow rainbow fish 6 corrie cats.

Would like the yellow to have a bigger school

55 gallon “community” 1 three spot Gourami 1 rainbow shark 8 red phantom tetras 5 zigzag rainbow fish, and 4 mixed Australian rainbow fish.

OVErSTOCKEd and shark needs to move !
Mixed Australian maybe rehome… I don’t want more and it’s two pair …

55 gallon ”Angel“ tank 4 juvenile Angelfish (3-4” body + fins 5+“) 3 clown plecos, and 7 pearl danios.

The danios were just dither fish for the Angels could be moved. The angels need to be considered as possible additions to “rainbow” tank if I need to separate.

30 gallon “tetra“ tank - 6 white skirt and 20 cardinals

OVeR stocked again ?…This is one of the primary motivations is to get these ones split up or all moved to a real 40 gallon

30 gallon “fry” has 8 red rainbow fish 2.5 months old and growing strong.

I may keeps a group of 3-5 depending but local store already wants them. Also have 3 other rainbow fish fry in my hospital tank not sure what kind as they came from ”community“



FINALLY - the actual tanks for this build the 2 new 40 gallon breeders -


here they are so far .

Black sand and rock -
The white rings are plant markers

Green Circle is potted Baby dwarftears - it’s elevated hard to see in photos
Purple will be Microsorium Pteropus - Java fern Windelov/lace replanted from other tank.
Red is water sprite lace fern.
Blue random Anubis from other tank

​

.View attachment 838907View attachment 838909



White sand / river rock - bio balls plant markers lol.

Green Circles - Ludwigia dark red
Red circles - crypts one red one green - Wendtii
Purple - Temple Plant - Hygrophila Corymbosa
Yellow - chain sword narrow leaf - Echinodorus Quadricostas

These are ordered and all potted except the Ludwigia … I’m not sure I may plant the pots …

​

View attachment 838906.View attachment 838908

Seeing the new tanks and current Stock etc please suggestions and pass this thread along!

something’s I am thinking

add ottos
up my school of yellows maybe 1 more male 2 female for 5 … where to move maybe swap for two angels?
down my mixed Australians ..just rehome …they are so pretty though
give rainbow shark its own tank .. to awesome to go but …
add more corydoras cause they are awesome, and I got big green grey ones I want little black and white ones.
add 1 male zig zag … make 6 ..after removing shark and Australians..
new white sand tank for tetras ?
new black sand tank for guppies - I really want a guppy tank but could be the 30 fry or 30 tetra ..


soooo much love it all. Inspired by so much on here and elsewhere please resources, info inspiration welcome.

I love your idea or try moving the gourami to one of the new tanks and add some livebeares that sounds good cause not only you will have centerpiece fish ( gourami ) the livebeares species will be conttroled

 

I love your idea or try moving the gourami to one of the new tanks and add some livebeares that sounds good cause not only you will have centerpiece fish ( gourami ) the livebeares species will be conttroled

Thanks ! The shark is who needs to move unfortunately… the gourami hangs/schools with rainbows. And it’s HER tank lol. She had it to herself for weeks, then I tried multiple another pair to make 3 1 male - she harassed female so bad I moved her then the male and her took turns harassing each other. He took the worst of it. that pair went back to LFS and miss tiger still runs the tank… although general thought from other thread was shark is/maybe making whole tank on edge.

I have so much to rearrange … many thanks for the input.

Boss girl fins up.


big ole pretty shark getting the side eye

 

its late and I’m thinking stocking rearrange …ahhh sleep

55 gallon “rainbow” -
remove 2 yellow rainbows
Add pair or single Angelfish as needed if Breeding starts
final stock - 9 Bosimani 3/6 ratio, 6 cories (1-2 angels possible)

40 gallon breeder black sand -
add current 20 cardinal and 6 white skirt tetras +2 maybe …
NEW 6-8 corries … thinking julii
Done.

now empty 30 gallon from removed tetras.
move 1 rainbow shark From community tank
move 7 pearl danios from Angel tank
Done

”fry” 30:gallon no change for now. Future guppy tank.

Community 55 gallon
remove rainbow shark
remove mixed “Australian” rainbows
NEW one pair of zig zag rainbow male/female
Final stock
1 three spot gourami
8 red phantom tetras
7 zig zag rainbows 2/5 ratio

55 gallon Angel tank
remove danios
move 1-2 Angels depending on breeding
move mixed “Australians” from community 2/2 ratio
NEW - 3 female … something close I have a good online source for rainbows so see what they have (most they actually sell specified sex)
Final Stock
4 Angels - tbd how many stay.
7 mixed Australian rainbows 2/5 ratio I think these will be bigger dither fish
3 clown plecos (max 3”) they are small for pleco.
Done.

White sand 40 gallon
move 2 yellow from 55 rainbow
NEW 3 yellow 1 male 2 female
NEW 6 corries thinking Sterbai
NEW 8 cherry barbs or other similar, possible 8 zebra danios some thing similar
Done.

I dont get my guppy tank right away, but I increase my rainbow schools and spread them out to species specific. Eventually the reds will grow up and I’ll have to decide if I keep any, but most are going to LFS for $/credit.

Does anything look overstocked / understocked ?
Can I add ottos anyplace ? I would love 6 or so anyplace/every they would fit.
Nano fish suggestions like little barbs or danios ? Something I’m not thinking of?

thanks to all

 

Wow, that boss girl is very pretty.

 

Ok so after last nights “brainstorming” I think I’m on a mostly right track input appreciated.

im running modified HOBs that came in 55 gal kits. I’ve added Matrix media course sponge cut to fit and filter floss on top. I have little carbon bags I can add in if I want/need.

since I brought media over cycling should start… I also added a couple shrimp pellets to each tank for some ammonia not that it may do much.

I did add some more hard scape to the black sand as it will have less overall plants ….I say that now. Lol

also running 2 filters on each right now I’ll decide what to keep on later.
Here is white sand front abs top down views. I added the red slate to make some caves and help differentiate from sand to river rock. I also dumped a bunch of sand on top of river rock - it’s about 1.5 inch sand 2 inches rock sprinkled sand to fill some gaps. The rest is 3 ish inches just sand.








here is black sand - most of the plants are in as this one was getting plants from existing tanks.





reusing the big silver tube heaters for now .. they are not my fav but the ones I like are $.

Wow, that boss girl is very pretty.

Thanks ! I posted her in photo contests ! She is my favorite (don’t tell my angels)
I’ve had her almost as long as any .. couple of the rainbows were first. She hates corydoras don’t ask me why … went bezerk when added to her first tank. She hates other gouramis as indicated by early experiments - she likes her rainbow friends and schools with them (Unless they want to feed where she is explorin). Her and the rainbow shark on neutral terms although she is more likely to chase it than the other way around.

 

The stock move I think I will be putting in separate threads as it’s hard to wrap around so much at once …maybe if I break it up it will help.
For this build !

Some adjustments to hard scape
Plants added !
I moved the baby tears placement because of the internal filter.
Final …I think …filter set up. Both have internals for some extra flow and goodness, but they are tall and almost/do touch substrate.

Tests this morning had just a touch of ammonia .25 in black sand and maybe .5 in white sand and nitrates around 20ppm (low for me) nitrites 0 in black sand and .25 in the other. I’m using filter floss from other tanks and adding fish food. Any thoughts on time frames … not sure I’m expecting to see huge spikes as the filters should be pretty healthy.

im concerned about the plants in the white sand It seems dense compared to black ..same brand .. the potted plants had nice big roots but will see.

as of this afternoon.

 

Seeing Increases in ammonia and nitrites .5-1 and .25-.5 on APi tests.

only real surprise is the PH is high running at or just above 8.0 other tanks tend to be closer to 7.2-7.4

plants are growing for the most part. The chain sword that’s in the back of the tank is kind of in a shadow .. it’s leaning forward will see.



No fish yet… was hoping this week but not so sure now.

 

Well the white sand tank is cycled and ready to receive fish. The vote went the other way so black sand is getting the tetra transfers. The backgrounds came in so here’s the updated look.


if this will ever cycle tetras will be moving think scape is complete.




White sand will be the guppy tank ! Doing blue cobra males with mixed females see what happens.